I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 636 
To promote registered apprenticeships and other work-based learning pro-
grams for small and medium-sized businesses within in-demand industry 
sectors, through the establishment and support of industry or sector 
partnerships. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 1, 2021 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. FERGUSON, Ms. STEVENS, and Mr. GUTHRIE) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
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 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote registered apprenticeships and other work-based 
learning programs for small and medium-sized businesses 
within in-demand industry sectors, through the establish-
ment and support of industry or sector partnerships. 
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 ‘‘Promoting Apprentice-
ships through Regional Training Networks for Employers 
Required Skills Act of 2021’’ or the ‘‘PARTNERS Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to promote registered ap-
prenticeships and other work-based learning programs for 
small and medium-sized businesses within in-demand in-
dustry sectors, through the establishment and support of 
industry or sector partnerships. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble partnership’’ means an industry or sector part-
nership as defined in section 3 of the Workforce In-
novation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) that 
submits and obtains approval of an application con-
sistent with section 5(c). 
(2) IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR.—The term 
‘‘in-demand industry sector’’ means a sector de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A)(i) and (B) of section 
3(23) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(23)). 
(3) LOCAL OR REGIONAL.—The term ‘‘local or 
regional’’, used with respect to an entity, means that 
the entity provides services in, respectively, a local 
area or region. 
(4) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP.—The term 
‘‘registered apprenticeship’’ means an apprenticeship 
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (com-
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monly known as the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 
50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘work-based 
learning program’’ means a program that pro-
vides workers with paid work experience and 
corresponding classroom instruction, delivered 
in an employment relationship that both the 
business and worker intend to lead to con-
tinuing employment after the program ends. 
(B) WORK
EXPERIENCE.—In subpara-
graph (A), the term ‘‘paid work experience’’ in-
cludes training by an employer that is provided 
to a paid employee while engaged in productive 
work in a job that provides knowledge or skills 
essential to the full and adequate performance 
of the job. 
(5) WORKFORCE
TERMS.—The terms ‘‘Gov-
ernor’’, ‘‘individual with a barrier to employment’’, 
‘‘industry or sector partnership’’, ‘‘local area’’, ‘‘local 
board’’, ‘‘State board’’, ‘‘outlying area’’, ‘‘recognized 
postsecondary credential’’, ‘‘region’’, ‘‘State’’, and 
‘‘supportive services’’, used with respect to activities 
supported under this Act, have the meanings given 
the terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102). 
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(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
SEC. 4. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. 
From funds paid into the general fund of the Treas-
ury and available under section 286(s)(2) of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(s)(2)), the Sec-
retary shall carry out this Act. 
SEC. 5. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES. 
(a) RESERVATION.—Of the amounts available for this 
Act under section 4, the Secretary may reserve— 
(1) not more than 5 percent of those amounts 
for the costs of technical assistance and Federal ad-
ministration of this Act; 
(2) not more than 2 percent of those amounts 
for the costs of evaluations conducted under section 
8(b); and 
(3) not more than 1⁄4 of 1 percent of such 
amounts to provide assistance to the outlying areas. 
(b) ALLOTMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts available for 
this Act under section 4 that remain after the Sec-
retary makes the reservations under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall, for the purpose of supporting 
(which may include assistance in establishing ex-
panded) local or regional eligible partnerships to 
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support work-based learning programs under this 
Act, make allotments to eligible States in accordance 
with clauses (ii) through (v) of section 132(b)(1)(B) 
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(29 U.S.C. 3162(b)(1)(C)), subject to paragraph 
(2). 
(2) APPLICATION.—For purposes of applying 
the clauses described in paragraph (1), under para-
graph (1), the Secretary— 
(A) shall not apply subclauses (I) and (III) 
of clause (iv) with respect to the first fiscal year 
after the date of enactment of this Act; 
(B) shall apply clause (iv)(II) by sub-
stituting ‘‘0.5 percent of the remaining amounts 
described in paragraph (1)’’ for the total de-
scribed in that clause; 
(C) shall not apply clause (iv)(IV); 
(D) shall apply clause (v)(II) by sub-
stituting the term ‘‘allotment percentage’’, used 
with respect to the second full fiscal year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, or a subse-
quent fiscal year, means a percentage of the re-
maining amounts described in paragraph (1) 
that is received through an allotment made 
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under this subsection for the fiscal year for the 
two sentences in that clause; and 
(E) shall apply clause (v)(III) by sub-
stituting ‘‘a work-based learning program car-
ried out under this Act’’ for ‘‘a program of 
workforce investment activities carried out 
under this subtitle’’. 
(3) USE OF UNALLOTTED FUNDS.—If a State 
fails to meet the requirements for an allotment 
under this subsection, the Secretary may allot funds 
that are not allotted under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
to eligible States under a formula based on the for-
mula specified in section 132(c) of the Workforce In-
novation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3173(c)). 
(4) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘‘eligible State’’ means a State that meets the re-
quirements of section 102 or 103 of the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3112, 
3113) and subsection (c). 
(c) STATE ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive an 
allotment under subsection (b), a State, in consultation 
with State boards and local boards, shall submit an appli-
cation to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and 
containing a description of the activities to be carried out 
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with the grant funds. At a minimum, the application shall 
include information on— 
(1) the local or regional industry or sector part-
nerships that will be supported, including the lead 
partners for the partnerships, and how the partner-
ships will work to engage small and medium-sized 
businesses, as applicable, in the activities of the 
partnerships; 
(2) the in-demand industry sectors that will be 
served, including how such industry sectors were 
identified, and how the activities of the partnerships 
will align with State, regional, and local plans as re-
quired under title I of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111 et seq.); 
(3) the registered apprenticeship programs or 
other work-based learning programs to be supported 
though the partnerships; 
(4) the populations that will receive services, in-
cluding individuals with barriers to employment and 
populations that were historically underrepresented 
in the industry sectors to be served through the 
partnerships; 
(5) the services, including business engagement, 
classroom instruction, and support services (includ-
ing at least 6 months of post-employment support 
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(2) designate a partner in the industry or sector 
partnership, to serve as the fiscal agent for purposes 
of the grant. 
