I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3135 
To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of related 
instruction associated with apprenticeship and preapprenticeship pro-
grams that are focused on serving the skilled technical workforce at 
the National Laboratories and certain facilities of the National Nuclear 
Security Administration, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2019 
Mr. LUJA´N (for himself, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. HAALAND, Mr. 
LAMB, Mr. SWALWELL of California, and Ms. TORRES SMALL of New 
Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To enable projects that will aid in the development and 
delivery of related instruction associated with apprentice-
ship and preapprenticeship programs that are focused 
on serving the skilled technical workforce at the National 
Laboratories and certain facilities of the National Nu-
clear Security Administration, 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 ‘‘Department of Energy 
National Labs Jobs ACCESS Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL LABORATORY JOBS ACCESS PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 
a program known as the ‘‘Department of Energy National 
Lab Jobs ACCESS Program’’, under which the Secretary 
shall award, on a competitive basis, 5-year grants to eligi-
ble entities described in subsection (c) for the Federal 
share 
of 
the 
costs 
of 
technical, 
skills-based 
preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that pro-
vide employer-driven or recognized postsecondary creden-
tials during the grant period. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A program funded by a grant 
awarded under this section shall develop and deliver cus-
tomized and competency-based training that— 
(1) leads to recognized postsecondary creden-
tials for secondary school and postsecondary stu-
dents; 
(2) is focused on skills and qualifications need-
ed to meet the immediate and on-going needs of tra-
ditional and emerging technician positions (including 
machinists and cyber security technicians) at the 
National Laboratories and covered facilities of the 
National Nuclear Security Administration; 
(3) 
creates 
an 
apprenticeship 
or 
preapprenticeship partnership with a National Lab-
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oratory or covered facility of the National Nuclear 
Security Administration; and 
(4) 
creates 
an 
apprenticeship 
or 
preapprenticeship program with the Secretary of 
Labor or a State department of labor. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity that is eligible 
to receive a grant under this section shall be a workforce 
intermediary or an eligible sponsor of a preapprenticeship 
or an apprenticeship program that— 
(1) demonstrates experience in implementing 
and providing career planning and career pathways 
towards technical, skills-based apprenticeship or 
preapprenticeship training programs; 
(2)(A) has a relationship with a National Lab-
oratory or covered facility of the National Nuclear 
Security Administration; 
(B) has knowledge of technician workforce 
needs of such laboratory or facility and the associ-
ated security requirements of such laboratory or fa-
cility; and 
(C) is eligible to enter into an agreement with 
such laboratory or facility that would be paid for in 
part or entirely from grant funds received under this 
section; 
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(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and sup-
port individuals who plan to work in relevant techni-
cian positions upon the successful completion of such 
programs; 
(4) provides students who complete such pro-
grams with a recognized postsecondary credential, 
such as a journeyman craft license or an industry- 
recognized certification; 
(5) uses a customized training curriculum that 
is specifically aligned with employers, utilizing work-
place learning advisors and on-the-job training to 
the greatest extent possible; and 
(6) demonstrates successful outcomes con-
necting graduates of such programs to careers rel-
evant to such programs. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity seeking a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to receive 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize an 
eligible entity that— 
(1) is a member of an industry or sector part-
nership; 
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(2) provides the training described in subsection 
(b)— 
(A) at an institution of higher education 
(such as a community college) that includes 
basic science, technology, and mathematics edu-
cation in the curriculum; 
(B) through an apprenticeship program 
that was registered with the Department of 
Labor or a State before the date on which the 
eligible entity applies for the grant under sub-
section (d); or 
(C) with respect to a preapprenticeship 
program, at a local educational agency, a sec-
ondary school, an area career and technical 
education school, or an appropriate community 
facility; 
(3) works with the Secretary of Defense or vet-
erans organizations to transition members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans to apprenticeship or 
preapprenticeship programs in a relevant sector; 
(4) plans to use the grant to carry out the 
training described in subsection (b) with an entity 
that receives State funding or is operated by a State 
agency; and 
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(5) plans to use the grant to carry out the 
training described in subsection (b) for— 
(A) young adults ages 17 to 29, inclusive; 
or 
(B) individuals with barriers to employ-
ment. 
(f) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.—In making grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall consider regional 
diversity. 
(g) LIMITATION ON APPLICATIONS.—An eligible enti-
ty may not submit, either individually or as part of a joint 
application, more than 1 application for a grant under this 
section during any 1 fiscal year. 
(h) LIMITATIONS
ON AMOUNT
OF GRANT.—The 
amount of a grant provided under this section for any 24- 
month period of the 5-year grant period shall not exceed 
$500,000. 
(i) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal share 
of the cost of a customized training program carried out 
using a grant under this section shall be not less than 
25 percent of the total cost of the program. 
(j) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may 
provide technical assistance to eligible entities described 
in subsection (c) to leverage the existing job training and 
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education programs of the Department of Labor and other 
relevant programs at appropriate Federal agencies. 
