,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #hcag  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #ah1      
#bjbj,mrs4 ,trahan 7for herself and ,mr4
 ,morelle7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,education and ,labor  ,a 
,,bill  ,to encourage employer          
participation in the national           
apprenticeship system4  #a4             
,authorization of ,grants1 ,contracts1  
and ,cooperative ,agreements ,the       
,administrator of the ,office of        
,apprenticeship of the ,department of   
,labor shall award grants1 contracts1 or
 cooperative agreements to eligible     
entities on a competitive basis for the 
following purposes3 7#a7 ,encouraging   
employer participation ,to encourage    
employer participation in programs under
 the national apprenticeship system--   
7,a7 that target individuals with       
barriers to employment in youth         
apprenticeship1 pre-apprenticeship1 or  
apprenticeship programs1 prioritizing   

nontraditional apprenticeship           
populations such as women1 minorities1  
long-term unemployed1 individuals with a
 disability1 individuals with substance 
abuse issues1 veterans1 military        
spouses1 individuals experiencing       
homelessness1 individuals impacted by   
the criminal or juvenile justice system1
 and foster and former foster youth2    
7,b7 that are in high-need social       
service-related industries1 sectors1 or 
occupations1 such as direct care workers
 and early childhood educators2  7,c7   
that target individuals currently or    
recently incarcerated2 or  7,d7 among   
small- and medium-sized employers4  7#b7
 ,in-demand industry sector or          
occupation grants for small- and        
medium-sized businesses ,an eligible    
entity that receives funds under this   
section shall use such funds to         
encourage participation of small- and   
medium-sized businesses in programs     
under the national apprenticeship       
system1 which may include-- 7,a7        

providing financial assistance to       
employers to support costs related to   
the program1 such as training incumbent 
workers as mentors or employees         
supervising the on-the-job learning2    
7,b7 supporting the cost of related     
instruction or wages for program        
participants during related instruction2
  7,c7 providing technical assistance to
 small- and medium-sized businesses on  
the program registration process and    
leveraging other available funds to     
support carrying out programs supported 
by this grant2 or  7,d7 establishing or 
expanding partnerships to support       
program development or expansion1       
including establishing or expanding     
industry or sector partnerships to      
ensure inclusion of small- and          
medium-sized businesses4  #b4 ,eligible 
entity defined ,in this ,act1 the term  
eligible entity means-- 7#a7 a program  
sponsor2  7#b7 a ,state workforce       
development board or ,state workforce   
agency1 or a local workforce development

 board or local workforce development   
agency2  7#c7 an education and training 
provider1 or a consortium thereof2  7#d7
 if the applicant is in a ,state with a 
,state apprenticeship agency1 such      
,state apprenticeship agency2  7#e7 an  
,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization2 
7#f7 an industry or sector partnership1 
a group of employers1 a trade           
association1 or a professional          
association that sponsors or            
participates in a program under the     
national apprenticeship system2  7#g7 a 
,governor2  7#h7 a labor organization or
 joint labor management organization2 or
  7#i7 a qualified intermediary4