I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4461
To provide grants to partnerships to encourage workforce diversity in order
to improve the working conditions of all individuals in the United States
and to help organizations compete more effectively both domestically
and internationally, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 19, 1994
Mr. OWENS (for himself, Mr. WILLIAMS, and Mr. MARTINEZ) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To provide grants to partnerships to encourage workforce
diversity in order to improve the working conditions of
all individuals in the United States and to help organiza-
tions compete more effectively both domestically and
internationally, 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 ‘‘Workforce Diversity
Partnership Act of 1994’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) the workplace in the United States is be-
coming the most diverse workplace in the world at
a time of growing economic dissatisfaction and in-
tense global competition;
(2) people of color, caucasian women, and im-
migrants will account for 85 percent of the net
growth in our Nation’s labor force during the 1990s;
(3) the expectations, characteristics, demands,
beliefs, work values, motivating factors, and edu-
cational backgrounds of individuals in the workforce
are becoming increasingly diverse;
(4) employees, managers, administrators, and
government officials are inadequately prepared to
deal effectively with increased diversity in the
workforce;
(5) increased domestic and international com-
petition requires that business, industry, and govern-
ment leaders effectively motivate and manage this
diverse workforce;
(6) as more parents join the workforce, it has
become increasingly difficult for employees to bal-
ance the demands of the workplace with the needs
of families; and
(7) by understanding and valuing diversity
which respects differences, employers emphasize cre-
ativity, self initiative, leadership, innovation, and
team-work, and thereby improve the working condi-
tions of all individuals in the United States and the
chances for economic success.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to estab-
lish a grant program within the Department of Labor to—
(1) study and address issues relating to
workforce and cultural diversity and their impact on
economic competitiveness, employment opportunities,
advancement and retention; and
(2) develop collaborative public and private sec-
tor education and training materials that address
the issues of workforce and cultural diversity.
SEC. 
3. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
OF 
WORKFORCE 
DIVERSITY
GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Labor (here-
after in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) is author-
ized to provide grants to eligible entities described in sub-
section (b) for the purposes of—
(1) targeting and developing issues relating to
workforce and cultural diversity;
(2) developing public and private sector edu-
cation and training materials that focus on the is-
sues of workforce and cultural diversity;
(3) fostering research, scholarship, innovative
curriculum development, development of teaching
materials, and other practicable supportive academic
activities relating to workforce and cultural diversity;
(4) assisting in the dissemination and transfer
of such materials for use in private sector training
efforts; and
(5) developing and establishing cooperative
higher education-business training programs to as-
sist public and private industry leaders and workers
in addressing the issues of workforce and cultural
diversity.
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher edu-
cation in partnership with 1 or more of the organi-
zations described in paragraph (2) shall be eligible
to receive a grant under subsection (a).
(2) 
ORGANIZATIONS.—An 
organization 
de-
scribed in this paragraph is—
(A) a corporation, business, or partnership,
whether, for profit or nonprofit;
(B) a labor organization; or
(C) an organization that has a dem-
onstrated interest or expertise in workforce di-
versity issues.
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION DE-
FINED.—For purposes of this subsection, the term
‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning
given such term by section 1201(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)).
(c) PERIOD OF GRANT.—The provision of payments
under a grant under subsection (a) shall not exceed 3 fis-
cal years and shall be subject to the annual approval of
the Secretary and subject to the availability of appropria-
tions for the fiscal year involved to make the payments.
SEC. 4. APPLICATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not provide a
grant under section 3 to an eligible entity unless the entity
submits to the Secretary an application in such form and
containing such information as the Secretary may reason-
ably require.
(b) FACULTY PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall
encourage eligible entities desiring to receive a grant
under section 3 to submit applications that are written
by teams of faculty from multiple disciplines, student and
academic affairs professionals, or student organizations
concerned with multicultural education, or any combina-
tion thereof.