(k) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less than once every 2 
years, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to Con-
gress, and make publicly available on the website of 
the Department of Labor, a report on the program 
established under this section, including— 
(A) a description of— 
(i) any entity that receives a grant 
under this section; 
(ii) any activity carried out using the 
grants under this section; and 
(iii) best practices used to leverage the 
investment of the Federal Government 
under this section; and 
(B) an assessment of the results achieved 
by the program established under this section, 
including the rate of employment for partici-
pants after completing a job training and edu-
cation program carried out using a grant under 
this section. 
(2) PROVISION
OF
INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary of Energy shall provide such information as 
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necessary to the Secretary of Labor for purposes of 
the report under paragraph (1). 
(l) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘local edu-
cational agency’’ and ‘‘secondary school’’ have the 
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) WIOA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘career plan-
ning’’, 
‘‘community-based 
organization’’, 
‘‘cus-
tomized training’’, ‘‘economic development agency’’, 
‘‘individual with a barrier to employment’’, ‘‘indus-
try or sector partnership’’, ‘‘on-the-job training’’, 
‘‘recognized postsecondary credential’’, and ‘‘work-
place learning advisor’’ have the meanings given 
such terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(3) APPRENTICESHIP.—The term ‘‘apprentice-
ship’’ means an apprenticeship registered under the 
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the 
‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, chap-
ter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
(4) AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘area career and technical edu-
cation school’’ has the meaning given the term in 
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section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Tech-
nical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302). 
(5) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘‘commu-
nity college’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘junior 
or community college’’ in section 312(f) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)). 
(6) COVERED FACILITY OF THE NATIONAL NU-
CLEAR
SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION.—The 
term 
‘‘covered facility of the National Nuclear Security 
Administration’’ means a national security labora-
tory or a nuclear weapons production facility as such 
terms are defined in section 4002 of the Atomic En-
ergy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2501). 
(7) ELIGIBLE
SPONSOR.—The term ‘‘eligible 
sponsor’’ means a public organization or an organi-
zation described in section 501(c) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under 
section 501(a) of that Code, that— 
(A) with respect to an apprenticeship pro-
gram, administers such program through a 
partnership that may include— 
(i) a business; 
(ii) an employer or industry associa-
tion; 
(iii) a labor-management organization; 
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(iv) a local workforce development 
board or State workforce development 
board; 
(v) a 2- or 4-year institution of higher 
education that offers an educational pro-
gram leading to an associate’s or bach-
elor’s degree in conjunction with a certifi-
cate of completion of apprenticeship; 
(vi) the Armed Forces (including the 
National Guard and Reserves); 
(vii) a community-based organization; 
or 
(viii) an economic development agen-
cy; and 
(B) with respect to a preapprenticeship 
program, is a local educational agency, a sec-
ondary school, an area career and technical 
education school, a State workforce develop-
ment board, a local workforce development 
board, or a community-based organization, that 
administers such program with any required co-
ordination and necessary approvals from the 
Secretary of Labor or a State department of 
labor. 
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(8) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(9) 
LOCAL
WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT 
BOARD.—The term ‘‘local workforce development 
board’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘local 
board’’ in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(10) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801). 
(11) 
PREAPPRENTICESHIP.—The 
term 
‘‘preapprenticeship’’, used with respect to a pro-
gram, means an initiative or set of strategies that— 
(A) is designed to prepare participants to 
enter and succeed in an apprenticeship pro-
gram; 
(B) is carried out by an eligible sponsor 
that has a documented partnership with one or 
more sponsors of apprenticeship programs; and 
(C) includes each of the following: 
(i) Training (including a curriculum 
for the training) aligned with industry 
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standards related to apprenticeships and 
reviewed and approved annually by spon-
sors of the apprenticeships within the doc-
umented partnership that will prepare par-
ticipants by teaching the skills and com-
petencies needed to enter one or more ap-
prenticeship programs. 
(ii) Hands-on training and theoretical 
education for participants that— 
(I) includes proper observation of 
supervision and safety protocols; and 
(II) does not displace a paid em-
ployee. 
(iii) A formal agreement with a spon-
sor of an apprenticeship program that 
would enable participants who successfully 
complete the preapprenticeship program— 
(I) to enter directly into the ap-
prenticeship program if a place in the 
program is available and if the partic-
ipant meets the qualifications of the 
apprenticeship program; and 
(II) to earn credits towards the 
apprenticeship program. 
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(12) RELATED INSTRUCTION.—The term ‘‘re-
lated instruction’’ means an organized and system-
atic form of instruction designed to provide an ap-
prentice with the knowledge of the theoretical and 
technical subjects related to the occupation of the 
apprentice or the instruction needed to prepare an 
individual to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship 
program. 
(13) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Labor, except as otherwise specified 
in this Act. 
(14) 
STATE
WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT 
BOARD.—The term ‘‘State workforce development 
board’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘State 
board’’ in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
(15) WORKFORCE
INTERMEDIARY.—The term 
‘‘workforce intermediary’’— 
(A) means an organization that proactively 
addresses workforce needs using a dual cus-
tomer approach, which considers the needs of 
both employees and employers; and 
(B) may include a faith-based and commu-
nity organization, an employer organization, a 
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community college, a temporary staffing agen-
cy, a State workforce development board, a 
local workforce development board, or a labor 
organization. 
(m) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2020 through 
2024. 
Æ 
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