Retain Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (RIME) Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4877 To allow State manufacturing extension partnerships to award grants to small- and medium-sized manufacturers for the purpose of training new workers to replace departing experienced workers. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 28, 2019 Mr. LANGEVIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology A BILL To allow State manufacturing extension partnerships to award grants to small- and medium-sized manufacturers for the purpose of training new workers to replace de- parting experienced workers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Retain Innovation and 4 Manufacturing Excellence (RIME) Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:05 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4877.IH H4877 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4877 IH (1) CENTER.—The term ‘‘Center’’ has the 1 meaning given the term in section 25(a) of the Na- 2 tional Institute of Standards and Technology Act 3 (15 U.S.C. 278k(a)). 4 (2) ELIGIBLE MANUFACTURERS.—The term 5 ‘‘eligible manufacturer’’ means a manufacturer 6 that— 7 (A) is a small business concern, as that 8 term is defined under section 3 of the Small 9 Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and 10 (B) has an existing relationship with a 11 Center. 12 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM. 13 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 14 establish a pilot program to award National Institute of 15 Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension 16 Partnership (MEP) grants to help ensure an adequately 17 trained manufacturing workforce. Under the program, eli- 18 gible Centers may award MEP grants to eligible manufac- 19 turers to retain retiring employees for up to 90 days for 20 the purpose of transferring job-specific skills and training 21 to existing or new employees. The length of each grant 22 shall be determined through negotiations between the Cen- 23 ter and the eligible manufacturer. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:05 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4877.IH H4877 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4877 IH (b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to receive 1 funding and award grants under the program, a Center 2 must meet the following criteria: 3 (1) A Center must be able to document evi- 4 dence of an aging workforce within manufacturing 5 firms that are seeking assistance with retaining 6 skills and knowledge of their operations. 7 (2) A Center shall establish a transparent appli- 8 cation process for eligible manufacturing firms that 9 may include one or more of the following pref- 10 erences: 11 (A) A preference for manufacturers that 12 employ veterans discharged or released under 13 honorable conditions. 14 (B) A preference for manufacturing firms 15 from industry sectors that are most in need of 16 assistance as determined by the local MEP. 17 (C) A preference for manufacturing firms 18 with a facility in the State or region for an ex- 19 tended period of time before the application is 20 submitted (as determined by the Center). 21 (D) A preference for manufacturing firms 22 that have an existing relationship with the local 23 MEP. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:05 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4877.IH H4877 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4877 IH (3) A Center must be able to demonstrate their 1 ability to assess, advise, and train manufacturers on 2 how to transfer the job-specific skills and training 3 through the implementation of a training structure 4 and train-the-trainer program focused on knowledge 5 capture and transfer. 6 (c) TRAINING.—In awarding grants pursuant to this 7 section, consideration shall be given to the use of funds 8 by Centers to assist manufacturers that are experiencing 9 high employee turnover due to their inability to transfer 10 required job-specific skills and training to new employees 11 with the implementation of training structures and train- 12 the-trainer programs. 13 (d) COST SHARING.—To be eligible for a grant under 14 the pilot program under this section, a Center shall dem- 15 onstrate that 50 percent of the amount of the funds 16 awarded are matched from non-Federal sources. Those 17 sources may include State and local agencies engaged in 18 workforce development, foundations engaged in workforce 19 development, or an in-kind contribution from an employer 20 that would stand to directly benefit from the grant re- 21 ceived by the Center. 22 (e) NUMBER AND SIZE OF AWARDS.— 23 (1) NUMBER.—The Secretary may award up to 24 25 grants to Centers under the pilot program. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:04 Nov 02, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4877.IH H4877 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 4877 IH (2) SIZE.—Each award under the program 1 shall be for not less than $50,000 and not more 2 than $500,000. 3 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 4 authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute of 5 Standards and Technology $10,000,000 to carry out the 6 pilot program. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:05 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4877.IH H4877 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS