I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1901 
To create and encourage the creation of jobs for youth, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2011 
Mr. RUSH (for himself, Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. NOR-
TON, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. HASTINGS of 
Florida, and Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 
and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Natural Re-
sources, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To create and encourage the creation of jobs for youth, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be referred to as 
‘‘Saving America’s Youth: the Youth Employment Act of 
2011’’ or ‘‘SAY YEA’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—PROGRAMS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH AND 
OTHER WORKERS 
Sec. 101. Definition of disconnected youth. 
Sec. 102. New programs for employment of disconnected youth and other work-
ers. 
Sec. 103. National public service employment program. 
Sec. 104. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE II—TAX INCENTIVES FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH 
AND OTHER WORKERS 
Sec. 201. Extension of work opportunity tax credit. 
Sec. 202. Expansion of eligibility for work opportunity tax credit. 
Sec. 203. Extension of empowerment zone designations. 
Sec. 204. Disconnected youth employment credit. 
TITLE III—PREFERENCE FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN FEDERAL 
JOBS AND IN THE PERFORMANCE OF FEDERAL CONTRACTS 
Sec. 301. Preference for hiring youth park and forestry workers. 
Sec. 302. Preference for Federal contracts with employers offering youth ap-
prenticeships. 
TITLE I—PROGRAMS FOR THE 
EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH AND 
OTHER WORKERS 
SEC. 101. DEFINITION OF DISCONNECTED YOUTH. 
Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act 
of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2911 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
before section 166 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 165. DEFINITION OF DISCONNECTED YOUTH. 
‘‘For purposes of this subtitle, the term ‘disconnected 
youth’ has the meaning given such term by section 
51(d)(14)(B)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
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except that subclause (I) of such section shall be applied 
by substituting ‘22’ for ‘25’.’’. 
SEC. 102. NEW PROGRAMS FOR EMPLOYMENT OF DISCON-
NECTED YOUTH AND OTHER WORKERS. 
Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act 
of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2911 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 173A the following new sections: 
‘‘SEC. 173B. SUMMER JOBS FOR DISCONNECTED YOUTH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allot to 
States the amount appropriated under section 174(d) for 
the implementation of programs to create summer employ-
ment opportunities for disconnected youth. 
‘‘(b) ALLOTMENT.—An allotment under this section 
shall be made on the basis of the relative number of indi-
viduals who satisfy the certification criteria for discon-
nected youth in each State, compared to the total number 
of such individuals in all States. 
‘‘SEC. 173C. STATE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
program to award grants to States to carry out an employ-
ment program to which the following requirements apply: 
‘‘(1) PAYMENTS
TO
EMPLOYERS.—The State 
shall make payments to eligible employers for the 
partial reimbursement of wages paid by such em-
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ployers to each employee hired or rehired under 
paragraph (2)(A). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY
FOR
PAYMENTS.—An em-
ployer shall be eligible for payments under the em-
ployment program if— 
‘‘(A) the employer hires a new employee, 
or rehires a former employee, after the date of 
enactment of this section; and 
‘‘(B) the employer is a small business con-
cern (as defined in section 3(a)(1) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)(1))) or a me-
dium-sized business concern. 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY
FOR
PAYMENTS.—The State 
shall give priority for payments under paragraph (1) 
to an eligible employer if the employee hired or re-
hired under paragraph (2)(A) is a disconnected 
youth. 
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM GRANT.—A grant awarded to a State 
under subsection (a) shall not exceed $100,000,000. 
‘‘SEC. 173D. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR DISCONNECTED 
YOUTH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in accord-
ance with subsection (c), make allotments and grants to 
States to carry out eligible on-the-job training programs 
for disconnected youth. 
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‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, an eligible on-the-job training program is an 
on-the-job training program under which an em-
ployer is eligible to receive, for each disconnected 
youth who is employed and is provided on-the-job 
training by the employer on or after the date of en-
actment of this section, a payment of— 
‘‘(A) 25 percent of the total amount in 
paragraph (2), after the disconnected youth has 
been continuously employed by the employer for 
a period of 30 days; and 
‘‘(B) 75 percent of the total amount in 
paragraph (2), after the disconnected youth has 
been continuously employed by the employer for 
a period of 6 months. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The total amount an em-
ployer receives for each disconnected youth under a 
program for on-the-job training shall not exceed 
$4,000. 
