I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5964 
To establish a technology-based job training and education program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2020 
Mr. LUJA´N introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To establish a technology-based job training and education 
program. 
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 ‘‘TechSMART Work-
force Development Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TECHSMART WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor 
shall establish a program, to be known as the ‘‘Tech-
SMART Workforce Development Program’’, under which 
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the Secretary shall provide to eligible entities described in 
subsection (c), on a competitive basis, grants for tech-
nology sector job training and education programs that 
provide industry-recognized credentials during the 5-year 
grant period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act. Such training and education programs may include— 
(1) programs that provide a postsecondary cre-
dential; 
(2) intensive coaching and other short-term, 
specialized services culminating in direct job place-
ment; and 
(3) short-term or accelerated training that may 
or may not result in a postsecondary credential in 
high-growth occupations and industries. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A job training and education 
program that is awarded a grant under this section shall, 
to the extent practicable, provide technology-based train-
ing across two or more sectors, including— 
(1) information technology; 
(2) computer coding and cybersecurity tech-
nology; 
(3) healthcare services technology; 
(4) advanced manufacturing technology; 
(5) financial services technology; and 
(6) educational services technology. 
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(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an entity shall be a workforce 
intermediary, a public organization, or an organization de-
scribed in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of 
that Code that— 
(1) includes an advisory board, which may be— 
(A)(i) a local workforce development board; 
(ii) a State workforce development board; 
or 
(iii) an appropriate subgroup of a local 
workforce development board or a State work-
force development board; and 
(B) a board of proportional participation, 
as determined by the Secretary of Labor, of rel-
evant organizations, including— 
(i) relevant industry organizations, in-
cluding public and private employers; 
(ii) labor organizations; 
(iii) one or more units of local govern-
ment; 
(iv) postsecondary education organiza-
tions; and 
(v) industry or sector partnerships; 
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(2) demonstrates experience in implementing 
and operating job training and education programs; 
(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and sup-
port individuals who plan to work in a relevant sec-
tor on the successful completion of relevant job 
training and education programs; 
(4)(A) provides students who complete the 
training and education program with a postsec-
ondary credential; or 
(B) 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 
(5) demonstrates successful outcomes con-
necting graduates of job training and education pro-
grams to quality jobs relevant to the job training 
and education programs. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity seeking a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary of 
Labor an application at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary of Labor 
may require. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In selecting eligible entities to receive 
grants under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall 
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prioritize applicants that meet one or more of the following 
criteria: 
(1)(A) Include a local workforce development 
board or State workforce development board; or 
(B) demonstrate a strong partnership with a 
local workforce development board or State work-
force development board. 
(2) House the job training and education pro-
gram in— 
(A) a community college or institution of 
higher education that includes basic science, 
technology, and math education in the cur-
riculum of the community college or institution 
of higher education; 
(B) an apprenticeship program registered 
with the Department of Labor or a State; or 
(C) a customized training program devel-
oped in collaboration with employers that uti-
lizes on the job training to the greatest extent 
possible. 
(3) Work with the Secretary of Defense or vet-
erans organizations to transition members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans to careers in a relevant 
sector. 
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(4) Include in the application an entity that re-
ceives State funding or is operated by a State agen-
cy. 
(5) Include an apprenticeship program reg-
istered with the Department of Labor as part of the 
job training and education program. 
(6) Provide support services and career plan-
ning. 
(7) Provide entry-level technology workforce 
training aimed at matching workers with well-paying 
jobs. 
(8) Propose to serve— 
(A) young adults between the ages of 17 
and 29; or 
(B) individuals with barriers to employ-
ment (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3102)). 
(f) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.—In making grants 
under this section, the Secretary of Labor 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. 
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(h) LIMITATIONS
ON AMOUNT
OF GRANT.—The 
amount of a single grant provided under this section for 
any 24-month period shall not exceed $5,000,000. 
(i) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal share 
of the cost of a job training and education program carried 
out using a grant under this section shall be not less than 
25 percent of the total cost. 
(j) REDUCTION OF DUPLICATION.—Before submit-
ting an application for a grant under this section, each 
applicant shall— 
(1) consult with the heads of appropriate Fed-
eral agencies; and 
(2) coordinate the proposed activities of the ap-
plicant with existing State and local programs. 
(k) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of 
Labor may provide technical assistance to eligible entities 
under subsection (c) to leverage the existing job training 
and education programs of the Department of Labor and 
other relevant programs at appropriate Federal agencies. 
(l) REPORT.—Not less frequently than once every two 
years, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, 
and make publicly available on the website of the Depart-
ment of Labor, a report on the program established under 
this section, including a description of— 
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(1) any entity that receives a grant under this 
section; 
(2) any activity carried out using the grants 
under this section; 
(3) best practices used to leverage the invest-
ment of the Federal Government under this section; 
and 
(4) an assessment of the results achieved by the 
program established under this section, including the 
rate of employment for participants after completing 
a job training and education program carried out 
using a grant under this section. 
(m) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act— 
(1) 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); 
(2) the term ‘‘community college’’ has the 
meaning given the term ‘‘junior or community col-
lege’’ in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); 
(3) the terms ‘‘career planning’’, ‘‘customized 
training’’, ‘‘individuals with barriers to employ-
ment’’, ‘‘industry or sector partnership’’, ‘‘local 
workforce development board’’, ‘‘on-the-job train-
ing’’, ‘‘recognized postsecondary credential’’, ‘‘State 
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workforce development board’’, and ‘‘workplace 
learning advisor’’ have the meanings given such 
terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); and 
(4) 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, employer organizations, a 
community college, a temporary staffing agen-
cy, a State workforce development board, a 
local workforce development board, or a labor 
organization. 
(n) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
Æ 
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