I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5783 
To establish and carry out a comprehensive, nationwide, energy-related 
industries jobs program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER (for herself, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. MULLIN, 
Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. ROSS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. 
CROCKETT, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. IVEY, Mr. PETERS, Mrs. WATSON COLE-
MAN, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, and Ms. KUSTER) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish and carry out a comprehensive, nationwide, en-
ergy-related industries jobs program, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Blue Collar and Green 
Collar Jobs Development Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations for such purpose, the Secretary of Energy, 
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in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Sec-
retary of Education, shall establish and carry out a com-
prehensive, nationwide program to improve education and 
training for occupations in energy-related industries to in-
crease the number of skilled workers trained for such oc-
cupations. 
(b) DIRECT ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
established under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Energy may provide— 
(A) financial assistance awards, technical 
assistance, and other assistance the Secretary 
determines appropriate, to educational institu-
tions and covered organizations and programs, 
including those serving unemployed energy 
workers; and 
(B) eligible opportunities at the Depart-
ment of Energy, including at the Department of 
Energy national laboratories. 
(2) TRAINING
PROGRAMS.—The Secretary of 
Energy may only provide financial assistance for 
training programs under paragraph (1)(A) that have 
been approved by the Secretary of Labor. 
(3) DISTRIBUTION.—Subject to subsection (c), 
the Secretary of Energy shall distribute assistance 
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described in paragraph (1) in a manner proportional 
to the needs of energy-related industries and de-
mand for occupations in energy-related industries, 
consistent with information developed under sub-
section (e). 
(c) PRIORITY.—In carrying out the program estab-
lished under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy 
shall— 
(1) prioritize the education and training of indi-
viduals from disadvantaged communities for in-de-
mand occupations in energy-related industries, in-
cluding by providing eligible opportunities and em-
ployment at the Department of Energy, including at 
the Department of Energy national laboratories; and 
(2) in providing research grants and technical 
assistance to educational institutions, give priority to 
minority-serving institutions. 
(d) COLLABORATION AND OUTREACH.—In carrying 
out the program established under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary of Energy shall— 
(1) collaborate with— 
(A) State workforce development boards 
and local workforce development boards, to 
maximize program efficiency; 
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(B) educational institutions and covered 
organizations and programs; 
(C) energy-related industries and covered 
organizations and programs to increase the op-
portunities for, and enrollment of, students and 
other candidates, including students of minor-
ity-serving institutions and unemployed energy 
workers, to participate in industry eligible op-
portunities; and 
(D) Federal-State Regional Commissions, 
including the Appalachian Regional Commis-
sion, the Delta Regional Authority, the Denali 
Commission, the Northern Border Regional 
Commission, and the Southeast Crescent Re-
gional Commission; and 
(2) conduct outreach activities to— 
(A) encourage individuals from disadvan-
taged communities and unemployed energy 
workers to enter into the STEM fields; and 
(B) encourage and foster collaboration, 
mentorships, and partnerships among energy- 
related industries, and covered organizations 
and programs, that provide effective training 
programs for in-demand occupations in energy- 
related industries and educational institutions 
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that seek to establish these types of programs 
in order to share best practices and approaches 
that best suit local, State, and national needs. 
(e) CLEARINGHOUSE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—In carrying out the pro-
gram established under subsection (a), the Secretary 
of Energy, in collaboration with the Commissioner of 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of 
Labor, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of 
Commerce, the Director of the Bureau of the Cen-
sus, and energy-related industries, shall establish a 
publicly accessible clearinghouse to— 
(A) develop, maintain, and update informa-
tion and other resources, by State and by re-
gion, on— 
(i) the current and future workforce 
needs of energy-related industries, and oc-
cupations in energy-related industries, in-
cluding identification of in-demand occupa-
tions in energy-related industries; and 
(ii) training programs for such in-de-
mand occupations (including training pro-
grams provided by a provider of training 
services on any list described in section 
122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and 
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Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152(d))), 
which meet the guidelines prescribed under 
paragraph (3); and 
(B) act as a resource for educational insti-
tutions and covered organizations and programs 
that would like to develop and implement the 
training programs described in subparagraph 
(A)(ii). 
(2) USE OF EXISTING RESOURCES.— 
(A) MODIFICATION OF EXISTING ONLINE 
RESOURCE.—In a case in which the Secretary 
of Energy determines that the modification of 
an existing online resource of the Department 
of Labor or the Department of Education 
would be an efficient and effective means of 
carrying out the purposes described in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary of Energy may— 
(i) request that the Secretary of 
Labor or the Secretary of Education, as 
appropriate, make such modification; and 
(ii) if such modification is made, elect 
not to establish the clearinghouse under 
paragraph (1). 
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(B) INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES.—In es-
tablishing and maintaining the clearinghouse 
under paragraph (1) or modifying the online re-
source under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
of Energy shall, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, utilize existing resources and informa-
tion made available to the Secretary by the 
Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of 
Education, the Secretary of Commerce, and the 
Director of the Bureau of the Census. 
(3) GUIDELINES.—The Secretary of Energy, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall pre-
scribe guidelines for the training programs described 
in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), which shall be similar to the 
requirements for providers of training services de-
scribed in section 122(b) of the Workforce Innova-
tion and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152(b)). 
