I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5096 
To amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
2006 to establish the American Technical Training Grant Program, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2016 
Ms. ESTY (for herself, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. HIMES, and Mr. QUIGLEY) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
cation Act of 2006 to establish the American Technical 
Training Grant Program, 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 ‘‘Technical Education 
Creates High-Paying Careers Act of 2016’’ or the ‘‘TECH 
Careers Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMERICAN TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Carl D. Perkins 
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
2371 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by inserting before section 201 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘PART A—TECH PREP PROGRAM’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new part: 
‘‘PART B—AMERICAN TECHNICAL TRAINING 
GRANT PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICAN TECHNICAL 
TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of 
Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, 
shall develop and implement a grant program, to be known 
as the American Technical Training Grant Program, to 
award competitive grants to eligible entities for supporting 
the establishment, redesign, or expansion of job training 
programs that enable economically disadvantaged students 
to enter into and advance along career pathways that lead 
to jobs in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupa-
tions. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—For pur-
poses of this part, the term ‘eligible entity’ means an insti-
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tution of higher education that offers career and technical 
education programs that can be completed in 2 years or 
less or a consortium of such institutions. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity that desires a 
grant under this part shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(d) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In awarding grants 
under this part, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
entities that— 
‘‘(1) would serve a large proportion of job train-
ing program participants who are from economically 
disadvantaged families; 
‘‘(2) would provide training for an industry sec-
tor or occupation in high demand; 
‘‘(3) demonstrate potential for a high percent-
age of job training program participants to secure 
employment after completion of such entity’s job 
training program; or 
‘‘(4) meet such other criteria as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
‘‘(e) PARTNERSHIPS.— 
‘‘(1) 
REQUIRED
PARTNERSHIPS.—Before 
awarding a grant to an eligible entity under this 
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part, the Secretary shall verify that the eligible enti-
ty has entered into a partnership agreement with— 
‘‘(A) a local workforce development board; 
‘‘(B) an employer with a workforce need in 
a high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand indus-
try; 
‘‘(C) an industry organization or other 
intermediary representing the industry sector or 
occupation for which the job training program 
provides training; and 
‘‘(D) an institution of higher education 
that— 
‘‘(i) offers a baccalaureate degree; and 
‘‘(ii) has an articulation agreement 
with the eligible entity. 
‘‘(2) SEPARATE ENTITIES NOT REQUIRED.—In 
meeting the partnership requirements of subpara-
graphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (1), an eligible 
entity shall not be required to partner with a sepa-
rate entity for purposes of each such subparagraph. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.—In addition 
to being in the partnerships described in paragraph 
(1), an eligible entity may be in a partnership 
with— 
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‘‘(A) a nonprofit organization or other 
training provider, including an apprenticeship 
program registered with the Department of 
Labor; 
‘‘(B) a community-based organization; 
‘‘(C) a State, regional, or local economic 
development agency; 
‘‘(D) a secondary school; or 
‘‘(E) a local educational agency. 
‘‘(f) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity 
that receives a grant under this part shall use the grant 
funds to— 
‘‘(1) establish, redesign, or expand a job train-
ing program that— 
‘‘(A) leads to an industry recognized cre-
dential or certification at the post-secondary 
level or to an associate degree; 
‘‘(B) trains job training program partici-
pants for a regionally in-demand industry sec-
tor or occupation; 
‘‘(C) addresses through embedded remedi-
ation the needs of job training program partici-
pants for remediation or attainment of basic 
skills; 
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‘‘(D) provides academic credit to job train-
ing program participants for prior learning, if 
applicable, including academic credit for courses 
completed in a foreign country by a foreign pro-
fessional or recognition of such professional’s 
foreign degree or certification; 
‘‘(E) provides student support services, 
such as career guidance and academic coun-
seling, intake assessments to determine pro-
gram fit, and other services; and 
‘‘(F) is accessible to nontraditional stu-
dents through alternative scheduling; 
‘‘(2) conduct high quality, independent evalua-
tions of the job training program’s activities; and 
‘‘(3) provide work-based learning opportunities 
for job training program participants. 
‘‘(g) ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.—In addition to 
the required uses of funds under subsection (f), an eligible 
entity that receives a grant under this part may also use 
the grant funds to support the job training program by— 
‘‘(1) developing the program curriculum; 
‘‘(2) engaging employers or industries hire job 
training program participants; 
‘‘(3) purchasing supplies; 
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‘‘(n) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part— 
‘‘(1) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; and 
‘‘(2) such sums as may be necessary for subse-
quent fiscal years. 
‘‘SEC. 222. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this part: 
‘‘(1) CAREER
PATHWAY.—The term ‘career 
pathway’ has the meaning given that term in the 
section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
‘‘(2) DISCONNECTED YOUTH.—The term ‘dis-
connected youth’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 526(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (42 U.S.C. 12301 note). 
‘‘(3) IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR OR OCCU-
PATION.—The term ‘in-demand industry sector or 
occupation’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
‘‘(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), except 
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