Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.156 | Sponsor: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. (D-IL)
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021
This bill reauthorizes and modifies the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Minority Economic Impact.
Specifically, the bill (1) renames the office as the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment; and (2) directs the office to establish and carry out a comprehensive nationwide program to improve education and training for jobs in energy-related industries, with emphasis on increasing the number of skilled individuals from underrepresented communities trained to work in those jobs.
DOE, in collaboration with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census, and energy-related industries, shall establish a clearinghouse to develop resources training programs for jobs in energy-related industries and act as a resource for educational institutions and covered organizations and programs that seek to develop and implement training programs for such jobs.
In carrying out the program, DOE, in collaboration with the Department of Education, Commerce, the Department of Labor, and the National Science Foundation, shall develop voluntary guidelines or best practices for educational institutions to help provide students with the skills necessary for jobs in energy-related industries.
The office shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to certain businesses, labor organizations, nonprofit organizations, or qualified youth or conservation corps to pay the eligible wages or stipends for individuals receiving training to work for businesses that provide services related to renewable electric energy generation and energy efficiency.

To amend title II of the Department of Energy Organization Act to 
 reauthorize an office within the Department of Energy, to direct the 
    Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out a comprehensive, 
   nationwide energy-related industries jobs program, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Blue Collar to 
Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
     TITLE I--OFFICE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, DIVERSITY, AND EMPLOYMENT

Sec. 101. Name of office.
Sec. 102. Energy workforce development programs.
Sec. 103. Authorization.
                 TITLE II--ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 201. Energy workforce development.
Sec. 202. Energy workforce grant program.
Sec. 203. Definitions.

     TITLE I--OFFICE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, DIVERSITY, AND EMPLOYMENT

SEC. 101. NAME OF OFFICE.

    (a) In General.--Section 211 of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7141) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``minority economic 
        impact'' and inserting ``economic impact, diversity, and 
        employment''; and
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``Office of Minority 
        Economic Impact'' and inserting ``Office of Economic Impact, 
        Diversity, and Employment''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for the Department 
of Energy Organization Act is amended by amending the item relating to 
section 211 to read as follows:

``Sec. 211. Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment.''.

SEC. 102. ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.

    Section 211 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 
7141) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
        (g) and (h), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
    ``(f) The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall establish 
and carry out the programs described in sections 201 and 202 of the 
Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2021.''.

SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION.

    Subsection (h) of section 211 of the Department of Energy 
Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7141), as redesignated by section 102 of 
this Act, is amended by striking ``not to exceed $3,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1979, not to exceed $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, and not to 
exceed $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1981. Of the amounts so appropriated 
each fiscal year, not less than 50 percent shall be available for 
purposes of financial assistance under subsection (e).'' and inserting 
``$100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.''.

