111 
‘‘(6) If, after reviewing the submission under 
paragraph (5), the contractor determines that the 
record disqualifies the applicant, the employer shall 
send a letter notifying the applicant of that deter-
mination, and explaining the reasons for that deter-
mination.’’. 
(b) TANF ASSISTANCE AND SNAP BENEFITS.— 
(1) REPEAL OF BAN ON ASSISTANCE.—Section 
115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a) 
is repealed. 
(2) EFFECT ON STATE ELECTIONS TO OPT OUT 
OR LIMIT PERIOD OF PROHIBITION.— 
(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection— 
(i) the term ‘‘State’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 115(e) of the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (21 
U.S.C. 862a(e)) (as in effect on the day 
before the date of enactment of this Act); 
and 
(ii) the term ‘‘TANF assistance or 
SNAP benefits’’ means assistance or bene-
fits referred to in section 115(a) of the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
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tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (as in ef-
fect on the day before the date of enact-
ment of this Act). 
(B) EFFECT
ON
STATE
POLICIES.—Any 
law enacted by a State under the authority 
under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection 
(d)(1) of section 115 of the Personal Responsi-
bility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 
of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a), and any State law, 
policy, or regulation that imposes conditions on 
eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program and temporary assistance for 
needy families program based on an individual’s 
conviction of an offense related to a controlled 
substance, shall have no force or effect. 
(c) MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION OF HOUSEHOLD 
FOR
THE PURPOSE
OF DETERMINING SNAP BENE-
FITS.—Section 3(m)(5) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(m)(5)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(H) Incarcerated individuals who are 
scheduled to be released from an institution 
within 30 days.’’. 
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SEC. 503. DRUG TESTING BARRIERS. 
Any person employed in a climate resilience sector 
who is, in the course of such employment, present in a 
State wherein recreational use of marihuana (as such term 
is defined in the Controlled Substances Act) is lawful may 
not be disqualified from participation in any job training 
program under this Act or terminated from any covered 
employment on the basis of a federally mandated drug test 
that is more stringent than any drug test that is in place 
in the locality or State, or used by the union of such em-
ployee. 
SEC. 504. TASKFORCE ON WORKER INCLUSION. 
(a) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—There 
is 
established 
a 
Taskforce on Worker Inclusion (hereinafter in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Taskforce’’) within the Climate Resil-
ience Workers Commission established under section 403 
of this Act, which shall be responsible for establishing pro-
grams and best practices to support workers who tradi-
tionally face barriers to employment. 
(b) CHAIR.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Chair of the Climate Reliance 
Workers Commission shall appoint a chair to head the 
Taskforce. 
(c) COMPOSITION.—The Taskforce shall be composed 
of individuals appointed by the chair not later than 90 
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days after the appointment of the chair under subsection 
(b), as follows: 
(1) Not less than one representative of the De-
partment of Labor. 
(2) Not less than one representative of the De-
partment of Homeland Security. 
(3) Not less than one representative of the De-
partment of Justice. 
(4) Not less than one representative of the 
Legal Services Corporation. 
(5) Not less than one expert on immigration 
policy. 
(6) Not less than one expert on criminal justice 
policy. 
(7) Not less than one formerly incarcerated in-
dividual. 
(8) Not less than one individual who formerly 
was present in the United States without status 
under the immigration laws. 
(9) Not less than one representative of employ-
ers in climate resilience sectors. 
(d) VACANCIES.—In the case of any vacancy on the 
Taskforce, the chair may appoint a replacement member. 
(e) PROGRAMS.—The programs referred to in sub-
section (a) shall include— 
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(1) providing grants to the Legal Service Cor-
poration to provide assistance, including legal assist-
ance or payment of fees or fines, to workers in the 
climate resilience sector in— 
(A) applying for status as a Certified Cli-
mate Resilience Worker under section 501 and 
further adjusting their status to pursue citizen-
ship; 
(B) seeking restoration of rights including 
expungements, dismissals, record sealing, fee 
waivers, certificates of rehabilitation, diversion 
programs, and pardons; and 
(C) seeking licensure in a field that has 
barriers for immigrants or workers with crimi-
nal history records. 
