§ 2701. — Findings.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 29USC2701]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER 29--WORKERS TECHNOLOGY SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 2701. Findings
The Congress finds and declares the following:
(1) In an increasingly competitive world economy, the companies
and nations that lead in the rapid development, commercialization,
and application of new and advanced technologies, and in the high-
quality, competitively priced production of goods and services, will
lead in economic growth, employment, and high living standards.
(2) While the United States remains the world leader in science
and invention, it has not done well in rapidly making the transition
from achievement in its research laboratories to high-quality,
competitively priced production of goods and services. This lag and
the unprecedented competitive challenge that the United States has
faced from abroad have contributed to a drop in real wages and
living standards.
(3) Companies that are successfully competitive in the rapid
development, commercialization, application, and implementation of
advanced technologies, and in the successful delivery of goods and
services, recognize that worker participation and labor-management
cooperation in the deployment, application, and implementation of
advanced workplace technologies make an important contribution to
high-quality, competitively priced production of goods and services
and in maintaining and improving real wages for workers.
(4) The Federal Government has an important role in encouraging
and augmenting private sector efforts relating to the development,
application, manufacture, and deployment of new and advanced
technologies. The role should be to--
(A) work with private companies, States, worker
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of
higher education to ensure the development, application,
production, and implementation of new and advanced technologies
to promote the improvement of workers' skills, wages, job
security, and working conditions, and a healthy environment;
(B) encourage worker and worker organization participation
in the development, commercialization, evaluation, selection,
application, and implementation of new and advanced technologies
in the workplace; and
(C) promote the use and integration of new and advanced
technologies in the workplace that enhance workers' skills.
(5) In working with the private sector to promote the
technological leadership and economic growth of the United States,
the Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure that Federal
technology programs help the United States to remain competitive and
to maintain and improve living standards and to create and retain
secure jobs in economically stable communities.
(Pub. L. 103-382, title V, Sec. 542, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 4051.)
Short Title
Section 541 of Pub. L. 103-382 provided that: ``This part [part D
(Secs. 541-547) of title V of Pub. L. 103-382, enacting this chapter]
may be cited as the `Workers Technology Skill Development Act'.''
Study and Report on the ``Digital Divide''
Pub. L. 106-313, title I, Sec. 115, Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1262,
provided that:
``(a) Study.--The Secretary of Commerce shall conduct a review of
existing public and private high-tech workforce training programs in the
United States.
``(b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of this Act [Oct. 17, 2000], the Secretary of Commerce shall submit a
report to Congress setting forth the findings of the study conducted
under subsection (a).''
Report on Older Workers in Information Technology Field
Pub. L. 105-277, div. C, title IV, Sec. 417, Oct. 21, 1998, 112
Stat. 2681-656, provided that:
``(a) Study.--The Director of the National Science Foundation shall
enter into a contract with the President of the National Academy of
Sciences to conduct a study, using the best available data, assessing
the status of older workers in the information technology field. The
study shall consider the following:
``(1) The existence and extent of age discrimination in the
information technology workplace.
``(2) The extent to which there is a difference, based on age,
in--
``(A) promotion and advancement;
``(B) working hours;
``(C) telecommuting;
``(D) salary; and
``(E) stock options, bonuses, and other benefits.
``(3) The relationship between rates of advancement, promotion,
and compensation to experience, skill level, education, and age.
``(4) Differences in skill level on the basis of age.
``(b) Report.--Not later than October 1, 2000, the Director of the
National Science Foundation shall submit to the Committees on the
Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate a
report containing the results of the study described in subsection
(a).''
Report on High Technology Labor Market Needs
Pub. L. 105-277, div. C, title IV, Sec. 418(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112
Stat. 2681-656, provided that:
``(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science Foundation
shall conduct a study to assess labor market needs for workers with high
technology skills during the next 10 years. The study shall investigate
and analyze the following:
``(A) Future training and education needs of companies in the
high technology and information technology sectors and future
training and education needs of United States students to ensure
that students' skills at various levels are matched to the needs in
such sectors.
``(B) An analysis of progress made by educators, employers, and
government entities to improve the teaching and educational level of
American students in the fields of math, science, computer science,
and engineering since 1998.
``(C) An analysis of the number of United States workers
currently or projected to work overseas in professional, technical,
and managerial capacities.
``(D) The relative achievement rates of United States and
foreign students in secondary schools in a variety of subjects,
including math, science, computer science, English, and history.
``(E) The relative performance, by subject area, of United
States and foreign students in postsecondary and graduate schools as
compared to secondary schools.
``(F) The needs of the high technology sector for foreign
workers with specific skills and the potential benefits and costs to
United States employers, workers, consumers, postsecondary
educational institutions, and the United States economy, from the
entry of skilled foreign professionals in the fields of science and
engineering.
``(G) The needs of the high technology sector to adapt products
and services for export to particular local markets in foreign
countries.
``(H) An examination of the amount and trend of moving the
production or performance of products and services now occurring in
the United States abroad.
``(2) Report.--Not later than October 1, 2000, the Director of the
National Science Foundation shall submit to the Committees on the
Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate a
report containing the results of the study described in paragraph (1).
``(3) Involvement.--The study under paragraph (1) shall be conducted
in a manner that ensures the participation of individuals representing a
variety of points of view.''
Twenty-First Century Workforce Commission
Pub. L. 105-220, title III, subtitle C, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat.
1087, as amended by Pub. L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(f) [title VIII,
Sec. 401(15)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-337, 2681-412, known as the
``Twenty-First Century Workforce Commission Act'', established the
Commission to study all matters relating to the information technology
workforce in the United States, including skills necessary to enter the
information technology workforce, ways to expand the number of skilled
information technology workers, and the relative efficacy of programs in
the United States and foreign countries to train information technology
workers, and to submit a report to the President and Congress of its
findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative and
administrative actions, and provided for powers of the Commission,
compensation of members, employment of staff, authorization of
appropriations, and termination of the Commission 90 days after
submission of its final report, which was released June 27, 2000.