                 TITLE II--ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

SEC. 201. ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations for 
such purpose, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office 
of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment, shall establish and 
carry out a comprehensive, nationwide program to improve education and 
training for jobs in energy-related industries in order to increase the 
number of skilled workers trained for such jobs.
    (b) Direct Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program established 
        under subsection (a), the Secretary may provide--
                    (A) financial assistance awards, technical 
                assistance, and other assistance the Secretary 
                determines appropriate, to educational institutions and 
                covered organizations and programs, including those 
                serving unemployed energy workers; and
                    (B) internships, fellowships, traineeships, and 
                apprenticeships at the Department of Energy, including 
                at the Department of Energy national laboratories.
            (2) Distribution.--Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary 
        shall distribute assistance described in paragraph (1) in a 
        manner proportional to the needs of energy-related industries 
        and demand for jobs in energy-related industries, consistent 
        with information developed under subsection (e).
    (c) Priority.--In carrying out the program established under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            (1) prioritize the education and training of individuals 
        from underrepresented communities for jobs in energy-related 
        industries, including in providing internships, fellowships, 
        traineeships, apprenticeships, and employment at the Department 
        of Energy, including at the Department of Energy national 
        laboratories; and
            (2) in providing research grants and technical assistance 
        to educational institutions, give priority to minority-serving 
        institutions.
    (d) Collaboration and Outreach.--In carrying out the program 
established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            (1) collaborate with--
                    (A) to the maximum extent possible, State workforce 
                development boards, to maximize program efficiency;
                    (B) educational institutions and covered 
                organizations and programs;
                    (C) energy-related industries and covered 
                organizations and programs to increase the 
                opportunities for, and enrollment of, students and 
                other candidates, including students of minority-
                serving institutions and unemployed energy workers, to 
                participate in industry internships, fellowships, 
                traineeships, and apprenticeships; and
                    (D) Federal-State Regional Commissions, including 
                the Appalachia Regional Commission, the Delta Regional 
                Authority, the Denali Commission, the Northern Border 
                Regional Commission, the Northern Great Plains Regional 
                Commission, and the Southeast Crescent Regional 
                Commission; and
            (2) conduct outreach activities to--
                    (A) encourage individuals from underrepresented 
                communities and unemployed energy workers to enter into 
                the STEM fields; and
                    (B) encourage and foster collaboration, 
                mentorships, and partnerships among energy-related 
                industries, and covered organizations and programs, 
                that provide effective training programs for jobs in 
                energy-related industries and educational institutions 
                that seek to establish these types of programs in order 
                to share best practices and approaches that best suit 
                local, State, and national needs.
    (e) Clearinghouse.--
            (1) Establishment.--In carrying out the program established 
        under subsection (a), the Secretary, in collaboration with the 
        Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary 
        of Commerce, the Director of the Bureau of the Census, and 
        energy-related industries, shall establish a clearinghouse to--
                    (A) develop, maintain, and update information and 
                other resources, by State and by region, on--
                            (i) training programs for jobs in energy-
                        related industries; and
                            (ii) the current and future workforce needs 
                        of energy-related industries, and job 
                        opportunities in such energy-related 
                        industries, including identification of jobs in 
                        energy-related industries for which there is 
                        the greatest demand; and
                    (B) act as a resource for educational institutions 
                and covered organizations and programs that would like 
                to develop and implement training programs for such 
                jobs.
            (2) Report.--The Secretary shall annually publish a report 
        on the information and other resources developed, maintained, 
        and updated on the clearinghouse established under paragraph 
        (1).
    (f) Guidelines To Develop Skills for an Energy Industry 
Workforce.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program established 
        under subsection (a), the Secretary, in collaboration with the 
        Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Commerce, the 
        Secretary of Labor, and the National Science Foundation, shall 
        develop voluntary guidelines or best practices for educational 
        institutions to help provide students with the skills necessary 
        for jobs in energy-related industries, including jobs in--
                    (A) the energy efficiency industry, including jobs 
                in energy efficiency (including architecture, design, 
                and construction of new energy efficient buildings), 
                conservation, weatherization, retrofitting, inspecting, 
                auditing, and software development;
                    (B) the renewable energy industry, including jobs 
                in the development, engineering, manufacturing, and 
                production of energy from renewable energy sources 
                (such as solar, hydropower, wind, and geothermal 
                energy);
                    (C) the community energy resiliency industry, 
                including jobs in the installation of rooftop solar, in 
                battery storage, and in microgrid technologies;
                    (D) the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry;
                    (E) the advanced automotive technology industry, 
                including jobs relating to electric vehicle batteries, 
                connectivity and automation, and advanced combustion 
                engines;
                    (F) the manufacturing industry, including jobs as 
                operations technicians, in operations and design in 
                additive manufacturing, 3-D printing, and advanced 
                composites and advanced aluminum and other metal 
                alloys, and in industrial energy efficiency management 
                systems, including power electronics, and other 
                innovative technologies;
                    (G) the chemical manufacturing industry, including 
                jobs in construction (such as welders, pipefitters, and 
                tool and die makers), as instrument and electrical 
                technicians, machinists, chemical process operators, 