‘‘(3) COVERED EMPLOYERS.—Under an eligible 
on-the-job training program, an employer that re-
ceives a payment under paragraph (1) may in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) a faith-based organization; 
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‘‘(B) a public sector organization; or 
‘‘(C) a private employer. 
‘‘(c) ALLOTMENTS AND GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS FOR 
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.— 
‘‘(1) ALLOTMENT AMONG STATES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In making allotments 
and grants to States under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall apply rules similar to the rules 
of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 
127(b)(1), except that— 
‘‘(i) references in such subparagraphs 
(B) and (C) to youth activities and state-
wide enforcement activities shall be treated 
as references to eligible programs for on- 
the-job training; and 
‘‘(ii) references in such subparagraph 
(C) to disadvantaged youth shall be treated 
as references to individuals who satisfy the 
certification 
criteria 
for 
disconnected 
youth. 
‘‘(B) 
REALLOTMENT
OF
UNUSED 
AMOUNTS.—Allotments and grants made to 
States under subsection (a) may be reallotted. 
For purposes of the preceding sentence, rules 
similar to the rules of subsection (c) of section 
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127 shall apply, except that references in para-
graph (1) of such subsection— 
‘‘(i) to such section, shall be treated 
as references to subsection (a) of this sec-
tion; and 
‘‘(ii) to youth activities and statewide 
enforcement activities, shall be treated as 
references to eligible programs for on-the- 
job training. 
‘‘(2) WITHIN STATE ALLOCATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Allotments and grants 
made to States under subsection (a) shall be al-
located by the States to local areas to carry out 
programs for on-the-job training. For purposes 
of the preceding sentence, rules similar to the 
rules of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 
128(b) shall apply, except that references in 
such paragraphs to disadvantaged youth shall 
be considered to be references to individuals 
who satisfy the certification criteria for discon-
nected youth. 
‘‘(B) 
REALLOCATION
OF
UNUSED 
AMOUNTS.—States may reallocate allotments 
and grants allocated under subparagraph (A). 
For purposes of the preceding sentence, rules 
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similar to the rules of section 128(c) shall 
apply, except that— 
‘‘(i) references to paragraphs (2)(A) 
or (3) of section 128(b) shall be treated as 
references to subparagraph (A) of this 
paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) references to youth activities 
shall be treated as references to eligible 
programs for on-the-job training.’’. 
SEC. 103. NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PRO-
GRAM. 
Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Investment Act 
of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2911 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 173D (as added by section 102 of this Act) 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 173E. NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish a 
public service employment program to employ individuals 
to carry out works of a public nature in connection with— 
‘‘(1) parks; 
‘‘(2) roads; and 
‘‘(3) education, including— 
‘‘(A) schools; and 
‘‘(B) after-school programs. 
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‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—Priority for jobs under this section 
shall be given to— 
‘‘(1) disconnected youth; 
‘‘(2) low-income individuals; and 
‘‘(3) the long-term unemployed. 
‘‘(c) OPERATION.—To operate the program estab-
lished under subsection (a), the President may utilize ex-
isting Federal departments and agencies, including the 
Department of Labor, the Department of Defense, the 
National Guard Bureau, the Department of Interior, the 
Department of Agriculture, the Army Corps of Engineers, 
the Department of Transportation, the Department of En-
ergy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Federal 
governmental corporations.’’. 
SEC. 104. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 174 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 
(29 U.S.C. 2919) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsections: 
‘‘(d) SUMMER JOBS FOR DISCONNECTED YOUTH.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, 
in addition to any other amount authorized to be appro-
priated by this Act, $2,000,000,000 to carry out section 
173B. 
‘‘(e) STATE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS.—There is au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, in addition 
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to any other amount authorized to be appropriated by this 
Act, $1,000,000,000 to carry out section 173C. 
‘‘(f) ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
FOR DISCONNECTED 
YOUTH.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary, in addition to any other amount authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act, $500,000,000 to carry out 
section 173D. 
‘‘(g) NATIONAL
PUBLIC
SERVICE
EMPLOYMENT 
PROGRAM.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
President $3,000,000,000 to carry out section 173E.’’. 
