Sec. 3. Energy workforce grant program
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/bill/116/hr/4061/ih/section-3A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to eligible entities to pay the eligible wages of, or eligible stipends for, individuals during the time period that such individuals are receiving training to work for an eligible business. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with eligible businesses, shall establish guidelines that identify— criteria for wages and stipends to meet to be eligible for purposes of the program established pursuant to paragraph (1); and training that is eligible for purposes of the program established pursuant to paragraph (1).
For purposes of this section: The term eligible business means a business that provides services related to— renewable electric energy generation, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and other renewable electric energy generation technologies; energy efficiency, including energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, air source heat pumps, advanced building materials, insulation and air sealing, and other high-efficiency products and services, including auditing and inspection, architecture, design, and construction of new energy efficient buildings and building energy retrofits; grid modernization or energy storage, including smart grid, microgrid and other distributed energy solutions, demand response management, and home energy management technology; advanced fossil energy technology, including— advanced resource development; carbon capture, storage, and use; low-carbon power systems; efficiency improvements that substantially reduce emissions; and direct air capture; nuclear energy, including research, development, demonstration, and commercial application relating to nuclear energy; cybersecurity for the energy sector, including infrastructure, emergency planning, coordination, response, and restoration; alternative fuels, including biofuel and bioproduct development and production; advanced automotive technology, including electric vehicle batteries, connectivity and automation, and advanced combustion engines; or fuel cell and hybrid fuel cell generation.
The term eligible entity means— an eligible business; or a labor organization, nonprofit organization, or qualified youth or conservation corps, that provides training to individuals to work for an eligible business, or works on behalf of any such eligible business. The term eligible stipend means a stipend that meets the criteria identified pursuant to the guidelines established under subsection (a)(2). The term eligible wages means wages that meet the criteria identified pursuant to the guidelines established under subsection (a)(2).
An eligible business with— 20 or fewer employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 45 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 90 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; 21 to 99 employees may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 37.5 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 75 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business; and 100 employees or more may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to— 25 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by the eligible business; and 50 percent of an employee’s eligible wages for the duration of the applicable training for such employee, if the training is provided by an entity other than the eligible business. An eligible entity may use a grant provided under the program established under subsection
(a)to pay up to 100 percent of an eligible stipend for an individual for the duration of the applicable training for such individual. In providing grants under the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that— recruits or trains individuals who are— from the community that the eligible entity serves; and from underrepresented communities; or unemployed energy workers; and will provide individuals receiving training with the opportunity to obtain or retain employment at an eligible business. An eligible entity may not receive more than $100,000 under the program established under subsection
(a)per fiscal year. The Secretary shall submit to Congress, annually for each year the program established under subsection
(a)is carried out, a report on such program, including— an assessment of such program for the previous year, including the number of jobs filled by individuals trained pursuant to such program; and recommendations on how to improve such program. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.