                engineers, quality and safety professionals, and 
                reliability engineers;
                    (H) the utility industry, including jobs in smart 
                grid technology, cybersecurity management, and the 
                generation, transmission, and distribution of 
                electricity and natural gas, such as electricians and 
                utility dispatchers, technicians, operators, 
                lineworkers, engineers, scientists, and information 
                technology specialists;
                    (I) the alternative fuels industry, including jobs 
                in biofuel and bioproducts development and production;
                    (J) the pipeline industry, including jobs in 
                pipeline construction and maintenance and jobs as 
                engineers and technical advisors;
                    (K) the nuclear energy industry, including jobs as 
                scientists, engineers, technicians, mathematicians, and 
                security personnel;
                    (L) the oil and gas industry, including jobs as 
                scientists, engineers, technicians, mathematicians, 
                petrochemical engineers, and geologists; and
                    (M) the coal industry, including jobs as coal 
                miners, engineers, developers and manufacturers of 
                state-of-the-art coal facilities, technology vendors, 
                coal transportation workers and operators, and mining 
                equipment vendors.
            (2) Input.--The Secretary shall solicit input from energy-
        related industries in developing guidelines or best practices 
        under paragraph (1).
            (3) Energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.--The 
        guidelines or best practices developed under paragraph (1) 
        shall include grade-specific guidelines for elementary schools 
        and secondary schools for teaching energy efficiency 
        technology, architecture, design, and construction of new 
        energy-efficient buildings and building energy retrofits, 
        manufacturing efficiency technology, community energy 
        resiliency, and conservation initiatives.
            (4) STEM education.--The guidelines or best practices 
        developed under paragraph (1) shall promote STEM education in 
        educational institutions as it relates to job opportunities in 
        energy-related industries listed under such paragraph.
            (5) Prohibition.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
        construed to authorize the Secretary or any other officer or 
        employee of the Federal Government to require or coerce a 
        State, local educational agency, or educational institution to 
        adopt or carry out the guidelines or best practices developed 
        under paragraph (1).
    (g) Consolidation.--To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall, 
to avoid duplication of efforts, carry out the Equity in Energy 
Initiative of the Department of Energy, the Minority Educational 
Institution Student Partnership Program of the Department of Energy, 
and any other program of the Department of Energy that the Secretary 
determines appropriate, through the program established under 
subsection (a).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 202. ENERGY WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Program.--
            (1) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary, acting through 
        the Director of the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and 
        Employment, shall establish and carry out a program to provide 
        grants to eligible entities to pay the eligible wages of, or 
        eligible stipends for, individuals during the time period that 
        such individuals are receiving training to work for an eligible 
        business.
            (2) Guidelines.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
        eligible businesses, shall establish guidelines that identify--
                    (A) criteria for wages and stipends to meet to be 
                eligible for purposes of the program established 
                pursuant to paragraph (1); and
                    (B) training that is eligible for purposes of the 
                program established pursuant to paragraph (1).
    (b) Eligibility.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Eligible business.--The term ``eligible business'' 
        means a business that provides services related to--
                    (A) renewable electric energy generation, including 
                solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and other 
                renewable electric energy generation technologies;
                    (B) energy efficiency, including energy-efficient 
                lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, 
                air source heat pumps, advanced building materials, 
                insulation and air sealing, and other high-efficiency 
                products and services, including auditing and 
                inspection, architecture, design, and construction of 
                new energy efficient buildings and building energy 
                retrofits;
                    (C) grid modernization or energy storage, including 
                smart grid, microgrid and other distributed energy 
                solutions, demand response management, and home energy 
                management technology;
                    (D) advanced fossil energy technology, including--
                            (i) advanced resource development;
                            (ii) carbon capture, storage, and use;
                            (iii) low-carbon power systems;
                            (iv) efficiency improvements that 
                        substantially reduce emissions; and
                            (v) direct air capture;
                    (E) nuclear energy, including research, 
                development, demonstration, and commercial application 
                relating to nuclear energy;
                    (F) cybersecurity for the energy sector, including 
                infrastructure, emergency planning, coordination, 
                response, and restoration;
                    (G) alternative fuels, including biofuel and 
                bioproduct development and production;
                    (H) advanced automotive technology, including 
                electric vehicle batteries, connectivity and 
                automation, and advanced combustion engines; or
                    (I) fuel cell and hybrid fuel cell generation.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) an eligible business; or
                    (B) a labor organization, nonprofit organization, 
                or qualified youth or conservation corps, that provides 
                training to individuals to work for an eligible 
                business, or works on behalf of any such eligible 
                business.
            (3) Eligible stipend.--The term ``eligible stipend'' means 
        a stipend that meets the criteria identified pursuant to the 
        guidelines established under subsection (a)(2).
            (4) Eligible wages.--The term ``eligible wages'' means 
        wages that meet the criteria identified pursuant to the 
        guidelines established under subsection (a)(2).
    (c) Use of Grants.--
            (1) Eligible wages.--An eligible business with--
                    (A) 20 or fewer employees may use a grant provided 
                under the program established under subsection (a) to 
                pay up to--
                            (i) 45 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by the eligible business; and
                            (ii) 90 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by an entity other than the eligible 
                        business;
