Transportation Workforce Modernization Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other entities to develop a curriculum for and establish transportation worker training programs in urban and rural areas for workers whose jobs may be changed or worsened, or who may have been separated from their jobs as a result of being replaced by the adoption of automated driving systems.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must study and report on the impact of driverless vehicle adoption on specified sectors of the economy. Additionally, DOT must seek to enter into an agreement with an IHE or nonprofit organization to conduct research on such impacts for inclusion in the GAO study.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7050 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7050
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to
provide grants to retrain certain transportation workers, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 28, 2020
Ms. Johnson of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to
provide grants to retrain certain transportation workers, 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 as the ``Transportation Workforce
Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION WORKER RETRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish
a program to make grants to eligible entities to develop a curriculum
for and establish transportation worker training programs in urban and
rural areas to train, upskill, and prepare workers whose jobs may be
changed or worsened by automation, or who have been separated from
their jobs, or have received notice of impending job loss, as a result
of being replaced by automated driving systems.
(b) Eligible Entities.--The following entities shall be eligible to
receive grants under this section:
(1) Institutions of higher education.
(2) Consortia of institutions of higher education.
(3) Trade associations.
(4) Nongovernmental stakeholders.
(5) Organizations with a demonstrated capacity to develop
and provide career ladder programs through labor-management
partnerships and apprenticeships on a nationwide basis.
(c) Limitation on Awards.--An entity may only receive one grant per
year under this section in an amount determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(d) Participants in Transportation Worker Retraining Programs.--A
grant provided under this section may be used for participants in
transportation worker retraining programs to pursue a degree or
certification through the coursework or curriculum developed under the
program.
(e) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant under this section may
use grant amounts for studies, pilot programs, as well as testing new
roles for current jobs, including mechanical work, diagnostic, and
fleet operations management.
(f) General Selection Criteria.--The Secretary shall select
recipients of grants under this section on the basis of the following
criteria:
(1) Demonstrated research and extension resources available
to the applicant for carrying out this section.
(2) Capability of the applicant to develop curriculum in
the training or retraining of individuals described in
subsection (a) as a result of driverless vehicles.
(3) Demonstrated commitment of the recipient to carry out a
transportation workforce development program through degree-
granting programs or programs that provide other industry-
recognized credentials.
(g) Eligibility.--An applicant is only eligible for a grant under
this section if such applicant--
(1) has an established transportation program;
(2) has expertise in solving transportation problems
through research, training, education, and technology; and
(3) shares information with other programs.
(h) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of a grant under this
section shall be a dollar for dollar match of the costs of
establishing and administering the retraining program and
related activities carried out by the grant recipient or
consortium of grant recipients.
(2) Availability of funds.--For a recipient of a grant
under this section carrying out activities under such grant in
partnership with a public transportation agency that is
receiving amounts under section 5307, 5337, or 5339, not more
than 0.5 percent of amounts made available under any such
section may qualify as the non-Federal share under paragraph
(1).
(i) Tracking of Certain Information.--Not later than 1 year after a
grant award is made under this section, the Secretary shall implement a
reporting or tracking mechanism to determine--
(1) from which sectors of the transportation industry are
workers being displaced;
(2) for what skills and professions are workers being
retrained;
(3) how many workers have benefitted from the grant award;
and
(4) relevant demographic information of impacted workers.
(j) Definition of Institution of Higher Education.--In this Act,
the term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001).
(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023 to
carry out this section.
(2) Availability of amounts.--Amounts made available to the
Secretary to carry out this section shall remain available for
obligation by the Secretary for a period of 3 years after the
last day of the fiscal year for which the amounts are
authorized.
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct
a study and submit to Congress a report on the impact of driverless
vehicle adoption on--
(1) the workforce of the United States;
(2) the trucking, freight, and personal transportation
industries;
(3) wages;
(4) job losses, including the economic impact on each
region of the United States; and
(5) the creation of new jobs and how transportation sector
jobs would change due to driverless vehicle adoption.
(b) Consultation.--The study shall be carried out in consultation
with--
(1) academics;
(2) labor unions;
(3) the Department of Transportation; and
(4) the Department of Labor.
(c) Research.--The Secretary of Transportation shall seek to enter
into an agreement with an institute of higher education or nonprofit
organization with demonstrated capacity in carrying out research on the
subject of the study required under subsection (a) to conduct such
research. Such agreement shall require the institute or nonprofit to
submit such research to the Comptroller General for inclusion in such
study.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
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