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make a successful transition 
to new employment; and 
‘‘(BB) otherwise meets 
the requirements of clause 
(ii)(I)(bb) and (cc). 
‘‘(bb) ADDITIONAL
ELIGI-
BILITY
AND
PRIORITY
CRI-
TERIA.—An eligible entity may 
establish criteria that is in addi-
tion to the criteria described in 
item (aa) for the eligibility of in-
dividuals to receive a personal re-
employment account under this 
subsection. An eligible entity may 
also establish criteria for priority 
in the provision of such accounts 
to such eligible individuals under 
this subsection. 
‘‘(II) PREVIOUSLY
EXHAUSTED 
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.—At 
the option of the eligible entity, an in-
dividual may be eligible to receive a 
personal reemployment account under 
a grant awarded under this subsection 
if the individual—
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‘‘(aa) during the 26-week 
period ending the week prior to 
the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, exhausted all rights 
to any unemployment compensa-
tion; and 
‘‘(bb)(AA) is enrolled in 
training and needs additional 
support to complete such train-
ing, with a priority of service to 
be provided to such individuals 
who are training for shortage oc-
cupations or high-growth indus-
tries; or 
‘‘(BB) is separated from 
employment in an industry or oc-
cupation that has experienced de-
clining employment, or no longer 
provides any employment, in the 
local labor market during the 2- 
year period ending on the date of 
the determination of eligibility of 
the individual under this sub-
paragraph.
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‘‘(iv) 
NO
INDIVIDUAL
ENTITLE-
MENT.—Nothing in this subsection shall be 
construed to entitle any individual to re-
ceive a personal reemployment account. 
‘‘(D) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(i) INFORMATION
AND
ATTESTA-
TION.—Prior to the establishment of a per-
sonal reemployment account for an eligible 
individual, the eligible entity receiving a 
grant, through the one-stop delivery sys-
tem in the participating local area or 
areas, shall ensure that the individual— 
‘‘(I) is informed of the require-
ments applicable to the personal reem-
ployment account, including the allow-
able uses of funds from the account, 
the limitations on access to services 
described in paragraph (7)(A)(iii) and 
a description of such services, and the 
conditions for receiving a reemploy-
ment bonus; 
‘‘(II) has the option to develop a 
personal reemployment plan which will 
identify the employment goals and ap-
propriate combination of services se-
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lected by the individual to achieve the 
employment goals; and 
‘‘(III) signs an attestation that 
the individual has been given the op-
tion to develop a personal reemploy-
ment plan in accordance with sub-
clause (II), will comply with the re-
quirements under this subsection re-
lating to the personal reemployment 
accounts, and will reimburse the ac-
count or, if the account has been ter-
minated, the grant awarded under 
this subsection, for any amounts ex-
pended from the account that are not 
allowable. 
‘‘(ii) PERIODIC INTERVIEWS.—If a re-
cipient exhausts his or her rights to any 
unemployment compensation, and the re-
cipient has a remaining balance in his or 
her personal reemployment account, the 
one-stop delivery system shall conduct peri-
odic interviews with the recipient to assist 
the recipient in meeting his or her indi-
vidual employment goals.
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‘‘(iii) USE OF PERSONAL REEMPLOY-
MENT ACCOUNTS.—The eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant shall ensure that eligible 
individuals receiving a personal reemploy-
ment account use the account in accord-
ance with paragraph (7). 
