| Thursday, November 19, 2020 | |||||
Floor Schedule and Procedure: Begin Consideration of H.R. 8294 – National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 (Rep. Davis (CA) – Education and Labor) This bill will expand access to high-quality registered apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. The investments in the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 would provide for nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities on top of the current expected growth of the apprenticeship system and would provide $10.6 billion net benefit to taxpayers. A fact sheet and a section-by-section from the Committee on Education and Labor. The Rule provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Labor. The Rule makes in order the following amendments and allows for amendments to be offered en bloc: Expected Amendments in En Bloc #1 Beyer Amendment Ensures the accessibility of apprenticeship programs and promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities within those programs. Brown Amendment Requires at least one of the nine employers or association representatives on the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships be from a women, minority, or veteran-owned business. Cardenas Amendment Changes “an apprentice” to “a program participant” for a potential member of the national advisory committee on apprenticeships, which would make the committee inclusive of pre-apprentices and youth apprentices. Castro Amendment Adds “media and entertainment” to the list of nontraditional apprenticeship industries that are eligible under the Modernizing the Apprenticeship System for the 21st Century Grants program. Crow Amendment Includes education occupations in the expansion of programs under the national apprenticeship system and ensures that individuals in these programs can access apprenticeship funds. Horsford Amendment Ensures adequate equity and opportunity in the national apprenticeship system. Meng Amendment Includes user-friendly formats and languages that are easily accessible in efforts to promote youth apprenticeships and greater diversity in national apprenticeship system. Includes the FCC under the Ex Officio nonvoting members section of the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships. Moore Amendment Makes a range of changes to strengthen efforts to ensure that low-income individuals and others with barriers to employment are able to participate in apprenticeships, including in fields where such groups are underrepresented. Pappas Amendment Allows for demonstration projects to provide for innovation in the national apprenticeship system, including activities responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Ryan (OH) Amendment Adds “adult” education to the list with “secondary and postsecondary” education regarding the grants for educational alignment with programs under the national apprenticeship system. Smith (WA) Amendment Allows pre-apprenticeship programs that receive grant funds under Title II to use funds to provide stipends to pre-apprentices for costs incurred during the pre-apprenticeship program such as housing, transportation, childcare, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Stefanik Amendment Strikes the requirement that the Secretary must also approve an alternative time-based model that reflects industry standards and hazards of the occupation, leaving such approval at the discretion of the registration agency. Expected Amendments in En Bloc #2 Kilmer/Fitzpatrick Amendment Adds “computer science” to the list of nontraditional apprenticeship industries that are eligible under the Modernizing the Apprenticeship System for the 21st Century Grants program. Lamb/Taylor (TX) Amendment Further incorporates veterans into the underlying bill by: adding veterans service organizations (VSOs) to the list of partner organizations involved in the national apprenticeship system; adding VSOs to the entities that should be contacted for promoting and raising awareness about apprenticeship opportunities, and adds veterans’ status as one of the demographic identifiers for reporting on apprenticeships under the bill. Titus/Bilirakis Amendment Adds “hospitality and tourism” to the list of nontraditional apprenticeship industries that are eligible under the Modernizing the Apprenticeship System for the 21st Century Grants program. Expected Standalone Amendments Levin (MI) Amendment Adds that an eligible entity applying for a title II grant should, to the extent practicable, be part of an industry or sector partnership and partner with a labor or joint labor-management organization. Smucker Amendment Provides authority for non-registered apprenticeship programs, such as the Trump Administration’s Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP), eliminates the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships, eliminates the interagency agreement with the Department of Education, and cuts 70% of the funding compared with National Apprenticeship Act of 2020. |
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “To be true to ourselves, we must be true to others.” Jimmy Carter |