I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1534 
To establish a program that provides dislocated workers with a subsidy 
or coupon that may be applied towards obtaining broadband Internet 
access service, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 15, 2017 
Mrs. DINGELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a program that provides dislocated workers with 
a subsidy or coupon that may be applied towards obtain-
ing broadband Internet access service, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘21st Century Worker 
Opportunity Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. BROADBAND SERVICE FOR DISPLACED WORKERS 
PROGRAM. 
(a) CREATION OF PROGRAM.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the As-
sistant Secretary shall implement and administer a pro-
gram that provides displaced workers with a subsidy or 
coupon for a lump sum payment of $500 that may only 
be applied towards— 
(1) obtaining broadband Internet access service; 
or 
(2) remote job training in a profession not like-
ly to be automated in the next 20 years. 
(b) PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
subsidy or coupon under the program, a displaced 
worker who has been laid off or terminated shall 
submit to the Assistant Secretary a certification 
from an employer that the worker was employed in 
the manufacturing sector and was laid off or termi-
nated due to the automation of the position of the 
worker. 
(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) ONE
PER
HOUSEHOLD.—Not more 
than one request per household to receive a 
subsidy or coupon may be made under the pro-
gram. 
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(B) NO
COMBINATION
OF
SUBSIDY
OR 
COUPON.—A subsidy or coupon distributed 
under the program may not be combined with 
any other subsidy or coupon distributed under 
the program. 
(c) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than June 30 
and December 31 of each year, the Inspector General of 
the Department of Commerce and the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall submit to the committees on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives and Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report for the 
previous 6 months that reviews the program established 
under subsection (a). Such report shall include any rec-
ommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse. 
(d) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary 
shall promulgate regulations to implement this section, in-
cluding methods to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within 
the program. 
(e) CONSUMER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Assistant Secretary shall launch a consumer aware-
ness campaign about the program established under this 
Act. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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