[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2506 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2506
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to provide
funding, on a competitive basis, for summer and year-round employment
opportunities for youth ages 14 through 24.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2025
Ms. Kelly of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to provide
funding, on a competitive basis, for summer and year-round employment
opportunities for youth ages 14 through 24.
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 ``Assisting In Developing Youth
Employment Act'' or the ``AID Youth Employment Act''.
SEC. 2. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subtitle E (29 U.S.C. 3241 et seq.) as
subtitle F; and
(2) by inserting after subtitle D (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.)
the following:
``Subtitle E--Youth Employment Opportunities
``SEC. 176. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subtitle:
``(1) Eligible youth.--The term `eligible youth' means an
individual who--
``(A) is not younger than age 14 or older than age
24; and
``(B) is--
``(i) an in-school youth;
``(ii) an out-of-school youth; or
``(iii) an unemployed individual.
``(2) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms `Indian
tribe' and `tribal organization' have the meanings given the
terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
``(3) In-school youth; out-of-school youth.--The terms `in-
school youth' and `out-of-school youth' have the meanings given
the terms in section 129(a)(1).
``(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
``(5) Marginalized.--The term `marginalized', used with
respect to an individual, includes individuals who are
homeless, in foster care, involved in the juvenile or criminal
justice system, or are not enrolled in or at risk of dropping
out of an educational institution and who live in an
underserved community that has faced trauma through acute or
long-term exposure to substantial discrimination, historical or
cultural oppression, intergenerational poverty, civil unrest, a
high rate of violence, or a high rate of drug overdose
mortality.
``(6) Subsidized employment.--The term `subsidized
employment' means employment for which the employer receives a
total or partial subsidy to offset costs of employing an
eligible youth under this subtitle.
``(7) Tribal area.--The term `tribal area' means--
``(A) an area on or adjacent to an Indian
reservation;
``(B) land held in trust by the United States for
Indians;
``(C) a public domain Indian allotment;
``(D) a former Indian reservation in Oklahoma; and
``(E) land held by an incorporated Native group,
Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation under the
provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
(43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).
``(8) Tribal college or university.--The term `tribal
college or university' has the meaning given the term `Tribal
College or University' in section 316(b) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).
``(9) Tribally designated housing entity.--The term
`tribally designated housing entity', used with respect to an
Indian tribe (as defined in this section), has the meaning
given in section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance
and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103).
``SEC. 176A. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
``(a) Allocation.--Of the funds appropriated under section 176E
that remain available after any reservation under subsection (b), the
Secretary may make available--
``(1) not more than $1,800,000,000 in accordance with
section 176B to provide eligible youth with subsidized summer
employment opportunities; and
``(2) not more than $2,400,000,000 in accordance with
section 176C to provide eligible youth with subsidized year-
round employment opportunities.
``(b) Reservation.--The Secretary may reserve not more than 10
percent of the funds appropriated under section 176E to provide
technical assistance and oversight, in order to assist eligible
entities in applying for and administering grants awarded under this
subtitle.
``SEC. 176B. SUMMER EMPLOYMENT COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Grants.--Using the amounts made available under
176A(a)(1), the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis,
planning and implementation grants.
``(2) General use of funds.--The Secretary shall award the
grants to assist eligible entities by paying for the program
share of the cost of--
``(A) in the case of a planning grant, planning a
summer youth employment program to provide subsidized
summer employment opportunities; and
``(B) in the case of an implementation grant,
implementation of such a program, to provide such
opportunities.
``(b) Periods and Amounts of Grants.--
``(1) Planning grants.--The Secretary may award a planning
grant under this section for a 1-year period, in an amount of
not more than $250,000.
``(2) Implementation grants.--The Secretary may award an
implementation grant under this section for a 3-year period, in
an amount of not more than $6,000,000.
``(c) Eligible Entities.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a planning or
implementation grant under this section, an entity shall--
``(A) be a--
``(i) State, local government, or Indian
tribe or tribal organization, that meets the
requirements of paragraph (2); or
``(ii) community-based organization that
meets the requirements of paragraph (3); and
``(B) meet the requirements for a planning or
implementation grant, respectively, specified in
paragraph (4).
