I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5291 
To establish an offshore wind career training grant program, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2018 
Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. KEATING) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 
and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish an offshore wind career 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 ‘‘Offshore Wind Jobs 
and Opportunity Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. OFFSHORE WIND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 33. OFFSHORE WIND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—Beginning 360 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary may award offshore wind career training grants to 
eligible entities for the purpose of developing, offering, or 
improving educational or career training programs that 
provide individuals in such programs skills that are useful 
for employment in the offshore wind industry. 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION OF GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION
ON
GRANT
QUANTITY
AND 
SIZE.—An eligible entity may not be awarded— 
‘‘(A) more than one grant under this sec-
tion for which the eligible entity is the lead ap-
plicant; or 
‘‘(B) a grant under this section in excess 
of $1,000,000. 
‘‘(2) ALLOCATION TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES.— 
Not less than 25 percent of the total amount award-
ed under this section for a fiscal year shall be 
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awarded to eligible entities that are community col-
leges. 
‘‘(c) PARTNERSHIPS.—An eligible entity seeking to 
receive a grant under this section may partner with one 
or more of the following: 
‘‘(1) Another eligible entity (including an eligi-
ble entity that is a community college). 
‘‘(2) A State or local government. 
‘‘(3) A nonprofit organization. 
‘‘(d) USE OF GRANT.—An eligible entity may use a 
grant awarded under this section for the following activi-
ties: 
‘‘(1) Occupational skills training, including cur-
riculum development, on-the-job training, and class-
room training. 
‘‘(2) Safety and health training. 
‘‘(3) The provision of basic skills, English as a 
second language, and job readiness training. 
‘‘(4) Individual referral and tuition assistance 
for a community college training program or any 
training program leading to an industry-recognized 
certificate. 
‘‘(5) Internship programs in a field related to 
offshore wind energy. 
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‘‘(6) Customized training in conjunction with 
an existing registered apprenticeship program or 
labor-management partnership. 
‘‘(7) Incumbent worker and career ladder train-
ing and skill upgrading and retraining. 
‘‘(8) The implementation of transitional jobs 
strategies. 
‘‘(9) Curriculum development at the under-
graduate and postgraduate levels. 
‘‘(10) Development and support of offshore 
wind energy major, minor, or certificate programs. 
‘‘(11) Such other activities, as determined by 
the Secretary, to meet the purposes of this section. 
‘‘(e) GRANT PROPOSALS.— 
‘‘(1) SUBMISSION PROCEDURE FOR GRANT PRO-
POSALS.—An eligible entity seeking to receive a 
grant under this section shall submit a grant pro-
posal to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
‘‘(2) CONTENT
OF
GRANT
PROPOSALS.—A 
grant proposal submitted to the Secretary under this 
section shall include a detailed description of— 
‘‘(A) the specific project for which the 
grant proposal is submitted, including the man-
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ner in which the grant will be used to develop, 
offer, or improve an educational or career train-
ing program that will provide individuals in 
such program skills that are useful for employ-
ment in the offshore wind industry; 
‘‘(B) any previous experience of the eligible 
entity in providing such educational or career 
training programs; and 
‘‘(C) the extent to which such project will 
meet the educational or career training needs 
identified under subsection (i). 
‘‘(f) CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to appropriations, 
the Secretary shall award grants under this section 
based on an evaluation of— 
‘‘(A) the merits of the grant proposal; 
‘‘(B) the likely employment opportunities 
available to individuals who complete the edu-
cational or career training program that the eli-
gible entity proposes to develop, offer, or im-
prove; 
‘‘(C) prior demand for such educational or 
career training programs in the community 
served by the eligible entity; and 
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‘‘(D) the availability and capacity of exist-
ing educational or career training programs in 
the community to meet future demand for such 
programs. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—Priority in awarding grants 
under this section shall be given to eligible entities 
that— 
‘‘(A) are located in an economically dis-
tressed area; 
‘‘(B) focus on individuals who are— 
‘‘(i) displaced workers (particularly 
workers displaced from the offshore oil and 
gas, onshore fossil fuel, nuclear energy, or 
fishing industries); 
‘‘(ii) veterans, members of the reserve 
components of the Armed Forces, or 
former members of such reserve compo-
nents; 
‘‘(iii) unemployed; 
‘‘(iv) seeking employment pathways 
out of poverty and into economic self-suffi-
ciency; 
‘‘(v) at-risk youth; or 
‘‘(vi) formerly incarcerated, adjudica-
ted, nonviolent offenders; or 
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‘‘(C) with respect to eligible entities that 
are institutions of higher education, have a high 
percentage of low-income or minority students. 