‘‘(6) APPLICATION FOR GRANTS.—To be eligible 
to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible 
entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require, including— 
‘‘(A) if the eligible entity is a State— 
‘‘(i) assurance that the application 
was developed in conjunction with the local 
board or boards and chief elected officials 
where the personal reemployment accounts 
shall be made available; and 
‘‘(ii) a description of the methods and 
procedures for providing funds to local 
areas where the personal reemployment ac-
counts shall be made available; 
‘‘(B) a description of the criteria and 
methods to be used for determining eligibility 
for the personal reemployment account, includ-
ing whether the eligible entity intends to include
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the optional categories described in paragraph 
(5)(C)(iii), and the additional criteria and pri-
ority for service that the eligible entity intends 
to apply, if any, pursuant to paragraph 
(5)(C)(ii)(II); 
‘‘(C) a description of the methods or proce-
dures to be used to provide eligible individuals 
information relating to services and providers; 
‘‘(D) a description of safeguards to ensure 
that funds from the personal reemployment ac-
counts are used for purposes authorized under 
this subsection and to ensure the quality and 
integrity of services and providers, consistent 
with the purpose of providing eligible individ-
uals with enhanced flexibility, choice, and con-
trol in obtaining intensive reemployment, train-
ing, and supportive services; 
‘‘(E) a description of how the eligible enti-
ty will coordinate the activities carried out 
under this subsection with the employment and 
training activities carried out under section 134 
and other activities carried out by local boards 
through the one-stop delivery system in the 
State or local area; and
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‘‘(F) an assurance that the eligible entity 
will comply with any evaluation and reporting 
requirements the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(7) USE OF PERSONAL REEMPLOYMENT AC-
COUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the re-
quirements contained in clauses (ii) and 
(iii), a recipient of a personal reemploy-
ment account may use amounts in a per-
sonal reemployment account to purchase 1 
or more of the following: 
‘‘(I) Intensive services, including 
those type of services specified in sec-
tion 134(d)(3)(C). 
‘‘(II) Training services, including 
those types of services specified in sec-
tion 134(d)(4)(D). 
‘‘(III) Supportive services, except 
for needs related payments. 
‘‘(ii) DELIVERY
OF
SERVICES.—The 
following requirements relating to delivery 
of services shall apply to the grants under 
this subsection:
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‘‘(I) Recipients may use funds 
from the personal reemployment ac-
count to purchase the services de-
scribed in clause (i) through the one- 
stop delivery system on a fee-for-serv-
ice basis, or through other providers, 
consistent with the safeguards de-
scribed in paragraph (6)(D). 
‘‘(II) The eligible entity, through 
the one-stop delivery system in the 
participating local area, may pay costs 
for such services directly on behalf of 
the recipient, through a voucher sys-
tem, or by reimbursement to the re-
cipient upon receipt of appropriate 
cost documentation. 
‘‘(III) 
Each 
eligible 
entity, 
through the one-stop delivery system 
in the participating local area, shall 
make available to recipients informa-
tion on training providers specified in 
section 134(d)(4)(F)(ii), information 
available to the one-stop delivery sys-
tem on providers of the intensive and 
supportive services described in clause
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(i), and information relating to occu-
pations in demand in the local area. 
‘‘(iii) LIMITATIONS.—The following 
limitations shall apply with respect to per-
sonal reemployment accounts under this 
subsection: 
‘‘(I) Amounts in a personal reem-
ployment account may be used for up 
to 1 year from the date of the estab-
lishment of the account. 
‘‘(II) Each recipient shall submit 
cost documentation as required by the 
one-stop delivery system. 
‘‘(III) For the 1-year period fol-
lowing the establishment of the ac-
count, recipients may not receive in-
tensive, supportive, or training serv-
ices funded under this title except on 
a fee-for-services basis as specified in 
clause (ii)(I). 
‘‘(IV) Amounts in a personal re-
employment account shall be non-
transferable. 
‘‘(B) REEMPLOYMENT BONUS.—
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‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to clause 
(ii)— 
‘‘(I) if a recipient determined eli-
gible under paragraph (5)(C)(ii) ob-
tains full-time employment before the 
13th week of unemployment for which 
unemployment compensation is paid, 
the balance of his or her personal re-
employment account shall be provided 
directly to the recipient in cash; and 
‘‘(II) if a recipient determined el-
igible under paragraph (5)(C)(iii) ob-
tains full-time employment before the 
end of the 13th week after the date 
on which the account is established, 
the balance of his or her personal re-
employment account shall be provided 
directly to the recipient in cash. 