``(2) Government partnerships.--An entity that is a State,
local government, or Indian tribe or tribal organization
referred to in paragraph (1) shall demonstrate that the entity
has entered into a partnership with State, local, or tribal
entities--
``(A) that shall include--
``(i) a local educational agency or tribal
educational agency (as defined in section 6132
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7452));
``(ii) a local board or tribal workforce
development agency;
``(iii) a State, local, or tribal agency
serving youth under the jurisdiction of the
juvenile justice system or criminal justice
system;
``(iv) a State, local, or tribal child
welfare agency;
``(v) a State, local, or tribal agency or
community-based organization, with--
``(I) expertise in providing
counseling services, and trauma-
informed and gender-responsive trauma
prevention, identification, referral,
and support (including treatment)
services; and
``(II) a proven track record of
serving low-income vulnerable youth and
out-of-school youth;
``(vi) if the State, local government, or
Indian tribe or tribal organization is seeking
an implementation grant, and has not
established a summer youth employment program,
an entity that is carrying out a State, local,
or tribal summer youth employment program; and
``(vii) an employer or employer
association; and
``(B) that may include--
``(i) an institution of higher education or
tribal college or university;
``(ii) a representative of a labor or
labor-management organization;
``(iii) an entity that carries out a
program that receives funding under the
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.) or section 212
of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C.
17532);
``(iv) a collaborative applicant as defined
in section 401 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11360) or a private
nonprofit organization that serves homeless
individuals and households (including such an
applicant or organization that serves
individuals or households that are at risk of
homelessness in tribal areas) or serves foster
youth;
``(v) an entity that carries out a program
funded under the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301
et seq.), including Native American programs
funded under section 116 of that Act (20 U.S.C.
2326) and tribally controlled postsecondary
career and technical institution programs
funded under section 117 of that Act (20 U.S.C.
2327);
``(vi) a local or tribal youth committee;
``(vii) a State or local public housing
agency or a tribally designated housing entity;
and
``(viii) another appropriate State, local,
or tribal agency.
``(3) Community-based organization partnerships.--A
community-based organization referred to in paragraph (1) shall
demonstrate that the organization has entered into a
partnership with State, local, or tribal entities--
``(A) that shall include--
``(i) a unit of general local government or
tribal government;
``(ii) an agency described in paragraph
(2)(A)(i);
``(iii) a local board or tribal workforce
development agency;
``(iv) a State, local, or tribal agency
serving youth under the jurisdiction of the
juvenile justice system or criminal justice
system;
``(v) a State, local, or tribal child
welfare agency;
``(vi) if the organization is seeking an
implementation grant, and has not established a
summer youth employment program, an entity that
is carrying out a State, local, or tribal
summer youth employment program; and
``(vii) an employer or employer
association; and
``(B) that may include one or more entities
described in paragraph (2)(B).
``(4) Entities eligible for particular grants.--
``(A) Entities eligible for planning grants.--The
Secretary may award a planning grant under this section
to an eligible entity that--
``(i) is preparing to establish or expand a
summer youth employment program that meets the
minimum requirements specified in subsection
(d); and
``(ii) has not received a grant under this
section.
``(B) Entities eligible for implementation
grants.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary may award
an implementation grant under this section to
an eligible entity that--
``(I) has received a planning grant
under this section; or
``(II) has established a summer
youth employment program and
demonstrates a minimum level of
capacity to enhance or expand the
summer youth employment program
described in the application submitted
under subsection (d).
``(ii) Capacity.--In determining whether an
entity has the level of capacity referred to in
clause (i)(II), the Secretary may include as
capacity--
``(I) the entity's staff capacity
and staff training to deliver youth
employment services; and
``(II) the entity's existing youth
employment services (as of the date of
submission of the application submitted
under subsection (d)) that are
consistent with the application.
``(d) Application.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), an
eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this section
for a summer youth employment program shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require,
including, at a minimum, each of the following:
``(A) With respect to an application for a planning
or implementation grant--
``(i) a description of the eligible youth
for whom summer employment services will be
provided;
``(ii) a description of the eligible
entity, and a description of the expected
participation and responsibilities of each of
the partners in the partnership described in
subsection (c);
``(iii) information demonstrating
sufficient need for the grant in the State,
local, or tribal population, which may include
information showing--
``(I) a high level of unemployment
among youth (including young adults)
ages 14 through 24;
``(II) a high rate of out-of-school
youth;
``(III) a high rate of
homelessness;
``(IV) a high rate of poverty;
``(V) a high rate of adult
unemployment;
``(VI) a high rate of community or
neighborhood crime;
``(VII) a high rate of violence; or
``(VIII) a high level or rate on
another indicator of need;
``(iv) a description of the strategic
objectives the eligible entity seeks to achieve
through the program to provide eligible youth
with core work readiness skills, which may
include--
``(I) financial literacy skills,
including providing the support
described in section 129(b)(2)(D);
``(II) sector-based technical
skills aligned with employer needs;
``(III) skills that--
``(aa) are soft employment
skills, early work skills, or
work readiness skills; and
``(bb) include social
skills, communications skills,
higher-order thinking skills,
self-control, and positive
self-concept; and
``(IV) (for the marginalized
eligible youth) basic skills like
communication, math, and problem
solving in the context of training for
advancement to better jobs and
postsecondary training; and
``(v) information demonstrating that the
eligible entity has obtained commitments to
provide the