text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
       This Act may be cited as the ``Training for Realtime Writers Act 
  of 2003''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
       Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) As directed by Congress in section 723 of the 
          Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 613), as added by section 
          305 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104; 
          110 Stat. 126), the Federal Communications Commission adopted 
          rules requiring closed captioning of most television 
          programming, which gradually require new video programming to 
          be fully captioned beginning in 2006.
              (2) More than 28,000,000 Americans, or 8 percent of the 
          population, are considered deaf or hard of hearing and many 
          require captioning services to participate in mainstream 
          activities.
              (3) More than 24,000 children are born in the United States 
          each year with some form of hearing loss.
              (4) According to the United States Department of Health and 
          Human Services and a study done by the National Council on 
          Aging--
                      (A) 25 percent of Americans over 65 years old are 
                  hearing impaired;
                      (B) 33 percent of Americans over 70 years old are 
                  hearing impaired; and
                      (C) 41 percent of Americans over 75 years old are 
                  hearing impaired.
              (5) The National Council on Aging study also found that 
          depression in older adults may be directly related to hearing 
          loss and disconnection with the spoken word.
              (6) Empirical research demonstrates that captions improve 
          the performance of those individuals learning to read English 
          and, according to numerous Federal agencies' statistics, could 
          benefit--
                      (A) 3.7 million remedial readers;
                      (B) 12 million young children learning to read;
                      (C) 27 million illiterate adults; and
                      (D) 30 million people for whom English is a second 
                  language.
              (7) Over the past 5 years, student enrollment in programs 
          that train court reporters to become realtime writers has 
          decreased significantly, causing such programs to close on many 
          campuses.
  
  SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE TRAINING AND JOB 
                PLACEMENT OF REALTIME WRITERS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall make competitive 
  grants to eligible entities under subsection (b) to promote training 
  and placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed 
  a court reporting training program, as realtime writers in order to 
  meet the requirements for closed captioning of video programming set 
  forth in section 723 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 613) 
  and the rules prescribed thereunder.
      (b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this act, an eligible 
  entity is a court reporting or realtime writing training program that--
              (1) can document and demonstrate to the Secretary of 
          Education that it meets minimum standards of educational and 
          financial accountability, with a curriculum capable of training 
          realtime writers, qualified to provide captioning services;
              (2) is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by 
          the Department of Education; and
              (3) participates in student aid programs under title IV of 
          the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.)
      (c) Priority in Grants.--In determining whether to award grants 
  under this section, the Secretary of Education shall give priority to 
  eligible entities that--
              (1) demonstrate the greatest ability to increase their 
          capacity to train realtime writers;
              (2) demonstrate the most promising collaboration with local 
          educational institutions, businesses, labor organizations, or 
          other community groups having the potential to train or provide 
          job placement assistance to realtime writers; and
              (3) propose the most promising and innovative approaches 
          for initiating or expanding training or job placement 
          assistance efforts for realtime writers.
      (d) Duration of Grant.--A grant under this section shall be for a 
  period of 2 years.
      (e) Maximum Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant provided under 
  subsection (a) to an entity eligible may not exceed $1,500,000 for the 
  2-year period of the grant.
  
  SEC. 4. APPLICATION.
  
      To receive a grant under section 3, an eligible entity shall submit 
  an application to the Secretary of Education at such time and in such 
  manner as the Secretary shall require. The application shall include--
              (1) a description of the training and assistance to be 
          funded using the grant amount, including how such training and 
          assistance will increase the number of realtime writers;
              (2) a description of performance measures to be utilized to 
          evaluate the progress of individuals receiving such training 
          and assistance in matters relating to enrollment, completion of 
          training, and job placement and retention;
              (3) a description of the manner in which the eligible 
          entity will ensure that recipients of scholarships, if any, 
          funded by the grant will be employed and retained as realtime 
          writers;
              (4) a description of the manner in which the eligible 
          entity intends to continue providing the training and 
          assistance to be funded by the grant after the end of the grant 
          period, including any partnerships or arrangements established 
          for that purpose;
              (5) a description of how the eligible entity will work with 
          local workforce investment boards to ensure that training and 
          assistance to be funded with the grant will further local 
          workforce goals, including the creation of educational 
          opportunities for individuals who are from economically 
          disadvantaged backgrounds or are displaced workers; and
              (6) such other information as the Secretary may require.
  
  SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.
  
      (a) In General.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under section 
  3 shall use the grant amount for purposes relating to the recruitment, 
  training, assistance, and job placement of individuals (including 
  individuals who have completed a court reporting training program) as 
  realtime writers, including--
              (1) recruitment activites;
              (2) subject to subsection (b), the provision of 
          scholarships to individuals for training in realtime writing;
              (3) distance learning;
              (4) design and development of curriculum to more 
          effectively train realtime writing skills and education in the 
          knowledge bases necessary for the delivery of high quality 
          closed captioning services;
              (5) assistance in job placement for upcoming and recent 
          graduates with all types of captioning employers;
              (6) encouragement of individuals with disabilities to 
          pursue a career in realtime writing; and
              (7) the employment and payment of personnel for such 
          purposes.
      (b) Scholarships.--
              (1) Amount.--The amount of a scholarship under subsection 
          (a)(2) shall be based on the amount of need of the recipient of 
          the scholarship for financial assistance, as determined in 
          accordance with part F of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
          of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087kk).
              (2) Agreement.--Each recipient of a scholarship under 
          subsection (a)(2) shall enter into an agreement with the 
          Secretary of Education to provide realtime writing services for 
          a period of time (as determined by the Secretary) that is 
          appropriate for the amount of the scholarship received.
              (3) Coursework and employment.--The Secretary shall 
          establish requirements for coursework and employment for 
          recipients of scholarships under subsection (a)(2), including 
          requirements for repayment of scholarship amounts in the event 
          of failure to meet such requirements for coursework and 
          employment. Requirements for repayment of scholarship amounts 
          shall take into account the effect of economic conditions on 
          the capacity of scholarship recipients to find work as realtime 
          writers.
      (c) Administrative Costs.--The recipient of a grant under section 3 
  may not use more than 5 percent of the grant amount to pay 
  administrative costs associated with activities funded by the grant.
      (d) Supplement not Supplant.--Grants amounts under this Act shall 
  supplement and not supplant other Federal or non-Federal funds of the 
  grant recipient for purposes of promoting the training and placement of 
  individuals as realtime writers.
  
  SEC. 6. REPORTS.
  
      Each eligible entity receiving a grant under section 3 shall submit 
  to the Secretary of Education, at the end of each year of the grant 
  period, a report which shall include--
              (1) a description of the use of grant amounts by the entity 
          during such year;
              (2) an assessment, utilizing the performance measures 
          submitted by the entity in the application for the grant under 
          section 4(b), of the effectiveness of activities carried out 
          using such funds in increasing the number of realtime writers; 
          and
              (3) a description of the best practices identified by the 
          entity as a result of the grant for increasing the number of 
          individuals who are trained, employed, and retained in 
          employment as realtime writers.
  
  SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
              (1) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 
          2006; and
              (2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007.
target: Training for Realtime Writers Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to eligible entities to promote training and placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed a court reporting training program, as realtime writers to meet requirements for closed captioning in video programming. Sets forth priorities to be given in the award of such grants. Limits grants to a two-year period and a maximum amount of $1.5 million.
feat_title: To provide competitive grants for training court reporters and realtime writers to meet requirements for closed captioning under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and for other purposes.