(4) REPORT.—The Secretary of Energy shall 
annually publish, on a publicly accessible website of 
the Department of Energy, a report on the informa-
tion and other resources developed, maintained, and 
updated on the clearinghouse established under 
paragraph (1) or the online resource modified under 
paragraph (2)(A). 
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(f) GUIDELINES TO DEVELOP SKILLS FOR AN EN-
ERGY INDUSTRY WORKFORCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
established under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Energy, in collaboration with the Secretary of Edu-
cation, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of 
Labor, and the National Science Foundation, shall 
develop voluntary guidelines or best practices for 
educational institutions to help provide students with 
the skills necessary for in-demand occupations in en-
ergy-related industries, including in-demand occupa-
tions in— 
(A) the energy efficiency industry, includ-
ing in-demand occupations in energy efficiency 
(including architecture, design, and construc-
tion of new energy efficient buildings), con-
servation, weatherization, retrofitting, inspect-
ing, auditing, and software development; 
(B) the renewable energy industry, includ-
ing in-demand occupations in the development, 
engineering, manufacturing, and production of 
energy from renewable energy sources (such as 
solar, hydropower, wind, and geothermal en-
ergy); 
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(C) the community energy resiliency indus-
try, including in-demand occupations in the in-
stallation of rooftop solar, in battery storage, 
and in microgrid technologies; 
(D) the fuel cell and hydrogen energy in-
dustry; 
(E) the advanced automotive technology 
industry, including in-demand occupations re-
lating to electric vehicle batteries, connectivity 
and automation, and advanced combustion en-
gines; 
(F) the manufacturing industry, including 
in-demand occupations as operations techni-
cians, in operations and design in additive man-
ufacturing, 3–D printing, and advanced com-
posites and advanced aluminum and other 
metal alloys, and in industrial energy efficiency 
management systems, including power elec-
tronics, and other innovative technologies; 
(G) the chemical manufacturing industry, 
including in-demand occupations in construction 
(such as welders, pipefitters, and tool and die 
makers), as instrument and electrical techni-
cians, machinists, chemical process operators, 
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engineers, quality and safety professionals, and 
reliability engineers; 
(H) the electric utility and gas utility in-
dustries, including in-demand occupations in 
smart grid technology, cybersecurity manage-
ment, and the generation, transmission, and 
distribution of electricity and natural gas, such 
as electricians and utility dispatchers, techni-
cians, operators, lineworkers, engineers, sci-
entists, and information technology specialists; 
(I) the alternative fuels industry, including 
in-demand occupations in biofuel and bioprod-
ucts development and production; 
(J) the pipeline industry, including in-de-
mand occupations in pipeline construction and 
maintenance and occupations as engineers and 
technical advisors; 
(K) the nuclear energy industry, including 
in-demand occupations as scientists, engineers, 
technicians, mathematicians, and security per-
sonnel; 
(L) the oil and gas industry, including in- 
demand occupations as scientists, engineers, 
technicians, mathematicians, petrochemical en-
gineers, and geologists; and 
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(M) the coal industry, including in-demand 
occupations as coal miners, engineers, devel-
opers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art coal 
facilities, technology vendors, coal transpor-
tation workers and operators, and mining 
equipment vendors. 
(2) INPUT.—The Secretary of Energy shall so-
licit input from energy-related industries in devel-
oping guidelines or best practices under paragraph 
(1). 
(3) ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION 
INITIATIVES.—The guidelines or best practices devel-
oped under paragraph (1) shall include grade-spe-
cific guidelines for elementary schools and secondary 
schools for teaching energy efficiency technology, ar-
chitecture, design, and construction of new energy- 
efficient buildings and building energy retrofits, 
manufacturing efficiency technology, community en-
ergy resiliency, and conservation initiatives. 
(4) STEM EDUCATION.—The guidelines or best 
practices developed under paragraph (1) shall pro-
mote STEM education in educational institutions as 
it relates to in-demand occupations in energy-related 
industries listed under such paragraph. 
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(5) PROHIBITION.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to authorize the Secretary of En-
ergy or any other officer or employee of the Federal 
Government to require or coerce a State or edu-
cational institution to adopt or carry out the guide-
lines or best practices developed under paragraph 
(1). 
(g) 21ST CENTURY ENERGY WORKFORCE ADVISORY 
BOARD.—If the Secretary of Energy has approved a strat-
egy developed by the 21st Century Energy Workforce Ad-
visory Board established under section 40211 of the Infra-
structure Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18744), the 
Secretary shall, to the extent the Secretary determines 
practicable and appropriate, carry out the program estab-
lished under subsection (a) in accordance with such strat-
egy. 
(h) CONSOLIDATION.—To the extent practicable, the 
Secretary of Energy shall, to avoid duplication of efforts, 
carry out the Equity in Energy Initiative of the Depart-
ment of Energy, the Minority Educational Institution Stu-
dent Partnership Program of the Department of Energy, 
and any other program of the Department of Energy that 
the Secretary determines appropriate, through the pro-
gram established under subsection (a). 
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