,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fdjb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #bf1 #bjbj,mr4 ,levin of ,michigan introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to provide ,state and local workforce systems flexibility and financial support to respond to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,covid-#ai ,workforce ,emergency ,response ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,coronavirus ,the term coronavirus means coronavirus as defined in section #ejf of the ,coronavirus ,preparedness and ,response ,supplemental ,appropriations ,act1 #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-abc74 7#b7 ,,covid-#ai national emergency ,the term ,,covid-#ai national emergency means the national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 on ,march #ac1 #bjbj1 with respect to the coronavirus4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor4 7#d7 ,,wioa terms ,except as otherwise provided1 the terms in this ,act have the meanings given the terms in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 #c4 ,workforce response activities 7a7 ,in general ,the purpose of this section is to provide the increased flexibility needed for ,state and local areas to provide continuity of services during the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 7b7 ,administrative costs ,notwithstanding section #abh7;b77#d7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cafc7;b77#d771 of the funds allocated to a local area1 including a single ,state local area1 under subtitle ,b of title ,i of such ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caea et seq47 that remain unobligated for program year #bjai1 an amount up to #bj percent may be used for the administrative costs of carrying out local workforce investment activities under chapter #b or chapter #c of subtitle ,b of title ,i of such ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caea et seq471 as long as any amount used under this subsection that exceeds the amount authorized for administrative costs under section #abh7;b77#d77;,a7 of such ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cafc7;b77#d77 is used to respond to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 7c7 ,rapid response activities 7#a7 ,statewide rapid response ,of the reserved by a ,governor under section #abh7;a7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cafc7;a77 for statewide activities that remain unobligated for program year #bjai1 such funds may be used for the statewide rapid response activities described in section #acd7;a77#b77;,a7 of such ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cagd7;a77#b77;,a77 for responding to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 7#b7 ,local boards ,of the funds reserved by a ,governor under section #acc7;a77#b7 of such ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cagc7;a77#b77 that remain unobligated for program year #bjai1 such funds may be distributed by the ,governor not later than #cj days after the date of enactment of this ,act to local boards most impacted by the coronavirus1 at the determination of the ,governor1 for rapid response activities related to responding to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 #d4 ,national dislocated worker grants 7a7 ,,covid-#ai national emergency response 7#a7 ,in general ,from the funds made available under this section1 the ,secretary shall award national dislocated worker grants in accordance with section #agj of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cbbe7 to respond to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency4 7#b7 ,uses of funds ,any grant awarded under this section shall used for activities directly supporting the response to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency1 and recovery efforts related to such emergency1 which shall include the following3 7,a7 ,training and temporary employment ,training and temporary employment to respond to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency1 such as positions or assignments-- 7i7 delivering medicine1 food1 or other supplies to older individuals1 individuals with disabilities1 and other individuals with respiratory conditions and other chronic medical disorders2 7ii7 helping set up quarantine areas and providing assistance to quarantined individuals1 including transportation2 7iii7 organizing and coordinating recovery1 quarantine1 or other related activities2 7iv7 cleaning public buildings1 public transportation facilities or equipment1 or sanitizing quarantine or treatment areas after their use1 or other related cleanup or sanitizing activities2 and 7v7 in the sector directly responding to the ,,covid-#ai national emergency such as childcare1 health care1 public service1 and transportation4 7,b7 ,layoff response ,activities responding to layoffs of #ej or more individuals laid off by one employer1 or areas where there are significant layoffs that significantly increase unemployment in a given community1 such as in the hospitality1 transportation1 manufacturing1 and retail industry sectors or occupations4 7b7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to ,state or local areas most impacted by the ,,covid-#ai national emergency as determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry this section #cde1jjj1jjj to remain available until expended through fiscal year #bjbb4 #e4 ,general provisions 7a7 ,supplement and not supplant ,any funds made available under this ,act shall supplement and not supplant ,state or local public funds that would1 in the absence of the funds under this ,act1 be made available for employment and training programs or other activities funded under the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq474 7b7 ,evaluations ,each activity carried out under this ,act shall be subject to-- 7#a7 performance accountability as described in section #aaf of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cada72 and 7#b7 rigorous evaluation using research approaches appropriate to the level of development and maturity of the activity1 including random assignment or quasi-experimental impact evaluations1 implementation evaluations1 pre-experimental studies1 and feasibility studies4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the ,secretary for the administration of this ,act4