S-356 : Still Just a Bill

Transportation Opportunities for Professional Service Act or the TOPS Act

This bill establishes federal training and educational programs to develop the transportation workforce.

It directs the Department of Transportation to

  • create a task force on developing a 21st century surface transportation workforce;
  • provide grants to partnerships including states, institutions of higher education, and others, to support transportation-sector education and workforce development projects;
  • conduct a national and international scanning tour of surface transportation agencies to identify critical future investment in workforce development;
  • designate certain geographically diverse consortia of two-year institutions of higher education as Community and Technical College Centers of Excellence in Transportation Workforce Training;
  • establish and administer a transportation workforce outreach program to carry out a series of public service announcement campaigns, including to increase diversity and the awareness of career opportunities in the transportation sector; and
  • address emerging technologies in the transportation workforce, including cybersecurity related to such technologies.

Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study issues relating to workforce development in intelligent and zero-emissions transportation technologies.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2021-02-22IntroReferralRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.Senate
2021-02-22IntroReferralIntroduced in SenateLibrary of Congress

Sponsor :

Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
See Cosponsors

Policy Area :

Transportation and Public Works
See Subjects
  • Administrative remedies
  • Advanced technology and technological innovations
  • Advisory bodies
  • Air quality
  • Computer security and identity theft
  • Congressional oversight
  • Department of Transportation
  • Education programs funding
  • Elementary and secondary education
  • Employee hiring
  • Employment and training programs
  • Executive agency funding and structure
  • Government information and archives
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Higher education
  • Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing and advertising
  • Minority employment
  • Public transit
  • Public-private cooperation
  • Railroads
  • Research and development
  • Roads and highways
  • Teaching, teachers, curricula
  • Transportation employees
  • Transportation programs funding
  • Vocational and technical education
  • Women's education
  • Women's employment

Related Bills

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