Solar VETS Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6176 To require the Secretary of Energy to develop a solar workforce training course for certain members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 10, 2020 Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself, Mrs. LEE of Nevada, Mr. RIGGLEMAN, and Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak- er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju- risdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Secretary of Energy to develop a solar work- force training course for certain members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 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 ‘‘Solar Vocational Edu- 4 cation and Training for our Servicemembers Act’’ or the 5 ‘‘Solar VETS Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:12 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6176.IH H6176 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6176 IH SEC. 2. SOLAR WORKFORCE TRAINING COURSE FOR MEM- 1 BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 2 (a) TRAINING COURSE.— 3 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collabora- 4 tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a 5 training course for careers in solar-related occupa- 6 tions to be— 7 (A) made available— 8 (i) at military installations; and 9 (ii) to eligible members of the Armed 10 Forces; and 11 (B) administered by institutions of higher 12 education pursuant to an agreement with the 13 Secretary. 14 (2) COURSE COMPONENTS.—The training 15 course shall include— 16 (A) hands-on, in-person instruction with 17 respect to solar-related occupations; 18 (B) assistance with resume preparation; 19 (C) assistance with job interview prepara- 20 tion; and 21 (D) an examination that results in the re- 22 ceipt of an entry-level certification in solar in- 23 stallation (such as a certification from the 24 North American Board of Certified Energy 25 Practitioners). 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:12 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6176.IH H6176 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6176 IH (3) FEES OR CHARGES PROHIBITED; REIM- 1 BURSEMENT FOR EXAMINATION COSTS.— 2 (A) FEES OR CHARGES.—No fee or charge 3 may be assessed to an eligible member of the 4 Armed Forces in connection with the participa- 5 tion of the member in the training course. 6 (B) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary 7 shall reimburse an eligible member of the 8 Armed Forces for the costs of an examination 9 described in paragraph (2)(D) incurred by the 10 member. 11 (b) SELECTION OF PARTICIPATING MILITARY IN- 12 STALLATIONS.— 13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collabora- 14 tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall select mili- 15 tary installations at which the training course will be 16 offered to eligible members of the Armed Forces. 17 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting a military 18 installation, the Secretary shall consider— 19 (A) the average number of eligible mem- 20 bers of the Armed Forces stationed at the mili- 21 tary installation; 22 (B) the solar market in the local commu- 23 nity near the military installation, including the 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:12 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6176.IH H6176 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6176 IH number of relevant employers and job opportu- 1 nities; and 2 (C) the capability of institutions of higher 3 education located near the military installation 4 to administer the training course. 5 (c) AGREEMENT WITH INSTITUTION OF HIGHER 6 EDUCATION.—For each military installation at which the 7 training course is to be offered, the Secretary shall enter 8 into an agreement with an institution of higher education 9 located near the military installation under which the in- 10 stitution shall administer the training course. 11 (d) OUTREACH.—The Secretary, in collaboration 12 with the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure that— 13 (1) commanders at military installations are 14 aware of the availability of the training course; and 15 (2) installation transition offices inform eligible 16 members of the Armed Forces about the training 17 course. 18 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi- 19 nitions apply: 20 (1) ELIGIBLE MEMBER OF THE ARMED 21 FORCES.—The term ‘‘eligible member of the Armed 22 Forces’’ means a member of the Armed Forces 23 that— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:12 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6176.IH H6176 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 6176 IH (A) has completed at least 180 days on ac- 1 tive duty in the Armed Forces; and 2 (B) is expected to be discharged or re- 3 leased from active duty in the Armed Forces 4 within 180 days of the date of commencement 5 of participation in the training course. 6 (2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 7 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 8 meaning given that term in section 101 of the High- 9 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 10 (3) MILITARY INSTALLATION.—The term ‘‘mili- 11 tary installation’’ means a military installation that 12 is located within any of the several States, the Dis- 13 trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 14 Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the 15 United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern 16 Mariana Islands, or Guam. 17 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 18 the Secretary of Energy. 19 (5) TRAINING COURSE.—The term ‘‘training 20 course’’ means the training course developed under 21 subsection (a). 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:12 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6176.IH H6176 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS