S.Amdt. 869

SA 869. Ms. CANTWELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

SEC. ___. STEM APPRENTICESHIPS.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' has the
meaning given the term in section 9901(2) of the William M.
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651(2)).
(2) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
has the meaning given the term in section 30(b) of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3723(b)).
(3) Labor organization.--The term ``labor organization''
has the meaning given the term in section 2(5) of the
National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152(5)), except that
such term shall also include--
(A) any organization composed of labor organizations, such
as a labor union federation or a State or municipal labor
body; and
(B) any organization which would be included in the
definition for such term under such section 2(5) but for the
fact that the organization represents--
(i) individuals employed by the United States, any wholly
owned Government corporation, any Federal Reserve Bank, or
any State or political subdivision thereof;
(ii) individuals employed by persons subject to the Railway
Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.); or
(iii) individuals employed as agricultural laborers.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
(5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer
science.
(b) CHIPS STEM Apprenticeships.--The Secretary shall make
awards to covered entities to develop and expand STEM
apprenticeship programs.
(c) STEM Apprenticeships for Key Technology Focus Areas.--
The Secretary shall make awards to eligible recipients and
labor organizations to develop and expand STEM apprenticeship
programs, including programs focused on the key technology
focus areas identified under section 10387 of Public Law 117-
167 (commonly known as the ``CHIPS and Science Act of 2022'')
(42 U.S.C. 19107).
(d) Additional Use of Funds.--In making awards under
subsections (b) and (c) the Secretary may also make awards
to--
(1) develop and disseminate best practices for STEM
apprenticeship programs; and
(2) identify national and regional workforce needs that can
be addressed through STEM apprenticeship programs.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section
$2,000,000,000, which shall remain available until expended,
of which--
(1) $1,000,000,000 is authorized for awards made under
subsection (b); and
(2) $1,000,000,000 is authorized for awards made under
subsection (c).
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