I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3246 
To award funds to States and local areas for subsidized employment programs 
for youth. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 14, 2021 
Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois (for himself, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mr. POCAN, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. BUSH, Ms. 
TLAIB, Ms. NORTON, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CARSON, Mr. TRONE, and Mr. 
KAHELE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Ag-
riculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To award funds to States and local areas for subsidized 
employment programs for youth. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Connecting Youth to 
Jobs Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are to— 
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(1) offer employment to all young people who 
seek it, especially those who have been historically 
disadvantaged; 
(2) create subsidized employment opportunities 
for young people to address National, State, and 
local priorities, such as infrastructure enhancement, 
manufacturing, public works, community develop-
ment, and the arts; and 
(3) support young people with services, includ-
ing housing, healthcare, transportation, child care, 
and access to technology. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) 
QUALIFYING
EMERGENCY.—The 
term 
‘‘qualifying emergency’’ means— 
(A) a public health emergency declared by 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d); 
(B) an event for which the President de-
clared a major disaster or an emergency under 
section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As-
sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5191); or 
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(C) a national emergency declared by the 
President under section 201 of the National 
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). 
(2) ELIGIBLE
YOUTH.—The term ‘‘eligible 
youth’’ means an individual who is not younger than 
age 14 and not older than age 24, without regard 
to immigration status or past or current involvement 
with the juvenile or criminal justice system. 
(3) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘local edu-
cational agency’’ and ‘‘State educational agency’’ 
have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(4) HIGH-POVERTY
AREA.—The term ‘‘high- 
poverty area’’ means a census tract with a youth 
poverty rate of at least 20 percent during the most 
recent 5 consecutive years. 
(5) HISTORICALLY
HIGH
YOUTH
UNEMPLOY-
MENT LEVELS.—The term ‘‘historically high youth 
unemployment levels’’ means any local area with a 
youth unemployment rate of at least 10 percent, as 
measured over the most recent decennial censuses, 
or by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the most 
recent 5-year period for which data are available. 
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(6) 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). 
(7) PUBLIC
EDUCATION
ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘public education entities’’ includes— 
(A) a local educational agency; 
(B) a State educational agency; or 
(C) a public institution of higher edu-
cation. 
(8) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.— 
The term ‘‘registered apprenticeship programs’’ 
means an apprenticeship program registered under 
the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as 
the ‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 664, 
chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), including any re-
quirement, standard, or rule promulgated under 
such Act, as such requirement, standard, or rule was 
in effect on December 30, 2019 (or successor re-
quirements, standards or rule). 
(9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
(10) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.—The term ‘‘sup-
portive services’’ means services such as transpor-
tation, child care, dependent care, housing, and 
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