Bill > HR72

This bill, the New Jobs for America Act of 2011, directs the Secretary of Labor to provide grants to state and local governments and Indian tribes to fund employment training programs. These programs are intended to help unemployed individuals gain new skills, particularly in growing fields like green technologies, healthcare, biotech, and information technology, and to assist them in finding jobs in these new areas. The bill also specifies that grant recipients must partner with educational institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions, and community colleges to develop innovative retraining programs for minorities. Furthermore, the funds can be used to provide compensation to participants during training to help with financial hardship, offer access to public healthcare, and create programs for ex-offenders to reduce re-offending. Grant recipients must adhere to non-discrimination laws, dedicate at least 80% of the grant funds to participant wages, benefits, and support services like childcare, and establish a system to help newly trained individuals secure employment. The bill authorizes necessary appropriations to carry out these provisions.