H.R. 3602House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Computer Science for All Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 3:48 AM UTC

The Computer Science for All Act of 2021 authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Education to award grants that expand pre‑kindergarten through grade‑12 computer science education. It targets states, local education agencies and eligible tribal schools, with a focus on reaching under‑represented and low‑income students.

Key Provisions

Grants of up to five years are offered to eligible entities (states, local agencies, tribal schools) to serve as models for nationwide computer‑science expansion, with $250 million authorized each fiscal year for five years.
Applicants must plan to give every high‑school student access to computer science within five years and provide a pre‑K‑to‑middle‑school pathway.
Funds must be used for teacher training, high‑quality learning materials, support services, and partnerships with industry and higher‑education institutions; no more than 15% may buy equipment.
Eligible entities may form consortia or partnerships and must include plans to sustain activities after the grant period ends.
The Secretary may reserve up to 2.5% of grant funds for national technical assistance, evaluation, and dissemination.
Grant recipients must report at least twice a year on student participation, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and poverty status.
Within five years of the first award, the Secretary must report to Congress with analysis and recommendations for program expansion.
The Act adds definitions of computational thinking and computer‑science education and amends existing education statutes to require reporting of computer‑science data.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

May 28, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 28, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

May 28, 2021

Floor Debate

24 members

What members said about H.R. 3602 on the floor

+19

8 Republicans16 Democrats

Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" ScottD-VA-3 · May 17, 2022

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1119, I call up the bill (H.R. 7309) to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and ask for its immediate consideration. Madam Speaker, I…

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1119, I call up the bill (H.R. 7309) to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7309, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA, is the backbone of our Nation's workforce development system. Each year, WIOA programs help working people across the country get the skills they need to find better-paying careers and help employers access a dedicated and skilled workforce.

Unfortunately, our investment in workforce development has fallen significantly over time. While the U.S. labor force has grown approximately 50 percent over the last four decades, Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds when adjusted for inflation. Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds.

This underinvestment hurts workers, it hurts businesses, and it hurts our economy's competitive edge. Other developed countries spend between one-half of 1 percent to 1 full percent of their gross domestic product on workforce development. We spend only one-tenth of 1 percent.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022 addresses this chronic underinvestment so that we can finally meet the needs of workers and businesses, fill job openings with qualified workers, reduce supply chain shortages, and lower costs for families.

By investing approximately $80 billion over the next 6 years, this legislation would more than double the number of people receiving training services in fiscal year 2023 and allow us to train 1 million workers per year by 2028.

The legislation modernizes WIOA to help expand work opportunities for disconnected youth. It makes critical reforms to improve Job Corps, and it expands sector-based training so that we can train for entire sectors such as electric cars, trucking, and nurses. It strengthens community colleges' capacity to help workers succeed in in-demand industries. It helps justice-involved individuals re-enter the labor force and obtain sustainable career paths.

Madam Speaker, if we want to keep our global competitive edge, if we want to lower costs, and if we want to accelerate our economic recovery, then we must pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This legislation is the product of a largely bipartisan, year-long effort, including a bipartisan roundtable and three bipartisan hearings in our committee. While many of my counterparts across the aisle have voiced opposition to the size of the investments in the bill, I remain hopeful that all of my colleagues will join me in voting to stand with America's workers.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, Ms. Wilson, for her work on this critical priority, and I urge support of the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut.

Madam Speaker, could you advise as to how much time is remaining on both sides?

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, the evidence is clear that our economy has made meaningful progress toward recovering from the pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, our economy has added a record 8.3 million jobs since the start of 2021, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6 percent.

Despite this progress, we know that job openings currently exceed job applicants and employers are clamoring for skilled workers. In fact, research suggests that workers are leaving their job to seek better career opportunities in record numbers. This bill takes a critical step forward to empower workers to fill those competitive job positions and, in turn, helps reduce supply chain shortages, lower costs for families, increase their incomes, and improve our business competitiveness.

Madam Speaker, investing in workforce development has historically been a priority for both Democrats and Republicans. That is why our committee conducted an extended bipartisan process to put this legislation together, despite the opposition we have heard from our colleagues today.

As our economy rebounds from the pandemic, we should all agree that we must take this opportunity to expand access to high-quality job training opportunities for America's workers.

I thank my colleague again, Ms. Wilson, for her leadership in bringing this critical legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc contains several bipartisan amendments from our colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc contains commonsense proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for both the en bloc and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the Committee on Appropriations, and a strong supporter of sector grant training.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reiterate that this is an en bloc amendment containing commonsense, bipartisan proposals that strengthen the underlying bill. I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc amendment contains additional Democratic amendments from my colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc amendment contains proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester), who is a former member of the Committee on Education and Labor and a strong supporter of workforce development.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I reiterate that this en bloc amendment contains commonsense proposals that will strengthen the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 3.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc amendment contains several amendments which I oppose; therefore, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am the only speaker on this side. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I focus my comments on two of the amendments in this en bloc that undermine the improvements we are putting forward in this legislation.

