S 341

S 341 IS

To amend the Economic Adjustment Assistance grant program to improve assistance for areas affected by long-term economic deterioration and severe economic dislocation relating to the manufacturing industry sector, to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to expand the national emergency grants program, and for other purposes.

January 28, 2009

Ms. STABENOW introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To amend the Economic Adjustment Assistance grant program to improve assistance for areas affected by long-term economic deterioration and severe economic dislocation relating to the manufacturing industry sector, to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to expand the national emergency grants program, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the ‘Main Street Manufacturing Communities Reinvestment Act of 2009’.

(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

TITLE I--ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

Sec. 101. Enhancement of Economic Adjustment Assistance grant program.

TITLE II--EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO DISPLACED WORKERS

Sec. 201. National emergency grants for manufacturing workers.

Sec. 202. Authorization of appropriations.

Sec. 203. Conforming amendments.

TITLE III--INCREASING TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS OF AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY WORKERS IN MANUFACTURING NEW TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED, ENERGY EFFICIENT, AND RENEWABLE FUEL POWERED MOTOR VEHICLES

Sec. 301. Advanced training partnership grants to upgrade automobile industry workers’ skills concerning new technologically advanced, energy efficient, and renewable fuel powered motor vehicles.

TITLE I--ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

SEC. 101. ENHANCEMENT OF ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General- Section 209(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3149(b)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively;

(2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;

(3) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by striking ‘The Secretary’ and inserting the following:

‘(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary’; and

(4) by adding at the end the following:

‘(2) WAIVERS FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY SECTOR- In the case of a request for a grant to meet a special need described in paragraph (1)(A) that relates to an industry classified under section 31, 32, or 33 of the North American Industrial Classification System, the Secretary may--

‘(A) waive the requirement under paragraph (1)(B) if the area in which the project is to be carried out has a streamlined economic development strategy consisting of a plan by the eligible recipient that has the written approval of the Governor of the State in which the area is located; and

‘(B) provide assistance with respect to economic dislocation described in subsection (a) without regard to whether such economic dislocation was sudden or arose from an event that occurred more than 24 months before the date the application for a grant is filed by an eligible recipient.’.

(b) Authorization of Appropriations-

(1) IN GENERAL- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce $2,000,000,000 to provide grants under section 209 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3149) for special needs relating to the manufacturing industry sector under subsection (b)(2) of such section, as added by subsection (a), with priority for special needs relating to the automotive industry sector.

(2) SALARIES AND EXPENSES- The Secretary may expend up to 4 percent of the amount appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) for salaries and expenses in order to expedite the provision of grants relating to the manufacturing industry sector under such section 209.

(3) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection:

(A) AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY SECTOR- The term ‘automotive industry sector’ means the part of the manufacturing industry sector that includes the industries classified under code numbers 3361, 3362, and 3363 of the North American Industrial Classification System.

(B) MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY SECTOR- The term ‘manufacturing industry sector’ means the industries classified under section 31, 32, and 33 of the North American Industrial Classification System.

TITLE II--EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO DISPLACED WORKERS

SEC. 201. NATIONAL EMERGENCY GRANTS FOR MANUFACTURING WORKERS.

(a) Redesignations- Section 173 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2918) is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (h) and moving that subsection to the end of that section; and

(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).

(b) Types of National Emergency Grants- Section 173(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2918(a)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)--

(A) by striking ‘(1)’ and inserting ‘(1)(A)’;

(B) by striking ‘subsection (c)’ and inserting ‘subsection (b)’;

(C) by adding ‘and’ at the end; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

‘(B) to an entity described in subsection (c) to provide, in accordance with that subsection, employment and training assistance to manufacturing workers who lost employment due to a plant closure, or mass layoff, or experienced a change in employment status due to a plant shutdown, that resulted in such an employment loss or change in employment status at a single site of employment for 50 or more workers;’;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘paragraphs (1) and (2)’ and inserting ‘paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)’; and

(3) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘173(c)(1)(B)’ and inserting ‘173(b)(1)(B)’.

(c) Employment and Training Assistance Requirements- Subsection (b) (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2) of this section) of section 173 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 is amended, in paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A), by striking ‘subsection (a)(1)’ and inserting ‘subsection (a)(1)(A)’.

(d) Employment and Training Assistance for Manufacturing Workers- Section 173 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 is amended by inserting before subsection (d) the following:

‘(c) Employment and Training Assistance for Manufacturing Workers-

‘(1) DEFINITIONS- In subsection (a)(1)(B) and this subsection:

‘(A) AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY WORKER- The term ‘automobile industry worker’ means a worker in an automobile-related industry, classified under code number 3361, 3362, or 3363 of the North American Industrial Classification System.

‘(B) ELIGIBLE WORKER- The term ‘eligible worker’ means a manufacturing worker who lost employment due to a plant closure or mass layoff, or experienced a change in employment status due to a plant shutdown, that resulted in such an employment loss or change in employment status at a single site of employment for 50 or more workers.

‘(C) EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE- The term ‘employment and training assistance’ means training activities, job search allowances, relocation allowances, and needs-related payments, as specified in paragraphs (4) through (7).

‘(D) MASS LAYOFF; PLANT CLOSURE- The terms ‘mass layoff’ and ‘plant closure’ are defined as such terms, within the meaning of subsection (a)(1)(A).

