Title: DOE National Labs Jobs ACCESS Act
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
DOE National Labs Jobs ACCESS Act
This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the DOE National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program to provide grants for technical skills-based preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that provide employer-driven or recognized postsecondary credentials during the five-year grant period.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5567 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5567

  To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of 
        related instruction associated with apprenticeship and 
  preapprenticeship programs that are focused on serving the skilled 
technical workforce at DOE National Laboratories and certain facilities 
    of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 2018

   Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico (for himself, Ms. Michelle Lujan 
 Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. Foster, and Mr. DesJarlais) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                             the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To enable projects that will aid in the development and delivery of 
        related instruction associated with apprenticeship and 
  preapprenticeship programs that are focused on serving the skilled 
technical workforce at DOE National Laboratories and certain facilities 
    of the National Nuclear Security Administration, 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 ``DOE National Labs Jobs ACCESS Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL LABORATORY JOBS ACCESS PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a program, to be known as the 
``DOE National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program'', under which the Secretary 
shall provide eligible entities described in subsection (c), on a 
competitive basis, grants for technical skills-based preapprenticeship 
and apprenticeship programs that provide employer-driven or recognized 
postsecondary credentials during the 5-year grant period under this 
Act.
    (b) Requirements.--A program that is funded under a grant awarded 
under this section shall develop and deliver customized and competency-
based training that--
            (1) leads to recognized postsecondary credentials to 
        secondary school and postsecondary students;
            (2) is focused on skills and qualifications needed to meet 
        the immediate and on-going needs of skilled-technician 
        positions at the Department of Energy national laboratories and 
        covered facilities of the National Nuclear Security 
        Administration; and
            (3) creates a registered apprenticeship or 
        preapprenticeship program with the Secretary of Labor or a 
        State Department of Labor.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--An entity that is eligible to receive a 
grant under this section shall be a workforce intermediary or an 
eligible sponsor of a preapprenticeship or an apprenticeship program 
that--
            (1) demonstrates experience in implementing and providing 
        career planning and career pathways towards technical skills-
        based apprenticeship or preapprenticeship training programs;
            (2) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support 
        individuals who plan to work in relevant technician positions 
        upon the successful completion of such programs;
            (3) provides students who complete such programs with a 
        recognized postsecondary credential, such as a journeyman craft 
        license or an industry recognized certification;
            (4) uses a customized training curriculum that is 
        specifically aligned with employers, utilizing workplace 
        learning advisors and on-the-job training to the greatest 
        extent possible; and
            (5) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates 
        of such programs to careers relevant to such programs.
    (d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize eligible entities 
that--
            (1) are members of an industry or sector partnership;
            (2) provide the training described in subsection (b)--
                    (A) at an institution of higher education (such as 
                a community college) that includes basic science, 
                technology, and math education in the curriculum;
                    (B) through an existing apprenticeship program 
                registered with the Department of Labor or a State; or
                    (C) with respect to a preapprenticeship program, at 
                a local educational agency, a secondary school, an area 
                career and technical education school, or an 
                appropriate community facility;
            (3) work with the Secretary of Defense or veterans 
        organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and 
        veterans to apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs in a 
        relevant sector;
            (4) plan to use the grant to carry out the training 
        described in subsection (b) with an entity that receives State 
        funding or is operated by a State agency; and
            (5) plan to use the grant to carry out the training 
        described in subsection (b) for--
                    (A) young adults ages 17 to 29, inclusive; or
                    (B) individuals with barriers to employment.
    (f) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall consider regional diversity.
    (g) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not submit, 
either individually or as part of a joint application, more than 1 
application for a grant under this section during any 1 fiscal year.
    (h) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant provided 
under this section for any 24-month period of such 5-year grant period 
shall not exceed $500,000.
    (i) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a 
customized training program carried out using a grant under this 
section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost.
    (j) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
assistance to eligible entities under subsection (c) to leverage the 
existing job training and education programs of the Department of Labor 
and other relevant programs at appropriate Federal agencies.
    (k) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the 
Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, and make publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Labor, a report on the 
program established under this section, including a description of--
            (1) any entity that receives a grant under this section;
            (2) any activity carried out using the grants under this 
        section;
            (3) best practices used to leverage the investment of the 
        Federal Government under this section; and
            (4) an assessment of the results achieved by the program 
        established under this section, including the rate of 
        employment for participants after completing a job training and 
        education program carried out using a grant under this section.
