I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 52 
To rebuild the Nation’s crumbling infrastructure, transportation systems, 
technology and computer networks, and energy distribution systems, by 
strongly and urgently requesting the immediate recruitment, employment, 
and on-the-job ‘‘earn as you learn’’ training of African-American young 
men ages 18 to 39, who are the hardest hit in terms of unemployment, 
with an unemployment rate of 41 percent nationally, and in some States 
and cities, especially inner cities, higher than 50 percent, which is a 
national crisis. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2017 
Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, Ms. FUDGE, Mrs. 
LOVE, Ms. ADAMS, and Mr. CLEAVER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To rebuild the Nation’s crumbling infrastructure, transpor-
tation systems, technology and computer networks, and 
energy distribution systems, by strongly and urgently 
requesting the immediate recruitment, employment, and 
on-the-job ‘‘earn as you learn’’ training of African-Amer-
ican young men ages 18 to 39, who are the hardest 
hit in terms of unemployment, with an unemployment 
rate of 41 percent nationally, and in some States and 
cities, especially inner cities, higher than 50 percent, 
which is a national crisis. 
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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 ‘‘Jobs, On-the-Job 
‘Earn While You Learn’ Training, and Apprenticeships 
for African-American Young Men Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) African-American young men ages 18 to 39 
are the hardest hit in unemployment, with an unem-
ployment rate of 41 percent nationally, and in some 
States and cities, especially inner cities, higher than 
50 percent; 
(2) this extraordinarily high unemployment rate 
has a terrible rippling impact on the breakdown of 
the family structure, as men in this age group are 
in the primary child-producing ages; and 
(3) an unemployment rate of 40 to 50 percent 
among African-American young men, many of who 
are fathers who, without jobs, and are unable to pro-
vide for their families, is not only a national crisis 
but a national tragedy. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to secure 
jobs, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships for African- 
American young men ages 18 to 39 with the labor unions, 
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general contractors, and businesses who will rebuild the 
Nation’s crumbling infrastructure in cities and commu-
nities throughout the Nation. 
SEC. 3. URGING EMPLOYMENT, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, AND 
APPRENTICESHIPS FOR UNEMPLOYED AFRI-
CAN-AMERICAN YOUNG MEN IN REBUILDING 
THE 
NATION’S 
CRUMBLING 
INFRASTRUC-
TURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor shall 
strongly and urgently request those labor unions, general 
contractors, and businesses, who will rebuild the Nation’s 
crumbling infrastructure, transportation systems, tech-
nology and computer networks, and energy distribution 
systems, to actively recruit, hire, and provide on-the-job 
training to African-American young men ages 18 to 39 
through their existing jobs, apprenticeships, and ‘‘earn 
while you learn’’ programs. The Secretary shall provide 
assistance to such labor unions, general contractors, and 
businesses through every means available to help coordi-
nate the recruitment of such individuals for such jobs, on- 
the-job training, and apprenticeships. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The jobs, on-the-job training, 
and apprenticeships made available by labor unions, gen-
eral contractors, and businesses described in subsection 
(a) shall be conducted in conjunction with the Secretary 
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of Labor and the labor unions and other associations 
which have been identified as those primarily involved in 
the infrastructure rebuilding described in such subsection, 
including the International Brotherhood of Electrical 
Workers (IBEW), the United Association of Journeymen 
and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Indus-
try of the United States and Canada, the International 
Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Rein-
forcing Iron Workers Union, the International Brother-
hood of Teamsters, the National Electrical Contractors 
Association, the International Association of Sheet Metal, 
Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), the La-
borers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), 
the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), 
and the United Steelworkers (USW). Such coordination 
shall also be done in conjunction with the National Joint 
Apprenticeship and Training Committee, which allows ap-
prentices to earn while they learn. 
(c) RECRUITMENT.—The labor unions, general con-
tractors, and businesses described in subsections (a) and 
(b) shall recruit African-American young men for the jobs, 
on-the-job training, and apprenticeships described in sub-
section (a) by reaching out and seeking assistance from 
within the African-American community, churches, the 
National Urban League, the NAACP, 100 Black Men of 
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America, high school and college job placement offices, 
media outlets, and other African-American organizations 
that can offer valuable assistance to the Secretary of 
Labor, the labor unions, general contractors, and busi-
nesses with identifying, locating, and contacting unem-
ployed African-American young men who want jobs, on- 
the-job training, and apprenticeships. These African- 
American organizations have a long and rich history of 
working to improve the lives of African-Americans, and 
can be very helpful in successfully reaching, contacting, 
and recruiting unemployed African-American young men. 
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that this Act— 
(1) while rebuilding the crumbling infrastruc-
ture of this great Nation, will simultaneously help 
create good paying jobs and job training that will 
provide African-American young men ages 18 to 39 
with the technical skills, computer capabilities, and 
other skills necessary in this high technology-driven 
job market, thus providing African-American young 
men with highly developed skills that will make them 
very competitive and attractive to many employers; 
and 
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(2) greatly exemplifies and strengthens the high 
nobility of purpose that is the founding grace of this 
great Nation. 
Æ 
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