I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4078 
To establish various programs to ease the burden on undereducated and 
financially deficient workers seeking to further their education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 19, 2017 
Mr. HUNTER (for himself and Mr. HASTINGS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish various programs to ease the burden on under-
educated and financially deficient workers seeking to fur-
ther their education. 
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 ‘‘Expanding America’s 
Workforce Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. REVIEW OF GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT MEASURE-
MENT. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall prepare and 
submit to Congress, a report on the accuracy of the man-
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ner in which gainful employment is measured under the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) 
for different geographic regions and courses of study. 
SEC. 3. SHORT-TERM WORKFORCE FEDERAL PELL GRANTS. 
Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070a) is amended by inserting at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(k) SHORT-TERM WORKFORCE PELL GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For award years beginning 
on or after July 1, 2020, the Secretary shall carry 
out a program under which the Secretary shall 
award Federal Pell Grants to eligible students for 
short-term workforce programs. 
‘‘(2) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—A Federal Pell 
Grant awarded under this subsection (in this section 
referred to as a ‘workforce Federal Pell Grant’) shall 
have the same terms and conditions, and be awarded 
in the same manner, as a Federal Pell Grant award-
ed under subsection (a), except as follows: 
‘‘(A) A student who is eligible to receive a 
workforce Federal Pell Grant under this sub-
section is a student who— 
‘‘(i) has not, on or after the date that 
is 10 years before the date on which the 
student applies for such grant, attained a 
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baccalaureate degree or post baccalaureate 
degree; 
‘‘(ii) attends an eligible institution, 
but was not previously enrolled in an eligi-
ble institution on or after the date that is 
5 years before the date on which the stu-
dent applies for such grant; 
‘‘(iii) is enrolled, or accepted for en-
rollment, in a short-term workforce pro-
gram at such institution; 
‘‘(iv) is determined, solely by the insti-
tution, that the student is unemployed or 
underemployed; and 
‘‘(v) meets all other eligibility require-
ments for a Federal Pell Grant (except as 
otherwise provided in this paragraph). 
‘‘(B) The amount of a workforce Pell 
Grant for an eligible student shall be deter-
mined 
under 
subsection 
(b)(2)(A), 
except 
that— 
‘‘(i) the maximum Federal Pell Grant 
awarded under this subsection for an 
award year shall be 50 percent of the max-
imum Federal Pell Grant awarded under 
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subsection (b) applicable to that award 
year; 
‘‘(ii) no increase shall be calculated 
under subsection (b)(7)(B) for a student 
receiving workforce Pell Grant under this 
subsection; and 
‘‘(iii) subsection (b)(4) shall not 
apply. 
‘‘(3) INCLUSION IN TOTAL ELIGIBILITY PERIOD 
FOR RECENT STUDENTS.—Any period during which 
a student described in paragraph (2)(A) receives a 
workforce Federal Pell Grant under this subsection 
shall be included in calculating the student’s period 
of eligibility for Federal Pell Grants under sub-
section (c), and any regulations under such sub-
section regarding students who are enrolled in an 
undergraduate program on less than a full-time 
basis shall similarly apply to students who are en-
rolled in a short-term workforce program at an eligi-
ble institution on less than a full-time basis. 
‘‘(4) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the fol-
lowing definitions apply: 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
CAREER
PATHWAY
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘eligible career pathway pro-
gram’ means a program that is a combination 
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of rigorous and high-quality education, training, 
and other services that— 
‘‘(i) aligns with the skill needs of in-
dustries in the State or regional economy 
involved; 
‘‘(ii) prepares an individual to be suc-
cessful in any of a full range of secondary 
or postsecondary education options, includ-
ing apprenticeships registered under the 
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known 
as the ‘National Apprenticeship Act’; 50 
Stat. 664; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); 
‘‘(iii) includes counseling to support 
an individual in achieving the individual’s 
education and career goals; 
‘‘(iv) includes, as appropriate, edu-
cation offered concurrently with and in the 
same context as workforce preparation ac-
tivities and training for a specific occupa-
tion or occupational cluster; 
‘‘(v) organizes education, training, 
and other services to meet the particular 
needs of an individual in a manner that ac-
celerates the educational and career ad-
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vancement of the individual to the extent 
practicable; and 
‘‘(vi) helps an individual enter or ad-
vance within a specific occupation or occu-
pational cluster. 
‘‘(B) 
SHORT-TERM
WORKFORCE
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘short-term workforce pro-
gram’ means a career and technical education 
program at an institution of higher education 
that— 
‘‘(i) provides not less than 150 clock 
hours of instructional time over a period of 
not less than 8 weeks or more than 12 
weeks; 
‘‘(ii) provides training aligned with 
the requirements of employers in the State 
or local area, which may include in-demand 
industry sectors or occupations in the 
State or local area, as defined under sec-
tion 3(23) of the Workforce Innovation 
and 
Opportunity 
Act 
(29 
U.S.C. 
3102(23)); 
‘‘(iii) provides a student, upon comple-
tion of the program, with a recognized 
postsecondary credential, as defined under 
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section 3(52) of the Workforce Innovation 
and 
Opportunity 
Act 
(29 
U.S.C. 