(c) AWARDS OF GRANTS.— 
(1) PARTICIPATION
IN
MULTIPLE
ELIGIBLE 
PARTNERSHIPS.—Subject to paragraph (2), a State 
may award grants under this section in a way that 
results in an entity being represented in more than 
one partnership that receives such a grant. 
(2) GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY.—In making the 
grants, a State shall ensure that there is geographic 
diversity in the areas in which activities will be car-
ried out under the grants. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—The State may reserve not 
more than 5 percent of the amount of an allotment under 
section 5 for the administration of the grants awarded 
under this section. 
SEC. 7. USE OF FUNDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible partnership that re-
ceives a grant under section 6 shall use the grant funds 
to support a registered apprenticeship or other work-based 
learning program. The eligible partnership shall use the 
grant funds to support the activities described in sub-
sections (b) and (c) and such other strategies as may be 
necessary to support the development and implementation 
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of work-based learning programs, and participant reten-
tion in and completion of those programs. The partnership 
may use the grant funds to establish or expand eligible 
partnerships. 
(b) BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT.—The eligible partner-
ship shall use grant funds to provide services to engage 
businesses in work-based learning programs, which may 
include assisting a small or medium-sized business with— 
(1) the navigation of the registration process 
for a sponsor of a registered apprenticeship pro-
gram; 
(2) the connection of the business with an edu-
cation provider to develop classroom instruction to 
complement on-the-job learning; 
(3) the development of a curriculum for a work- 
based learning program; 
(4) the employment of workers in a work-based 
learning program for a transitional period before the 
business hires an individual for continuing employ-
ment; 
(5) the provision of training to managers and 
front-line workers to serve as trainers or mentors to 
workers in the work-based learning program; 
(6) the provision of career awareness activities; 
and 
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(7) the recruitment of individuals to participate 
in a work-based learning program from individuals 
receiving additional workforce and human services, 
including— 
(A) workers in programs under the Work-
force Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); 
(B) recipients of assistance through the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program es-
tablished under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); and 
(C) recipients of assistance through the 
program of block grants to States for tem-
porary assistance for needy families established 
under part A of title IV of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
(c) SUPPORT SERVICES FOR WORKERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The eligible partnership 
shall use grant funds to provide support services for 
workers to assure their success in work-based learn-
ing programs, which may include— 
(A) connection of individuals with adult 
basic education during pre-work-based learning 
or training, and during the period of employ-
ment; 
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(B) connection of individuals with pre- 
work-based learning or training, including 
through a pre-apprenticeship program; 
(C) provision of additional mentorship and 
retention supports for individuals pre-work- 
based learning or training, and during the pe-
riod of employment; 
(D) provision of tools, work attire, and 
other required items necessary to start employ-
ment pre-work-based learning or training, and 
during the period of employment; and 
(E) provision of transportation, child care 
services, or other support services pre-work- 
based learning or training, and during the pe-
riod of employment. 
(2) LENGTH OF SERVICES.—Each eligible part-
nership shall provide support services for workers for 
not less than 12 months after the date of placement 
of an individual in a work-based learning program. 
That 12-month period shall include a period of pre- 
work-based learning or training, a transitional pe-
riod of employment as described in subsection 
(b)(4), and a period of continuing employment. 
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SEC. 8. PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 
(a) LOCAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after 
receiving a grant under section 6, and annually thereafter, 
each eligible partnership in a State shall conduct an eval-
uation and submit to the State a local report containing 
information on— 
(1) levels of performance achieved by the eligi-
ble partnership with respect to the performance indi-
cators under section 116(b)(2)(A) of the Workforce 
Innovation 
and 
Opportunity 
Act 
(29 
U.S.C. 
3141(b)(2)(A))— 
(A) for all workers in the work-based 
learning program involved; and 
(B) for all such workers, disaggregated by 
each population specified in section 3(24) of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
U.S.C. 3102(24)) and by race, ethnicity, sex, 
and age; and 
(2) levels of performance achieved by the eligi-
ble partnership with respect to the performance indi-
cators under that section 116(b)(2)(A)— 
(A) for individuals with barriers to employ-
ment in the work-based learning program in-
volved; and 
(B) for all such individuals, disaggregated 
by each population specified in section 3(24) of 
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the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
and by race, ethnicity, sex, and age. 
(b) STATE REPORTS.—Not later than 24 months 
after receiving initial local reports under subsection (a) 
(but in no case less than 18 months after the cor-
responding grants are awarded) and annually thereafter, 
the State shall conduct an evaluation and submit a report 
to the Secretary containing— 
(1) the information provided by the eligible 
partnerships through the local reports; and 
(2) the State level of performance, aggregated 
across all eligible partnerships, with respect to the 
performance indicators described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 9. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS AND WORKFORCE 
IMPROVEMENT ACT
OF 1998.—Section 414(c) of the 
American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement 
Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2916a) is repealed. 
(b) IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT.—Section 
286(s)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1356(s)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) USE OF FEES FOR WORK-BASED LEARNING 
PROGRAMS.—50 percent of amounts deposited into 
the H–1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner Account shall 
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