[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5246 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5246
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand the
capacity of junior or community colleges and area career and technical
education schools to conduct training services, education, and outreach
activities for careers in the residential construction industry.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 25, 2024
Ms. Rosen (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand the
capacity of junior or community colleges and area career and technical
education schools to conduct training services, education, and outreach
activities for careers in the residential construction industry.
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 ``Creating Opportunities for New
Skills Training at Rural and Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools Act
of 2024'' and ``CONSTRUCTS Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
(a) In General.--Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 172 as section 173; and
(2) by inserting after section 171 the following:
``SEC. 172. EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN RESIDENTIAL
CONSTRUCTION.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Incumbent worker.--The term `incumbent worker' has
the meaning given the term in section 680.780 of title 20, Code
of Federal Regulations, or a successor regulation.
``(2) Junior or community college.--The term `junior or
community college' has the meaning given the term in section
312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058).
``(3) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means any--
``(A) nonmetropolitan area; or
``(B) rural area, as defined under section 520 of
the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490).
``(4) Underserved population.--The term `underserved
population' means a group of individuals with a common
demographic trait (such as individuals from the same gender,
race, or ethnicity), the members of which--
``(A) based on the most recent satisfactory
demographic and employment data from the Bureau of the
Census, comprise a percentage of individuals employed
in the construction sector that is lower than the
percentage of the total population of the United States
comprised by such members;
``(B) are low-income individuals;
``(C) are individuals with barriers to employment;
or
``(D) are veterans.
``(b) Establishment of Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor, in consultation
with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a program,
through which the Secretary of Labor shall award, on a
competitive basis, grants to eligible entities to expand their
capacity to provide training services, education, and outreach
activities for careers in the residential construction
industry.
``(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this section
shall be for a period of not more than 4 years.
``(c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be--
``(1) a junior or community college;
``(2) an area career and technical education school; or
``(3) a provider of training services, as described in
section 122(a)(2).
``(d) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a
grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
of Labor at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including the following information:
``(1) A description of the new or expanded training
services, education, or outreach activities supported by the
grant, including a description of how the new training
services, education, or outreach activities will align with
existing programming related to careers in the residential
construction industry at the eligible entity, and the relevant
faculty or technical instructors employed by the eligible
entity on the date of the submission of the application or who
may be employed by the eligible entity to carry out the
training services, education, or outreach activities supported
by the grant.
``(2) A description of the populations that will be served
through the training services, education, or outreach
activities supported by the grant, including whether the
participants in such training services, education, or outreach
activities are--
``(A) incumbent workers;
``(B) individuals in rural areas;
``(C) in-school youth; or
``(D) part of an underserved population.
``(3) A description of the partnerships the eligible entity
will facilitate through the grant, including the process by
which the eligible entity will ensure that a partner provides
fair wages and benefits that are commensurate with local pay
and benefit packages, and a plan for sustaining activities and
partnerships supported by the grant after the completion of the
grant period.
``(4) A description of the anticipated outcomes of the
training services, education, or outreach activities supported
by the grant, including, at a minimum, the recognized
postsecondary credential, postsecondary credit, or degree to be
earned by participants, and a timetable showing how the
eligible entity will meet the primary indicators of performance
described in section 116(b)(2)(A).
``(5) A description of the intended impact of the training
services, education, or outreach activities on the local
housing market, including a description of how the new training
services, education, or outreach activities will increase the
supply of affordable housing.
``(6) Such other information as the Secretary may require.
``(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary of Labor shall give priority to eligible entities that serve
rural areas or underserved populations.
``(f) Use of Funds.--
``(1) Required uses.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall use the grant funds--
``(A) to create or expand an evidence-based
education or training program to provide skills needed
in the residential construction industry, including
skills related to--
``(i) carpentry;
``(ii) framing;
``(iii) masonry;
``(iv) welding;
``(v) plumbing;
``(vi) electrical work;
``(vii) construction management;
``(viii) architecture;
``(ix) HVAC;
``(x) land surveying and geomatics
``(xi) construction mathematics; and
``(xii) such other trades as identified by
the Department of Labor;
``(B) to create or expand an education or training
program focused on increasing the skills of incumbent
workers who are residential construction workers;
``(C) to create a partnership with a local
residential construction business or developer, either
alone or in conjunction with a nonprofit organization,
labor organization, entity in the State or local
workforce development system, sponsor of a pre-
apprenticeship or apprenticeship program, YouthBuild
program, or another community partner, with a focus on
engaging with organizations that recruit employees or
program participants from underserved populations; and
``(D) to facilitate outreach to secondary school
and elementary school students about the residential
construction industry and education and training
programs available under this section, which may
include developing dual or concurrent enrollment
programs (as defined under section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) for
secondary students to participate in such education and
training programs or integrating such programs in a
relevant career and technical education program
administered by an elementary school or secondary
school.
``(2) Permissive uses.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section may use the grant funds--
``(A) to hire technical instructors or other
faculty with demonstrated experience and expertise in
residential construction to lead education or training
programs related to skills and recognized postsecondary
credentials needed for a career in the residential
construction industry;
``(B) to operate an education and training clinic
in a rural area or area not otherwise served by an
entity described in subsection (c), to the extent
necessary and practicable;
``(C) to develop promotion materials for the
purpose of increasing awareness of the training
services, education, or outreach activities; or
``(D) to provide supportive services through merit-
based and needs-based scholarships, to promote
retention in, and completion of--
``(i) an education or training program
supported under this section; or
``(ii) tests or coursework related to
certification.
``(g) Assistance; Flexible Schedules.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this section shall--
``(1) use flexible schedules in carrying out the education
or training program, including night classes, part-time
schedules, and online curricula, to accommodate individuals who
work during the day or live in rural areas; and
``(2) provide an individual, upon completion of the
education or training program, supportive services for job
search and placement to ensure the success of such individuals
in achieving the education and career goals.
``(h) Compliance With Applicable Laws.--
``(1) In general.--Each recipient of funds under this
section, and any entity that enters into a partnership with
such recipient for the purpose of this Act, shall attest to the
Secretary of Labor that the recipient or entity--
``(A) is in compliance with each Federal, State,
and local labor law;
``(B) will remain in compliance with each Federal,
State, and local labor law; and
``(C) is not subject to a pending action or case
relating to a violation of any law enforced by the
Department of Labor, Federal Labor Relations Authority,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or National
Labor Relations Board.
``(2) Federal, state, and local labor law.--In this
subsection, the term `Federal, State, and local labor law'
means any Federal, State, or local labor law that would be
applicable to the recipient or entity described in paragraph
(1), as determined by the Secretary of Labor.
``(i) Performance Accountability.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this section shall, not later than 18 months after
receiving such grant and annually thereafter for the duration
of the grant period, submit to the Secretary of Labor a report
containing the eligible entity's outcomes with respect to the
primary indicators of performance described in section
116(b)(2)(A).
``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 6 months after
receiving initial reports from each eligible entity receiving a
grant under this section, the Secretary shall prepare and
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the
Workforce of the House of Representatives a report containing,
at a minimum, the information described in paragraph (1) for
each such eligible entity.
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 to carry out this section for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2029.''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended--
(1) by striking the item relating to section 172; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to section 171 the
following:
``Sec. 172. Education and training for careers in residential
construction.
``Sec. 173. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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