Aviation WORKS Act
Bill: S.5324 | Sponsor: Sen. Kelly, Mark (D-AZ)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Aviation Workforce, Opportunity, Recruiting, Knowledge, and Supply Act or the Aviation WORKS Act
This bill extends through FY2028 and expands aviation workforce development programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Specifically, the bill directs DOT to establish an aviation manufacturing development grant program to develop the aviation manufacturing and supplier workforce. It also requires DOT to develop and support the education of workers who design or produce any aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance, or a component, part, or system thereof, that (1) is produced under a production approval issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), (2) has been issued a design approval by the FAA, or (3) has an active application for a design approval.
Additionally, DOT must establish a program to provide grants for eligible projects to plan, establish, and expand workforce development partnership programs in the aviation and aerospace industry sector.

To amend the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 to extend the existing 
 aviation workforce development programs and provide grants to develop 
 aviation manufacturing and supplier workforce, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aviation Workforce, Opportunity, 
Recruiting, Knowledge, and Supply Act'' or the ``Aviation WORKS Act''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF AVIATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 625 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 
note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(3) a program to provide grants for eligible projects--
                    ``(A) to develop the aviation manufacturing and 
                supplier workforce; or
                    ``(B) to develop and support the education of 
                workers who design or produce any aircraft, aircraft 
                engine, propeller, or appliance, or a component, part, 
                or system thereof, that--
                            ``(i) is produced under a production 
                        approval issued by the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration;
                            ``(ii) has been issued a design approval by 
                        the Federal Aviation Administration; or
                            ``(iii) has an active application for a 
                        design approval; and
            ``(4) a program to provide grants for eligible projects to 
        plan, establish, and expand workforce development partnership 
        programs in the aviation and aerospace industry sector.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(2) Subsequent funding.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated--
                    ``(A) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(1);
                    ``(B) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(2);
                    ``(C) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(3); and
                    ``(D) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(4).'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraphs:
            ``(3) An application for a grant under the program 
        established under subsection (a)(3) shall be submitted, in such 
        form as the Secretary may specify, by--
                    ``(A) an aviation company that actively designs or 
                produces any aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or 
                appliance, or a component, part, or system thereof, 
                covered under Federal Aviation Administration design 
                approval or application for design approval--
                            ``(i) that--
                                    ``(I) operates a SAE AS9100-
                                certified process related to the 
                                design, development, or provision of an 
                                aviation product or service, including 
                                a part, component or assembly;
                                    ``(II) holds or operates under a 
                                type or production certificate under 
                                section 44704 of title 49, United 
                                States Code, or similar authorization; 
                                or
                                    ``(III) has an active type 
                                certificate application accepted by the 
                                Federal Aviation Administration; or
                            ``(ii) which--
                                    ``(I) is established, created, or 
                                organized in the United States or under 
                                the laws of the United States; and
                                    ``(II) has significant operations 
                                in the United States, and a majority of 
                                its employees engaged in aviation 
                                manufacturing or development activities 
                                and services, or aviation maintenance, 
                                repair, or overhaul activities and 
                                services based in the United States; or
                    ``(B) an accredited institution of higher education 
                (as such term is defined in paragraph (1)(B)) or a high 
                school or a secondary school (as such terms are defined 
                in such paragraph) that has or is working to establish 
                an aviation manufacturing program.