(2) conducting education and outreach, in mul-
tiple languages, on status as a Certified Climate Re-
silience Worker under section 501 and hiring oppor-
tunities for foreign-born workers, formerly incarcer-
ated workers, and workers with criminal history 
records, and other benefits; and 
(3) establishing training and best practices for 
the hiring, recruitment, and retention of foreign- 
born workers, formerly incarcerated workers, and 
workers with criminal history records. 
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116 
(f) REIMBURSEMENT
FOR FINES
OR FEES.—The 
Taskforce shall by rule establish procedures under which 
a worker in a climate resilience sector may apply for reim-
bursement for the payment of any fine or fee associated 
with— 
(1) applying for status as a Certified Climate 
Resilience Worker under section 501 and further ad-
justing their status to pursue citizenship; 
(2) seeking restoration of rights including 
expungements, dismissals, record sealing, fee waiv-
ers, certificates of rehabilitation, diversion programs, 
and pardons; and 
(3) seeking licensure in a field that has barriers 
for immigrants or workers with criminal history 
records. 
(g) TRUST FUND.—There is a established a trust 
fund, to be known as the Climate Resilience Workforce 
Trust Fund (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Fund’’) which shall be available to the Taskforce, without 
fiscal year limitation, for purposes of carrying out this sec-
tion, including reimbursement under subsection (f). 
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119 
(C) Grantees may create virtual hiring 
halls for areas where brick and mortar hiring 
halls are not available or feasible. 
(b) ORGANIZATION AND REPRESENTATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—All rights and procedures 
under the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 
151 et seq.) shall apply to all workers employed 
using funds in this section in the private sector. 
(2) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPLICATION.—All 
rights under the title VII of the Civil Service Reform 
Act of 1978 shall apply to all workers employed by 
the Federal Government. 
(3) SECTION 7 PROTECTIONS.—The rights to 
engage in concerted activities for the purpose of col-
lective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection 
under section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act 
(29 U.S.C. 157) shall apply with respect to an em-
ployee who is employed by an employer who receives 
funds under this Act and who is seeking to form or 
is otherwise engaged with a worker association. 
(c) HEALTH AND SAFETY.— 
(1) HEALTH AND SAFETY FUND.— 
(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is estab-
lished in the Treasury of the United States a 
Climate Resilience Worker Health and Safety 
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Fund (in this section, referred to as the 
‘Fund’), which consists of sums that are appro-
priated to the Fund under this section. 
(B) PURPOSE.—Amounts in the fund shall 
be available— 
(i) for the benefit of resilience workers 
with short and long-term health problems 
related to their service in climate disaster 
response, recovery, and rebuilding; and 
(ii) for wage replacement for workers 
should they be unable to work due to 
health problems related to their service. 
(C) FEE COLLECTION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
impose a per-employee fee on every em-
ployer. Funds received under this clause 
shall be deposited into the Fund. 
(ii) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance, in 
consultation from the Center for the Cli-
mate Resilience Workforce, specifying the 
fee amount, frequency and mechanism for 
collection. The fee must be sufficient 
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enough to cover the potential expenses cli-
mate disaster recovery workers may incur. 
(2) SAFETY COMMITTEE PROGRAM.— 
(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Chair of the 
Climate Resilience Workers Commission shall 
establish a Climate Resilience Worker Safety 
Committee program (in this paragraph referred 
to as the ‘‘program’’) within the Office of the 
Secretary at the Department of Labor. In car-
rying out the program, the Chair shall support 
safety committees in each labor market where 
climate disaster recovery workers are employed. 
(B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the com-
mittees shall be to ensure the on-the-ground 
safety of workers engaged in disaster recovery 
and rebuilding work while at their work sites. 