The first strikes language from the bill that prevents nonregistered apprenticeships from receiving WIOA funds. If you want to have a nonregistered apprenticeship program you can do that, but we ought to fund the registered programs first since they are much better, and we shouldn't spend money on those nonregistered programs.

Registered apprenticeship programs are a proven strategy that have demonstrated high-quality training and wage progression across multiple industries. This bill supports efforts to expand registered apprenticeships to additional populations and industries, by reserving 50 percent of the funds for programs serving individuals with barriers to employment.

Many of my colleagues have opposed the so-called Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, or IRAPs, because that program discards key features that are the cause of success for our registered apprenticeship program, including quality standards, worker protections, national recognition, and the fact that virtually all registered apprenticeship graduates end up in jobs that pay well above the median wage.

The second amendment in this en bloc amendment group prohibits WIOA funds from being used to reimburse any healthcare services. I am not sure where they find that physical health is included. Mental health counseling and substance abuse is included as possible funding.

The question about whether WIOA will pay for health services is a distraction from the work we are trying to do today, to ensure an equitable recovery, and provide opportunity for economic advancement for all individuals in all communities.

This legislation reflects the input from stakeholders across the country who know what it takes to expand access to high-quality job training, career navigation services, and other critical services.

The statute has long provided for flexibility for local programs. The statute also allows for the provision of supportive services, such as assistance with transportation, childcare, dependent care, or housing; services that are crucial to facilitating individuals' ability to participate in WIOA-funded programs.

In fact, the legislation specifically ensures that treatment of substance use disorder is a permissible use of supportive services under WIOA.

Fundamentally, needs of individuals seeking job training are not always distinct from health needs. These programs should meet people where they are to facilitate full participation to ensure continued and sustained economic success.

Updating and improving programs authorized through WIOA, such as the bill we are considering today, will lift up communities and help us achieve that goal. This is what we need to do today by voting ``no'' on this en bloc amendment and ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we are here today to modernize and reauthorize the Nation's premier job training program to help jobseekers and workers connect with well-paying jobs and career pathways.

Although the substitute offered by our colleagues does not meet the urgent needs to strengthen the programs, I do want to make it clear that we welcome the opportunity to have further discussion as the bill heads toward the Senate. My goal is to forge common ground wherever we can, and I am hoping that this can be the beginning, not the end, of the conversation.

The Republican substitute reauthorizes funding for the formula programs, regrettably, at roughly the same levels as we have today. The status quo is not working. As a result, the substitute will not provide the level of intensive training needed to move people into higher wage jobs.

The average amount the adult formula program spends per participant today is about $2,000, not nearly enough to provide quality job training to lead to good jobs with competitive wages, benefits, and other hallmarks of job quality. The Republican substitute continues the unacceptable status quo with respect to underinvestment in training.

To meet the moment, the underlying bill also codifies SECTOR grants, which are demonstrated to be effective in training workers for jobs in high-demand sectors.

The gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) talked about electric cars. We need a lot of training in that area, but regrettably, the substitute omits the SECTOR grants.

Our committee meetings held last year highlighted bipartisan support for reentry programs for justice-involved individuals. In response, the bill codifies the program at the Department of Labor and commits $250 million for fiscal year 2023, more than double the amount appropriated this year, and provides stable funding amounting to $2.3 billion over 6 years.

With 600,000 individuals released from our prisons and jails each year, close to half of them experiencing repeat contact with the criminal justice system within a year, funding levels in the substitute do not come close to meeting the critical needs to invest in services to help these individuals obtain and retain employment.

We also reject the requirement of the substitute for non-Federal match to receive a grant. This matching requirement is not part of the existing grant program and would exclude many grassroots organizations that are best positioned to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals in our communities.

When we provide subsidies to employers in the form of on-the-job training or customized training, we also need to make sure that it is matched by job quality.

The Republican substitute, regrettably, leaves too many disconnected youth behind.

To help our youth, whether in school or not, gain life skills, the bill invests almost $1 billion in fiscal year 2023 for summer and year- round youth employment opportunities. The evidence is abundant that these youth employment opportunities increase lifelong earnings and reduce engagement in the criminal justice system.

