42 U.S.C. § 18744: 21st Century Energy…

Summary

Creates a 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board to make a plan for the Department to build a skilled energy workforce. The board must help the Department meet current and future industry and labor needs, give students paths into traditional and new energy jobs, use the Department’s technical know-how to help other agencies, strengthen Department and National Laboratory training (including the Equity in Energy Initiative), plan retraining for displaced or unemployed energy workers, and focus on underrepresented groups such as racial and ethnic minorities, Indian Tribes, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged people. The board will have 10–15 members, with the first members picked by the Secretary not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021. At least one member must be a labor union representative nominated by a national labor federation. Members should have experience in areas like economics or workforce development, energy industries, education, state or local apprenticeship programs, labor organizations, or recruiting underrepresented groups. The board must analyze existing Department support and training, find ways to work with other agencies, schools, tribes, labor, and industry, identify energy sectors that need training, and recommend needed skills (in consultation with the Secretary of Labor). The board must report to the Secretary within 1 year of being formed and every two years after that. The Secretary has 90 days to respond to each report, saying which recommendations are approved and giving an implementation plan, and must send both the report and the response to Congress. Reports must be made public. The board ends on September 30, 2026, but the Secretary can renew it for one or more five-year terms by sending a renewal report to Congress 180 days before the board’s term ends.

Title 42, §18744

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a board, to be known as the “21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board”, to develop a strategy for the Department that, with respect to the role of the Department in the support and development of a skilled energy workforce—

(1)meets the current and future industry and labor needs of the energy sector;

(2)provides opportunities for students to become qualified for placement in traditional energy sector and emerging energy sector jobs;

(3)identifies areas in which the Department can effectively utilize the technical expertise of the Department to support the workforce activities of other Federal agencies;

(4)strengthens and engages the workforce training programs of the Department and the National Laboratories in carrying out the Equity in Energy Initiative of the Department and other Department workforce priorities;

(5)develops plans to support and retrain displaced and unemployed energy sector workers; and

(6)prioritizes education and job training for underrepresented groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, Indian Tribes, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.

(b)Membership

(1)In general

The Board shall be composed of not fewer than 10 and not more than 15 members, with the initial members of the Board to be appointed by the Secretary not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021.

(2)Requirement

The Board shall include not fewer than 1 representative of a labor organization with significant energy experience who has been nominated by a national labor federation.

(3)Qualifications

Each individual appointed to the Board under paragraph (1) shall have expertise in— (A)

(B)relevant traditional energy industries or emerging energy industries, including energy efficiency;

(C)secondary or postsecondary education;

(D)energy workforce development or apprenticeship programs of States or units of local government;

(E)relevant organized labor organizations; or

(F)bringing underrepresented groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, into the workforce.

(c)Advisory Board review and recommendations

(1)Determination by Board

In developing the strategy required under subsection (a), the Board shall—

(A)determine whether there are opportunities to more effectively and efficiently use the capabilities of the Department in the development of a skilled energy workforce;

(B)identify ways in which the Department could work with other relevant Federal agencies, States, units of local government, institutions of higher education, labor organizations, Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, and industry in the development of a skilled energy workforce, subject to applicable law;

(C)identify ways in which the Department and National Laboratories can—

(i)increase outreach to minority-serving institutions; and

(ii)make resources available to increase the number of skilled minorities and women trained to go into the energy and energy-related manufacturing sectors;

(iii)increase outreach to displaced and unemployed energy sector workers; and

(iv)make resources available to provide training to displaced and unemployed energy sector workers to reenter the energy workforce; and

(D)(i)identify the energy sectors in greatest need of workforce training; and

(ii)in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, develop recommendations for the skills necessary to develop a workforce trained to work in those energy sectors.

(2)Required analysis

In developing the strategy required under subsection (a), the Board shall analyze the effectiveness of— (A)

(B)existing energy workforce training programs.

(3)Report

(A)In general

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Board is established under this section, and biennially thereafter until the date on which the Board is terminated under subsection (f), the Board shall submit to the Secretary a report containing, with respect to the strategy required under subsection (a)—

(i)the findings of the Board; and

(ii)the proposed energy workforce strategy of the Board.

(B)Response of the Secretary

Not later than 90 days after the date on which a report is submitted to the Secretary under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

(i)submit to the Board a response to the report that—

(I)describes whether the Secretary approves or disapproves of each recommendation of the Board under subparagraph (A); and

(II)if the Secretary approves of a recommendation, provides an implementation plan for the recommendation; and

(ii)submit to Congress—

(I)the report of the Board under subparagraph (A); and

(II)the response of the Secretary under clause (i).

(C)Public availability of report

(i)In general

The Board shall make each report under subparagraph (A) available to the public on the earlier of— (I)

(II)the date that is 90 days after the date on which the Board submitted the report to the Secretary.

(ii)Requirement

If the Board has received a response to a report from the Secretary under subparagraph (B)(i), the Board shall make that response publicly available with the applicable report.

(d)Report by the Secretary

Not later than 180 days before the date of expiration of a term of the Board under subsection (f), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that—

(1)describes the effectiveness and accomplishments of the Board during the applicable term;

(2)contains a determination of the Secretary as to whether the Board should be renewed; and

(3)if the Secretary determines that the Board should be renewed, any recommendations as to whether and how the scope and functions of the Board should be modified.

(e)Outreach to minority-serving institutions, veterans, and displaced and unemployed energy workers

In developing the strategy under subsection (a), the Board shall—

(1)give special consideration to increasing outreach to minority-serving institutions, veterans, and displaced and unemployed energy workers;

(2)make resources available to—

(A)minority-serving institutions, with the objective of increasing the number of skilled minorities and women trained to go into the energy and manufacturing sectors;

(B)institutions that serve veterans, with the objective of increasing the number veterans in the energy industry by ensuring that veterans have the credentials and training necessary to secure careers in the energy industry; and

(C)institutions that serve displaced and unemployed energy workers to increase the number of individuals trained for jobs in the energy industry;

(3)encourage the energy industry to improve the opportunities for students of minority-serving institutions, veterans, and displaced and unemployed energy workers to participate in internships, preapprenticeships, apprenticeships, and cooperative work-study programs in the energy industry; and

(4)work with the National Laboratories to increase the participation of underrepresented groups, veterans, and displaced and unemployed energy workers in internships, fellowships, training programs, and employment at the National Laboratories.

(f)Term

(1)In general

Subject to paragraph (2), the Board shall terminate on September 30, 2026.

(2)Extensions

The Secretary may renew the Board for 1 or more 5-year periods by submitting, not later than the date described in subsection (d), a report described in that subsection that contains a determination by the Secretary that the Board should be renewed.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate RequirementsFor provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for

Construction

, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.

§18744 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board

Summary

Title 42, §18744

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Construction

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