,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #fee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bb1 #bjac ,mrs4 ,gillibrand 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,franken1 ,mr4 ,lautenberg1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih to authorize the ,secretary of ,labor to provide grants for ,urban ,jobs ,programs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,urban ,jobs ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,findings and purpose 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,every school day1 nearly #g1jjj students become dropouts4 ,annually1 that dropout rate results in about #a1bjj1jjj students not graduating from high school with their peers as scheduled4 ,lacking a high school diploma1 those individuals will be far more likely than graduates to spend their lives periodically unemployed1 on government assistance1 or cycling in and out of the prison system4 7#b7 ,the average annual income in #bjji was #ai1edj for a high school dropout1 compared to #bg1chj for a high school graduate1 a difference of #g1hdj4 7#c7 ,according to a #bjaa report by ,diploma ,counts-- 7,a7 about #db percent of ,hispanic students1 #dc percent of ,african-,american students1 and #df percent of ,american ,indian students will not graduate on time with a regular high school diploma2 and 7,b7 by comparison1 #ag percent of ,asian students and #bb percent of ,white students will not graduate as described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#d7 ,among all races and ethnicities1 males graduate from high school at a lower rate than their female peers do4 ,among all students1 #fh percent of males and #ge percent of females graduate4 7#e7 ,according to a report by the ,college ,board ,advocacy ,policy ,center1 one of the most unfortunate destinations for high school dropouts1 students1 and graduates age #ah to #bd is incarceration in ,federal or ,state prisons or local jails4 ,since #bjjj1 the number of individuals in the #ah to #bd age group who are incarcerated at the ,federal1 ,state1 and local levels has risen from about #a1djj1jjj in #bjjj to about #a1fjj1jjj in #bjjh4 ,over #dge1jjj individuals in that age group were incarcerated in #bjjh1 with males accounting for #ib4d percent of all those individuals4 ,in contrast1 only #cf1jjj women in the same age group 7#g4f percent7 were incarcerated in #bjjh4 7#f7 ,high school graduation rates are significantly lower in school districts with higher percentages of students in poverty1 measured as students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches4 7#g7 ,according to a #bjaj ,national ,center for ,education ,statistics report1 high school students from low-income families drop out of high school at #f times the rate of their peers from high-income families4 7#h7 ,over half of ,state parole entrants are not high school graduates1 and as many as eleven percent of the entrants have only an eighth grade education or less4 7#i7 ,the lowest achieving #be percent of students are #bj times more likely to drop out of high school1 compared to the highest achieving #be percent of students4 7#aj7 ,according to the ,department of ,labor1 each year approximately #fej1jjj persons are released from ,federal and ,state prisons4 ,those ex-prisoners do not return to communities evenly distributed across the ,united ,states1 but rather return disproportionately to high-poverty communities characterized by high rates of joblessness1 crime1 and drug abuse4 7#aa7 ,the unemployment rate among ex-prisoners has been estimated to be between #be and #dj percent4 ,an estimated #ai percent of adults in ,state prisons are functionally illiterate4 ,over half of ,state parole entrants are not high school graduates1 and about #aa percent of the entrants have only an eighth grade education or less4 7b7 ,purpose ,it is the purpose of this ,act to provide adequate resources for national or regional nonprofit organizations to prevent and reduce the disproportionate incarceration of eligible youth1 especially minority youth1 and to prepare eligible youth for entry into employment1 or education leading to employment1 that places participants on a path to economic self-sufficiency and provides opportunities for advancement1 by providing a comprehensive set of services that includes job training1 education1 and support services4 #c4 ,urban jobs programs 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,d of title ,i of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih is amended by inserting after section #agc;,a 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #biah;a7 the following3 #agc;,b4 ,urban jobs programs 7a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this section is to provide1 through competitive grants1 needed resources for the following objectives3 7#a7 ,to establish a feeder system for youth ages #ah through #bd1 who are out-of-school youth or are or have been subject to the criminal justice process1 in urban communities1 into employment1 or education leading to employment1 through national or regional intermediaries that have demonstrated effectiveness in conducting outreach to1 and serving1 eligible youth through a national or regional network of community-based affiliates4 7#b7 ,to provide a holistic approach for preparing eligible youth in urban communities for entry into employment1 or education