‘‘(ii) 
LIMITATIONS.—The 
following 
limitations shall apply with respect to a re-
cipient described in clause (i): 
‘‘(I) 60 percent of the remaining 
personal reemployment account bal-
ance shall be paid to the recipient at 
the time of employment.
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‘‘(II) 40 percent of the remaining 
personal reemployment account shall 
be paid to the recipient after 26 weeks 
of employment retention. 
‘‘(iii) EXCEPTION REGARDING SUBSE-
QUENT EMPLOYMENT.—If a recipient de-
scribed in clause (i) subsequently becomes 
unemployed due to a lack of work after re-
ceiving the portion of the reemployment 
bonus specified under clause (ii)(I), the in-
dividual may use the amount remaining in 
the personal reemployment account for the 
purposes described in subparagraph (A) 
but may not be eligible for additional cash 
payments under this subparagraph. 
‘‘(8) PROGRAM
INFORMATION
AND
EVALUA-
TION.— 
‘‘(A) INFORMATION.—The Secretary may 
require from eligible entities the collection and 
reporting on such financial, performance, and 
other program-related information as the Sec-
retary determines is appropriate to carry out 
this subsection, including the evaluation de-
scribed in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) EVALUATION.—
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‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, 
pursuant to the authority provided under 
section 172, shall, directly or through 
grants, contracts, or cooperative agreement 
with appropriate entities, conduct an eval-
uation of the activities carried out under 
any grants awarded under this subsection. 
‘‘(ii) REPORT.—The report to Con-
gress under section 172(e) relating to the 
results of the evaluations required under 
section 172 shall include the recommenda-
tion of the Secretary with respect to the 
use of personal reemployment account as a 
mechanism to assist individuals in obtain-
ing and retaining employment.’’. 
SEC. 124. TRAINING FOR REALTIME WRITERS. 
Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 
is further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) TRAINING FOR REALTIME WRITERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make 
competitive grants to eligible entities under para-
graph (2)(A) to promote training and placement of 
individuals as realtime writers in order to meet the 
requirements for closed captioning of video program-
ming set forth in section 723 of the Communications
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Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 613) and the rules pre-
scribed thereunder. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes 
of this subsection, an eligible entity is a court 
reporting or realtime writing training program 
that— 
‘‘(i) can document and demonstrate to 
the Secretary that it meets appropriate 
standards of educational and financial ac-
countability, with a curriculum capable of 
training realtime writers, qualified to pro-
vide captioning services and includes ar-
rangements to assist in the placement of 
such individuals in employment as realtime 
writers; and 
‘‘(ii) is and entity that— 
‘‘(I) is an eligible provider of 
training services under section 122; or 
‘‘(II) is accredited by an accred-
iting agency recognized by the De-
partment of Education; and partici-
pates in student aid programs under 
title IV of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
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‘‘(B) PRIORITY
IN
GRANTS.—In deter-
mining whether to award grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 
entities that— 
‘‘(i) demonstrate the greatest ability 
to increase their capacity to train realtime 
writers; 
‘‘(ii) demonstrate the most promising 
collaboration with local workforce invest-
ment boards, local educational institutions, 
businesses, labor organizations, or other 
community-based organization having the 
potential to train or provide job placement 
assistance to realtime writers; and 
‘‘(iii) propose the most promising and 
innovative approaches for initiating or ex-
panding training or job placement assist-
ance efforts for realtime writers. 
‘‘(C) DURATION
OF
GRANT.—A grant 
under this subsection shall be for a period of 2 
years. 
‘‘(D) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The 
amount of a grant provided under paragraph 
(1) to an entity eligible may not exceed 
$1,500,000.