TITLE II—TAX INCENTIVES FOR 
THE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH 
AND OTHER WORKERS 
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT. 
Subparagraph (B) of section 51(c)(4) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘December 
31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2016’’. 
SEC. 202. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR WORK OPPOR-
TUNITY TAX CREDIT. 
(a) DISCONNECTED YOUTH AND VETERANS HIRED 
AFTER 2010.—Paragraph (14) of section 51(d) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended— 
(1) in the header by striking ‘‘HIRED IN 2009 OR 
2010’’; and 
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(2) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘during 
2009 or 2010’’ and inserting ‘‘after December 31, 
2008’’. 
(b) QUALIFIED TITLE I–B YOUTH SERVICES RECIPI-
ENTS.— 
(1) MEMBER
OF
TARGETED
GROUP.—Para-
graph (1) of section 51(d) of such Code is amended 
by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph (H), by 
striking the period and adding ‘‘, or’’ at the end of 
subparagraph (I), and by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(J) a qualified Title I–B youth services 
recipient.’’. 
(2) QUALIFIED TITLE I–B YOUTH SERVICES RE-
CIPIENT DEFINED.—Subsection (d) of section 51 of 
such Code is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(15) QUALIFIED TITLE I–B YOUTH SERVICES 
RECIPIENT.—The term ‘qualified Title I–B youth 
services recipient’ means any individual who is a 
participant (as defined in section 101(34) of the 
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
2801(34))) who is receiving services under chapter 4 
of subtitle B of title I of such Act.’’. 
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(c) QUALIFIED EX-OFFENDERS.—Subsection (d) of 
section 51 of such Code is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) by 
striking ‘‘qualified ex-felon’’ and inserting ‘‘qualified 
ex-offender’’; and 
(2) by amending paragraph (4) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(4) QUALIFIED
EX-OFFENDER.—The term 
‘qualified ex-offender’ means any individual who is 
certified by the designated local agency as having 
been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor under 
any statute of the United States or any State, and— 
‘‘(A) as having a hiring date which is not 
more than 3 years after the last date on which 
such individual was so convicted or was released 
from prison, 
‘‘(B) as being on parole or on probation 
for such conviction, or 
‘‘(C) as receiving transitional services for 
reintegration into the community after being re-
leased from prison.’’. 
(d) INCREASE IN ALLOWABLE WAGE BASES.—Sec-
tion 51 of such Code is amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (3) of subsection (b) by strik-
ing ‘‘$6,000 per year ($12,000 per year’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘$12,000 per year ($24,000 per year’’; 
(2) in clause (ii) of subsection (d)(7)(B) by 
striking ‘‘substituting ‘$3,000’ for ‘$6,000’ ’’ and in-
serting ‘‘substituting ‘$6,000’ for ‘$12,000’ ’’; 
(3) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) 
by striking ‘‘$10,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$20,000’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) 
by 
striking 
‘‘substituting 
‘$10,000’ 
for 
‘$6,000’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘substituting ‘$20,000’ 
for ‘$12,000’ ’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) 
by striking ‘‘substituting ‘$833.33’ for ‘$500’ ’’ 
and inserting ‘‘substituting ‘1,666.66’ for 
‘$1,000’ ’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (1) of subsection (h)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking 
‘‘$6,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘$500’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,000’’. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to individuals who 
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begin work for an employer after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 203. EXTENSION OF EMPOWERMENT ZONE DESIGNA-
TIONS. 
(a) EXTENSION OF EMPOWERMENT ZONE DESIGNA-
TIONS.—Subparagraph (A) of section 1391(d)(1) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(A) in the case of an enterprise commu-
nity, the close of the 10th calendar year begin-
ning on or after such date of designation,’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the 
amendments made by section 753 of the Tax Relief, Un-
employment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation 
Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–312). 
SEC. 204. DISCONNECTED YOUTH EMPLOYMENT CREDIT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart D of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
‘‘SEC. 45S. DISCONNECTED YOUTH EMPLOYMENT CREDIT. 
‘‘(a) AMOUNT OF CREDIT.—For purposes of section 
38, the amount of the disconnected youth employment 
credit determined under this section with respect to any 
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