In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
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Question: SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Apprenticeships can help veterans bridge the gap 
        between service in the Armed Forces and civilian employment 
        by--
                    (A) receiving on-the-job training under the direct 
                supervision of a professional and classroom 
                instruction;
                    (B) implementing skills the veterans acquired while 
                in the Armed Forces;
                    (C) providing practical work experience to the 
                veterans; and
                    (D) forming professional connections to fellow 
                members of skilled occupations.
            (2) According to the Employment and Training Administration 
        of the Department of Labor, in fiscal year 2016--
                    (A) more than 21,000 apprenticeship programs across 
                the United States are registered with the 
                Administration;
                    (B) approximately 1,700 new apprenticeship programs 
                were established in the United States;
                    (C) more than 206,000 individuals across the United 
                States entered an apprenticeship program;
                    (D) more than 505,000 apprentices sought to acquire 
                skills to earn the wages necessary for financial 
                security; and
                    (E) approximately 49,000 individuals graduated from 
                apprenticeship programs.

SEC. 2. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE CERTAIN 
              APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

    Section 3313(g)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(E) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor) on more than a half-time but less 
                than full-time basis, an annual stipend for tuition and 
                fees not to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).
                    ``(F) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor and for which the individual 
                provides proof of current registration to the 
                Secretary) that is not sponsored by the employer of the 
                individual, an annual stipend for tuition and fees not 
                to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).''.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are 
not sponsored by employers of participants in such programs should 
supply professional development resources and interview training to the 
participants.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE COMPUTER NUMERICALLY 
              CONTROLLED MACHINING CERTIFICATIONS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide eligible 
veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in 
computer numerically controlled machining.
    (b) Eligibility.--For purposes of the pilot program under this 
section, an eligible veteran is a veteran who is entitled to 
educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary.
    (c) Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--For purposes of carrying out subsection 
        (a), by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into contracts 
        with multiple qualified providers of certification programs in 
        computer numerically controlled machining for the provision of 
        such programs to eligible veterans under the pilot program.
            (2) Payment of contractors.--A contract under this 
        subsection shall provide that the Secretary shall pay to a 
        provider--
                    (A) 25 percent of the cost of providing the 
                certification program upon the enrollment of an 
                eligible veteran in the program;
                    (B) 25 percent of such cost upon the completion of 
                the program by the veteran; and
                    (C) 50 percent of such cost upon the employment of 
                the veteran following completion of the program.
            (3) Qualified providers.--For purposes of the pilot 
        program, a provider of a certification program in computer 
        numerically controlled machining is qualified if the provider 
        has been operational for at least two years.
            (4) Tuition reimbursement.--In entering into contracts to 
        carry out the pilot program, the Secretary shall give 
        preference to a qualified provider that offers tuition 
        reimbursement for any student who--
                    (A) completes a certification program offered by 
                the provider; and
                    (B) does not find full-time meaningful employment 
                within the 180-day period beginning on the date the 
                student completes the program.
    (d) Housing Stipend.--The Secretary shall pay to each eligible 
veteran who is enrolled in a certification program in computer 
numerically controlled machining under the pilot program on a full-time 
basis a monthly housing stipend equal to the product of--
            (1) in the case of--
                    (A) a veteran pursuing resident training, the 
                monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing 
                payable under section 403 of title 37, United States 
                Code, for a member with dependents in pay grade E-5 who 
                resides in the military housing area that encompasses 
                all or the majority of the ZIP code area in which the 
                campus at which the veteran attends training or classes 
                is located; or
                    (B) a veteran pursuing a certification program 
                through distance learning, a monthly amount equal to 50 
                percent of the amount payable under subparagraph (A); 
                and
            (2) the lesser of--
                    (A) 1.0; or
                    (B) the number of course hours carried by the 
                individual in pursuit of the certification program 
                involved, divided by the minimum number of course hours 
                required for full-time pursuit of such certification 
                program, rounded to the nearest tenth.
    (e) Certification Program in Computer Numerically Controlled 
Machining Defined.--In this section, the term ``certification program 
in computer numerically controlled machining'' means a training program 
that--
            (1) is offered by an entity--
                    (A) other than an institution of higher learning; 
                or
                    (B) that is a professional organization;
            (2) does not lead to a degree; and
            (3) leads to a National Institute for Metalworking Skills 
        credential or certification in computer numerically controlled 
        machining.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Secretary of veterans affairs.--Not later than one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
        the pilot program under this section.
            (2) Comptroller general.--
                    (A) Interim report.--Not later than three years 
                after the date on which the Secretary first enters into 
                a contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                of the United States shall submit to Congress a report 
                containing the results of the interim assessment of the 
                Comptroller General. Such report shall include the 
                recommendations of the Comptroller General for 
                improving the pilot program and an assessment of each 
                of the following:
                            (i) The manufacturing and training 
                        experience of the directors and instructors of 
                        the providers of certification programs in 
                        computer numerically controlled machining under 
                        the pilot program.
                            (ii) Whether the providers followed 
                        training curricula commonly used in the 
                        industry (including curricula from the National 
                        Institute for Metalworking Skills) for the 
                        certification programs.
                            (iii) Whether the providers use open source 
                        curricula for the certification programs.
                            (iv) The admittance rate into the pilot 
                        program.
                            (v) The job placement rate for veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program.
                            (vi) The average salary of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program and were subsequently employed.
                            (vii) The average age of veterans who 
                        participated in the pilot program.
                    (B) Final report.--Not later than five years after 
                the date on which the Secretary first enters into a 
                contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                shall submit to Congress a final report on the pilot 
                program. Such report shall include the recommendation 
                of the Comptroller General with respect to whether the 
                program should be extended and an assessment of each of 
                the following:
                            (i) Each item described in clauses (i) 
                        through (vii) of subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) The percentage of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program who were subsequently employed 
                        for a period of six months or longer.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 for each 
fiscal year during which the Secretary carries out a pilot program 
under this section.
    (h) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under 
this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the 
date on which the Secretary first enters into a contract under this 
section.

SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF THE CAREER TECHNICAL TRAINING 
              TRACK OF THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
review of the career technical training track of the Transition 
Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (specifically 
with regard to the effectiveness of educating participants about 
apprenticeship opportunities) and submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the review and any recommendations of the Comptroller 
General for improving the program.

Answer: This bill provides educational assistance to veterans who pursue certain apprenticeship programs registered with the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor. It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are not sponsored by program participants' employers should provide the participants with professional development resources and interview training.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall carry out a pilot program to provide eligible veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in computer numerically controlled machining. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress regarding the career technical training track of the VA's Transition Assistance Program, including its effectiveness in educating participants about apprenticeship opportunities. 


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Civil War Sesquicentennial 
Commission Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish a Civil War 
Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission to--
            (1) ensure a suitable national observance of the 
        sesquicentennial of the Civil War that includes recognition of 
        the historic, social, legal, cultural, and political forces 
        that--
                    (A) brought about the Civil War; and
                    (B) influenced the course and outcomes of the Civil 
                War;
            (2) explore the causes of the Civil War to gain a better 
        understanding of the reasons that the democratic framework of 
        the United States failed to resolve the sectional issues 
        without resorting to war;
            (3) fully examine and reflect on the consequences of the 
        Civil War, which Congress directed the National Park Service to 
        address in National Park Service programs and materials 
        beginning in 1999, including consequences such as--
                    (A) the Reconstruction era and the aftermath of 
                that era;
                    (B) the economic devastation of the entire South as 
                a result of long-term post-war policies;
                    (C) the concomitant constriction of equal rights 
                for African-American citizens; and
                    (D) the ultimate economic recovery of the region 
                and the extension of civil rights for the descendants 
                of enslaved peoples almost a century later;
            (4) assist States and national organizations with programs 
        and activities for the observance of the sesquicentennial of 
        the Civil War;
            (5) assist in ensuring that any observance of the 
        sesquicentennial of the Civil War is inclusive and 
        appropriately recognizes the experiences and points of view of 
        all people affected by the Civil War; and
            (6) provide assistance for the development of programs, 
        projects, and activities on the Civil War that have lasting 
        educational and preservation value.