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‘‘(3) APPLICATION.—To receive a grant under 
paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall submit an ap-
plication to the Secretary at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary may require. The applica-
tion shall include— 
‘‘(A) a description of the training and as-
sistance to be funded using the grant amount, 
including how such training and assistance will 
increase the number of realtime writers; 
‘‘(B) a description of performance meas-
ures to be utilized to evaluate the progress of 
individuals receiving such training and assist-
ance in matters relating to enrollment, comple-
tion of training, and job placement and reten-
tion; 
‘‘(C) a description of the manner in which 
the eligible entity intends to continue providing 
the training and assistance to be funded by the 
grant after the end of the grant period, includ-
ing any partnerships or arrangements estab-
lished for that purpose; 
‘‘(D) a description of how the eligible enti-
ty will work with local workforce investment 
boards to ensure that training and assistance to 
be funded with the grant will further local
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workforce goals, including the creation of edu-
cational opportunities for individuals who are 
from economically disadvantaged backgrounds 
or are dislocated workers; and 
‘‘(E) such other information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under paragraph (1) shall use 
the grant amount for purposes relating to the 
recruitment, training, assistance, and job place-
ment of individuals (including individuals who 
have completed a court reporting training pro-
gram) as realtime writers, including— 
‘‘(i) recruitment activities; 
‘‘(ii) the provision of training grants 
to individuals for training in realtime writ-
ing; 
‘‘(iii) distance learning; 
‘‘(iv) design and development of cur-
riculum to more effectively train realtime 
writing skills and education in the knowl-
edge bases necessary for the delivery of 
high quality closed captioning services;
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‘‘(v) assistance in job placement for 
upcoming and recent graduates with all 
types of captioning employers; and 
‘‘(vi) encouragement of individuals 
with disabilities to pursue a career in 
realtime writing. 
‘‘(B) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The recipi-
ent of a grant under paragraph (1) may not use 
more than 5 percent of the grant amount to 
pay administrative costs associated with activi-
ties funded by the grant. 
‘‘(5) REPORTS.—Each eligible entity receiving a 
grant under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Sec-
retary, at the end of each year of the grant period, 
a report which shall include— 
‘‘(A) a description of the use of grant 
amounts by the entity during such year; 
‘‘(B) an assessment, utilizing the perform-
ance measures submitted by the entity in the 
application for the grant under paragraph 
(2)(D), of the effectiveness of activities carried 
out using such funds in increasing the number 
of realtime writers; and 
‘‘(C) a description of the best practices 
identified by the entity as a result of the grant
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for increasing the number of individuals who 
are trained, employed, and retained in employ-
ment as realtime writers.’’. 
SEC. 125. BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP GRANTS. 
Section 171 (29 U.S.C. 2916) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT.—In addition 
to the demonstration projects under subsection (b), 
(d), and (e), the Secretary may make up to 10 com-
petitive grants per year to eligible entities to expand 
local sector-focused training and workforce develop-
ment in high growth, high wage industry sectors in 
one or more regions of particular States. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this 
subsection an eligible entity is a business or business 
partnership, including associations of single or re-
lated industry employers and employee representa-
tives, consortia of such employers, employee rep-
resentatives, and workforce development community- 
based organizations, and higher education institu-
tions. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under 
this subsection may be used to—
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‘‘(A) provide workforce-directed business 
services to help employers in targeted industries 
better retain, support and advance their skilled 
workers; 
‘‘(B) provide capacity building through re-
gional skill alliances, workforce intermediaries, 
and other collaborative entities to link busi-
nesses to public workforce systems and service 
providers targeted for their industry; 
‘‘(C) conduct analyses of skills that are 
needed in the workforce in such industries cur-
rently and in the future to project new market 
opportunities in particular industries; 
‘‘(D) develop rigorous training and edu-
cation programs related to employment in high- 
growth, high-wage industries; 
‘‘(E) develop skill standards and industry- 
certified curricula used in preparing workers for 
employment in such industries; 
‘‘(F) train adults and dislocated workers in 
the skills and competencies needed to obtain or 
upgrade employment; 
‘‘(G) disseminate information on high- 
growth, high-wage occupations;
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HR 27 RFS 
‘‘(H) place trained individuals into employ-
ment in high-growth, high-wage industries; 
‘‘(I) increase integration between training 
providers, businesses, and the one-stop delivery 
system to meet the training needs of particular 
industries. 
