I
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1325
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 1, 2011
Mr. Donnelly of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Platts, and Mr. Boren) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To require that certain Federal job training and career education programs give a priority to programs that provide an industry recognized and nationally portable credential.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
American Manufacturing Efficiency and
Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act
or the AMERICA Works
Act
.
Industry-recognized and nationally portable credentials for job training programs
Workforce Investment Act of 1998
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:
Priority for programs that provide an industry-Recognized and nationally portable credential
In selecting and approving training services, or programs of training services, under this section, a one-stop operator and employees of a one-stop center referred to in subsection (c) shall give priority consideration to services and programs (approved by the appropriate State agency and local board in conjunction with section 122) that lead to a credential that is in high demand in the local area served and listed in the registry described in section 3(b) of the AMERICA Works Act.
.
Youth activities
Section 129(c)(1)(C) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2854(c)(1)(C)) is amended—
by redesignating clauses (ii) through (iv) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively; and
by inserting after clause (i) the following:
training (with priority consideration given to programs that lead to a credential that is in high demand in the local area served and listed in the registry described in section 3(b) of the AMERICA Works Act, if the local board determines that such programs are available and appropriate);
.
Career and technical education
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 by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting the following:
and, with respect to programs of study leading to an industry-recognized credential or certificate, will give priority consideration to programs of study that—
lead to an appropriate (as determined by the eligible agency) skills credential (which may be a certificate) that is in high demand in the area served and listed in the registry described in section 3(b) of the AMERICA Works Act; and
may provide a basis for additional credentials, certificates, or degrees;
.
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—
in paragraph (11),
by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
in paragraph
(12)(B), by striking the period and inserting ; and
; and
by adding at the end the following:
describe the career and technical education activities supporting the attainment of industry-recognized credentials or certificates, and how the eligible recipient, in selecting such activities, gave priority consideration to activities supporting high-demand registry skill credentials described in section 122(c)(1)(B)(i).
.
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 industry-recognized credential or certificate (such as a
high-demand registry skill credential described in section
122(c)(1)(B)(i)),
.
Training programs under TAA
Section 236(a)(5) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
U.S.C. 2296(a)(5)) is amended by inserting after the sentence that follows
subparagraph (H)(ii) the following: In approving training programs under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority consideration to programs that
lead to a credential that is in high demand in the local area (defined for
purposes of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et
seq.)) served by the corresponding one-stop delivery system under that title
for the training programs, and that is listed in the registry described in
section 3(b) of the AMERICA Works Act.
.
Skill credential registry
Definitions
In this section:
Covered provision
The term covered provision means any of sections 129 and 134 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2854, 2864), 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)), and section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2296).
Industry-recognized
The term industry-recognized, used with respect to a credential, means a credential that—
is sought or accepted by companies within the industry sector involved as recognized, preferred, or required for recruitment, screening, or hiring; and
is endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization representing a significant part of the industry sector.
Nationally portable
The term nationally portable, used with respect to a credential, means a credential that is sought or accepted by companies within the industry sector involved, across multiple States, as recognized, preferred, or required for recruitment, screening, or hiring.
Workforce investment activities
The term workforce investment activities has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).
Registry
In general
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this section as the
Secretary
) shall create a registry of skill credentials (which
may be certificates), for purposes of enabling programs that lead to such a
credential to receive priority under a covered provision.
Registry
The Secretary shall—
list the credential in the registry if the credential is required by Federal or State law for an occupation (such as a credential required by a State law regarding qualifications for a health care occupation);
list the credential in the registry if the credential is a credential from the Manufacturing Institute-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System; and
list the credential, and list an updated credential, in the registry if the credential involved is an industry-recognized, nationally portable credential that is consistent with the Secretary's established industry competency models and is consistently updated through third party validation to reflect changing industry competencies.
Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require an entity with responsibility for selecting or approving an education, training, or workforce investment activities program with regard to a covered provision, to select a program with a credential listed in the registry described in subsection (b).
Effective Date
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, take effect 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.