,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bgie  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #aa1
 #bjad,ms4 ,baldwin 7for herself and    
,mr4 ,kaine7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,health1           
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to amend the ,higher ,education
 ,act of #aife to expand the definition 
of eligible program4  #a4 ,short title  
,this ,act may be cited as the ,career  
and ,technical ,education ,opportunity  
,act4  #b4 ,expansion of eligible       
programs ,the ,higher ,education ,act of
 #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is 
amended-- 7#a7 in section #dha7;b71 by  
adding at the end the following3  7#e7  
7,a7 ,for purposes of parts ,d and ,e1  
the term eligible program includes a    
program of not less than #bej clock     
hours of instruction1 offered during a  
minimum of #e weeks of instruction that 
leads an industry-recognized credential4
  7,b7 ,in this paragraph1 the term     

industry-recognized credential means an 
industry-recognized credential that--   
7i7 is demonstrated to be of high       
quality by the institution offering the 
program in the program participation    
agreement under section #dhg2  7ii7     
meets the current1 as of the date of the
 determination1 or projected needs of a 
local or regional workforce for         
recruitment1 screening1 hiring1         
retention1 or advancement purposes--    
7,i7 as determined by the ,state in     
which the program is located1 in        
consultation with business entities2 or 
7,,ii7 as demonstrated by the           
institution offering the program leading
 to the credential2 and  7iii7 is1 where
 applicable1 endorsed by a nationally   
recognized trade association or         
organization representing a significant 
part of the industry or sector4  2 and  
7#b7 in section #dhg7;a71 by adding at  
the end the following3  7#cj7 ,in the   
case of an institution that offers a    
program of not less than #bej clock     

hours of instruction1 offered during a  
minimum of #e weeks of instruction that 
leads an industry-recognized credential1
 as provided under section #dha7;b77#e71
 the institution will demonstrate to the
 ,secretary that the industry-recognized
 credential is of high quality4  4