AMERICA Works Act

Bill: 111-hr-4072
Sponsor: Rep. Minnick, Walter [D-ID-1]
Introduced: 2009-11-16 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Manufacturing
Trade adjustment assistance
Vocational and technical education
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: 
American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Act or AMERICA Works Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to require statewide and local adult and youth workforce investment employment and training programs and one-stop delivery systems to give priority approval to programs that provide a national industry-recognized and portable credential, certificate, or degree.
 
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require that the industry-recognized credential to which the sequence of courses offered by a career and technical education program lead be nationally recognized and portable and one which may provide a basis for additional credentials, certificates, or degrees.
 
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the Secretary of Commerce, in approving Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) training programs, seek to approve those providing a national industry-recognized and portable credential, certificate, or degree.

action_date: 2010-09-29
text: 
American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act or AMERICA Works Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, with respect to statewide and local adult and youth workforce investment employment and training programs, to require a one-stop delivery system, in selecting and approving training services, or programs of training services, to give priority consideration to state- and local board-approved services and programs that lead to an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential that is in high demand in the local area served and listed in the skill credential registry created under this Act.
 
Requires that funds allocated for local area youth activities be used, in part, for training programs, giving priority consideration to those that lead to a registry-listed credential in high demand in the local area served.
 
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require the same priority consideration in the state and local plans for career and technical education programs as well as in tech prep programs.
 
Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) create a registry of skill credentials; and (2) list in the registry credentials that are required by federal or state law for an occupation, are from the Manufacturing Institute-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System, and are industry-recognized and nationally portable credentials consistent with established industry competency models as well as consistently updated through third party validation to reflect changing industry competencies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 10 (Roll no. 556). (text: CR 9/28/2010 H7088-7089)
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 10 (Roll no. 556).(text: CR 9/28/2010 H7088-7089)
action_date: 2010-09-29
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7273-7274)
action_date: 2010-09-28
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2010-09-28
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4072.
action_date: 2010-09-28
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7088-7090)
action_date: 2010-09-28
text: Ms. Hirono moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2010-01-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Introduced in House