3102(52)), that is recognized by employers 
in the relevant industry, including creden-
tials recognized by industry or sector part-
nerships in the State or local area where 
the industry is located; 
‘‘(iv) has been determined, by the in-
stitution of higher education, to provide 
academic content, an amount of instruc-
tional time, and a recognized postsec-
ondary credential that are sufficient to— 
‘‘(I) meet the hiring requirements 
of potential employers; and 
‘‘(II) allow the students to apply 
for any licenses or certifications that 
may be required to be employed in the 
field for which the job training is of-
fered; 
‘‘(v) may include integrated or basic 
skills courses; and 
‘‘(vi) may be offered as part of an eli-
gible career pathway program. 
‘‘(5) SPECIAL RULE.—In the case of a career 
pathway program being determined eligible for the 
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first time under this subsection, such determination 
shall be made by the Secretary before such program 
is considered to be an eligible career pathway pro-
gram. 
‘‘(6) INELIGIBILITY FOR DOUBLE BENEFITS.— 
No student may receive both a workforce Federal 
Pell Grant under this subsection and an additional 
Federal Pell Grant under subsection (b)(8).’’. 
SEC. 4. CONNECTING APPRENTICESHIPS TO ACADEMIC DE-
GREES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 486A 
(20 U.S.C. 1093a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 486B. APPRENTICESHIP EXPANSION THROUGH AR-
TICULATION AGREEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) APPRENTICESHIP
ARTICULATION
AGREE-
MENT.—The term ‘apprenticeship articulation agree-
ment’ means an agreement between or among insti-
tutions of higher education that specifies the college 
credit value of and acceptability of certificates re-
ceived through specific apprenticeship programs, for 
purposes of transferring such credits toward meeting 
specific degree or program requirements. 
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‘‘(2) APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM.—The term 
‘apprenticeship program’ means an apprenticeship 
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (com-
monly known as the ‘National Apprenticeship Act’; 
50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM
TO ENCOURAGE APPRENTICESHIP 
ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.—The Secretary 
shall carry out a program in cooperation with 
States, institutions of higher education (including 
proprietary institutions), and sponsors of apprentice-
ships programs, to develop, enhance, and implement 
comprehensive apprenticeship articulation agree-
ments between or among such institutions. Such ap-
prenticeship articulation agreements shall be made 
widely and publicly available on the websites of such 
States, sponsors and institutions. In developing, en-
hancing, and implementing apprenticeship articula-
tion agreements, States, sponsors and institutions of 
higher education may employ strategies, where appli-
cable, including— 
‘‘(A) improving awareness of existing ap-
prenticeship articulation agreements; 
‘‘(B) expanding participation of a wide va-
riety of institutions of higher education; 
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‘‘(C) improving management systems to re-
garding course equivalency, transfer of credit, 
and articulation; and 
‘‘(D) strategies to ensure widespread ac-
ceptance for the transfer of credits awarded to 
apprentices pursuant to apprenticeship articula-
tion agreements. 
‘‘(2) COORDINATION AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Sec-
retary of Labor, shall provide technical assistance to 
States, sponsors and institutions of higher education 
for the purposes of developing and implementing ap-
prenticeship articulation agreements in accordance 
with this subsection.’’. 
SEC. 
5. 
ENHANCING 
TRANSFER 
OF 
CREDIT 
AMONG 
SCHOOLS. 
(a) TRANSFER
OF
CREDIT
POLICIES.—Section 
485(h)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1092(h)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (A); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) an assurance that for each credit 
earned at another institution of higher edu-
cation that is accepted and rejected by the in-
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stitution, such credit will be publicly disclosed, 
and disaggregated by type of institution at 
which such credit was earned, accrediting agen-
cy or association, program, and if applicable, 
the primary reason for the credit not being ac-
cepted; and 
‘‘(D) an assurance of the acceptance of 
credits earned at another institution for an 
identical course offered at the institution that 
has been reviewed by the same accrediting 
agency or association at both such institutions, 
and is at the introductory level as determined 
by the agency or association, or in a case in 
which the transfer of such credits is initially de-
nied by the institution, an assurance the stu-
dent will have the opportunity to take an as-
sessment administered by the institution to 
demonstrate competency in such course for pur-
poses of the transfer of such credits.’’. 
(b) ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.—Section 486A(b) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1093a) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
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(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) 
and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respec-
tively; and 
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
the following: 
‘‘(C) identification of courses at each insti-
tution in which an articulation agreement has 
been developed to enable the transfer of credit 
for such courses to, at a minimum, all other in-
stitutions accredited by the same accrediting 
agency or association;’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘public’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall 
submit a report to Congress on a review of transfer of 
credit policies across institutions of higher education 
that— 
(1) determines the extent to which articulation 
agreements (defined in section 486A of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1093a)) have re-
sulted in reduced costs for students; and 
(2) provides recommendations on how to 
incentivize the expanded use of such articulation 
agreements. 
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SEC. 6. COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION. 
Section 481(b)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(b)(4)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(4) For the purposes of this title, the term ‘el-
igible program’ includes an instructional program 
that measures knowledge, skills, and experience 
through assessments of such knowledge, skills, or ex-
perience in lieu of or in addition to the use of credit 
hours or clock hours. In the case of a program being 
determined eligible for the first time under this 
paragraph, such determination shall be made by the 
Secretary before such program is considered to be 
an eligible program.’’. 
Æ 
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