[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 714 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 714
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a pilot
program to award grants to units of general local government and
community-based organizations to create jobs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 23, 2025
Ms. Wilson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a pilot
program to award grants to units of general local government and
community-based organizations to create jobs, and for other purposes.
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 ``Jobs Now Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS TO UNITS OF GENERAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
(a) Pilot Program.--Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 173. PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) Program Authorized.--Notwithstanding section 181(e), from the
amounts appropriated under subsection (h), the Secretary shall carry
out a 2-year pilot program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to
units of general local government or community-based organizations to
retain, employ, or train employees providing a public service for a
unit of general local government.
``(b) Unit of General Local Government Defined.--For purposes of
this section, the term `unit of general local government' means any
general purpose political subdivision of a State, or the United States
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, the freely associated states of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic
of Palau, that has the power to levy taxes and spend funds, as well as
general corporate and police powers.
``(c) Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Required uses.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a
unit of general local government or community-based
organization shall use not less than 50 percent of the
grant funds received under this section to--
``(i) in the case of a unit, retain
employees of such unit who are providing a
public service for the unit and who would
otherwise be laid off as a consequence of
budget cuts; and
``(ii) in the case of an organization,
retain employees of the organization who are
providing a public service for the unit in
which the organization is located and who would
otherwise be laid off as a consequence of
budget cuts.
``(B) Exception.--In a case in which 50 percent of
a grant amount received under this section would exceed
the amount needed for a unit or organization to retain
the employees described in subparagraph (A), the unit
or organization may use only the amount needed to
retain such employees for such purpose.
``(2) Authorized uses.--After using grant funds received
under this section in accordance with paragraph (1), a unit of
general local government or community-based organization may
use any remaining grant funds provided under this section to--
``(A) in the case of a unit of general local
government--
``(i) employ individuals in new positions
providing a public service for the unit; or
``(ii) train individuals for new public
service positions for the unit; and
``(B) in the case of a community-based
organization--
``(i) employ individuals in new positions
that would provide a public service for the
unit in which the organization is located or
services in the private sector; or
``(ii) train individuals for any such
positions.
``(d) Priority for Certain Individuals.--The Secretary shall
encourage each unit of general local government and each community-
based organization receiving a grant under this section to use such
grant funds to retain, employ, or train--
``(1) veterans;
``(2) individuals with disabilities;
``(3) individuals who are receiving unemployment benefits;
or
``(4) dislocated workers.
``(e) Priority for Certain Units and Organizations.--
``(1) Units.--In awarding grants to units of general local
government under this section, the Secretary shall give
priority to units of general local government with high
unemployment, foreclosure, and poverty rates as compared to
other units of general local government applying to receive a
grant under this section.
``(2) Organizations.--In awarding grants to units of
general local government under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to community-based organizations located in
units of general local government with high unemployment,
foreclosure, and poverty rates as compared to other units of
general local government applying to receive a grant under this
section.
``(f) Application.--Each unit of general local government or
community-based organization desiring to receive a grant under this
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
``(g) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the first appropriation
of funds under subsection (h), the Secretary shall submit to Congress,
a report on--
``(1) the number and percentage of individuals hired or
trained, and the number and percentage of employees of units
retained, as a result of a grant under this section; and
``(2) best practices in carrying out a grant program to
hire, train, or retain employees of units of general local
government.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $1,000,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal years
2026 and 2027.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 172 the following:
``Sec. 173. Pilot program.''.
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