21st Century Worker Opportunity Act

To establish a program that provides dislocated workers with a subsidy or coupon that may be applied towards obtaining broadband Internet access service, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the 21st Century Worker Opportunity Act 2. Broadband service for displaced workers program (a) Creation of program Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall implement and administer a program that provides displaced workers with a subsidy or coupon for a lump sum payment of $500 that may only be applied towards— (1) obtaining broadband Internet access service; or (2) remote job training in a profession not likely to be automated in the next 20 years. (b) Program specifications (1) Eligibility To be eligible to receive a subsidy or coupon under the program, a displaced worker who has been laid off or terminated shall submit to the Assistant Secretary a certification from an employer that the worker was employed in the manufacturing sector and was laid off or terminated due to the automation of the position of the worker. (2) Limitations (A) One per household Not more than one request per household to receive a subsidy or coupon may be made under the program. (B) No combination of subsidy or coupon A subsidy or coupon distributed under the program may not be combined with any other subsidy or coupon distributed under the program. (c) Reports required Not later than June 30 and December 31 of each year, the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce and the Comptroller General shall submit to the committees on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report for the previous 6 months that reviews the program established under subsection (a). Such report shall include any recommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse. (d) Rulemaking Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall promulgate regulations to implement this section, including methods to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the program. (e) Consumer awareness campaign Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall launch a consumer awareness campaign about the program established under this Act. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary (2) Automation The term automation (3) Broadband Internet access service The term broadband Internet access service (4) Displaced worker The term displaced worker (g) Authorization of appropriations (1) Program There is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000,000 for the program established under this Act, of which not more than 5 percent is authorized for administrative expenses. (2) Inspector General There is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 to the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce. (3) Consumer awareness campaign There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for the consumer awareness campaign described under subsection (e).

Summary: 21st Century Worker Opportunity Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to implement a program that provides displaced workers with a subsidy or coupon for a lump sum payment of $500 that may only be applied towards: (1) broadband Internet access service, or (2) remote job training in a profession not likely to be automated in the next 20 years. A "displaced worker" is defined as an individual who, due to automation of machinery that replaces human labor, has been terminated or laid off from employment or who has received a notice of termination or layoff from employment. To be eligible for the program, a displaced worker who has been laid off or terminated must submit a certification from an employer that the worker was employed in the manufacturing sector and was laid off or terminated due to the automation of the position of the worker.