[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4299 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4299

To authorize a capitalization of self-sustainable social services grant 
program to provide workforce development opportunities and training to 
                  people with barriers to employment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 11, 2009

  Mr. Smith of Washington (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Watson, Mr. 
Carnahan, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Buchanan, and Mr. Braley of Iowa) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize a capitalization of self-sustainable social services grant 
program to provide workforce development opportunities and training to 
                  people with barriers to employment.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CAPITALIZATION GRANTS TO BUILD JOBS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants in accordance 
with this section for projects proposed by eligible applicants who--
            (1) demonstrate the potential effectiveness of the proposed 
        project to develop capitalization procedures for the creation 
        of jobs and the delivery of self-sustainable social services to 
        people with barriers to employment; and
            (2) provide evidence of the ability of the eligible 
        applicant to coordinate with community colleges and/or other 
        organizations at the State and local level.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``capitalization procedures'' means the use of 
        capital funding to build, renovate, provide leasehold 
        improvements, or purchase real property;
            (2) the term ``eligible applicant'' means a nonprofit 
        organization whose mission is to provide workforce development 
        opportunities and training to people with barriers to 
        employment, a local workforce investment board established 
        under section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 
        U.S.C. 2832), a State, a political subdivision of a State, or 
        an Indian tribe;
            (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Labor; 
        and
            (4) the term ``self-sustainable social services'' means 
        education, training, and career services for people with 
        barriers to employment that are sustained by the independent 
        business model of the grantee and do not require federal 
        funding for basic programmatic expenses, although this 
        provision does not preclude applicants from participating in 
        other Federal programs.
    (c) Priority.--Applicants demonstrating prior experience using 
capitalization to build sustainable job training and job creation 
projects will be given priority in the first round of grants, including 
organizations awarded grants under section 413(h)(3)(A) of the Social 
Security Act and organizations that are similarly situated in other 
regions that also have the capacity to replicate the model implemented 
under section 413(h)(3)(A).
    (d) Single Grantee.--The Secretary may choose to grant funds to a 
single national organization to distribute funds among its member local 
organizations if the national organization includes in its membership 
local organizations that were previously awarded grants under section 
413(h)(3)(A) and those prior grantees agree to provide technical 
assistance to new grantees.
    (e) Application.--Each eligible applicant desiring a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    (f) Assessments and Reports by Grantees.--An eligible applicant 
that receives a grant under this section shall assess and report on the 
outcomes of self-sustainable social services that result from newly 
capitalized entities, including the identity of each service operator, 
the number of jobs created, demographic information about service 
recipients, including education level, literacy level, prior work 
experience and identified barriers to employment, the nature of 
education, training, or other services received, the reason for leaving 
the program, and outcomes related to the placement of the service 
recipients in an unsubsidized job, including 9-month employment 
retention, wage at placement, benefits, and earnings progression, as 
specified by the Secretary.
    (g) Evaluations.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to conduct 
        evaluation and research, either directly or through grants or 
        contracts, to determine the effectiveness of capitalization in 
        providing workforce development opportunities and training to 
        people with barriers to employment after the grantee has had 3 
        years to capitalize and build or expand its programs.
            (2) Reservation of funds.--Of the amount appropriated for a 
        fiscal year, an amount equal to 1 percent of such amount for 
        each such fiscal year shall be reserved for use by the 
        Secretary to conduct evaluations.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section and to 
remain available until expended--
            (1) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            (3) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2012 
        through 2014.
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