‘‘(4) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall track and 
annually report to the chairmen and ranking minor-
ity members of the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pen-
sions of the Senate, on the industries receiving 
grants under this subsection, the performance re-
sults of each such grant, and the percentage and 
amount of grants awarded to eligible entities for 
programs serving each of the following populations: 
incumbent workers, dislocated workers, adults, and 
youth.’’. 
SEC. 126. NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 173 (29 U.S.C. 2916) is 
amended— 
(1) by amending the designation and heading to 
read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 173. NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKER GRANTS.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (a)—
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(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘national 
emergency 
grants’’ in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 
and inserting ‘‘national dislocated worker 
grants’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—Section 173 (29 U.S.C. 
2918) is further amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b) and redesignating 
subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (b) and (c), 
respectively; and 
(2) by striking subsection (e) and redesignating 
subsections (f) and (g) as subsection (d) and (e), re-
spectively. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Section 173(b)(1)(B) (29 
U.S.C. 2918(b)(1)(B)) (as redesignated by subsection 
(b)(1) of this section) is amended by striking ‘‘, and other 
entities’’ and all that follows and inserting a period. 
(d) 
PARTICIPANT
ELIGIBILITY
FOR
MILITARY 
SPOUSES.—Section 
173(b)(2)(A) 
(29 
U.S.C. 
2918(b)(2)(A)) (as redesignated by subsection (b)(1) of 
this section) is amended— 
(1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and insert-
ing a semicolon;
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HR 27 RFS 
(2) in clause (iv)(IV) by striking the period and 
inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(v) is the spouse of a member of the 
Armed Forces who is on active duty or 
full-time National Guard duty, or who was 
recently separated from such duties, and 
such spouse is in need of employment and 
training assistance to obtain or retain em-
ployment.’’. 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) is amended by amending the item 
related to section 173 to read as follows: 
‘‘Sec. 173. National dislocated worker grants.’’. 
SEC. 127. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NA-
TIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 174(a)(1) (29 U.S.C. 
2919(a)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘1999 through 2003’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2006 through 2011’’. 
(b) RESERVATIONS.—Section 174(b) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; DEMONSTRATION AND 
PILOT PROJECTS; EVALUATIONS; INCENTIVE GRANTS.— 
‘‘(1) DEMONSTRATION AND PILOT PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out section 171,
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$211,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and such 
sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2007 
through 2011. 
‘‘(B) 
RESERVATION
FOR
COMMUNITY- 
BASED JOB TRAINING.—Of the amount appro-
priated pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall reserve up to $125,000,000 for car-
rying out section 171(d). 
‘‘(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EVALUATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
section 170, section 172, and section 136 such sums 
as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2011.’’. 
SEC. 128. REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 181(c)(2)(A) (29 U.S.C. 
2931(c)(2)(A)) is amended in the matter preceding clause 
(i) by striking ‘‘shall’’ and inserting ‘‘may’’. 
(b) 
LIMITATIONS.—Section 
181(e) 
(29 
U.S.C. 
2931(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘training for’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘the entry into employment, retention in employment, 
or increases in earnings of’’. 
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Section 185(e)(2) (29 
U.S.C. 2935(e)(2)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the
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Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
the Senate,’’ after ‘‘Secretary,’’. 
SEC. 129. NONDISCRIMINATION. 
Section 188(a)(2) (29 U.S.C. 2931(a)(2)) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION
OF
DISCRIMINATION
RE-
GARDING PARTICIPATION, BENEFITS, AND EMPLOY-
MENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), no individual shall be ex-
cluded from participation in, denied the benefits 
of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied 
employment in the administration of or in con-
nection with, any such program or activity be-
cause of race, color, religion, sex (except as oth-
erwise permitted under title IX of the Edu-
cation Amendments of 1972), national origin, 
age, disability, or political affiliation or belief. 
‘‘(B) EXEMPTION FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANI-
ZATIONS.—Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to 
a recipient of financial assistance under this 
title that is a religious corporation, association, 
educational institution, or society, with respect 
to the employment of individuals of a particular 
religion to perform work connected with the