Wind Workforce Modernization and Training Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2415
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2019-08-01
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources

Congressional oversight

Education programs funding

Employment and training programs

Government studies and investigations

Higher education

Licensing and registrations

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Vocational and technical education
Latest action: action_date: 2019-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-08-01
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Wind Workforce Modernization and Training Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill provides incentives for programs that prepare students for careers in the wind energy industry.</p> <p>The Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to award grants to community colleges or technical schools that offer wind training programs. Such colleges and schools must use the grants for large pieces of wind component equipment (e.g., towers or blades) for use in training wind technician students.</p> <p>DOE must also establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the wind energy industry that shall be modeled off of the Solar Ready Vets pilot program.</p> <p>In addition, DOE must convene a task force to study the wind technician workforce.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2415 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 1, 2019 Ms. Ernst (for herself and Mr. King ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to establish a grant program for training wind technicians, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wind Workforce Modernization and Training Act of 2019 . 2. Wind technician training grant program (a) In general Title XI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16411 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 1107. Wind technician training grant program (a) Definition of eligible entity In this section, the term eligible entity means a community college or technical school that offers a wind training program. (b) Grant program The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to purchase large pieces of wind component equipment (such as nacelles, towers, and blades) for use in training wind technician students. (c) Funding Of the amounts made available to the Secretary for administrative expenses to carry out other programs under the authority of the Secretary, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2024. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents for the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 601) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1106 the following: Sec. 1107. Wind technician training grant program. . 3. Veterans in wind energy (a) In general Title XI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 16411 et seq.) (as amended by section 2(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 1108. Veterans in wind energy (a) In general The Secretary shall establish a program to prepare veterans for careers in the wind energy industry that shall be modeled off of the Solar Ready Vets pilot program formerly administered by the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. (b) Funding Of the amounts made available to the Secretary for administrative expenses to carry out other programs under the authority of the Secretary, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2024. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents for the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( Public Law 109–58 ; 119 Stat. 601) (as amended by section 2(b)) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1107 the following: Sec. 1108. Veterans in wind energy. . 4. Study and report on wind technician workforce (a) In general The Secretary of Energy (referred to in this section as the Secretary ) shall convene a task force comprised of 1 or more representatives of each of the stakeholders described in subsection (b) that shall— (1) conduct a study to assess the needs of wind technicians in the workforce; (2) create a comprehensive list that— (A) lists each type of wind technician position available in the United States; and (B) describes the skill sets required for each type of position listed under subparagraph (A); and (3) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, make publicly available and submit to Congress a report that— (A) describes the results of that study; (B) includes the comprehensive list described in paragraph (2); and (C) provides recommendations— (i) for creating a credentialing program that may be administered by community colleges, technical schools, and other training institutions; and (ii) that reflect best practices for wind technician training programs, as identified by representatives of the wind industry. (b) Stakeholders described The stakeholders referred to in subsection (a) are— (1) the Department of Defense; (2) the Department of Education; (3) the Department of Energy; (4) the Department of Labor; (5) the Department of Veterans Affairs; (6) technical schools and community colleges that have wind technician training programs; and (7) the wind industry. (c) Funding Of the amounts made available to the Secretary for administrative expenses to carry out other programs under the authority of the Secretary, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $500,000.