(C) FUNCTIONS.—The Committees shall— 
(i) review and make recommendations 
pertaining to safety training provided by 
local training providers; and 
(ii) stop work when work conditions 
are unsafe. 
(D) FORMATION, STRUCTURE
AND
SUP-
PORT.— 
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122 
(i) ELECTION.—The members of the 
safety committees will be elected by resil-
ience workers in the labor market. 
(ii) CHAIR.—A Chair for each safety 
committee shall be elected by committee 
members. Such chair shall be the primary 
point of contact for the regional office of 
the Department of Labor. 
(iii) REPORTING.—The safety com-
mittee shall report any violations of min-
imum labor standards laid out in this Act 
to a regional office of the Department of 
Labor, which may conduct an investigation 
and take enforcement actions using the ex-
isting authorities of the Secretary. 
(iv) ENFORCEMENT.—A regional of-
fice may elevate violations to the Commis-
sion for further enforcement as needed. 
(E) LABOR MARKET DEFINED.—The term 
‘‘labor market’’ means a disaster recovery area 
as designated in a Federal major disaster dec-
laration. 
(3) LIABILITY.—The employer and with the 
general contractor shall be liable for all health prob-
lems caused in whole or in part by participation in 
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123 
climate disaster response and recovery for all em-
ployees employed using funds under this section. 
(4) WELLNESS CHECKS.—An employer receiv-
ing funds under this section shall ensure that work-
ers receive annual wellness checks at community 
health clinics or federally qualified health centers 
specific to the conditions under which they have 
been working. Such employer shall cover the full cost 
of such wellness checks. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS
FOR 
TRAINING SUPPORTS.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Director $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, 
and each fiscal year thereafter, for the Susan G. Harwood 
Occupational Safety and Health grant program, of which 
not less than $10,000,000 each fiscal year shall be used 
to support training of workers engaged in disaster recov-
ery and rebuilding work. 
SEC. 602. PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDING FEDERAL EMPLOY-
MENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMERLY IN-
CARCERATED FIREFIGHTERS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretaries 
shall establish and operate a pilot program, in co-
ordination with eligible States, to provide formerly 
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incarcerated firefighters with the opportunity to be 
hired to occupy Federal wildland firefighting posi-
tions. 
(2) DURATION.—The pilot program established 
under this section shall terminate on the date that 
is 6 years after the of enactment of this section. 
(b) APPLICATION.—An eligible State shall submit an 
application to the Secretaries to participate in the pilot 
program. Any such application shall include, at the min-
imum, the following: 
(1) A list of the agencies of the eligible State 
involved in the training and management of the in-
carcerated firefighter workforce. 
(2) The total number of the incarcerated fire-
fighter workforce used by such State and a descrip-
tion of roles held by incarcerated firefighters. 
(3) The number of incarcerated firefighters ex-
pected to be released by such State in the year com-
mencing after the date the application is submitted. 
(4) The number of formerly incarcerated fire-
fighters released by such State that have success-
fully secured employment in wildland or structural 
firefighting. 
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(5) An estimate of any costs, including staffing 
costs, such State would incur as a result of partici-
pating in the pilot program. 
(c) RECRUITMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The pilot program shall pro-
vide for the recruitment, in such form and manner 
as the Secretaries may prescribe, in consultation 
with the eligible State, of formerly incarcerated fire-
fighters to occupy Federal wildland firefighting posi-
tions. The following requirements shall apply to such 
recruitment efforts: 
(A) The participation in the recruitment 
program by incarcerated firefighters to be vol-
untary. 
(B) A presentation shall be made to incar-
cerated firefighters regarding an overview of 
Federal wildland firefighting positions. 
(C) The Secretaries shall— 
(i) work with incarcerated firefighters 
and the eligible State to identify the skills, 
interests, and experience of candidates to 
determine which Federal wildland fire-
fighting positions would be most suitable 
for the individual; 
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(ii) work with incarcerated firefighters 
and the eligible State to identify and ad-
dress any potential barriers to employment 
as a Federal wildland firefighter, including 
a lack of a driver’s license, before the fire-
fighter is released from incarceration; and 
(iii) collaborate with the eligible State 
to ensure, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, that a decision to hire an incarcer-
ated firefighter coincides with the release 
of the individual from incarceration. 
(D) The Secretaries and State agencies 
shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, 
that any needs that an incarcerated firefighter 
or formerly incarcerated may have for voluntary 
substance abuse, mental health, or other reha-
bilitative programming are accommodated dur-
ing the hiring process and after the position has 
been accepted by the individual. 
(E) The Secretaries shall ensure that the 
cost of any additional training required is not 
a financial burden for a formerly incarcerated 
firefighter. 
(2) GRANTS.—Subject to the availability of 
funds to carry out this section, the Secretaries shall 
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127 
provide grants to eligible States participating in the 
pilot program to support the State’s collaboration 
with the Secretaries to provide recruitment opportu-
nities for incarcerated firefighters or formerly incar-
cerated firefighters. 
(3) WAIVER OF PAROLE AND PROBATION RE-
QUIREMENTS.—The Secretaries shall require, at a 
minimum, that States waive parole and probation re-
quirements to ensure that a formerly incarcerated 
firefighter can meet the requirements of the position 
for which the individual is hired. 
(d) REENTRY AND RETENTION SUPPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
funds to carry out this section, the pilot program 
shall provide support services for formerly incarcer-
ated firefighters participating in the program to sup-
port the individual’s financial stability and success-
ful reentry into and retention within the workforce. 
(2) FINANCIAL SUPPORT.— 
(A) APPLICATION.—The Secretaries shall 
work with State correctional agencies to develop 
a process for formerly incarcerated firefighters 
to apply for financial assistance. 
(B) DURATION AND AMOUNT.—Financial 
assistance may be provided for up to 6 months 
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at an amount that ensures the individual’s abil-
ity to secure stable housing, food, and other 
basic needs and purchase any equipment, attire, 
or supplies that may be needed to perform the 
duties of the Federal wildland firefighting posi-
tion for which they have been hired. 
(3) MENTORSHIP.—The pilot program shall in-
clude a mentorship program that pairs formerly in-
carcerated firefighters currently employed within the 
Federal Government with newly hired formerly in-
carcerated firefighters to support job success and re-
tention. 
(e) HIRING PREFERENCE.—During the period the 
pilot program under this section is operational, with re-
spect to examinations for Federal wildland firefighting po-
sitions in the competitive service (as that term is defined 
in section 2102 of title 5, United States Code), competi-
tion is restricted to formerly incarcerated firefighters par-
ticipating in the pilot program as long as such firefighters 
are available. 
(f) REPORTS.—Beginning on the date that is 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act and annually there-
after for the duration of the pilot program, the Secretaries 
shall submit a report to the Committees on the Judiciary 
and Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 
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and the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate and any other relevant con-
gressional committees detailing implementation of the 
pilot program, including the rate at which formerly incar-
cerated firefighters have been hired by the Secretaries. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE
STATE.—The term ‘‘eligible 
State’’ means a State that trains and uses fire-
fighters incarcerated in a State correctional facility 
to fight wildland fire. 
(2) FEDERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING POSI-
TIONS.—The term ‘‘Federal wildland firefighting po-
sitions’’ means full-time, permanent positions within 
the United States Forest Service or in the Depart-
ment of Interior the duties of which consist of 
wildland firefighting, including administrative sup-
port positions. 
(3) 
FORMERLY
INCARCERATED
FIRE-
FIGHTER.—The term ‘‘formerly incarcerated fire-
fighter’’ means an individual— 
(A) who is no longer incarcerated in a 
State correctional facility and has been trained 
and used by the State to fight wildland fire; 
and 
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