,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ied ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #e1 #bjac ,ms4 ,bonamici 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,george ,miller of ,california1 ,mr4 ,blumenauer1 ,mr4 ,rush1 and ,mrs4 ,davis of ,california7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih to provide for the establishment of the ,small ,business ,liaison ,pilot ,program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,workforce ,infrastructure for ,skilled ,employees ,investment ,act or the ,,wise ,investment ,act4 #b4 ,small ,business ,liaison ,pilot ,program ,section #aga of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #biaf7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,small ,business ,liaison ,pilot ,program 7#a7 ,establishment of ,small ,business ,liaison ,pilot ,program ,the ,secretary may award competitive grants to local boards1 community colleges1 postsecondary vocational institutions1 community-based organizations1 and apprenticeship programs1 including joint labor-management training programs1 in ,states and outlying areas to promote local economic growth and eliminate gaps between the workforce skills available and the workforce skills needed in local areas or regions4 7#b7 ,application ,to receive a grant under this subsection a local board1 community college1 or postsecondary vocational institution in a ,state or outlying area shall submit to the ,secretary an application in such manner1 at such time1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#c7 ,specifications of grants 7,a7 ,time period ,a grant shall be used over a #cf-month period4 7,b7 ,amount of grant ,in determining the amount of a grant made under this subsection1 the ,secretary may consider-- 7i7 the ability of the grant applicant to conduct outreach activities2 7ii7 the ability of the grant applicant to conduct skills gap assessments2 7iii7 the extent to which the grant applicant works with or1 after implementing a strategic skills gap action plan1 plans to work with small businesses within its local area or region2 and 7iv7 any other factor that the ,secretary deems appropriate4 7,c7 ,limitations 7i7 ,a recipient may not receive more than one grant under this subsection4 7ii7 ,no grant under this subsection may be for an amount more than #ejj1jjj4 7iii7 ,the ,secretary shall1 in determining whether to award a grant1 consider the geographic diversity of grant recipients4 7,d7 ,use of funds 7i7 ,in general ,a local board1 community college1 or postsecondary vocational institution that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to pay for a new or current employee to serve as liaison to conduct activities described in clause 7ii74 7ii7 ,small ,local ,business ,liaison ,the liaison-- 7,i7 shall-- 7aa7 prepare a strategic action skills gap assessment2 7bb7 develop a strategic skills gap action plan2 and 7cc7 conduct any other activity that the ,secretary deems appropriate for the purposes of this subsection2 and 7,,ii7 may-- 7aa7 engage in outreach in the local area or region2 7bb7 conduct business site visits1 interviews1 and assessments2 7cc7 consult in the implementation of the skills action plan2 7dd7 complete more than #a skills gap action plan2 and 7ee7 consult with the local offices of the ,small ,business ,administration4 7iii7 ,prohibition ,a grant received under this subsection may not be used to supplant existing funding or efforts4 7,e7 ,confidentiality of information ,the grant recipient may not disclose the name1 address1 or contact information of a business1 employer1 or other person that provided information to the grant recipient to compile information in the strategic skills gap assessment or strategic skills gap action plan without consent of such business1 employer1 or other person4 7#d7 ,reporting ,each year1 the ,secretary shall report to the ,congress-- 7,a7 the number of grants awarded under this subsection2 7,b7 the recipients of grants awarded under this subsection2 7,c7 the activities carried out by each recipient under paragraph 7#c77;,d72 and 7,d7 an assessment describing-- 7i7 the success of the program to promote local economic growth and eliminate gaps between the workforce skills available and the workforce skills needed in local areas or regions2 and 7ii7 any recommendations for reauthorization and expansion of the program that the ,secretary may have4 7#e7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,community ,college ,the term community college has the meaning given the term in section #cab7;f7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajeh7;f774 7,b7 ,local area ,the term local area means the labor market immediately surrounding or affected by a local board1 community college1 or postsecondary vocational institution4 7,c7 ,postsecondary vocational institution ,the term postsecondary vocational institution has the meaning given the term in section #ajb7;c7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb7;c774 7,d7 ,region ,the term region means #b or more local areas that comprise a common labor market for an industry sector of related occupations4 7,e7 ,strategic skills gap assessment ,the term strategic skills gap assessment means an assessment that-- 7i7 identifies areas of current and expected demand for labor and skills in a specific industry sector of related occupations that is-- 7,i7 producing jobs in the local area or region involved2 7,,ii7 developing emerging jobs in the local area or region involved2 or 7,,iii7 suffering chronic worker shortages2 7ii7 identifies the current and expected supply of labor and skills in that sector or group in the local area or region2 7iii7 identifies gaps between the current and expected demand and supply of labor and skills in that section or group in the local area or region2 7iv7 contains the results of a survey or focus group interviews of employers1 labor organizations1 and other relevant individuals and organizations in the local area or region2 and 7v7 contains data regarding-- 7,i7 specific employment opportunities offered by industries in the local area or region2 7,,ii7 specific skills desired for employment opportunities offered by industries in the local area or region2 7,,iii7 occupations and positions in the local area or region that are difficult to fill2 7,,iv7 specific skills desired for occupations and positions in the local area or region that are difficult to fill2 7,v7 areas of growth and decline among industries and occupations in the local area or region2 7,,vi7 specific skills desired for areas of growth among industries and occupations in the local area or region2 and 7,,vii7 specific inventories of skills of unemployed or underemployed individuals in the local area or region4 7,f7 ,strategic skills gap action plan ,the term strategic skills gap action plan means a plan based on the strategic skills gap assessment that-- 7i7 identifies-- 7,i7 specific barriers to adequate supply of labor and skills in demand in a specific industry sector of related occupations that is producing jobs in the local area or region2 and 7,,ii7 activities that will remove or alleviate the barriers described in subclause 7,i7 that could be undertaken by the local board1 community college1 or postsecondary vocational institution2 7ii7 specifies how the local board1 community college1 or postsecondary vocational institution may integrate the activities described in clause 7i7 within the local area or region2 and 7iii7 identifies resources and strategies that may be used in the local area or region to address the skills gaps for both unemployed and employed workers in that industry sector4 7#f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection4 4