Workers Opportunity and Retraining Competitive Grant Program Act of 2015 or the WORC Grant Program Act of 2015
Amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Department of Labor to establish a manufacturing worker scholarship program to award competitive grants to states to provide scholarships of up to $2,000 per year (not to exceed two years) to dislocated workers or unemployed individuals through state and local boards to support their transition into manufacturing positions.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3258 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3258
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a
scholarship program for dislocated workers or unemployed individuals
transitioning into manufacturing employment.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 28, 2015
Mr. Norcross (for himself, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Garamendi, and Mrs.
Bustos) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a
scholarship program for dislocated workers or unemployed individuals
transitioning into manufacturing employment.
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 ``Workers Opportunity and Retraining
Competitive Grant Program Act of 2015'' or the ``WORC Grant Program Act
of 2015''.
SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING WORKER TRANSITION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) Amendment.--Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 2916) is amended by adding after section
171 the following new section:
``SEC. 171A. MANUFACTURING WORKER TRANSITION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a manufacturing
worker scholarship program to award States competitive grants to be
used to provide scholarships to dislocated workers or unemployed
individuals through State and local boards to support worker's
endeavors to transition into manufacturing positions.
``(b) Eligibility.--
``(1) Worker eligibility.--To be eligible for the
scholarship program established under this section, dislocated
workers or unemployed individuals shall be enrolled in a
qualifying manufacturing training course designed to provide
skills for employment in manufacturing.
``(2) Program eligibility.--State or local boards
participating in the scholarship program established under this
section shall--
``(A) have formal agreements or partnerships with
qualifying manufacturing training course providers; and
``(B) have commitments from local employers,
community leaders, and State or local economic
development initiatives to mentor dislocated workers or
unemployed individuals in order to aid their transition
into manufacturing industries.
``(c) Activities.--
``(1) In general.--Activities to be carried out under the
scholarship program established under this section shall be
coordinated by State or local boards, including transferring
scholarship awards to qualifying manufacturing training course
providers on behalf of the dislocated workers or unemployed
individuals receiving scholarships.
``(2) State and local board discretion.--For purposes of
scholarship awards distributed by a State or local board, such
board shall define the term `manufacturing'.
``(3) Repayment upon eligibility violations.--If a
dislocated worker or unemployed individual does not complete
the qualifying manufacturing training course or substitutes
non-manufacturing courses for manufacturing courses, the amount
of the awarded scholarship shall be repaid to the State or
local board.
``(d) Limitations.--
``(1) Monetary award limit.--Scholarship funding for any
dislocated worker or unemployed individual may not exceed
$2,000 per year.
``(2) Eligibility limit.--Scholarship funding for any
dislocated worker or unemployed individual may not exceed 2
years.
``(3) Scholarship use limit.--A scholarship awarded under
this section may only be used for payment towards qualifying
manufacturing training courses.
``(4) Supportive services limit.--A scholarship awarded
under this section may not be used for supportive services.
``(e) Qualifying Manufacturing Training Course Defined.--The term
`qualifying manufacturing training course'--
``(1) means any course or job training activity that is
offered by a postsecondary educational institution, area
vocational education school, or other eligible provider that--
``(A) provides knowledge and skills related to
manufacturing in emerging industries or industries
where there are jobs available in the community, as
determined by a State or local board; and
``(B) offers credits or other credentials to
enrollees for completion of the program; and
``(2) may include internships or apprenticeships that
provide credit or other credentials for completion of the
program.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 171 the following new
item:
``Sec. 171A. Manufacturing worker transition scholarship program.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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