[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1534 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1534

To establish a program that provides dislocated workers with a subsidy 
  or coupon that may be applied towards obtaining broadband Internet 
                access service, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2017

 Mrs. Dingell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 establish a program that provides dislocated workers with a subsidy 
  or coupon that may be applied towards obtaining broadband Internet 
                access service, 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 ``21st Century Worker Opportunity 
Act''.

SEC. 2. BROADBAND SERVICE FOR DISPLACED WORKERS PROGRAM.

    (a) Creation of Program.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall implement and 
administer a program that provides displaced workers with a subsidy or 
coupon for a lump sum payment of $500 that may only be applied 
towards--
            (1) obtaining broadband Internet access service; or
            (2) remote job training in a profession not likely to be 
        automated in the next 20 years.
    (b) Program Specifications.--
            (1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a subsidy or 
        coupon under the program, a displaced worker who has been laid 
        off or terminated shall submit to the Assistant Secretary a 
        certification from an employer that the worker was employed in 
        the manufacturing sector and was laid off or terminated due to 
        the automation of the position of the worker.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) One per household.--Not more than one request 
                per household to receive a subsidy or coupon may be 
                made under the program.
                    (B) No combination of subsidy or coupon.--A subsidy 
                or coupon distributed under the program may not be 
                combined with any other subsidy or coupon distributed 
                under the program.
    (c) Reports Required.--Not later than June 30 and December 31 of 
each year, the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce and the 
Comptroller General shall submit to the committees on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives and Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report for the previous 6 months that 
reviews the program established under subsection (a). Such report shall 
include any recommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse.
    (d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations to implement this section, including methods to reduce 
waste, fraud, and abuse within the program.
    (e) Consumer Awareness Campaign.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall launch 
a consumer awareness campaign about the program established under this 
Act.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
        and Information.
            (2) Automation.--The term ``automation'' means the 
        introduction of machinery into any enterprise that is intended 
        to, or has the effect of, replacing human labor.
            (3) Broadband internet access service.--The term 
        ``broadband Internet access service'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 8.2 of title 47, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            (4) Displaced worker.--The term ``displaced worker'' means 
        an individual who, due to automation, has been terminated or 
        laid off from employment, or who has received a notice of 
        termination or layoff from employment.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Program.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        $5,000,000,000 for the program established under this Act, of 
        which not more than 5 percent is authorized for administrative 
        expenses.
            (2) Inspector general.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated $100,000,000 to the Inspector General of the 
        Department of Commerce.
            (3) Consumer awareness campaign.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated $50,000,000 for the consumer awareness campaign 
        described under subsection (e).
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