[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2755 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2755

 To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 2015

 Mr. Cardenas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, 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 ``American Worker Mobility Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. RELOCATION SUBSIDIES FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor may grant a relocation 
subsidy to an eligible individual who meets the requirements of this 
section.
    (b) Meaning of Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section, 
an eligible individual is an individual who, as of the date of the 
application for a relocation subsidy under this section--
            (1) is totally unemployed and has been totally unemployed 
        for at least 26 consecutive weeks;
            (2) has exhausted all rights to regular compensation under 
        the law of a State or under Federal law with respect to a 
        benefit year (excluding any benefit year ending before July 1, 
        2008);
            (3) has not received a relocation subsidy under this 
        section in the 2-year period preceding such date of 
        application; and
            (4) is able to work, available to work, and actively 
        seeking work.
    (c) Requirements for Grant.--The Secretary of Labor may not grant a 
relocation subsidy to an eligible individual under this section unless 
the Secretary determines that--
            (1) the relocation subsidy will assist such individual in 
        relocating within the United States, at least 60 miles from the 
        individual's current residence, for the purpose of attaining 
        employment;
            (2) such individual filed an application with the Secretary 
        not later than January 1, 2020; and
            (3) such individual--
                    (A) has obtained a bona fide offer of suitable 
                employment affording a reasonable expectation of long-
                term duration in the area in which the individual 
                wishes to relocate; or
                    (B) wishes to relocate to an area that has an 
                unemployment rate that is at least 2 percentage points 
                less than the unemployment rate of the area of the 
                individual's initial residence.
    (d) Amount of Subsidy.--A relocation subsidy granted to an eligible 
individual under this section shall be equal to the lesser of $10,000 
or the amount that any contribution by a potential employer of the 
individual to the individual's relocation expenses is exceeded by the 
sum of--
            (1) 90 percent of the reasonable and necessary expenses 
        incurred in transporting the worker, the worker's family, and 
        household effects, plus
            (2) a lump sum equivalent to 3 times the individual's 
        weekly benefit amount for the most recent benefit year (as such 
        terms are defined in the State law), up to a maximum payment of 
        $1,250.
    (e) Regulations.--Prior to granting any relocation subsidies under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Labor shall issue regulations designed 
to prevent fraud or abuse relating to the program established under 
this Act.
    (f) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional appropriations 
are authorized for any fiscal year to carry out this Act.
    (g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            (1) the term ``regular compensation'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 205(2) of the Federal-State Extended 
        Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as 
        in effect prior to January 1, 2014; and
            (2) the term ``suitable work''--
                    (A) means suitable work as defined in the 
                applicable State law for claimants for regular 
                compensation; and
                    (B) does not include self-employment or employment 
                as an independent contractor.
    (h) Reports.--Not later than March 15 of each of calendar years 
2016 and 2018, the Secretary of Labor shall submit a report to Congress 
that identifies, by geographic region--
            (1) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to 
        individuals under this section during the calendar year 
        preceding each such calendar year;
            (2) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to 
        individuals pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(A) during such 
        calendar year;
            (3) the total number of relocation subsidies granted to 
        individuals pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(B) during such 
        calendar year, and the number of such individuals who obtained 
        employment within 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, 
        respectively, after the individual's relocation;
            (4) the average amount of a relocation subsidy granted 
        during such calendar year;
            (5) the average distance traveled for relocation by each 
        individual receiving a relocation subsidy during such calendar 
        year; and
            (6) the number of individuals who received a relocation 
        subsidy under this section during such calendar year and 
        subsequently applied for unemployment benefits.
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