leading to employment1 through a comprehensive set of services4 7#c7 ,to prevent and reduce the disproportionate incarceration of eligible youth in urban communities1 including minority youth4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,community-based affiliate ,the term community-based affiliate means a community-based organization that is an affiliate of a national or regional intermediary4 7#b7 ,eligible youth ,the term eligible youth means individuals ages #ah through #bd who-- 7,a7 are not enrolled in secondary or post-secondary school2 or 7,b7 are or have been subject to any stage of the criminal justice process4 7#c7 ,national intermediary ,the term national1 with respect to an intermediary1 means a national private nonprofit community-based organization that-- 7,a7 has an affiliate network comprised of community-based organizations in urban communities in more than one ,state2 and 7,b7 has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in conducting outreach to eligible youth and providing workforce investment activities to such youth4 7#d7 ,recidivism ,the term recidivism means a tendency to return to criminal behavior4 7#e7 ,regional intermediary ,the term regional1 used with respect to an intermediary1 means a private nonprofit community-based organization that-- 7,a7 has an affiliate network comprised of community-based organizations that-- 7i7 have experience conducting multi-site projects2 and 7ii7 are in a geographic area defined by the ,bureau of the ,census2 and 7,b7 has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in conducting outreach to eligible youth and providing workforce investment activities to such youth4 7#f7 ,unsubsidized job ,the term unsubsidized job means an employment position with an employer-- 7,a7 that pays the wages for the position2 and 7,b7 that does not receive public funds for the creation and maintenance of the employment position4 7#g7 ,urban jobs program ,the term ,urban ,jobs ,program means an ,urban ,jobs ,program funded under subsection 7c74 7c7 ,urban jobs program grants 7#a7 ,grants ,the ,secretary is authorized to make grants1 on a competitive basis1 to national or regional intermediaries for the purpose of carrying out ,urban ,jobs ,programs that provide a comprehensive set of services to eligible youth in urban communities to provide such youth with a pathway to employment1 or education leading to employment4 7#b7 ,application 7,a7 ,form and procedure ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection1 a national or regional intermediary shall submit an application at such time1 in such manner1 and accompanied by such information as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,minimum requirements ,the ,secretary shall require that the application contain1 at a minimum-- 7i7 a request for the grant1 specifying the amount of the grant requested and proposed uses of the grant funds2 7ii7 a description of how the national or regional intermediary will meet1 for participants in the ,urban ,jobs ,program1 goals consisting of-- 7,i7 increased long-term employment in unsubsidized jobs2 7,,ii7 reduced recidivism2 7,,iii7 increased attainment of the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma2 7,,iv7 improved literacy and numeracy2 and 7,v7 increased attainment of industry-recognized certificates or credentials1 or preparation for entry into an institution of higher education without need for further remediation2 7iii7 a description of underlying supports for the program1 including-- 7,i7 engaged community partners2 7,,ii7 staff expertise in youth development2 and 7,,iii7 demonstrated understanding of youth characteristics2 7iv7 a description of how the program will enable program participants to achieve outcomes consisting of-- 7,i7 creation of caring relationships with peers and staff2 7,,ii7 creation of goals 7such as the attainment described in clause 7ii77,,iii71 attainment of employment1 admission to or completion of a degree at an institution of higher education1 attainment of industry-recognized certificates or credentials1 or preparation for entry into an institution of higher education without need for further remediation72 7,,iii7 participation in opportunities to contribute to the community through service or volunteerism2 7,,iv7 development of #bast century workplace skills1 including critical thinking and collaboration2 7,v7 development of a sense of responsibility for one's future2 7,,vi7 development of plans or strategies to meet one's goals2 7,,vii7 reduction of risk-taking behaviors2 7,,viii7 achievement of improved educational outcomes 7such as numeracy1 literacy1 or the attainment described in clause 7ii77,,ii772 7,,ix7 achievement of improved employment outcomes2 and 7,x7 reduction of recidivism2 and 7v7 a description of activities to be provided through the ,urban ,jobs ,program that lead to the attainment of industry-recognized certificates or credentials described in paragraph 7#c74 7#c7 ,eligible activities ,a national or regional intermediary that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the funds made available through the grant to carry out an ,urban ,jobs ,program1 which shall include the following comprehensive set of services3 7,a7 ,case management1 through an individual responsible for helping participants navigate the ,urban ,jobs ,program activities4 7,b7 ,educational services1 including skill assessment1 reading and math remediation1 educational enrichment1 services involving preparation for and opportunities for attainment of the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma1 services that connect to career pathways such as opportunities for attainment of industry-recognized certificates or credentials or for preparation for entry into an institution of higher education without the need for further remediation1 and postsecondary education4 7,c7 ,employment and job readiness activities1 including mentoring1 community service opportunities1 internships1 on-the-job training1 occupational skills training1 personal development1 and unsubsidized jobs4 7,d7 ,support services1 health and nutrition service referral1 substance abuse counseling and treatment1 and provision of housing assistance1 interpersonal and basic living skills1 and transportation1 child care1 clothing1 and other assistance as needed4 7#d7 ,limitation ,not more than #b percent of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year under section #agd7;d7 may be used for expenses associated with carrying out this subsection4 7d7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than ,august #a following each program year for which amounts are made available to carry out this section1 the ,secretary of ,labor shall submit to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate1 a report that details the progress made under this section in establishing ,urban ,jobs ,programs through national or regional intermediaries4 7#b7 ,inapplicability of ,section #agb ,the program shall not be subject to evaluations required under section #agb4 7e7 ,national jobs council advisory committee 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary of ,labor shall establish a committee to be known as the ,national ,jobs ,council ,advisory ,committee 7referred to in this subsection as the ,committee74 7#b7 ,membership ,the ,committee shall be comprised of #ab members1 appointed by the ,secretary1 consisting of-- 7,a7 #c individuals from the private sector1 who are senior human resources or diversity employees with national or regional responsibilities1 and who have experience in oversight that includes hiring1 employee training1 or overseeing employee relations2 7,b7 #e representatives of employers in high-impact1 high-growth industries1 as defined by the ,secretary2 7,c7 #a national intermediary staff member2 7,d7 #a regional intermediary staff member2 and 7,e7 #b representatives from the ,department of ,labor4 7#c7 ,period of appointment2 vacancies ,members shall be appointed for the life of the ,committee4 ,any vacancy in the ,committee shall not affect the powers of the ,committee1 but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made4 7#d7 ,duties 7,a7 ,analysis ,the ,committee shall analyze1 and prepare recommendations for the ,secretary concerning-- 7i7 the design and operation of the program carried out under this section2 7ii7 long-term strategic priorities for the program2 and 7iii7 the formulation and application of guidelines related to activities carried out under the program4 7,b7 ,reports ,the ,committee shall prepare and submit to the ,secretary periodic reports containing the recommendations described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#e7 ,personnel 7,a7 ,travel expenses ,the members of the ,committee shall not receive compensation for the performance of services for the ,committee1 but shall be allowed travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the ,committee4 ,notwithstanding section #acdb of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,secretary may accept the voluntary and uncompensated services of members of the ,committee4 7,b7 ,detail of government employees ,any ,federal ,government employee may be detailed to the ,committee without reimbursement1 and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege4 7#f7 ,permanent committee ,section #ad of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,committee4 7f7 ,sense of ,congress regarding local advisory committees ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 a community-based affiliate receiving funding under this section should establish a local jobs council advisory committee to aid in establishing support from the local community for and guiding the local implementation of the program2 and 7#b7 not less than #a_/c of the members the committee should be employers in high-impact1 high-growth industries in the locality4 4 7b7 ,funding ,section #agd of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #biai7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,urban ,jobs ,programs ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out section #agc;,b-- 7#a7 #bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjab2 7#b7 #cj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjac2 7#c7 #dj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjad2 7#d7 #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjae2 and 7#e7 #fj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjaf4 4 7c7 ,conforming amendment ,the table of contents in section #a7;b7 of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting a period at the end of the item relating to section #agc;,a2 and 7#b7 by inserting after the item relating to section #agc;,a the following3 ,sec4 #agc;,b4 ,urban jobs programs4 4