The Republican substitute also fails to meet the moment and address the needs of the workers in the 21st century, so I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

In the remaining time, Madam Speaker, I would like to thank members of my staff on the Committee of Education and Labor. They worked hard on this legislation, starting with Kevin McDermott, Scott Estrada, Lorin Obler, Phoebe Ball, Danyelle Honore, Jessica Schieder, and former staff members Richard Miller and Katie McClelland.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Virginia FoxxR-NC-5 · May 17, 2022

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Republicans are committed to preparing America's workforce for the 21st century. This reauthorization of the Workforce…

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, Republicans are committed to preparing America's workforce for the 21st century. This reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, will not help our country live up to its potential. In fact, this reauthorization moves our workplace development system in the wrong direction.

Our labor market is not facing a lack of job openings or a lack of workers. Currently there are 11.3 million open jobs, but unfortunately there are too few Americans with the skills needed to fill them effectively. That is why we need a robust workforce development system that will prepare workers for in-demand skills.

During the Education and Labor Committee markup of H.R. 7309, Republicans offered an amendment that would empower employers to respond to local economic needs; streamline the workforce development system by increasing local collaboration and putting program qualification decisions at the State and local level; strengthen outcomes and accountability by adding evidence-based practices, maintaining common performance-based metrics, funding programs with a track record of success, and improving transparency measures; and reduce bureaucracy by requiring the Department of Labor to address regulatory bottlenecks.

Democrats blocked all those commonsense proposals.

Republicans also pushed to allocate more funds for upskilling workers and support robust postsecondary education programs that focus on in- demand skills. Instead of embracing innovative models, Democrats rely on an 85-year-old Federal apprenticeship model from the Great Depression. This model has not been working and throwing more money at it won't change that.

Our Nation's job creators are in a far better position to help run workforce development programs, but this bill puts Washington in the driver's seat. Instead of putting workers first, this legislation makes bureaucrats and labor unions the priority.

For example, provisions in this bill increase the size of State and local governing boards and dilute employer input to increase the power of labor unions. Too often, labor unions have the interests of their union bosses in mind instead of the interests of workers. Giving big labor an outsized role on these boards will render these programs less responsive to industry needs.

H.R. 7309 also promotes progressive gender ideology and critical race theory by requiring States to develop and publish State equity reports regarding performance outcomes on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Leave it to the left to destroy equality in pursuit of equity, a word one author aptly described as ``dispensing unequal treatment in order to achieve equal outcomes.'' Taking the focus of our job programs off upskilling workers and putting it onto a woke agenda will do a disservice to all our jobseekers.

This legislation also increases cumbersome administrative hurdles for employers. If we want employers to participate in these programs, we need a system that has fewer barriers and is easier to navigate. This process should be streamlined instead of making it more complex.

Instead of making this program more efficient, provisions in this reauthorization will end up costing taxpayers more. H.R. 7309 will require Job Corps contractors to comply with onerous local prevailing wage requirements. This will significantly increase the cost of all Job Corps projects without improving the program's effectiveness.

On top of that, the bill weakens expectations for Job Corps' success. Job Corps is a program that has been fraught with negative issues for decades. This is a program in which 30 different government reports and audits have raised concerns over its safety and security. People have literally been killed in this program, and the left wants to make it less accountable. Other provisions in the bill water down performance metrics, reducing the ability of Congress to measure the success of workforce development programs.

More accountability and measurable outcomes are clearly necessary. According to a 2018 investigation by the Tampa Bay Times, some local workforce boards had significantly misreported their outcomes and took credit for finding thousands of jobs for people who never even participated in the program.

Other data demonstrate that these programs are not always effective, even when being operated honestly. Less than one-quarter of young enrollees and barely one-third of adults exited programs with occupations related to the workforce development program in which they were enrolled. Clearly, something isn't working. Let me repeat: Fewer than 25 percent of young enrollees and only 30 percent of adults came out of the programs into jobs related to the workforce development program in which they were enrolled.

If we hope to enhance our Nation's economic competitiveness and upskill workers for in-demand jobs, we must create a workforce development system that actually works. This bill utterly fails to do that. The American people deserve so much better.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, in FY 2021, taxpayers spent about $1.8 billion on adult, dislocated worker, and youth activities under title I of WIOA. According to the Department of Labor, only $537 million, or less than 30 percent of that money, went toward ``training services.''

Most people assume that our Nation's workforce development system is primarily focused on providing workers the skills they need to be successful in the modern economy. Unfortunately, that is not accurate.

Not surprisingly, with so little focus on actual skills development, the outcomes for these programs are poor. Among youth participants, less than one-quarter exited the program with employment in an occupation related to the services they received from the system. Among adults and dislocated workers, a little more than one-third exited with employment related to their program.

Republicans would like to address these shortcomings and believe this reauthorization presents an opportunity to do that. The Republican proposal we offered during committee, and to the Rules Committee, increases the percentage of funding going toward skills development. We proposed reforms to bring more employers to the table and engage more employers in the workforce system.

