American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act or AMERICA Works Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to require state or local workforce investment systems to use youth activities funds for programs that provide training, which may include priority consideration for training programs that lead to recognized postsecondary credentials aligned with in-demand occupations or industries in the local area involved.
Authorizes the operator and employees of a one-stop center, in assisting individuals in selecting programs of training services, to give priority consideration to such programs.
Revises eligibility requirements for providers of training services and providers of youth activities for such programs. Requires programs of training services and youth activities programs that lead to a recognized postsecondary credential to meet quality criteria established by the state governor.
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the Trade Act of 1974 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 and trade adjustment assistance (TAA) programs.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 453 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 453
To require that certain Federal job training and career education
programs give priority to programs that lead to an industry-recognized
and nationally portable credential.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 5, 2013
Mrs. Hagan (for herself, Mr. Heller, and Mr. Donnelly) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require that certain Federal job training and career education
programs give priority to programs that lead to an industry-recognized
and nationally portable credential.
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 ``American Manufacturing Efficiency
and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act'' or
``AMERICA Works Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Recent data show that United States manufacturing
companies cannot fill as many as 600,000 skilled positions,
even as unemployment numbers hover at historically high levels.
(2) The unfilled positions are mainly in the skilled
production category, and in occupations such as machinist,
operator, craft worker, distributor, or technician.
(3) In less than 20 years, an overall loss of expertise and
management skill is expected to result from the gradual
departure from the workplace of 77,200,000 workers.
(4) Postsecondary success and workforce readiness can be
achieved through attainment of a recognized postsecondary
credential.
(5) According to the January 2011 Computing Technology
Industry Association report entitled ``Employer Perceptions of
Information Technology Training and Certification'', 64 percent
of hiring information technology managers rate information
technology certifications as having extremely high or high
value in validating information technology skills and
expertise. The value of those certifications is rated highest
among senior information technology managers, such as Chief
Information Officers, and managers of medium-size firms.
SEC. 3. INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED AND NATIONALLY PORTABLE CREDENTIALS FOR JOB
TRAINING PROGRAMS.
(a) Workforce Investment Act of 1998.--
(1) Youth activities.--Section 129(c)(1)(C) of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2854(c)(1)(C)) is
amended--
(A) by redesignating clauses (ii) through (iv) as
clauses (iii) through (v), respectively; and
(B) inserting after clause (i) the following:
``(ii) training (which may include priority
consideration for training programs that lead
to recognized postsecondary credentials (as
defined in section 4 of the AMERICA Works Act)
that are aligned with in-demand occupations or
industries in the local area involved, if the
local board determines that the programs meet
the quality criteria described in section
123);''.
(2) General employment and training activities.--Section
134(d)(4)(F) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C.
2864(d)(4)(F)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) Programs that lead to an industry-
recognized and nationally portable
credential.--In assisting individuals in
selecting programs of training services under
this section, a one-stop operator and employees
of a one-stop center referred to in subsection
(c) may give priority consideration to programs
(approved in conjunction with eligibility
decisions made under section 122) that lead to
recognized postsecondary credentials (as
defined in section 4 of the AMERICA Works Act)
that are aligned with in-demand occupations or
industries in the local area involved.''.
(3) Criteria.--
(A) General employment and training activities.--
Section 122(b)(2)(D) of the Workforce Investment Act of
1998 (29 U.S.C. 2842(b)(2)(D)) is amended--
(i) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at
the end;
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking the
period and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) in the case of a provider of a
program of training services that leads to a
recognized postsecondary credential (as defined
in section 4 of the AMERICA Works Act), that
the program leading to the credential meets
such quality criteria as the Governor shall
establish.''.
(B) Youth activities.--Section 123 of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2843) by inserting
``(including such quality criteria as the Governor
shall establish for a training program that leads to a
recognized postsecondary credential (as defined in
section 4 of the AMERICA Works Act))'' after ``plan''.
(b) Career and Technical Education.--
(1) State plan.--Section 122(c)(1)(B) of the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2342(c)(1)(B)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``(B) how'' and inserting ``(B)(i)
how'';
(B) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following
``(ii) in the case of an eligible entity that, in
developing and implementing programs of study leading
to recognized postsecondary credentials, desires to
give a priority to such programs that are aligned with
in-demand occupations or industries in the area served
(as determined by the eligible agency) and that may
provide a basis for additional credentials,
certificates, or degree, how the entity will do so;''.
(2) Use of local funds.--Section 134(b) of the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2354(b)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (11), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (12)(B), by striking the period
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(13) describe the career and technical education
activities supporting the attainment of recognized
postsecondary credentials (as defined in section 4 of the
AMERICA Works Act), and, in the case of an eligible recipient
that desires to provide priority consideration to certain
programs of study in accordance with the State plan under
section 122(c)(1)(B), how the eligible recipient will give
priority consideration to such activities.''.
(3) Tech-prep programs.--Section 203(c)(2)(E) of the Carl
D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20
U.S.C. 2373(c)(2)(E)) is amended by striking ``industry-
recognized credential, a certificate,'' and inserting
``recognized postsecondary credential (as defined in section 4
of the AMERICA Works Act and approved by the eligible
agency),''.
(c) Training Programs Under TAA.--Section 236(a) of the Trade Act
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2296(a)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(12) In approving training programs for adversely affected
workers and adversely affected incumbent workers under paragraph (1),
the Secretary may give priority consideration to workers seeking
training through programs that are approved in conjunction with
eligibility decisions made under section 122 of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2842), and that lead to recognized
postsecondary credentials (as defined in section 4 of the AMERICA Works
Act) that are aligned with in-demand occupations or industries in the
local area (defined for purposes of title I of the Workforce Investment
Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.)) involved.''.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Industry-recognized.--The term ``industry-recognized'',
used with respect to a credential, means a credential that--
(A) is sought or accepted by employers within the
industry sector involved as recognized, preferred, or
required for recruitment, screening, hiring, or
advancement;
(B) is endorsed by a recognized trade or
professional association or organization, representing
a significant part of the industry sector; and
(C) is a nationally portable credential, meaning a
credential that is sought or accepted, across multiple
States, as described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term
``recognized postsecondary credential'' means a credential
consisting of an industry-recognized credential for
postsecondary training, a certificate that meets the
requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) for
postsecondary training, a certificate of completion of a
postsecondary apprenticeship through a program described in
section 122(a)(2)(B) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998
(29 U.S.C. 2842(a)(2)(B)), or an associate degree or
baccalaureate degree awarded by an institution of higher
education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))).
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, take effect 120 days
after the date of enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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