‘‘(3) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—The Sec-
retary shall, to the extent practicable, award grants 
under this section in a manner that provides for a 
reasonable geographic distribution, except that the 
Secretary shall not be required to award grants 
equally among different regions of the United 
States. 
‘‘(g) MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.—A grant awarded 
under this section may not be used to satisfy any non- 
Federal funds matching requirement under any other pro-
vision of law. 
‘‘(h) GRANTEE DATA COLLECTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A grantee, with respect to 
the educational or career training program for which 
the grantee received a grant under this section, shall 
collect and report to the Secretary on an annual 
basis the following: 
‘‘(A) The number of participants in the 
educational or career training program. 
‘‘(B) The services received by such partici-
pants, including a description of training, edu-
cation, and supportive services. 
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‘‘(C) The amount spent by the grantee per 
participant. 
‘‘(D) The rate of job placement of partici-
pants in the offshore wind industry or related 
fields. 
‘‘(E) The rate of employment retention— 
‘‘(i) if the eligible entity is not an in-
stitution of higher education, 1 year after 
completion of the educational or career 
training program; or 
‘‘(ii) if the eligible entity is an institu-
tion of higher education, 1 year after com-
pletion of the educational or career train-
ing program or 1 year after the participant 
is no longer enrolled in such institution of 
higher education, whichever is later. 
‘‘(2) ASSISTANCE FROM SECRETARY.—The Sec-
retary shall assist grantees in the collection of data 
under this subsection by making available, where 
practicable, low-cost means of tracking the labor 
market outcomes of participants and by providing 
standardized reporting forms, where appropriate. 
‘‘(i) IDENTIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER 
TRAINING NEEDS.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in 
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consultation with the offshore wind industry, eligible enti-
ties, including eligible entities that are community col-
leges, State and local governments, labor organizations, 
and nonprofit organizations, shall identify the educational 
and career training needs of such industry, including 
needs related to manufacturing, operation, and mainte-
nance activities relevant to the offshore wind industry. 
‘‘(j) GUIDELINES.—Not later than 240 days after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) promulgate guidelines for the submission 
of grant proposals under this section, including a list 
of the educational and career training needs identi-
fied under subsection (i); and 
‘‘(2) publish and maintain such guidelines on a 
public website of the Secretary. 
‘‘(k) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of the enactment of this section, 
and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
a report to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate on the grant pro-
gram established by this section. The report shall include 
a description of the grantees and the activities for which 
grantees used a grant awarded under this section. 
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‘‘(l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for purposes of this sec-
tion $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
2021. 
‘‘(m) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘com-
munity college’ has the meaning given the term ‘jun-
ior or community college’ in section 312(f) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means an entity that is— 
‘‘(A) an institution of higher education, as 
such term is defined in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)); or 
‘‘(B) a labor organization. 
‘‘(3) GRANTEE.—The term ‘grantee’ means an 
eligible entity that has received a grant under this 
section. 
‘‘(4) LEAD APPLICANT.—The term ‘lead appli-
cant’ means the eligible entity that is primarily re-
sponsible for the preparation, conduct, and adminis-
tration of the project for which the grant was award-
ed. 
‘‘(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with 
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the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Education, 
and the Secretary of Labor.’’. 
Æ 
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