[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2520 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2520
To require the Secretary of Labor to carry out a pilot program to award
competitive grants to eligible entities to train individuals for
careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 6, 2023
Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Labor to carry out a pilot program to award
competitive grants to eligible entities to train individuals for
careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, 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 to as the ``Renewable Energy Jobs Act''.
SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Labor shall carry out a pilot
program (in this section referred to as the ``pilot program'') to award
competitive grants to eligible entities to train individuals for
careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.
(b) Application.--
(1) In general.--To apply for a grant under the pilot
program, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--A grant application under this section shall
include the following:
(A) A proposal for a program to train individuals
for careers in the renewable energy and energy
efficiency industries.
(B) A description of the presence of such
industries, and the availability of jobs in such
industries, in the State in which the eligible entity
will carry out the program.
(C) A description of the sustainability of long-
term careers in such industries in such State,
including a description of the growth of such
industries over the 10-year period preceding the date
of the application and the production output of such
industries as of the date of such application.
(D) A plan to coordinate the efforts of the
eligible entity under the program with relevant efforts
of workforce development boards.
(E) A description of how the program aligns with
the workforce plan of such State.
(F) A description of how the program will aid
participants to attain recognized postsecondary
credentials.
(c) Duration of Grant.--Each grant under this section shall be for
a period of 3 years.
(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section may use the grant funds--
(1) to carry out the proposal submitted by the recipient
under subsection (b)(2)(A);
(2) to reimburse a primary entity for the cost of providing
on-the-job training;
(3) to reimburse a secondary entity for the cost of
providing skills training (or on-the-job training if in
partnership with an energy efficient employer);
(4) to reimburse an employer for wages associated with
registered apprenticeship;
(5) to conduct outreach to inform primary entities,
secondary entities, and the public, including individuals in
rural areas and Indian tribes, of eligibility or potential
eligibility for participation in the program; and
(6) to conduct any other activities that the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall prioritize grants to eligible entities that submit a
proposal to carry out a program in a State that is among the 5 States
with the highest installed alternative energy power capacity.
(f) Conditions.--As a condition of receipt of funds under this
section, the Secretary shall require an eligible entity to agree--
(1) to repay to the Secretary any amount received under the
pilot program that is not used for the purposes described in
subsection (d) by the date that is 3 years after the date on
which the recipient received such funds;
(2) to submit to the Secretary, at such times and
containing such information as the Secretary shall require,
reports on the use of grant funds; and
(3) to ensure that any employer or other entity receiving
funds through a program under this section pays each individual
receiving on-the-job training provided by such employer or
entity not less than the applicable minimum wage for the State
or locality in which such training is provided.
(g) Limitation on Administrative Costs.--
(1) Federal administration.--Of the amounts appropriated
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under
subsection (i), 2 percent shall be made available to the
Secretary for administrative costs associated with implementing
and evaluating the pilot program under this section and for
preparing and submitting the report required under subsection
(h).
(2) Program administration.--The Secretary shall determine
the appropriate maximum amount of each grant awarded under this
section that may be used by the recipient for administrative
and reporting costs.
(h) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress an
annual report on the pilot program for each year of the grant period
containing--
(1) a description of activities carried out under this
section;
(2) an evaluation of the pilot program; and
(3) a description of how many participants were employed by
renewable energy and energy efficiency employers within 6
months of completing the training.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024
through 2027, for the purpose of carrying out the pilot program.
(j) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a primary entity; or
(B) a consortium of entities that--
(i) consists of one or more primary
entities; and
(ii) may include one or more secondary
entities.
(2) The term ``Indian tribe'' has the meaning given that
term in section 102 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe
List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a).
(3) The term ``installed alternative energy power
capacity'' means the amount of wind, solar, and geothermal
power generation, expressed in megawatts, installed in a State.
(4) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the
meaning given such term in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(5) The term ``labor organization'' has the meaning given
such term in section 2 of the National Labor Relations Act (29
U.S.C. 152).
(6) The term ``on-the-job training'' means training by
renewable energy and energy efficiency employers, a labor
organization, a institution of higher education, or a nonprofit
organization that is provided to a paid participant while
engaged in productive work that--
(A) provides knowledge or skills essential to the
full and adequate performance of the job;
(B) provides reimbursement to the employer for the
costs of providing the training and additional
supervision related to the training; and
(C) is limited in duration as appropriate to the
occupation for which the participant is being trained,
taking into account the content of the training, the
prior work experience of the participant, and the
service strategy of the participant, as appropriate.
(7) The term ``primary entity'' means--
(A) a renewable energy and energy efficiency
employer; or
(B) a workforce development board.
(8) The term ``recognized postsecondary credential'' has
the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(9) The term ``renewable energy and energy efficiency
employer'' means an employer that employs individuals in a
trade or business in the renewable energy and energy efficiency
industries.
(10) The term ``renewable energy and energy efficiency
industries'' means any of the following industries:
(A) The energy-efficient building, construction, or
retrofits industry.
(B) The renewable electric power industry,
including the wind, solar, and geothermal energy
industries.
(C) The energy efficiency assessment industry that
serves the residential, commercial, or industrial
sectors.
(D) The industries that manufacture solar panels,
wind turbines, geothermal generators, and similar
products.
(11) The term ``secondary entity'' means--
(A) a institution of higher education;
(B) a nonprofit organization; or
(C) a labor organization.
(12) The term ``skills training'' means training by
secondary entity that provides the knowledge and skills
essential to specific jobs in the renewable energy and energy
efficiency industries.
(13) The term ``State'' includes each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and
the territories and possessions of the United States.
(14) The term ``workforce development board'' means a State
or local workforce development board established under title I
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111
et seq.).
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