[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6402 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6402
To provide State and local workforce systems flexibility and financial
support to respond to the COVID-19 national emergency.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2020
Mr. Levin of Michigan introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide State and local workforce systems flexibility and financial
support to respond to the COVID-19 national emergency.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``COVID-19 Workforce Emergency
Response Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Coronavirus.--The term ``coronavirus'' means
coronavirus as defined in section 506 of the Coronavirus
Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020
(Public Law 116-123).
(2) COVID-19 national emergency.--The term ``COVID-19
national emergency'' means the national emergency declared by
the President under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C.
1601 et seq.) on March 13, 2020, with respect to the
coronavirus.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(4) WIOA terms.--Except as otherwise provided, the terms in
this Act have the meanings given the terms in section 3 of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
SEC. 3. WORKFORCE RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The purpose of this section is to provide the
increased flexibility needed for State and local areas to provide
continuity of services during the COVID-19 national emergency.
(b) Administrative Costs.--Notwithstanding section 128(b)(4) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163(b)(4)), of the
funds allocated to a local area, including a single State local area,
under subtitle B of title I of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3151 et seq.) that
remain unobligated for program year 2019, an amount up to 20 percent
may be used for the administrative costs of carrying out local
workforce investment activities under chapter 2 or chapter 3 of
subtitle B of title I of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3151 et seq.), as long as
any amount used under this subsection that exceeds the amount
authorized for administrative costs under section 128(b)(4)(A) of such
Act (29 U.S.C. 3163(b)(4)) is used to respond to the COVID-19 national
emergency.
(c) Rapid Response Activities.--
(1) Statewide rapid response.--Of the reserved by a
Governor under section 128(a) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163(a)) for statewide activities
that remain unobligated for program year 2019, such funds may
be used for the statewide rapid response activities described
in section 134(a)(2)(A) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3174(a)(2)(A))
for responding to the COVID-19 national emergency.
(2) Local boards.--Of the funds reserved by a Governor
under section 133(a)(2) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3173(a)(2)) that
remain unobligated for program year 2019, such funds may be
distributed by the Governor not later than 30 days after the
date of enactment of this Act to local boards most impacted by
the coronavirus, at the determination of the Governor, for
rapid response activities related to responding to the COVID-19
national emergency.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANTS.
(a) COVID-19 National Emergency Response.--
(1) In general.--From the funds made available under this
section, the Secretary shall award national dislocated worker
grants in accordance with section 170 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3225) to respond to
the COVID-19 national emergency.
(2) Uses of funds.--Any grant awarded under this section
shall used for activities directly supporting the response to
the COVID-19 national emergency, and recovery efforts related
to such emergency, which shall include the following:
(A) Training and temporary employment.--Training
and temporary employment to respond to the COVID-19
national emergency, such as positions or assignments--
(i) delivering medicine, food, or other
supplies to older individuals, individuals with
disabilities, and other individuals with
respiratory conditions and other chronic
medical disorders;
(ii) helping set up quarantine areas and
providing assistance to quarantined
individuals, including transportation;
(iii) organizing and coordinating recovery,
quarantine, or other related activities;
(iv) cleaning public buildings, public
transportation facilities or equipment, or
sanitizing quarantine or treatment areas after
their use, or other related cleanup or
sanitizing activities; and
(v) in the sector directly responding to
the COVID-19 national emergency such as
childcare, health care, public service, and
transportation.
(B) Layoff response.--Activities responding to
layoffs of 50 or more individuals laid off by one
employer, or areas where there are significant layoffs
that significantly increase unemployment in a given
community, such as in the hospitality, transportation,
manufacturing, and retail industry sectors or
occupations.
(b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to State or local areas most impacted by the COVID-
19 national emergency as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry this section $345,000,000 to remain available
until expended through fiscal year 2022.
SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Supplement and Not Supplant.--Any funds made available under
this Act shall supplement and not supplant State or local public funds
that would, in the absence of the funds under this Act, be made
available for employment and training programs or other activities
funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3101 et seq.).
(b) Evaluations.--Each activity carried out under this Act shall be
subject to--
(1) performance accountability as described in section 116
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3141); and
(2) rigorous evaluation using research approaches
appropriate to the level of development and maturity of the
activity, including random assignment or quasi-experimental
impact evaluations, implementation evaluations, pre-
experimental studies, and feasibility studies.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the Secretary for the
administration of this Act.
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