WASHINGTON, DC - The House Energy and Commerce Committee today released draft text of Title II of its comprehensive energy bill. Title II, 21st Century Workforce, seeks to ensure that America has a strong, diverse energy and manufacturing workforce. The Energy and Power Subcommittee will examine the legislative text at a hearing on Thursday.
The discussion draft directs the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with other federal partners, to establish and carry out a comprehensive program to improve education and training for energy and manufacturing-related jobs to increase the number of skilled workers trained in energy and manufacturing fields. Educating and training underrepresented groups for these fields will be made a national priority.
This workforce section is championed by Energy and Power Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush (D-IL), Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC).
“I applaud Chairman Whitfield for holding this hearing based off of legislation I introduced in the 113th Congress with bipartisan support. 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," said Rush.
“The American energy revolution has brought us record energy production, economic growth, job growth and a renaissance in domestic manufacturing. The United States now leads the world in oil and gas production as a result of advancements in technology related to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. In order to see continued benefits from this revolution, we must optimize America’s energy and manufacturing workforce through improved education and training of skilled workers," said Flores.
“We’re really excited about creating more training programs to build the workforce we need to meet the expansion of our booming energy industry," said Green. “In Texas, thanks to the development of the Eagleford shale and the Permian Basin, we’ve been experiencing a shortage of workers in energy jobs for years. In fact, in East Houston Harris County, if we were able to recruit every union electrician in the country, we would still have a shortage. We want our local constituency, those that live by these plants, to be able to take these high paying jobs."
“My top priority is getting folks back to work, and this legislation will help equip workers with the skills necessary to get the energy and manufacturing jobs that are out there while fostering America’s energy potential," said Hudson.
The witness list and Majority Memorandum for Thursday’s hearing is now available online HERE.
