Grant program for education related to semiconductor manufacturing and related industries

Division H of title XCIX of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 9906 the following: 9906A. Workforce Development Activities (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible institution The term eligible institution means— (A) an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), at which the highest degree predominantly awarded to students is not a baccalaureate degree or higher degree; (B) a postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)); and (C) an area career and technical education school, as defined in subparagraphs (A) or (B) of section 3(3) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302(3)). (2) Eligible partnership The term eligible partnership means a partnership that— (A) includes— (i) an eligible institution; (ii) a covered entity; and (iii) a State, Indian Tribe, or political subdivision thereof; and (B) may include other entities. (3) National Semiconductor Technology Center The term National Semiconductor Technology Center means the entity established under section 9906(c). (b) Grants authorized The National Semiconductor Technology Center shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to establish or expand workforce development and academic programs offered by an eligible institution (which may include short-term programs or non-credit programs offered by that eligible institution), related to semiconductor manufacturing and related equipment, materials, advanced packaging, microelectronics, computer science, engineering, and related industries. (c) Application An eligible partnership desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the National Semiconductor Technology Center at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the National Semiconductor Technology Center may require. The application shall require— (1) a description of the eligible partnership; (2) a description of the workforce needs that will be addressed through the activities funded by the grant; (3) a description of the eligible partnership’s strategy to sustain such activities after the grant period; (4) a description of how the eligible partnership will recruit and retain individuals with barriers to employment (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act definition (29 U.S.C. 3102)) in programs that receive grant funding; and (5) a description of how programs supported by grants under this subsection align with the workforce pathways and credential frameworks established by the National Semiconductor Technology Center or the National Science Foundation. (d) Selection In selecting eligible partnerships to receive a grant under this section, the National Semiconductor Technology Center shall give priority to eligible partnerships located in areas with growing microelectronics ecosystems, as determined by the National Semiconductor Technology Center, that serve or intend to serve as members of broader sectoral partnerships and coordinate with State and local workforce development boards (as established under sections 101 and 107 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111; 29 U.S.C. 3122)), respectively. (e) Amount; duration (1) Amount A grant awarded under this section shall be for an amount equal to or less than $7,000,000. (2) Duration A grant awarded under this section shall be for a period not to exceed 5 years. (f) Federal cost share (1) Maximum Federal share The Federal share of the costs of a grant under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of such costs. (2) Required worker and community investments Non-Federal costs contributed by a covered entity under this section shall be considered as part of an eligible entity’s commitments to worker and community investments as required under section 9902(a)(2)(B)(ii)(II). (g) Report (1) Report to the National Semiconductor Technology Center Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under this section shall prepare and submit an annual report to the National Semiconductor Technology Center that contains information about each of the following with respect to individuals participating in a program funded by a grant under this section: (A) The total number of participants, disaggregated by sex, race, and ethnicity. (B) The total number of participants who completed the program. (C) The indicators required by section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A)(i)). (2) Report to Congress Not later than 180 days of receiving the annual report under paragraph (1), the National Semiconductor Technology Center shall— (A) prepare and submit a report containing a summary of the information described in paragraph (1) to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives; and (B) make such report publicly available. (h) Authorization of appropriations Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 102 of Public Law 117–167 (commonly known as the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022), amounts made available under subparagraphs (D) and (E) of subsection (d)(2) of such section shall be used to carry out this section for the applicable fiscal year, and paragraph (3) of section 102(d) of Public Law 117–167 shall not apply..