Unfortunately, the Democrats' bill rejects those proposals and, instead, would actually make these problems worse. As a result of provisions in H.R. 7309, an even smaller portion of WIOA funding will be directed toward skills development.

The bill will also dilute employers' involvement in State and local governance of the workforce system, which is the opposite of what we should be doing.

Madam Speaker, this bill is a missed opportunity. I urge my colleagues to oppose the base bill so we can get back to work and truly reform this program to get more workers the skills they need to fill the economy's open jobs.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, by reversing some of the key reforms made in the bipartisan 2014 WIOA reauthorization, H.R. 7309 takes our workforce system backwards. It does this by imposing more bureaucratic hurdles to job creators and reducing program accountability. It is time to stop being so frivolous with taxpayer dollars.

This bill proposes pouring more money into an already expensive program. In FY 2021, taxpayers spent $1.8 billion on programs under title 1 of WIOA alone. This is too much money, especially as inflation is still at a 41-year high.

The House of Representatives has been entrusted with the power of the purse. It is time we took this responsibility more seriously. The Nation deserves a workforce system that will actually prepare Americans for in-demand jobs. Unfortunately, this bill fails to protect taxpayers at a time of rampant inflation, pushes a radical progressive agenda, expands Federal control over the workforce, and embraces that failed status quo rather than pursuing opportunities for innovation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this en bloc includes several amendments that I believe would improve the underlying legislation so I will vote for the en bloc.

Unfortunately, I must also note that the en bloc includes three amendments to which I have concerns.

The Gottheimer amendment reduces the flexibility the workforce system needs to meet the needs of workers.

The Harder amendment will reduce the percentage of funds going to help youth receive the skills they need to enter the workforce.

And the Lee amendment authorizes a duplicative study that would not be a reasonable use of taxpayer funds.

However, on balance, this en bloc will improve the underlying legislation. This group of amendments better focuses WIOA on in-demand jobs, decreases duplication by encouraging better alignment between K- 12 education providers and local workforce development boards, and includes information on entrepreneurship in career and skills development services.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will support this set of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, the amendments in this en bloc will refocus the workforce development system on the individuals it was created to serve: jobseekers and employers.

We must make sure that WIOA is helping all American jobseekers get the skills they need to compete in our modern economy. We must also make sure that WIOA programs are helping employers connect with skilled workers, instead of saddling them with unnecessary requirements that have no proven effectiveness.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment. This Democratic en bloc creates new programs, authorizes new funding, expands bureaucracy on workforce development boards, imposes new mandates on States and local areas, detracts from skills development services, and transforms WIOA from a workforce program into a welfare program.

This laundry list of problems is not what our Nation's jobseekers need. I cannot agree to saddle employers and workers with new Federal mandates that will make it harder for them to grow the economy and better individual lives.

I urge my colleagues to oppose the package, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we should focus on empowering jobseekers to select skills development providers that will prepare them for in-demand jobs and make sure that employers are involved in this process so we can close the skills gap.

We should also streamline the workforce system so that funding is not wasted on unnecessary bureaucracy and administrative overhead. This funding should instead be directed toward upskilling workers.

Unfortunately, this Democratic en bloc misses the mark on each of these fronts.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this group of amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This en bloc includes several amendments that I believe would vastly improve the underlying legislation.

First, these amendments would bring needed flexibility and innovation to the workforce development system when it comes to apprenticeships. Democrats have, unfortunately, chosen to double down on the outdated registered apprenticeship model rather than meet employers where they are at. This group of amendments includes proposals that encourage innovation to occur so that apprenticeships can meet the needs of more employers.

Second, one of the amendments would ensure that States provide a realistic and workable timetable for awarding grants and contracts for adult basic education. This is simply good governance. States should not hold on to funding indefinitely that is intended to be directed toward jobseekers. This amendment will make sure the funding goes where it is intended and doesn't get stuck with bureaucrats to the detriment of individuals seeking basic education services.

Third, WIOA should be focused first and foremost on providing skills development services for jobseekers. It is unfortunate that H.R. 7309 adds vague language encouraging supportive services to include ``healthcare supports.'' While I was pleased that the longstanding Hyde amendment was secured and will apply to WIOA funds for fiscal year 2022 appropriations, I will always fight to see the Hyde amendment applied to ensure Federal funds do not support the killing of babies. It is of utmost importance that taxpayer dollars do not go to pay for killing babies, and this amendment would guarantee that.

The right to life is our most fundamental and sacred right and must always be protected. I will always remain vigilant to ensure that taxpayer funds do not pay for the killing of babies.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will support this set of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have a couple of other speakers, so I am not prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jacobs).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, the amendments in this en bloc will refocus the workforce development system on the individuals it was created to serve: jobseekers and employers. We must make sure that WIOA is helping all American jobseekers get the skills they need to compete in our modern economy.

