[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6021 Introduced in House (IH)]
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114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6021
To rebuild the Nation's crumbling infrastructure, transportation
systems, technology and computer networks, and energy distribution
systems, by strongly and urgently requesting the immediate recruitment,
employment, and on-the-job ``earn as you learn'' training of African-
American young men ages 18 to 39, who are the hardest hit in terms of
unemployment, with an unemployment rate of 41 percent nationally, and
in some States and cities, especially inner cities, higher than 50
percent, which is a national crisis.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 14, 2016
Mr. David Scott of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Fudge, Mr.
Ashford, Mrs. Love, Ms. Graham, and Ms. Adams) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To rebuild the Nation's crumbling infrastructure, transportation
systems, technology and computer networks, and energy distribution
systems, by strongly and urgently requesting the immediate recruitment,
employment, and on-the-job ``earn as you learn'' training of African-
American young men ages 18 to 39, who are the hardest hit in terms of
unemployment, with an unemployment rate of 41 percent nationally, and
in some States and cities, especially inner cities, higher than 50
percent, which is a national crisis.
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, On-the-Job `Earn While You
Learn' Training, and Apprenticeships for African-American Young Men
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) African-American young men ages 18 to 39 are the
hardest hit in unemployment, with an unemployment rate of 41
percent nationally, and in some States and cities, especially
inner cities, higher than 50 percent;
(2) this extraordinarily high unemployment rate has a
terrible rippling impact on the breakdown of the family
structure, as men in this age group are in the primary child-
producing ages; and
(3) an unemployment rate of 40 to 50 percent among African-
American young men, many of who are fathers who, without jobs,
and are unable to provide for their families, is not only a
national crisis but a national tragedy.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to secure jobs, on-the-job
training, and apprenticeships for African-American young men ages 18 to
39 with the labor unions, general contractors, and businesses who will
rebuild the Nation's crumbling infrastructure in cities and communities
throughout the Nation.
SEC. 3. URGING EMPLOYMENT, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, AND APPRENTICESHIPS FOR
UNEMPLOYED AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG MEN IN REBUILDING THE
NATION'S CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor shall strongly and urgently
request those labor unions, general contractors, and businesses, who
will rebuild the Nation's crumbling infrastructure, transportation
systems, technology and computer networks, and energy distribution
systems, to actively recruit, hire, and provide on-the-job training to
African-American young men ages 18 to 39 through their existing jobs,
apprenticeships, and ``earn while you learn'' programs. The Secretary
shall provide assistance to such labor unions, general contractors, and
businesses through every means available to help coordinate the
recruitment of such individuals for such jobs, on-the-job training, and
apprenticeships.
(b) Coordination.--The jobs, on-the-job training, and
apprenticeships made available by labor unions, general contractors,
and businesses described in subsection (a) shall be conducted in
conjunction with the Secretary of Labor and the labor unions and other
associations which have been identified as those primarily involved in
the infrastructure rebuilding described in such subsection, including
the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the United
Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe
Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, the International
Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron
Workers Union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National
Electrical Contractors Association, the International Association of
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), the
Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), the
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), and the United
Steelworkers (USW). Such coordination shall also be done in conjunction
with the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, which
allows apprentices to earn while they learn.
(c) Recruitment.--The labor unions, general contractors, and
businesses described in subsections (a) and (b) shall recruit African-
American young men for the jobs, on-the-job training, and
apprenticeships described in subsection (a) by reaching out and seeking
assistance from within the African-American community, churches, the
National Urban League, the NAACP, 100 Black Men of America, high school
and college job placement offices, media outlets, and other African-
American organizations that can offer valuable assistance to the
Secretary of Labor, the labor unions, general contractors, and
businesses with identifying, locating, and contacting unemployed
African-American young men who want jobs, on-the-job training, and
apprenticeships. These African-American organizations have a long and
rich history of working to improve the lives of African-Americans, and
can be very helpful in successfully reaching, contacting, and
recruiting unemployed African-American young men.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that this Act--
(1) while rebuilding the crumbling infrastructure of this
great Nation, will simultaneously help create good paying jobs
and job training that will provide African-American young men
ages 18 to 39 with the technical skills, computer capabilities,
and other skills necessary in this high technology-driven job
market, thus providing African-American young men with highly
developed skills that will make them very competitive and
attractive to many employers; and
(2) greatly exemplifies and strengthens the high nobility
of purpose that is the founding grace of this great Nation.
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