Bills
| 3.23.22

Should Federal Job Training Programs for the Energy and Manufacturing Industries be Prioritized? (H.R. 4583)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 4583?

(Updated March 12, 2018)

This bill would direct the Dept. of Energy (DOE) to prioritize education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs to increase the number of skilled workers in those fields.

Included in this effort would be businesses in those industries, educational institutions, state and local workforce development organizations, and other federal agencies. The sectors of the energy and manufacturing industries covered by this bill include energy efficiency, pipelines, utilities, oil and gas, coal, renewable sources, advanced manufacturing, and construction.

The Secretary of Energy would collaborate with schools, energy and manufacturing industries, state agencies, and national laboratories to better understand the regional workforce needs of those industries.

Job training and workforce development opportunities for workers from underrepresented communities including minorities, women, and veterans would be prioritized. The DOE would collaborate with industry and community-based workforce organization to identify students and candidates from these groups to participate in training and apprenticeship programs. It would also seek to promote STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) at all levels of the education system.

The DOE would increase outreach to employers and job trainers who work with unemployed energy and manufacturing workers. It would also preemptively provide assistance to workers employed at facilities scheduled for closure.

Five years after this bill’s enactment, the DOE would report to Congress with a national outlook for the energy and manufacturing industries, which includes a summary of jobs created by this legislation.

No additional funds would be authorized by this legislation, so all required activities must be carried out using existing funds.

Argument in favor

The U.S. energy and manufacturing industries will be providing many opportunities for skilled workers in the future, so the federal government should expand its job training offerings in those sectors — especially for underrepresented groups.

Argument opposed

This bill’s fatal flaw is that it treats all energy sources equally when it comes to providing job training. The future of the energy sector is in renewable energy, and that should be the emphasis of federal workforce development efforts.

Impact

People from underrepresented groups, including minorities, women, and veterans who would benefit from energy and manufacturing job training programs; schools and institutions of higher education; community- and state-based workforce development groups; the energy and manufacturing industries; relevant federal agencies and the DOE.

Cost of H.R. 4583

A CBO cost estimate found that enacting this bill would have no significant impact on the federal budget.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) introduced this bill this bill to expand access to job training in the energy and manufacturing industries, particularly among underrepresented groups:

“Through the promotion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education for minorities, women, and veterans this bill will help tap a reservoir of talented Americans who are hungry for their chance to experience the American Dream. Further, if enacted, this bill would provide an invaluable opportunity to affect real change in the lives of American families throughout the nation, by engaging underrepresented communities in the lucrative sectors of energy and manufacturing-related jobs, careers, and entrepreneurial opportunities and help them climb their way into the Middle Class.”

This legislation was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a voice vote, and it currently enjoys the support of three cosponsors — including one Democratic and two Republican lawmakers.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user Saginaw Future Inc.)