We must also make sure that WIOA programs are helping employers connect with skilled workers instead of saddling them with unnecessary requirements that have no proven effectiveness.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Iowa (Mrs. Miller- Meeks) for her great work on this committee and for bringing forth this amendment. It is an excellent amendment, and I support it.

We need to do everything we can to improve the workforce development programs in our country.

Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18 · May 17, 2022

Madam Speaker, H.R. 7309 is truly transformational legislation that will have a profound impact on workforce development and job skills training for decades to come. By virtue of this legislation,…

Madam Speaker, H.R. 7309 is truly transformational legislation that will have a profound impact on workforce development and job skills training for decades to come. By virtue of this legislation, the American economy will be well positioned for success in emerging industries as well as traditional jobs in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

With the new initiatives and support for state and local efforts that this bill provides, more institutions will be able to provide education and job training services; a wider range of curricula will be available that enables learners to become job-ready; and more Americans will be equipped with skills that will jump-start long-term careers.

Very importantly, this bill will extend the reach of job skills training and employment preparation to all corners of the country and all segments of society. It does so by creating vital national programs and instituting accountability systems that will monitor program operations and success.

This legislation also ensures that students will have access to training through online digital platforms. Use of e-learning opens the doors for education even where cultural barriers and long distances from brick-and-mortar institutes often had the effect of excluding many Americans.

As enthusiastic as I am about this legislation and its comprehensive approach toward elevating our country's workforce preparation infrastructure, there are additional elements that I believed were necessary. We must ensure that diversity, inclusion, and equity are always cornerstones of our economy and society; and ensure that this bill will prepare all demographic groups with our workforce for success in key industries that are vital to our nation's future economy.

As a result, I submitted amendments to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and I am delighted that the Rules Committee agreed that these were important additions to H.R. 7309. I would like to share a few thoughts with my colleagues and the American people about my two amendments which are being considered by the House of Representatives today.

My first amendment stems from my fervent and long-held belief that women and girls should have a level playing field for any type of study, job, or career. Throughout my life, I have fought for women and girls to have equal opportunity to learn in classrooms, excel in workplaces, and achieve in life.

Where women faced walls, I sought to tear down the walls or lean a ladder against them to climb over. When girls were being discouraged from educational or career pursuits, I set out to change mindsets. When females faced biases or glass ceilings that restrained success, I organized and marched to level the playing field.

As a result, my first amendment would ensure that women and girls are encouraged to enroll for STEM education, that is, the study of science, technology, engineering, and math. These subjects are the key to success in a vast range of industries and professions, especially in this advanced era in which information and technology propels most innovations and program. Women and girls must be welcomed for a seat at those tables, which will dramatically impact gender equality over time.

In addition to being encouraged to enroll, I believe girls and women should receive priority for both the study of these fields and the jobs and careers that await them, and that support services should be provided to them along the way to help ensure their success. The days of male-dominated stem-based industries must be relegated to history books, as that bias has no place in modern America.

Because of entrenched, long-standing discrimination against women and girls, not only do we need equality; we also need equity. In other words, more must be done to right the wrongs of the past, prioritize participation by women and girls, and fast-track us for promotions, advancement, and success.

My second amendment is rooted in similar concerns. It insists that this legislation help all Americans, specifically communities of color that historically did not benefit equally from workforce development and job skills training programs. My amendment would ensure that HBCUs and other minority-serving educational institutions are eligible and encouraged to apply for maximal benefits under H.R. 7309's programs.

Moreover, beyond just equality, the job training and workforce development programs at these institutions should be given priority in order to promote equity for students whose ancestors were denied that right. H.R. 7309 can be the impetus for a fresh start.

By including and prioritizing HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions, the institutionalized barriers which impeded generational prosperity will be eroded, even if only incrementally and over many years. By leveling the playing field, the imbalance of generational wealth will also be rectified.

Madam Speaker, I believe these two amendments are central to the purpose of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and will strengthen the bill both legislatively and in practice across the country. Diversity and inclusion must always be a priority particularly in future high-growth industries that are essential to our nation's long-term economic growth, success, and and job creation strategy.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-MeeksR-IA-2 · May 17, 2022

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, following the pandemic, the Nation's workforce needs have drastically changed,…

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, following the pandemic, the Nation's workforce needs have drastically changed, and we need a workforce development system that helps prepare American workers for the job opportunities of today and tomorrow, not those of the past.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is intended to help unemployed and underemployed workers get the necessary skills to succeed in America's modern economy.

Unfortunately, the majority's proposed reauthorization lacks the necessary reforms to help America's workers.

Our Republican proposal, on the other hand, would modernize the program to make sure it is employer-driven, which will help America's economy become stronger for decades to come.

Our plan puts taxpayer dollars to work where they need it most: helping jobseekers get the skills they need to close the skills gap and get back to work.

It does this by bringing more competition into the provider marketplace, which expands the pool of skills development providers that meet employers' needs and gives more choice to American workers, ensuring States and localities can use WIOA funds to survey employers to get a better understanding of the skills that are most in demand and respond accordingly.

Additionally, the Republican proposal adapts WIOA to the changing economic landscape. America has just come through a pandemic. During that time, businesses, employers, and workers shifted to remote work and changing circumstances. Our skills development and education programs should adapt to changing circumstances as well. Our plan encourages workforce boards to provide services virtually, which streamlines WIOA and eliminates administrative costs and overhead.

Republicans also ensure online skills development providers can be included in skills development services, expanding the number of providers who can address the needs that American workers face.

The Republican alternative also levels the playing field and encourages innovation by ensuring that WIOA does not favor registered apprenticeships over more innovative apprenticeship models that can address the needs of more employers. This will keep America's labor force at the cutting edge of global competition.

Competition drives better results. Through pay-for-performance funding, our substitute encourages programs with a proven track record of successfully helping American workers succeed. Our proposal measures programs based on real outcomes and gives States and localities more flexibility in how they can improve those outcomes.

We also increase transparency by making the process for creating job performance metrics available to the American public.

Finally, the Republican plan brings greater accountability to the Department of Labor's Job Corps program and its Reentry Employment Opportunities program.

Let's start with Job Corps. Job Corps is a popular program, and for many students, Job Corps is their last hope. There are important reforms we can enact to ensure that Job Corps is working better for students who need it most. Our bill would help Job Corps-eligible students get technical and career education from community colleges, which would give this program much-needed innovation and better outcomes.

The Job Corps program in Ottumwa, Iowa, in my district, is a wonderful example of how to do exactly this and is the right way to perform that program.

It would also do more to keep Job Corps participants safe. Centers would be required to report whenever any concerning incidents occur, ensuring proper oversight of this program.

We also bring greater accountability to the Reentry Employment Opportunities program so we can build on President Trump's historic criminal justice reform and use this program to help formerly incarcerated Americans establish firm economic foundations for their new lives.

These are commonsense reforms that will help American employers and jobseekers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have had an opportunity to work together on WIOA, but unfortunately, my colleagues in the majority are more concerned about maintaining the status quo and placating favored stakeholders.

What American workers and employers need is a workforce system that prioritizes them over special interests, and the Republican alternative would do that.

I urge my colleagues to help us pass an alternative proposal that works for America, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Rep. Glenn GrothmanR-WI-6 · May 17, 2022

Madam Speaker, I will make some comments on the reauthorization bill. This is one of these big bills that is 268 pages. I don't have time to go through all of the problems with the bill, but I am…

Madam Speaker, I will make some comments on the reauthorization bill. This is one of these big bills that is 268 pages. I don't have time to go through all of the problems with the bill, but I am just going to touch on some highlights, or low lights.

In this area of high inflation, with a bill like this, the first thing I look at is the cost. The cost of this bill--right now, we are spending about $9.9 billion on this topic. Over the next 6 years, they expect it to increase to $16.2 billion. You are looking at a 63 percent increase in spending on this area at a time where we really don't have any money to increase anything. So I want the American public to understand there is a big spending increase here.

Secondly, I will talk about a very important population to me, though a population that is not talked about enough, and that is the fact that we are continuing to allow a provision in law which I think is damaging to people born with different abilities. Right now, they are not able to work at work centers, which is one of these places that sometimes pays under minimum wage, until they are at least 24 years old. We would never tell anybody of other abilities that you are not allowed to work until you are age 24. But by making it--I won't say impossible, but very difficult to work at a work center until age 24, I think you stunt the people's growth.

I was really hoping we would use this opportunity to allow people with different abilities to begin to work at 18 or 19 years old. Anybody who tours these work centers cannot help but be touched by how proud these folks are to work there. I wish they could work there at age 18 instead of 24.

The next thing I will point out is a clear feature of this bill is to dramatically expand Job Corps; in other words, government jobs that are a steppingstone, I guess, if you can't find another job. There has never been a time, I think, in American history in which they are looking for more people to work. So as I go around my district, be it the service industry, agriculture, light manufacturing, they are begging for employees. What is Congress going to do? They are going to go in there and say, no, we are not going to let you work at the local restaurant; we are going to have you work for Job Corps. I think that is a mistake.

The fourth thing I will point out is this obsession with racial biases and gender identity. There is a bill right now that the majority party has that is called the LGBT Data Inclusion Act, in which they expect everybody, I guess, to tell their employer what their sexual preferences are. I have been doing this job in politics for a long time. I have never had a discussion about sexual preferences with any of my employees. I would feel embarrassed to ask them. But this bill clearly implies a world in which when you apply for a job, let's talk about our sexual identity.

The fifth thing I point out is we have a big problem in this country at our southern border. In this bill, in committee, we tried to have E- Verify to apply to all of these jobs; in other words, to make sure that if we are going to have such a program, at least it is American citizens who take advantage of the program. That amendment was shot down in committee.

What does that tell me? It tells me that one more time, along with free medical care, along with Pell grants, the majority party wants to help out people who are coming here who shouldn't be here. E-Verify really should have been part of the bill. I don't think the American public wants another government program designed, at least in part, to benefit people who are here illegally.

Those are some of the greatest hits of the bill.

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 28, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3602

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 28, 2021

Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mrs. Lawrence, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Titus, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Payne, Ms. Eshoo, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Chu, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Kahele, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. McGovern, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Soto, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to increase access to prekindergarten through grade 12 computer science education.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Computer Science for All Act of 2021.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Computer science is transforming industry, creating new fields of commerce, driving innovation, and bolstering productivity. By 2029, computer science and information jobs are expected to grow by 11 percent, faster than the average of any other occupation.

(2)

However, as of 2019, the more than 900,000 computing and tech jobs unfilled in the United States suggests that our students are not being prepared to meet the demands of a 21st century economy. It is projected that there will be 8,000,000 new jobs in the technology sector by 2028 and 3,500,000 computing-related jobs by 2026, however, the current state of computer science education will only prepare enough computer science professionals to fill 19 percent of these jobs.

(3)

Knowledge of computer science and use of technology is increasingly essential for all individuals, not just those working or planning to work in the technology sector.

(4)

Providing students with computer science education in elementary school and secondary school is critical for student success, and strengthening the workforce of a 21st century economy.

(5)

While an estimated 90 percent of parents want computer science taught in their children’s schools, just 45 percent of all elementary schools and secondary schools offer high-quality computer science instruction that includes programming and coding.

(6)

Black and Hispanic workers in the science and engineering workforce continue to be underrepresented. Black employees represent 13 percent of the United States workforce, but only 5.6 percent of the science and engineering workforce. Hispanic employees represent 17 percent of the United States workforce, but only 7.5 percent of the science and engineering workforce.

(7)

While underrepresented minority students overall face an opportunity gap in STEAM education, women of color particularly face an achievement gap in science and engineering education. In 2019, while women were conferred nearly a third of all science and engineering degrees, women of color received only 13 percent (Black: 3.2 percent; Hispanic: 3.9 percent; Native American or Alaskan Native: 0.2 percent; Asian or Pacific Islander: 4.5 percent; and multiracial: 1.2 percent).

(8)

In 2018, of all engineering technologies and engineering-related bachelor level-related studies, only 3 percent of nationwide enrollment was represented by Black students, while just 10 percent were represented by Hispanic students.

(9)

Women overall face challenges in accessing computer science education. Only 18 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred in computer science went to women in 2015, and women of color received only 9 percent of degrees (Black: 3 percent; Hispanic: 2 percent; Native American or Alaska Native: 0.8 percent; and Asian or Pacific islander: 3 percent).

(10)

Disparities in enrollment and academic achievement start early. In 2019, only 24 percent of students taking either AP Computer Science exams were women, and just 16 percent were African American, Latino, or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander.

(11)

Nationwide, only 88 Native American students took the AP Computer Science exam in 2016, a decrease from 2015. This means that while Native Americans make up about 1.1 percent of the United States student population, they made up 1⁄5 of a percent of students who took AP Computer Science exams in 2016.

(12)

In 2019, just 18 percent of the Department of Education discretionary and research grants in STEAM were awarded to computer science-focused programs and less than half of high schools offered any computer science classes.

(13)

Lack of universal computer science education is evident in the lack of a widespread tech industry, which is overwhelmingly concentrated in a few cities nationwide. Tech industry entrepreneurship is concentrated in just a few States and computer science education is limited to affluent schools and students, placing low-income, minority, and rural communities at risk of being left behind.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Computational thinking

The term computational thinking aims to capture the wide range of creative processes that go into formulating problems and their solutions in such a way that the solutions can be carried out by a computer, and may involve some understanding of software and hardware design, logic and the use of abstraction and representation, algorithm design, algorithm expression, problem decomposition, modularity, programming paradigms and languages, issues of information security and privacy, the application of computation across a wide range of disciplines, and the societal impact of computing. Programming is a hands-on, inquiry-based way in which computational thinking may be learned.

(2)

Computer science education

The term computer science education includes any of the following: computational thinking; software design; hardware architecture and organization; theoretical foundations; use of abstraction and representation in problem solving; logic; algorithm design and implementation; the limits of computation; programming paradigms and languages; parallel and distributed computing; information security and privacy; computing systems and networks; graphics and visualization; databases and information retrieval; the relationship between computing and mathematics; artificial intelligence; applications of computing across a broad range of disciplines and problems; cloud computing; and the social impacts and professional practices of computing.

(3)

Eligible entity

In this section, the term eligible entity means a State, local educational agency, or eligible Tribal school that—

(A)

demonstrates an ability to carry out an ambitious computer science education expansion effort for all students served by the State, agency, or school, respectively, including traditionally underrepresented students;

(B)

in the case of a State, serves local educational agencies that meet the requirements of section 1003(f) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6303(f)); and

(C)

in the case of a local educational agency, meets the requirements of such section 1003(f) (20 U.S.C. 6303(f)).

(4)

Eligible tribal school

The term eligible Tribal school means—

(A)

a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education;

(B)

a school operated pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.); or

(C)

a tribally controlled school (as defined in section 5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2511)).

(5)

Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).

(6)

Local educational agency

The term local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8101).

(7)

Poverty line

The term poverty line has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8101).

(8)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.

(9)

State

The term State has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(10)

STEAM

The term STEAM means the subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, including computer science.

Grants to states, local educational agencies, and eligible tribal schools

(a)

Grants to states, local educational agencies, and eligible tribal schools

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to serve as models for national replication of computer science education expansion efforts.

(2)

Consortia and partnerships

An eligible entity may apply for a grant under this section as part of a consortium or in partnership with a State educational agency or other partner.

(3)

Duration

Grants awarded under this section shall be for a period of not more than 5 years.

(b)

Application requirements

An eligible entity that desires a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum, plans for the following:

(1)

Every high school student served by eligible entity to have access to computer science education not later than 5 years after receipt of grant funds.

(2)

All students served by the eligible entity to have access to a progression of computer science education from prekindergarten through middle school that prepares students for high school computer science education.

(3)

Expansion of overall access to rigorous STEAM classes, utilizing computer science as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly, and reducing the enrollment and academic achievement gap for underrepresented groups such as minorities, girls, and youth from families living at, or below, the poverty line.

(4)

Continuous monitoring and evaluation of project activities.

(5)

Effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends, and the length of time which the applicant plans to sustain the project activities.

(c)

Use of grant funds

(1)

Required activities

An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds for the following activities:

(A)

Training teachers to teach computer science.

(B)

Expanding access to high-quality learning materials and online learning options.

(C)

Creating plans for expanding overall access to rigorous STEAM classes, utilizing computer science as a catalyst for increased interest in STEAM more broadly, and reducing course equity gaps for all students, including underrepresented groups such as minorities, girls, and youth from low-income families.

(D)

Ensuring additional support and resources, which may include mentoring for students traditionally underrepresented in STEAM fields.

(2)

Permissible activities

An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section may use the grant funds for the following activities:

(A)

Building effective regional collaborations with industry, nonprofit organizations, 2-year and 4-year degree granting institutions of higher education (including community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, American Indian Tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Native American-serving, Nontribal institutions, and other minority-serving institutions), and out-of-school providers.

(B)

Recruiting and hiring instructional personnel as needed, including curriculum specialists.

(C)

Preparations for effectively sustaining project activities after the grant period ends.

(D)

Disseminating information about effective practices.

(3)

Limitation

Not more than 15 percent of a grant may be used to purchase equipment.

(d)

National activities

The Secretary may reserve not more than 2.5 percent of funds available for grants under this section for national activities, including technical assistance, evaluation, and dissemination.

(e)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section a total of $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and the succeeding 4 fiscal years.

Reporting requirements

(a)

Grantee reports

Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary a report, not less than twice a year during the grant period, on the use of grant funds that shall include data on the numbers of students served through activities funded under this Act, disaggregated by race (for Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students using the same race response categories as the decennial census of the population), ethnicity, gender, and eligibility to receive a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).

(b)

Report by the secretary

Not later than 5 years after the first grant is awarded under this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report based on the analysis of reports received under subsection (a) with a recommendation on how to expand the program under this Act.

Amendments to other laws

(a)

Department of Education Organization Act

Section 203(c)(1) of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3413(c)(1)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon the following: , which shall include information with respect to the existence of computer science education (as defined in section 3 of the Computer Science for All Act of 2021), disaggregated by the type of computer science education and by State, local educational agency, and eligible tribal school (as such terms are defined in such section 3).

(b)

The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002

Section 153(a)(1) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9543(a)(1)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (N), by striking and;

(2)

in subparagraph (O), by adding and at the end; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(P)

the existence of computer science education (as defined in section 3 of the Computer Science for All Act of 2021) in elementary schools and secondary schools, and the degree of competency in computer science fields among such students.