SEC. 3. CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION COMMISSION.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a commission to be 
known as the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission 
(referred to in this Act as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 4. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall be composed of 25 members as 
follows:
            (1) Government members.--The Commission shall include--
                    (A) 2 Members of the Senate appointed by the 
                President pro tempore of the Senate, in consultation 
                with the majority leader and the minority leader of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) 2 Members of the House of Representatives 
                appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
                Representatives, in consultation with the minority 
                leader of the House of Representatives;
                    (C) the Secretary of the Interior or the designee 
                of the Secretary;
                    (D) the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 
                or the designee of the Secretary;
                    (E) the Secretary of Education, or the designee of 
                the Secretary;
                    (F) the Secretary of Defense, or the designee of 
                the Secretary;
                    (G) the Chairman of the National Endowment for the 
                Humanities, or the designee of the Chairman;
                    (H) the Chairman of the National Endowment for the 
                Arts, or the designee of the Chairman;
                    (I) the Archivist of the United States, or the 
                designee of the Archivist;
                    (J) the Librarian of Congress, or the designee of 
                the Librarian; and
                    (K) the Director of the National Park Service, or 
                the designee of the Director.
            (2) Private members.--The Commission shall include--
                    (A) 3 members appointed by the President from among 
                individuals who are representative of the corporate 
                community and nonprofit community; and
                    (B) 9 individuals, appointed by the President, from 
                among persons who by reason of education, training, and 
                experience, are experts on the Antebellum, Civil War, 
                and Reconstruction eras and the preservation, 
                interpretation, and presentation of those eras to the 
                public, including--
                            (i) 5 individuals with expertise in history 
                        or related academic disciplines germane to the 
                        Civil War, including--
                                    (I) individuals representing the 
                                museum community, in particular history 
                                museums and historical societies, such 
                                as the National Civil War Museum;
                                    (II) individuals with expertise in 
                                art history, historic preservation, or 
                                a related field;
                                    (III) individuals with expertise in 
                                anthropology, cultural geography, 
                                sociology, or a related field; and
                                    (IV) individuals with expertise in 
                                political science, law, economics, or a 
                                related field;
                            (ii) 1 individual with expertise in the 
                        preservation of Civil War historic sites and 
                        battlefields; and
                            (iii) 3 individuals representing State 
                        Civil War sesquicentennial efforts.
    (b) Terms.--
            (1) Government members.--If any member of the Commission 
        who was appointed as an officer under subsection (a)(1) leaves 
        that office, the member may continue as a member of the 
        Commission for not longer than the 30-day period beginning on 
        the date on which the member leaves the office.
            (2) Private members.--Private members appointed under 
        subsection (a)(2) shall be appointed for the life of the 
        Commission.
    (c) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its 
powers, and shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
appointment.
    (d) Initial Appointments.--The appointment of the members of the 
Commission shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Meetings.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
        on which all members of the Commission have been appointed, the 
        members appointed under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 
        4(a)(2) shall call the first meeting of the Commission.
            (2) Subsequent meetings.--The Commission shall hold 
        subsequent meetings at the call of the chairperson.
    (b) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--At the initial meeting, the 
Commission shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among 
its voting members.
    (c) Quorum.--A majority of voting members shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold meetings.
    (d) Voting.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall act only on an 
        affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members of the 
        Commission.
            (2) Nonvoting members.--The individuals appointed under 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 4(a)(1) shall be nonvoting 
        members, and shall serve only in an advisory capacity.

SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Activities Related to the Sesquicentennial.--The Commission 
shall--
            (1) plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities 
        appropriate to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil 
        War, including activities in recognition of the historic, 
        social, legal, cultural, and political forces that--
                    (A) caused the Civil War; and
                    (B) influenced the course and outcomes of the Civil 
                War;
            (2) encourage interdisciplinary examination of the Civil 
        War;
            (3) facilitate and promote Civil War-related activities 
        throughout the United States;
            (4) encourage civic, historical, educational, economic, 
        preservation, and other organizations throughout the United 
        States to organize and participate in activities to expand the 
        understanding and appreciation of the significance of the Civil 
        War;
            (5) coordinate and facilitate the public distribution of 
        scholarly research, publications, and interpretations of the 
        Civil War through institutions such as the Virginia Center for 
        Digital History at the University of Virginia, the Valley of 
        the Shadow, Center for Study of the American South at the 
        University of North Carolina, and the Center for the Study of 
        Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi;
            (6) coordinate with, and provide technical assistance to, 
        States, units of local government, and nonprofit organizations 
        (including State and local sesquicentennial commemoration 
        entities) to further the commemoration of the sesquicentennial 
        of the Civil War;
            (7) coordinate and facilitate commemoration activities of 
        Federal agencies relating to the sesquicentennial of the Civil 
        War;
            (8) develop programs and facilities to ensure that the 
        sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War results in a 
        positive legacy and long-term public benefit;
            (9) encourage and facilitate the preservation of Civil War-
        related historic sites and battlefields as a lasting legacy of 
        the sesquicentennial commemoration;
            (10) plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities 
        to use funds raised from individuals, foundations, and 
        corporations for sesquicentennial activities at the national 
        level;
            (11) at the election of the Commission, provide funds to 
        State and local programs to carry out activities that advance 
        the goals of the Commission; and
            (12) encourage the development and conduct of programs 
        designed to involve the international community in activities 
        that commemorate the Civil War.
    (b) Plans and Report.--
            (1) Strategic plan and annual performance plans.--The 
        Commission shall prepare a strategic plan in accordance with 
        section 306 of title 5, United States Code, and annual 
        performance plans in accordance with section 1115 of title 31, 
        United States Code, for the activities of the Commission 
        carried out under this Act.
            (2) Reports.--
                    (A) Annual report.--The Commission shall submit to 
                Congress an annual report that contains a list of each 
                gift, bequest, or devise with a value of more than 
                $250, together with the identity of the donor of each 
                such gift, bequest, or devise.
                    (B) Final report.--Not later than December 30, 
                2015, the Commission shall submit to Congress a final 
                report that contains--
                            (i) a summary of activities of the 
                        Commission;
                            (ii) a final accounting of funds received 
                        and expended by the Commission; and
                            (iii) the findings and recommendations of 
                        the Commission.