    (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each fiscal years 
2019 through 2023.
    (m) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Area career and technical education school.--The term 
        ``area career and technical education school'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
            (2) 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.).
            (3) Covered facilities of the national nuclear security 
        administration.--The term ``covered facilities of the National 
        Nuclear Security Administration'' means national security 
        laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities (as such 
        terms are defined in section 4002 of the Atomic Energy Defense 
        Act (50 U.S.C. 2501)).
            (4) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has 
        the meaning given the term ``junior or community college'' in 
        section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1058(f)).
            (5) Eligible sponsor.--The term ``eligible sponsor'' means 
        a public organization or an organization described in section 
        501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 
        taxation under section 501(a) of that Code, that--
                    (A) with respect to an apprenticeship program, 
                administers such program through a partnership that may 
                include--
                            (i) a business;
                            (ii) an employer or industry association;
                            (iii) a labor-management organization;
                            (iv) a local workforce development board or 
                        State workforce development board;
                            (v) a two- or four-year institution of 
                        higher education that offers an educational 
                        program leading to an associate's or bachelor's 
                        degree in conjunction with a certificate of 
                        completion of apprenticeship;
                            (vi) the Armed Forces (including the 
                        National Guard and Reserves);
                            (vii) a community-based organization; and
                            (viii) an economic development agency; and
                    (B) with respect to a preapprenticeship program, is 
                a local educational agency, a secondary school, an area 
                career and technical education school, a State 
                workforce development board, a local workforce 
                development board, or a community-based organization, 
                that administers such program with any required 
                coordination and necessary approvals from the Secretary 
                of Labor or a State Department of Labor.
            (6) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'' and 
        ``secondary school'' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (7) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (8) Journeyman.--A skilled worker who has successfully 
        completed an official apprenticeship qualification in a 
        building trade or craft. They are considered competent and 
        authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee. 
        A journeyman earns their license by education, supervised 
        experience, and examination.
            (9) Preapprenticeship.--The term ``preapprenticeship'', 
        used with respect to a program, means an initiative or set of 
        strategies that--
                    (A) is designed to prepare individuals to enter and 
                succeed in an apprenticeship program;
                    (B) is carried out by an eligible sponsor described 
                in paragraph (5) that has a documented partnership with 
                one or more sponsors of apprenticeship programs; and
                    (C) includes each of the following:
                            (i) Training (including a curriculum for 
                        the training), aligned with industry standards 
                        related to apprenticeships, and reviewed and 
                        approved annually by sponsors of the 
                        apprenticeships within the documented 
                        partnership, that will prepare individuals by 
                        teaching the skills and competencies needed to 
                        enter one or more apprenticeship programs.
                            (ii) Provision of hands-on training and 
                        theoretical education to individuals that--
                                    (I) is carried out in a manner that 
                                includes proper observation of 
                                supervision and safety protocols; and
                                    (II) is carried out in a manner 
                                that does not displace a paid employee.
                            (iii) A formal agreement with a sponsor of 
                        an apprenticeship program that would enable 
                        participants who successfully complete the 
                        preapprenticeship program to enter directly 
                        into the apprenticeship program (if a place in 
                        the program is available and if the participant 
                        meets the qualifications of the apprenticeship 
                        program), and includes agreements concerning 
                        earning credit towards the apprenticeship 
                        program.
            (10) Related instruction.--The term ``related instruction'' 
        means an organized and systematic form of instruction designed 
        to provide an apprentice with the knowledge of the theoretical 
        and technical subjects related to the occupation of the 
        apprentice or the instruction needed to prepare an individual 
        to enter and succeed in an apprenticeship program.
            (11) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy in consultation with the Secretary of Labor.
            (12) WIOA terms.--The terms ``career planning'', 
        ``community-based organization'', ``customized training'', 
        ``economic development agency'', ``individuals with barriers to 
        employment'', ``industry or sector partnership'', ``local 
        workforce development board'', ``on-the-job training'', 
        ``recognized postsecondary credential'', ``State workforce 
        development board'', and ``workplace learning advisor'' have 
        the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (13) Workforce intermediary.--The term ``workforce 
        intermediary''--
                    (A) means an organization that proactively 
                addresses workforce needs using a dual customer 
                approach, which considers the needs of both employees 
                and employers; and
                    (B) may include a faith-based and community 
                organization, an employer organizations, a community 
                college, a temporary staffing agency, a State workforce 
                development board, a local workforce development board, 
                or a labor organization.
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