I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2923 
To require the Secretary of Energy to award grants to expand programs 
in maritime and energy workforce technical training, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2015 
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. BABIN, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 
Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. OLSON, and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Work-
force, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Energy to award grants to ex-
pand programs in maritime and energy workforce tech-
nical training, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maritime and Energy 
Workforce Technical Training Enhancement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. MARITIME AND ENERGY WORKFORCE TECHNICAL 
TRAINING ENHANCEMENT. 
(a) GRANTS REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Energy (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall award 
grants to enable eligible community colleges and 
other public institutions of higher education to ex-
pand upon existing programs in maritime and en-
ergy workforce technical training, including by ad-
mitting more students, training faculty, expanding 
facilities, creating new maritime career pathways 
from associate degree to baccalaureate degree pro-
grams and awarding credit for prior learning experi-
ence, or increasing cooperation with the Department 
of Energy, the Department of Defense, the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security, the Department of 
Transportation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
or the National Science Foundation. In developing 
the grant program, the Secretary may award a grant 
to a nonprofit organization with a track record of at 
least 10 years of expertise in working with commu-
nity colleges on developing workforce development 
programs, to provide assistance to the Secretary in 
carrying out the requirements of this Act. 
(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority in the award of grants under this section to eli-
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gible institutions that have entered into a partner-
ship with the Department of Energy, the Depart-
ment of Defense, the Department of Homeland Se-
curity, the Department of Transportation, or the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(3) GRANT AMOUNTS.—Grants awarded under 
this section shall be in amounts of not less than 
$1,000,000 and not more than $1,500,000. 
(b) REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter for 2 years, the Secretary shall issue a re-
quest for proposals from eligible institutions for 
grants under this section. 
(2) PROPOSALS.—An eligible institution that 
seeks the award of a grant under this section shall 
submit an application therefor to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
such information as the Secretary may require, in-
cluding— 
(A) demonstration of a willingness and 
ability to participate in a partnership described 
in subsection (a)(2), if any; and 
(B) a commitment, and demonstration of 
an ability, to maintain maritime and energy 
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workforce technical training programs after the 
end of the grant period. 
(c) GRANT USES.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—An 
eligible 
institution 
awarded a grant under this section shall use grant 
amounts to carry out any of the following: 
(A) Training related to maritime or energy 
transportation, logistics, and supply chain man-
agement. 
(B) Training related to shipbuilding and 
ship repair. 
(C) Enhancement of academic and work-
force training programs, to include certifi-
cations and apprenticeships, providing training 
for maritime and energy employment. 
(D) Salary supplementation for faculty in 
maritime or energy training and education. 
(E) Operation and maintenance of mari-
time or energy related equipment and tech-
nology for use in instructional programs. 
(F) Acquisition of marine vessels, safety 
equipment, ship simulators, electronic naviga-
tion devices, fire suppression equipment, phys-
ical and chemical measuring instruments, sam-
pling devices, and other assets and equipment 
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for use in maritime or energy related training 
and education. 
(G) Renovation or construction of build-
ings to house maritime or energy training and 
education programs. 
(H) Tuition reimbursement for successful 
completion of a maritime or energy course, pro-
gram, or certification. 
(2) LIMITATION ON CONSTRUCTION.—An eligi-
ble institution awarded a grant under this section 
may use not more than 50 percent of the grant 
amount to carry out paragraph (1)(G). 
(3) ADMISSIONS PREFERENCE.—An eligible in-
stitution awarded a grant under this section shall 
give preference in admission to maritime or energy 
training and education programs to veterans, to the 
extent practicable. 
(4) PERIOD OF USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible in-
stitution awarded a grant under this section may use 
the grant funds for a period of three years after the 
award of the grant. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible institution’’ means a 
community college or other public postsecondary 
educational institution located in close proximity to 
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marine or port facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, At-
lantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, or Great Lakes offering 
a maritime training and education program, and 
which has an established association with— 
(A) a port authority or other established 
seaport or inland port facility; and 
(B) the Department of Energy, the De-
partment of Defense, the Department of Home-
land Security, the Department of Transpor-
tation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or 
other appropriate government agencies. 
(2) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 101 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for 
each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, $12,000,000 
to carry out this section. 
SEC. 3. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN MARITIME AND EN-
ERGY WORKFORCE TECHNICAL TRAINING. 
(a) GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Transportation and the 
Secretary of Labor, shall award a grant to no more 
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than 10 eligible institutions to enable the eligible in-
stitutions to— 
(A) establish Centers of Excellence in Mar-
itime and Energy Workforce Technical Training 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Centers’’); 
and 
(B) enable eligible institutions to improve 
and expand maritime and energy workforce 
training opportunities for veterans, members of 
the Armed Forces, Federal employees, and civil-
ians by implementing new programs in such 
training areas as— 
(i) port related transportation sys-
tems, maritime and energy logistics and 
supply chain management, small vessel re-
pair, maintenance of navigation and deck 
cargo systems, maintenance of sophisti-
cated training equipment, port related 
transportation, logistics, and supply chain 
management, shipbuilding and ship repair, 
operation and maintenance of equipment 
and technology for use in maritime and en-
ergy employment training; and 
(ii) job placement in maritime and en-
ergy related employment fields. 
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(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give pri-
ority in the award of grants under this section to eli-
gible institutions that have in force, or demonstrate 
the willingness and ability to enter into, memoranda 
of understanding with the Department of Energy, 
the Department of Defense, the Department of 
Homeland Security, the Department of Transpor-
tation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or other 
appropriate government agencies, or a cooperative 
agreement with an appropriate private sector entity, 
which memorandum of understanding or cooperative 
agreement provides for either, or both, of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The provision of resources, whether in 
cash or in kind, to the Center. 
(B) Assistance for the Center in building 
maritime or energy training capacity, or in 
training Federal employees in maritime fields. 
(3) GRANT
AMOUNT.—Grants awarded under 
this section shall be in amounts of not more than 
$1,500,000 per Center. 
(b) REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
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shall issue a request for proposals from eligible insti-
tutions for a grant under this section. 
(2) PROPOSALS.—An eligible institution that 
seeks the award of the grant under this section shall 
submit an application therefor to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) GRANT USES.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—An 
eligible 
institution 
awarded a grant under this section shall use the 
grant amount for purposes as follows: 
(A) To develop an agenda for maritime 
and energy training and education. 
(B) To fund expansion of maritime and 
energy training and education. 
(C) To publish or otherwise disseminate 
findings relating to best practices in maritime 
and energy training and education. 
(2) PERIOD OF USE OF FUNDS.—Eligible insti-
tutions awarded grants under this section may use 
the grant amount for a period of five years after the 
award of the grant. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible institution’’ means a 
community college or other public educational insti-
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tution located in close proximity to port or other ma-
rine facilities on the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, 
Pacific Ocean, or Great Lakes that— 
(A) operates an existing maritime or en-
ergy workforce training program; 
(B) offers accredited programs in academic 
areas such as port related transportation, logis-
tics, and supply chain management and ship-
building and ship repair, among other areas rel-
evant to maritime or energy related workforce 
training; 
(C) is well recognized in the field of mari-
time workforce training; and 
(D) has an established association with— 
(i) a port authority; and 
(ii) the Department of Energy, the 
Department of Defense, the Department of 
Homeland Security, the Department of 
Transportation, the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, or other appropriate govern-
ment agencies. 
(2) The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 101 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
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(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for 
each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, $12,000,000 
to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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