            ``(4) An application for a grant under the program 
        established under subsection (a)(4) shall--
                    ``(A) be submitted, in such form as the Secretary 
                may specify, by a partnership that--
                            ``(i) is an industry or sector partnership 
                        (as such term is defined in section 3 of the 
                        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
                        U.S.C. 3102)), or is in the process of 
                        establishing an industry or sector partnership;
                            ``(ii) includes an air carrier (as such 
                        term is defined in paragraph (1)(A)), a flight 
                        school described in paragraph (1)(C), a holder 
                        of a certificate described in paragraph (2)(A), 
                        or an aviation company described in paragraph 
                        (3)(A);
                            ``(iii) is comprised of multiple employers 
                        from the aviation and aerospace industry;
                            ``(iv) may include not more than 1 entity 
                        that is a previous recipient of grant funding 
                        from any program established under paragraphs 
                        (1) through (3) of subsection (a), but such 
                        entity may not serve as a fiscal agent (as 
                        described in subparagraph (B)); and
                            ``(v) does not include an entity that is a 
                        current recipient of grant funding from any 
                        program established under paragraphs (1) 
                        through (3) of subsection (a), unless the 
                        application demonstrates that any grant funding 
                        currently received by the entity would expire 
                        or otherwise cease prior to the receipt of the 
                        grant funding under paragraph (4) of subsection 
                        (a);
                    ``(B) designate a partner from within the 
                partnership, or an intermediary which may be a State or 
                local workforce board or an accredited institution of 
                higher education (as such term is defined in paragraph 
                (1)(B)), to serve as the fiscal agent for the grant; 
                and
                    ``(C) instruct the fiscal agent designated under 
                subparagraph (B) to, as appropriate--
                            ``(i) receive funds;
                            ``(ii) ensure sustained fiscal integrity 
                        and accountability for expenditures of funds in 
                        accordance with Federal Aviation Administration 
                        regulations;
                            ``(iii) respond to audit financial 
                        findings;
                            ``(iv) maintain proper accounting records 
                        and documentation; and
                            ``(v) prepare financial reports.'';
            (4) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``pilot''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraphs:
            ``(3) For purposes of the program established under 
        subsection (a)(3), an eligible project is a project--
                    ``(A) to establish or support educational programs 
                that teach technical skills used in aviation 
                manufacturing, including the production of components, 
                parts, or systems thereof for inclusion in an aircraft, 
                aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance;
                    ``(B) to establish scholarships, internships, or 
                apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment in 
                the aviation manufacturing industry;
                    ``(C) to support outreach about careers in the 
                aviation manufacturing industry to--
                            ``(i) primary, secondary, and post-
                        secondary school students; or
                            ``(ii) to communities underrepresented in 
                        the industry;
                    ``(D) to support educational opportunities related 
                to aviation manufacturing in economically disadvantaged 
                geographic areas;
                    ``(E) to support transition to careers in aviation 
                manufacturing, including for members of the Armed 
                Forces; or
                    ``(F) to otherwise enhance aviation manufacturing 
                technical education or the aviation manufacturing 
                industry workforce.
            ``(4) For purposes of the program established under 
        subsection (a)(4), an eligible project is a project--
                    ``(A) to carry out planning and partner development 
                activities, which may include--
                            ``(i) convening key stakeholders as 
                        identified in the application process to 
                        establish or expand educational programs that 
                        teach technical skills used in pilot training, 
                        aviation maintenance, or aviation 
                        manufacturing;
                            ``(ii) conducting outreach to local 
                        businesses and business associations, including 
                        activities to increase marketing and activity 
                        visibility within the community;
                            ``(iii) conducting an evaluation of 
                        workforce needs in the local area;
                            ``(iv) conducting survey and planning 
                        activities for partnership-related 
                        infrastructure needs; or
                            ``(v) recruiting veterans of military 
                        service and individuals with barriers to 
                        employment;
                    ``(B) to provide career services as described in 
                section 134(c)(2)(A) of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(c)(2)(A));
                    ``(C) to provide training services as described in 
                section 134(c)(3)(D) of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(c)(3)(D)); or
                    ``(D) to provide services to support the success 
                and retention of individuals who are participating in 
                any training program established under subsection 
                (a)(4).''; and
            (5) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by striking ``subsection (a)(1)'' and 
                        inserting ``paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection 
                        (a)''; and
                            (ii) by striking the period at the end and 
                        inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) ensure that the applications selected for projects 
        established under subsection (a)(4) will allow participation 
        from major and regional air carriers and a diverse collection 
        of industry partners.''.
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