,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #afc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #b1 #bjba,mr4 ,thune 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,tester1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 and ,mr4 ,moran7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,telecommunications ,skilled ,workforce ,act4 #b4 ,telecommunications interagency working group 7a7 ,in general ,part ,i of title ,,iii of the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cdd4 ,telecommunications interagency working group 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 #e;,g ,the term #e;,g1 with respect to wireless infrastructure and wireless technology1 means fifth-generation wireless infrastructure and wireless technology4 7#b7 ,rural area ,the term rural area means any area other than-- 7,a7 a city1 town1 or incorporated area that has a population of more than #bj1jjj inhabitants2 or 7,b7 an urbanized area adjacent to a city or town that has a population of more than #ej1jjj inhabitants4 7#c7 ,telecommunications interagency working group ,the term telecommunications interagency working group means the interagency working group established under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,establishment ,not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,chairman of the ,commission1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall establish within the ,commission an interagency working group to develop recommendations to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry4 7c7 ,duties ,in developing recommendations under subsection 7b71 the telecommunications interagency working group shall-- 7#a7 determine whether1 and if so how1 any ,federal laws 7including regulations71 guidance1 policies1 or practices1 or any budgetary constraints1 inhibit institutions of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja77 or for-profit businesses from establishing1 adopting1 or expanding programs intended to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry1 including the workforce needed to build and maintain the #e;,g wireless infrastructure necessary to support #e;,g wireless technology2 7#b7 identify potential policies and programs that could encourage and improve coordination among ,federal agencies1 between ,federal agencies and ,states1 and among ,states1 on telecommunications workforce needs2 7#c7 identify ways in which existing ,federal programs1 including programs that help facilitate the employment of veterans and military personnel transitioning into civilian life1 could be leveraged to help address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry2 7#d7 identify ways to encourage individuals and for-profit businesses to participate in qualified industry-led workforce development programs1 including the ,telecommunications ,industry ,registered ,apprenticeship ,program2 7#e7 identify ways to improve recruitment in qualified industry-led workforce development programs1 including the ,telecommunications ,industry ,registered ,apprenticeship ,program and other industry-recognized apprenticeship programs2 and 7#f7 identify ,federal incentives that could be provided to institutions of higher education1 for-profit businesses1 ,state workforce development boards established under section #aja of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caaa71 or other relevant stakeholders to establish or adopt programs1 or expand current programs1 to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry1 including such needs in rural areas4 7d7 ,members ,the telecommunications interagency working group shall be composed of representatives of such ,federal agencies and relevant non-,federal industry stakeholder organizations as the ,chairman of the ,commission1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor1 considers appropriate1 including-- 7#a7 a representative of the ,department of ,education1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,education2 7#b7 a representative of the ,national ,telecommunications and ,information ,administration1 appointed by the ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,communications and ,information2 7#c7 a representative of the ,department of ,commerce1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,commerce2 7#d7 a representative of the ,commission1 appointed by the ,chairman of the ,commission2 7#e7 a representative of the ,telecommunications ,industry ,registered ,apprenticeship ,program1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,labor2 7#f7 a representative of a telecommunications industry association1 appointed by the ,chairman of the ,commission2 7#g7 a representative of an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,labor2 7#h7 a representative of a rural telecommunications carrier1 appointed by the ,chairman of the ,commission2 7#i7 a representative of a telecommunications contractor firm1 appointed by the ,chairman of the ,commission2 7#aj7 a representative of a minority institution 7as defined in section #cfe of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajfgk771 appointed by the ,secretary of ,education2 and 7#aa7 a representative of a labor organization1 appointed by the ,secretary of ,labor4 7e7 ,no compensation ,a member of the telecommunications interagency working group shall serve without compensation4 7f7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the telecommunications interagency working group is established1 the working group shall submit a report containing recommendations to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry to-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 7#b7 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate2 7#c7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#d7 the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives4 7g7 ,nonapplicability of ,,faca ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the telecommunications interagency working group4 4 7b7 ,sunset ,section #cdd of the ,communications ,act of #aicd1 as added by subsection 7a71 shall be repealed on the day after the date on which the interagency working group established under subsection 7b7 of that section submits the report to ,congress under subsection 7f7 of that section4 #c4 ,telecommunications workforce guidance ,not later than #bgj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,chairman of the ,federal ,communications ,commission1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall establish and issue guidance on how ,states can address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry1 including guidance on how a ,state workforce development board established under section #aja of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caaa7 can-- 7#a7 utilize ,federal resources available to ,states to meet the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry2 and 7#b7 promote and improve recruitment in qualified industry-led workforce development programs1 including the ,telecommunications ,industry ,registered ,apprenticeship ,program4 #d4 ,,gao assessment of workforce needs of the telecommunications industry 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 #e;,g ,the term #e;,g1 with respect to wireless infrastructure and wireless technology1 means fifth-generation wireless infrastructure and wireless technology4 7#b7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,d7 the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,broadband infrastructure ,the term broadband infrastructure means any buried1 underground1 or aerial facility1 and any wireless or wireline connection1 that enables users to send and receive voice1 video1 data1 graphics1 or any combination thereof4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that estimates the number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain-- 7#a7 broadband infrastructure in rural areas2 and 7#b7 the #e;,g wireless infrastructure needed to support #e;,g wireless technology4