‘(E) MANUFACTURING WORKER- The term ‘manufacturing worker’ means a worker in an industry classified under section 31, 32, or 33 of the North American Industrial Classification System.

‘(2) GRANT RECIPIENT ELIGIBILITY-

‘(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- In this paragraph, the term ‘entity’ has the meaning given the term in subsection (b)(1)(B).

‘(B) APPLICATION- To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a)(1)(B), an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary in such manner, and containing such information, as the Secretary may require. The Secretary shall accept applications for such grants on an ongoing basis.

‘(C) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under subsection (a)(1)(B), the Secretary shall give priority to--

‘(i) eligible entities proposing projects to serve automobile industry workers; and

‘(ii) eligible entities proposing to serve areas with the greatest number of eligible workers.

‘(D) CONSIDERATIONS- In awarding grants under subsection (a)(1)(B), the Secretary shall take into consideration the costs of the services to be provided and the reasonableness of those costs. In determining reasonableness of costs for a grant to an entity, the Secretary shall not take into account the amount of Federal financial assistance provided to the entity.

‘(3) PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY- In order to be eligible to receive employment and training assistance under a grant awarded under subsection (a)(1)(B), an individual shall be an eligible worker.

‘(4) TRAINING ACTIVITIES-

‘(A) IN GENERAL- A grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) may be used to provide a training activity, consisting of any service that is a core service under section 134(d)(2), an intensive service under section 134(d)(3)(C), or a training service under section 134(d)(4)(D).

‘(B) PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS- None of the eligibility requirements of paragraph (3)(A), or subparagraph (A), (B), or (E) of paragraph (4), of section 134(d) shall apply to services described in subparagraph (A) and provided under this subsection.

‘(5) JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCE-

‘(A) IN GENERAL- A grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) may be used to provide a job search allowance to an eligible worker. Such allowance, if provided, shall provide reimbursement to the worker of not more than 90 percent of the cost of necessary job search expenses. Such allowance may not exceed $1,250 unless the need for a greater amount is justified in the application for the grant submitted under paragraph (2)(B) and approved by the Secretary.

‘(B) CRITERIA FOR GRANTING JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCES- Such a job search allowance may be provided only--

‘(i) to assist an eligible worker, in securing a job within the United States; and

‘(ii) if an eligible worker cannot reasonably be expected to secure suitable employment in the commuting area in which the worker resides.

‘(6) RELOCATION ALLOWANCE-

‘(A) IN GENERAL- A grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) may be used to provide a relocation allowance to an eligible worker. Such an allowance may only be provided to assist an eligible worker in relocating within the United States and only if--

‘(i) such worker cannot reasonably be expected to secure suitable employment in the commuting area in which the worker resides; and

‘(ii) such worker--

‘(I) has obtained suitable employment affording a reasonable expectation of long-term employment in the area in which the worker wishes to relocate; or

‘(II) has obtained a bona fide offer of employment described in subclause (I).

‘(B) AMOUNT OF RELOCATION ALLOWANCE- The amount of any relocation allowance for any eligible worker may not exceed the amount that is equal to the sum of--

‘(i) 90 percent of the reasonable and necessary expenses, as determined by the grant recipient, incurred in transporting the worker and the worker’s family, if any, and household effects; and

‘(ii) a lump sum equivalent to 3 times the worker’s average weekly wage (on the date of the employment loss or change in employment status) described in paragraph (1)(A), up to a maximum payment of $1,250, unless the need for a greater amount is justified in the application for the grant submitted under paragraph (2)(B) and approved by the Secretary.

‘(7) NEEDS-RELATED PAYMENTS- A grant under subsection (a)(1)(B) may be used in order to provide needs-related payments to an eligible worker, if the grant agreement--

‘(A) requires that such payments shall be provided to an eligible worker only if such worker--

‘(i) does not qualify or has ceased to qualify for unemployment compensation;

‘(ii) has been enrolled in a training activity described in paragraph (4) by the end of the 13th week of the worker’s initial unemployment compensation benefit period, or, if later, by the end of the 8th week after the worker is informed that a short-term layoff will in fact exceed 6 months; and

‘(iii) is participating in a training activity described in paragraph (4) except that no worker shall be disqualified pursuant to this clause for a failure to participate that is not the fault of the worker;

‘(B) provides that to qualify for such payments the worker shall currently receive, or be a member of a family that currently receives, a total family income (exclusive of unemployment compensation, child support payments, and cash payments under a Federal, State, or local income-based public assistance program) that, in relation to family size, is not in excess of the lower living standard income level;

‘(C) provides that the levels of such payments shall be equal to the higher of--

‘(i) the applicable level of unemployment compensation, adjusted for the period involved; or

‘(ii) an amount equal to the poverty line, adjusted to the period involved;

‘(D) provides for the adjustment of payments to reflect changes in total family income; and

‘(E) provides that the grant recipient shall obtain information with respect to such income, and changes in such income, from the eligible worker.

‘(8) LIMIT ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- Of the funds appropriated under section 137(c) and reserved for grants under subsection (a)(1)(B), not more than 10 percent may be used for administrative expenses associated with the grants (including the provision of technical assistance for the preparation of grant applications) or the activities carried out under those grants.’.

SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.