I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 733
To provide for regional skills training alliances, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 11, 1999
Mr. MORAN of Virginia (for himself and Mr. DREIER) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To provide for regional skills training alliances, 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 ‘‘Regional Skills Train-
ing Alliances Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION.
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’
means the Secretary of Commerce.
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TITLE 1—SKILL GRANTS
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce, act-
ing through the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, and in consultation with the
Secretary of Labor, shall provide grants to eligible entities
described in subsection (b) to assist such entities to im-
prove the job skills necessary for employment in specific
industries.
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES DESCRIBED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity described
in this subsection is a consortium that—
(A) shall consist of representatives from
not less than 10 businesses (or a non-profit or-
ganization that represents not less than 10
businesses); and
(B) may consist of representatives from
one or more of the following:
(i) Labor organizations.
(ii) State and local government.
(iii) Educational institutions.
(2) MAJORITY OF REPRESENTATIVES.—A ma-
jority of the representatives comprising the consor-
tium shall be representatives described in paragraph
(1)(A).
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(3) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—To the maxi-
mum extent practicable, each business, organization,
or government that forms an eligible entity under
paragraph (1) shall be located in the same geo-
graphic region of the United States.
(c) PRIORITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.—In provid-
ing grants under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give
priority to an eligible entity if a majority of representatives
forming the entity represent small-business concerns, as
described in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632(a)).
(d) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of
a grant provided to an eligible entity under subsection (a)
may not exceed $1,000,000 for any fiscal year.
SEC. 102. APPLICATION.
(a) CERTAIN STATES WITH MULTIPLE CONSOR-
TIA.—In a State in which two or more eligible entities seek
grants under section 101 for a fiscal year, as determined
by the Governor of the State, the Governor may solicit
proposals from the entities concerning the activities to be
carried out under the grants. If the Governor solicits such
proposals, based on the proposals received, the Governor
shall submit an application on behalf of 1 or more of the
entities to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Secretary may rea-
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sonably require. The provisions of this title relating to eli-
gible entities shall apply to each of the entities for which
the Governor applies.
(b) OTHER STATES.—In a State in which only one
eligible entity seeks a grant under section 101 for a fiscal
year, as determined by the Governor of the State, or in
which the Governor does not solicit proposals as described
in subsection (a), the Secretary may not provide a grant
under section 101 to the eligible entity unless such entity
submits to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may reasonably require.
SEC. 103. USE OF AMOUNTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not provide a
grant under section 101 to an eligible entity unless such
entity agrees to use amounts received from such grant to
improve the job skills necessary for employment by busi-
nesses in the industry with respect to which such entity
was established.
(b) CONDUCT OF PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program
described in subsection (a), the eligible entity may
provide for—
(A) an assessment of training and job skill
needs for the industry;
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(B) development of a sequence of skill
standards that are benchmarked to advanced
industry practices;
(C) development of curriculum and train-
ing methods;
(D) purchase, lease, or receipt of donations
of training equipment;
(E) identification of training providers;
(F) development of apprenticeship pro-
grams;
(G) development of training programs for
dislocated workers;
(H) development of the membership of the
entity;
(I) provision of training programs for
workers; and
(J) development of training plans for busi-
nesses.
(2) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENT.—In carrying
out the program described in subsection (a), the eli-
gible entity shall provide for development and track-
ing of performance outcome measures for the pro-
gram and the training providers involved in the pro-
gram.
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(c) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The eligible entity
may use not more than 10 percent of the amount of a
grant to pay for administrative costs associated with the
program described in subsection (a).
SEC. 104. REQUIREMENT OF MATCHING FUNDS.
The Secretary may not provide a grant under section
101 to an eligible entity unless such entity agrees that—
(1) it will make available non-Federal contribu-
tions toward the costs of carrying out activities
under section 103 in an amount that is not less than
$2 for each $1 of Federal funds provided under a
grant under section 101; and
(2) of such non-Federal contributions, not less
than $1 of each such $2 shall be from businesses
participating in the eligible entity.
SEC. 105. LIMIT ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
The Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of
the funds made available to carry out this title to pay for
Federal administrative costs associated with making
grants under this title.
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000,
2001, and 2002.