SEC. 7. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The National Endowment for the Humanities 
shall award grants under this section for the uses described in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Use of Grants.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used 
for appropriate activities relating to the sesquicentennial of the 
Civil War.
    (c) Consideration.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
National Endowment of the Humanities shall consider and give priority 
to programs carried out by institutions of higher education, museums, 
nonprofit organizations, professional associations, or State 
sesquicentennial commissions with a national scope that support the 
duties of the Commission described in section 6, including programs 
that concentrate on the role of African Americans in the Civil War.

SEC. 8. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission may--
            (1) solicit, accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, 
        or devises of money or other real or personal property for the 
        purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission;
            (2) appoint any advisory committee as the Commission 
        considers appropriate for the purposes of this Act;
            (3) authorize any voting member or employee of the 
        Commission to take any action that the Commission is authorized 
        to take under this Act;
            (4) procure supplies, services, and property, and make or 
        enter into contracts, leases, or other legal agreements to 
        carry out this Act (except that any contracts, leases, or other 
        legal agreements entered into by the Commission shall not 
        extend beyond the date of the termination of the Commission);
            (5) use the United States mails in the same manner and 
        under the same conditions as other Federal agencies; and
            (6) establish a foundation that is independent from, but 
        affiliated with, the Commission to support, as the Commission 
        determines to be necessary, the efforts of the Commission.

SEC. 9. PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Commission, and 
members of any advisory committee appointed under section 8(2), shall 
serve without compensation.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--Members of the Commission, and members of any 
advisory committees appointed under section 8(2), shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 
authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 
57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or regular 
place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the 
Commission.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson of the Commission may, 
        without regard to civil service laws (including regulations), 
        appoint and terminate an executive director and such other 
        additional personnel as are necessary to enable the Commission 
        to perform the duties of the Commission.
            (2) Confirmation of executive director.--The employment of 
        an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the 
        Commission.
            (3) Compensation.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the Chairperson of the Commission may fix the 
                compensation of the executive director and other 
                personnel without regard to the provisions of chapter 
                51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
                States Code, relating to classification of positions 
                and General Schedule pay rates.
                    (B) Maximum rate of pay.--The rate of pay for the 
                executive director and other personnel shall not exceed 
                the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule 
                under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--
            (1) In general.--At the request of the Commission, the head 
        of any Federal agency may detail, on a reimbursable or 
        nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the agency to 
        the Commission to assist the Commission in carrying out the 
        duties of the Commission under this Act.
            (2) Civil service status.--The detail of an employee under 
        paragraph (1) shall be without interruption or loss of civil 
        service status or privilege.
    (e) Volunteer and Uncompensated Services.--Notwithstanding section 
1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission may accept and use 
voluntary and uncompensated services as the Commission determines 
necessary.
    (f) Support Services.--The Director of the National Park Service 
shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, such 
administrative support services as the Commission may request.
    (g) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at daily 
rates for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the 
annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5316 of that title.
    (h) FACA Nonapplicability.--Section 14(b) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Commission.
    (i) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date that 
is 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its report 
under section 6(b)(2).

SEC. 10. AUDIT OF COMMISSION.

    The Inspector General of the Department of the Interior shall 
perform an annual audit of the Commission and shall make the results of 
the audit available to the public.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act (other than section 7) $500,000 for each of fiscal years 
2012 through 2016.
    (b) Grants.--There is authorized to be appropriated $3,500,000 to 
the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide grants under 
section 7, to remain available until expended.

Answer: Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission to plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities appropriate to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, and to carry out other specified duties.

