H.R. 8517

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8517 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8517

To develop career and technical education programs of study and 
facilities in the areas of renewable energy.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 27, 2026

Mr. Magaziner (for himself, Mr. Moylan, Mr. Takano, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. 
Titus, Ms. Brownley, Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Norton, 
Mr. Case, Mr. Sorensen, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
Garamendi, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Carson, Ms. Simon, Mr. Deluzio, 
Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Chu, and Mr. Keating) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To develop career and technical education programs of study and 
facilities in the areas of renewable energy.

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 ``Clean Energy Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. CLEAN ENERGY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

(a) Authorization.--From the amounts appropriated under section 6 
to carry out this section, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Education, shall award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible partnerships to develop or expand programs of study 
that are focused on emerging careers and jobs in a covered field.
(b) Eligible Partnerships.--For purposes of this section, an 
eligible partnership shall include--
(1) at least 1 local educational agency, an area career and 
technical education school, or an educational service agency;
(2) at least 1 postsecondary institution; and
(3) representatives of the community to be served by the 
eligible partnership, which shall include business owners, 
industry representatives that have experience in a covered 
field, and members of labor organizations as appropriate.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--An eligible partnership seeking a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--An application submitted by an eligible 
partnership seeking such a grant shall include a description 
of--
(A) the eligible partnership, including the 
partners and the roles and responsibilities of each 
partner, and a demonstration of the capacity of each 
partner to support the program of study to be funded by 
the grant;
(B) such program of study, which shall include a 
description of the secondary and postsecondary 
components;
(C) how the program of study will--
(i) be replicable and disseminated to 
postsecondary institutions or schools that are 
not part of or served by the eligible 
partnership, including postsecondary 
institutions or schools in urban or rural 
areas;
(ii) be delivered to students;
(iii) be accessible to students from a 
variety of backgrounds, including students who 
are economically disadvantaged, low-performing, 
and from urban or rural areas; and
(iv) address placement of students in non-
traditional fields;
(D) the industry and specific occupation or 
occupations within a covered field for which the 
program of study provides preparation for employment 
and the reason the eligible partnership intends to 
provide such preparation, including any evidence of a 
labor market need to prepare students for such industry 
or occupation;
(E) the students to be served by the program of 
study;
(F) applied learning that will be incorporated into 
the program of study and how such learning will 
incorporate or reinforce academic learning; and
(G) how the eligible partnership proposes to 
consult or has consulted with a labor organization, 
labor management partnership, or a sponsor of an 
apprenticeship program or joint apprenticeship and 
training program that provides education and training 
to prepare students for employment in the industry or 
occupation in subparagraph (D).
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary, in consultation with the peer review committee under section 
4, shall give priority to an eligible partnership that demonstrates in 
an application submitted under subsection (c) that the program of study 
will--
(1) deliver (such as through the use of online learning or 
other innovative means) the program of study to students, 
educators, and instructors at other postsecondary institutions 
or schools that are not part of or served by the eligible 
partnership; and
(2) focus on low-performing students and special 
populations.
(e) Uses of Funds.--A grant awarded to an eligible partnership 
under this section shall be used for each of the following:
(1) The development and implementation of a new program of 
study in a covered field, or the expansion of an existing 
program of study in such field, by the eligible partnership 
that--
(A) is replicable and able to be disseminated to 
other postsecondary institutions or schools that are 
not part of or served by the eligible partnership; and
(B) prepares students for a career in a covered 
field.
(2) The dissemination of a program of study under paragraph 
(1) to postsecondary institutions or schools that are not part 
of or served by the eligible partnership.

SEC. 3. RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITIES GRANTS.

(a) Authorization.--From the amounts appropriated under section 6 
to carry out this section, the Secretary of Energy shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to promote--
(1) the development of career and technical education 
facilities that are energy efficient; and
(2) the use of renewable energy practices at such 
facilities.
(b) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity awarded a grant under this 
section shall use such grant to--
(1) perform an evaluation of the sustainability aspects of 
the facilities of the eligible entity, which shall include 
measuring the energy effectiveness of the facilities of such 
entity and evaluating whether the facilities comply with 
existing renewable energy standards;
(2) convene stakeholders, including organizations devoted 
to the promotion and support of renewable energy activities, to 
develop a plan to address needs identified in such evaluation;
(3) carry out activities related to the construction, 
operation, and improvement of facilities that promote the use 
of renewable energy practices;
(4) purchase energy-efficient machinery, technology, or 
other physical equipment used as an educational tool to deliver 
career and technical education courses; or
(5) communicate to other eligible entities the lessons and 
practices learned from activities carried out under paragraphs 
(1) through (4).
(d) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity means--
(1) a local educational agency;
(2) an area career and technical education school;
(3) an educational service agency;
(4) a postsecondary institution; or
(5) a consortium of any of the entities described in 
paragraphs (1) through (4).

SEC. 4. PEER REVIEW.

In evaluating applications for the grant programs established under 
sections 2 and 3, the Secretary shall convene a committee to conduct a 
peer review process of grant applications and to make recommendations 
to the Secretary regarding the selection of grantees. Members of the 
peer review committee shall include--
(1) career and technical education educators and 
administrators who have experience with energy-efficient 
facilities and equipment; and
(2) business and industry experts who build and work in 
renewable energy facilities.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Carl d. perkins career and technical education act of 
2006 terms.--The terms ``area career and technical education 
school'', ``educational service agency'', ``non-traditional 
field'', ``program of study'', and ``special population'' have 
the meaning given such terms in section 3 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
2302).
(2) Covered field.--The term ``covered field'' means the 
fields of clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, 
climate change mitigation, or climate change adaptation.
(3) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
agency'' means a local educational agency eligible for funding 
under section 131 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351).
(4) Postsecondary institution.--The term ``postsecondary 
institution'' means a postsecondary institution eligible for 
funding under section 132 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2352).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
$100,000,000 to carry out this Act.
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