[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3471 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3471

To authorize the Secretary of Labor to award grants for the employment 
of individuals in targeted communities to perform work for the benefit 
                          of such communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 17, 2011

 Ms. Tsongas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Labor to award grants for the employment 
of individuals in targeted communities to perform work for the benefit 
                          of such communities.

    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 ``Helping Individuals Return to 
Employment Act'' or the ``HIRE Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Labor is authorized to 
award competitive grants for the hiring of unemployed individuals to 
perform work to benefit communities, under terms and conditions set 
forth in this section.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--Grants under this section may be awarded to 
any of the following entities in the areas described in subsection (c):
            (1) Units of local government.
            (2) Workforce investment boards, established pursuant to 
        section 117 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
        2832).
            (3) Non-profit organizations described in section 501(c)(3) 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)).
    (c) Targeted Communities.--Grants under this section may be awarded 
to eligible entities located in or primarily serving in one of the 
following areas, if the unemployment rate in such area is higher than 7 
percent during the 3-month period preceding the award of the grant:
            (1) A renewal community with respect to which a designation 
        was in effect under section 1400E(a) of the Internal Revenue 
        Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1400E(a)) on December 31, 2009.
            (2) An empowerment zone designated under section 1391 of 
        such Code.
            (3) A historically underutilized business zone designated 
        under section 3(p)(1) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
        632(p)(1)).
    (d) Individuals Eligible for Employment.--Grants awarded under this 
section shall be used to hire unemployed individuals residing in the 
areas described in subsection (c), including individuals age 16 and 
older, with priority going to individuals who have been unemployed for 
more than a year.
    (e) Limitations.--
            (1) Union consultation.--No individual whose employment is 
        funded under a grant authorized under this Act may work for an 
        employer at which a collective bargaining agreement is in 
        effect covering the same or similar work, unless--
                    (A) the consent of the labor organization at such 
                employer is obtained; and
                    (B) negotiations have taken place between such 
                labor organization and the employer as to the terms and 
                conditions of such employment.
            (2) Nondisplacement.--An individual whose employment is 
        funded under this Act may not displace other employees whose 
        employment is not funded under this Act. A grant recipient 
        under this Act may not hire an employee or employees with funds 
        under this Act for any employment which the grant recipient 
        would otherwise hire an employee who has been furloughed.
    (f) Effect on Unemployment Compensation.--The amount of any 
unemployment compensation payable to an individual employed under a 
grant established by this Act is a pro rata portion of the unemployment 
compensation which would otherwise be payable to the employee if such 
employee were totally unemployed.
    (g) Consultation Requirement.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this Act shall consult with community leaders, including 
small business owners, labor organizations, and local residents to 
assess the needs of the community to determine the qualifying 
activities for which individuals will be hired.
    (h) Qualifying Activities.--Individuals hired using grant funds 
awarded under this section shall be employed for a minimum of 20 hours 
per week only in activities that benefit the community in the areas 
described in subsection (c), including activities such as public works, 
beautification, historic restoration, tutoring, and adult education. In 
addition, where an eligible entity determines appropriate, a portion of 
the grant funds may be used to ensure the safety of employees hired 
under the grant and provide necessary job training.
    (i) Federal Share.--Funds awarded under this section shall 
supplement, not supplant, funds of the eligible entity that are used 
for such purposes.
    (j) Application.--Eligible entities seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such form, and containing such information and assurances as the 
Secretary may require.
    (k) Required Deadline for Hiring.--An eligible entity receiving a 
grant under this section shall--
            (1) determine the number of individuals that may be hired 
        for a 3-year period using both grant funds and local funds 
        available for such purpose; and
            (2) hire such individuals within 60 days after receiving a 
        grant.
    (l) Regulations.--The Secretary of Labor may promulgate regulations 
necessary to implement the grant program authorized by this Act, 
including any necessary regulations necessary to apply wage and labor 
protections to individuals employed under a grant.
    (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Labor such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out this section.
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