 Directs the National Endowment for the Humanities to award grants for appropriate activities relating to the Civil War sesquicentennial, and to consider and give priority to programs carried out by institutions of higher education, museums, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, or state sesquicentennial commissions that support the duties of the Commission, including those that concentrate on the role of African Americans in the Civil War.


Question: SECTION 1. ENCOURAGING THE PREPARATION OF TANF RECIPIENTS FOR HIGH-
              SKILL, HIGH-DEMAND JOBS.

    (a) In General.--Section 407(c)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 607(c)(2)(D)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(D) Limitation on number of persons who may be 
                treated as engaged in work by reason of participation 
                in educational activities.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
                        clause (ii), for purposes of paragraphs 
                        (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b), not 
                        more than 30 percent of the number of 
                        individuals in all families in a State who are 
                        treated as engaged in work for a month may 
                        consist of individuals who are--
                                    ``(I) determined to be engaged in 
                                work for the month by reason of 
                                participation in vocational educational 
                                training (but only with respect to such 
                                training that does not exceed 12 months 
                                with respect to any individual); or
                                    ``(II) deemed to be engaged in work 
                                for the month by reason of subparagraph 
                                (C) of this paragraph.
                            ``(ii) Exception for education in 
                        preparation for sector-specific, high-skill 
                        occupations to meet employer demand.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Notwithstanding 
                                clause (i) and subsection (d)(8), for 
                                purposes of determining monthly 
                                participation rates under paragraphs 
                                (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b) 
                                with respect to an individual who is 
                                enrolled, in preparation for a sector-
                                specific, high-skill occupation to meet 
                                employer demand (as defined in 
                                subclause (II)), in a postsecondary 2- 
                                or 4-year degree program or in 
                                vocational educational training--
                                            ``(aa) the State may count 
                                        the number of hours per week 
                                        that the individual attends 
                                        such program or training for 
                                        purposes of determining the 
                                        number of hours for which a 
                                        family is engaged in work for 
                                        the month without regard to the 
                                        30 percent limitation under 
                                        clause (i); and
                                            ``(bb) the individual shall 
                                        be permitted to complete the 
                                        requirements of the degree 
                                        program or vocational 
                                        educational training within the 
                                        normal time frame for full-time 
                                        students seeking the particular 
                                        degree or completing such 
                                        vocational educational 
                                        training.
                                    ``(II) Sector-specific, high-skill 
                                occupation to meet employer demand 
                                defined.--In subclause (I), the term 
                                `sector-specific, high-demand, high-
                                skill occupation to meet employer 
                                demand' means an occupation--
                                            ``(aa) that has been 
                                        identified by the State 
                                        workforce investment board 
                                        established under section 111 
                                        of the Workforce Investment Act 
                                        of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2821) as 
                                        within the needs of the State 
                                        with regard to current and 
                                        projected employment 
                                        opportunities in specific 
                                        industry sectors or that has 
                                        been defined by the State 
                                        agency administering the State 
                                        program funded under this part 
                                        as within the needs of the 
                                        State with regard to current 
                                        and projected employment 
                                        opportunities in specific 
                                        industry sectors and is 
                                        consistent with high demand 
                                        jobs identified in the State 
                                        plan in accordance with section 
                                        402(a)(1)(A)(vii);
                                            ``(bb) that requires 
                                        occupational training; and
                                            ``(cc) that provides a wage 
                                        of at least 75 percent of the 
                                        State median hourly wage, as 
                                        calculated by the Bureau of 
                                        Labor Statistics on the basis 
                                        of the most recent Occupational 
                                        Employment and Wage Survey.''.
    (b) Conforming State Plan Amendment.--Section 402(a)(1)(B) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
                            ``(vii) The document shall describe any 
                        strategies and programs the State plans to use 
                        to address employment placement, retention, and 
                        advancement for recipients of assistance under 
                        the program, including placement into high-
                        demand jobs and whether such jobs are 
                        identified using labor market information.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take 
effect on October 1, 2005.

Answer:
Revises the mandatory work requirements of part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act with respect to the limitation on the number of persons in a state who may be treated as engaged in work by reason of participation in educational activities. Removes two-parent families from the formula for such limitation. Creates an exception to the limitation for education in preparation for sector-specific, high-skill occupations to meet employer demand.

Defines sector-specific, high-demand, high-skill occupation to meet employer demand as an occupation that: (1) has been identified by the state workforce investment board or by the state agency administering the state TANF program as within state needs with regard to current and projected employment opportunities in specific industry sectors; (2) requires occupational training; and (3) provides a wage of at least 75 percent of the state median hourly wage.