                    (B) 21 to 99 employees may use a grant provided 
                under the program established under subsection (a) to 
                pay up to--
                            (i) 37.5 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by the eligible business; and
                            (ii) 75 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by an entity other than the eligible 
                        business; and
                    (C) 100 employees or more may use a grant provided 
                under the program established under subsection (a) to 
                pay up to--
                            (i) 25 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by the eligible business; and
                            (ii) 50 percent of an employee's eligible 
                        wages for the duration of the applicable 
                        training for such employee, if the training is 
                        provided by an entity other than the eligible 
                        business.
            (2) Stipend.--An eligible entity may use a grant provided 
        under the program established under subsection (a) to pay up to 
        100 percent of an eligible stipend for an individual for the 
        duration of the applicable training for such individual.
    (d) Priority for Targeted Communities.--In providing grants under 
the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give 
priority to an eligible entity that--
            (1) recruits or trains individuals who are--
                    (A) from the community that the eligible entity 
                serves; and
                    (B)(i) from underrepresented communities; or
                    (ii) unemployed energy workers; and
            (2) will provide individuals receiving training with the 
        opportunity to obtain or retain employment at an eligible 
        business.
    (e) Limit.--An eligible entity may not receive more than $100,000 
under the program established under subsection (a) per fiscal year.
    (f) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress, annually for 
each year the program established under subsection (a) is carried out, 
a report on such program, including--
            (1) an assessment of such program for the previous year, 
        including the number of jobs filled by individuals trained 
        pursuant to such program; and
            (2) recommendations on how to improve such program.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $70,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 203. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Apprenticeship.--The term ``apprenticeship'' means an 
        apprenticeship registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 
        (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 
        Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (2) Covered organizations and programs.--The term ``covered 
        organizations and programs'' means local workforce development 
        boards, State workforce development boards, nonprofit 
        organizations, qualified youth or conservation corps, labor 
        organizations, pre-apprenticeship programs, and apprenticeship 
        programs.
            (3) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
        institution'' means an elementary school, secondary school, or 
        institution of higher education.
            (4) Elementary school and secondary school.--The terms 
        ``elementary school'' and ``secondary school'' have the 
        meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (5) Energy-related industry.--The term ``energy-related 
        industry'' includes the energy efficiency industry, renewable 
        energy industry, community energy resiliency industry, fuel 
        cell and hydrogen energy industry, advanced automotive 
        technology industry, chemical manufacturing industry, electric 
        utility industry, gas utility industry, alternative fuels 
        industry, pipeline industry, nuclear energy industry, oil and 
        gas industry, and coal industry.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002), except that such term does not include 
        institutions described in subparagraph (A) or (C) of subsection 
        (a)(1) of such section 102.
            (7) Jobs in energy-related industries.--The term ``jobs in 
        energy-related industries'' includes manufacturing, 
        engineering, construction, and retrofitting jobs in energy-
        related industries.
            (8) Labor organization.--The term ``labor organization'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the National 
        Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152).
            (9) Local workforce development board.--The term ``local 
        workforce development board'' means a local board, as defined 
        in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
        (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (10) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution of higher education 
        that is of one of the following:
                    (A) A Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 
                section 502(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1101a(a))).
                    (B) A Tribal College or University (as defined in 
                section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
                    (C) An Alaska Native-serving institution (as 
                defined in section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b))).
                    (D) A Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as 
                defined in section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b))).
                    (E) A Predominantly Black Institution (as defined 
                in section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b))).
                    (F) A Native American-serving nontribal institution 
                (as defined in section 319(b) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059f(b))).
                    (G) An Asian American and Native American Pacific 
                Islander-serving institution (as defined in section 
                320(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                1059g(b))).
                    (H) A part B institution (as defined in section 322 
                of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061)).
            (11) Pre-apprenticeship program.--The term ``pre-
        apprenticeship program''--
                    (A) means a program or set of strategies that is 
                designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in 
                an apprenticeship program; and
                    (B) includes training and training curriculum 
                aligned with apprenticeship and industry standards to 
                teach participants necessary industry-related skills 
                and competencies.
            (12) Qualified youth or conservation corps.--The term 
        ``qualified youth or conservation corps'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 203(11) of the Public Lands Corps Act of 
        1993 (16 U.S.C. 1722(11)).
            (13) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (14) State workforce development board.--The term ``State 
        workforce development board'' means a State board, as defined 
        in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
        (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (15) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.
            (16) Underrepresented communities.--The term 
        ``underrepresented communities'' includes religious and ethnic 
        minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, 
        individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 
        individuals who are or were foster children, and formerly 
        incarcerated individuals.
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