[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 872 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 872
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to
community colleges and advanced technology education centers partnering
with community colleges to support the education and training of
technicians in the fields of bioenergy and other agriculture-based,
renewable energy resources, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 7, 2007
Mr. Braley of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to
community colleges and advanced technology education centers partnering
with community colleges to support the education and training of
technicians in the fields of bioenergy and other agriculture-based,
renewable energy resources, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Endowment for Workforce
Education in Renewables and Agriculture Act of 2007'' or ``NEW ERA Act
of 2007''.
SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR BIOENERGY TECHNICIAN EDUCATION AND
TRAINING THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CENTERS PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY
COLLEGES.
(a) Competitive Grants.--The Secretary of Agriculture may make
competitive grants to community colleges and advanced technology
education centers described in subsection (b) to support the education
and training of technicians in the fields of bioenergy and other
agriculture-based, renewable energy resources.
(b) Eligible Entities.--Grants may be made under this section only
to a community college or advanced technology education center that--
(1) is in existence as of the date of the enactment of this
Act and located in the State of Iowa or other Midwestern States
selected by the Secretary;
(2) the Secretary determines has a proven record of
development and implementation of programs to meet the needs of
students, educators, and business and industry to supply the
agriculture-based, renewable energy field with qualified and
trained technicians; and
(3) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary the
ability to leverage existing partnerships and develop
educational and occupational outreach and training programs
with secondary schools, four-year institutions of higher
education, and the agricultural extension system to fill the
next generation of emerging technician positions in the fields
of bioenergy and other agriculture-based, renewable energy
resources.
(c) Education and Training Priorities.--In selecting grant
recipients under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to the
following occupational education and training initiatives:
(1) Improving the capacity of bioenergy service industry
technicians to meet the needs of the agricultural-based
bioenergy sector, particularly among small- and medium-sized
businesses.
(2) Enhancement of training of instructors at community
colleges and other instructors in the areas of agriculture-
based bioenergy research, efficiency, and conservation.
(3) Identification of agricultural-based bioenergy
employment opportunities in the renewable energy areas of
biomass and other renewable energy areas within the private
sector, particularly among small- and medium-sized businesses.
(4) Advancement of agriculture-based bioenergy advanced
environmental technology education and training through
curriculum development, professional development, and program
improvements at community colleges, in partnership with other
institutions of higher education and secondary schools.
(5) Development of working partnerships between community
colleges and nonprofit organizations dedicated to bioenergy
education and training for future bioenergy services career
opportunities in the agriculture-based renewable energy field.
(d) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary
shall consult with the National Science Foundation, the Small Business
Administration, and other appropriate Federal agencies.
(e) Evaluation Component.--An application for a grant under this
section shall include a comprehensive evaluation component to ensure
the quality and achievement of project bioenergy technician education
and training goals and objectives.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Community college.--The term ``community college''
means an institution of higher education--
(A) that admits as regular students persons who are
beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the
State in which the institution is located and who have
the ability to benefit from the training offered by the
institution;
(B) that does not provide an educational program
for which it awards a bachelor's degree, or an
equivalent degree; and
(C) that--
(i) provides an educational program of not
less than two years that is acceptable for full
credit toward such a degree; or
(ii) offers a two-year program in
engineering, mathematics, or the physical or
biological sciences, designed to prepare a
student to work as a technician or at the
semiprofessional level in engineering,
scientific, or other technological fields
requiring the understanding and application of
basic engineering, scientific, or mathematical
principles of knowledge.
(2) Advanced technology education center.--The term
``advanced technology education center'' means an educational
entity that features a community college partnering with other
institutions of higher education and with direct linkages with
private industry involved in the agriculture-based bioenergy
economy of the United States.
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