I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2755 
To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2015 
Mr. CA´RDENAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To provide relocation subsidies for the long-term unemployed, 
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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Worker Mo-
bility Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. RELOCATION SUBSIDIES FOR THE LONG-TERM UN-
EMPLOYED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor may 
grant a relocation subsidy to an eligible individual who 
meets the requirements of this section. 
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(b) MEANING OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—For pur-
poses of this section, an eligible individual is an individual 
who, as of the date of the application for a relocation sub-
sidy under this section— 
(1) is totally unemployed and has been totally 
unemployed for at least 26 consecutive weeks; 
(2) has exhausted all rights to regular com-
pensation under the law of a State or under Federal 
law with respect to a benefit year (excluding any 
benefit year ending before July 1, 2008); 
(3) has not received a relocation subsidy under 
this section in the 2-year period preceding such date 
of application; and 
(4) is able to work, available to work, and ac-
tively seeking work. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT.—The Secretary of 
Labor may not grant a relocation subsidy to an eligible 
individual under this section unless the Secretary deter-
mines that— 
(1) the relocation subsidy will assist such indi-
vidual in relocating within the United States, at 
least 60 miles from the individual’s current resi-
dence, for the purpose of attaining employment; 
(2) such individual filed an application with the 
Secretary not later than January 1, 2020; and 
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(3) such individual— 
(A) has obtained a bona fide offer of suit-
able employment affording a reasonable expec-
tation of long-term duration in the area in 
which the individual wishes to relocate; or 
(B) wishes to relocate to an area that has 
an unemployment rate that is at least 2 per-
centage points less than the unemployment rate 
of the area of the individual’s initial residence. 
(d) AMOUNT
OF SUBSIDY.—A relocation subsidy 
granted to an eligible individual under this section shall 
be equal to the lesser of $10,000 or the amount that any 
contribution by a potential employer of the individual to 
the individual’s relocation expenses is exceeded by the sum 
of— 
(1) 90 percent of the reasonable and necessary 
expenses incurred in transporting the worker, the 
worker’s family, and household effects, plus 
(2) a lump sum equivalent to 3 times the indi-
vidual’s weekly benefit amount for the most recent 
benefit year (as such terms are defined in the State 
law), up to a maximum payment of $1,250. 
(e) REGULATIONS.—Prior to granting any relocation 
subsidies under subsection (a), the Secretary of Labor 
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shall issue regulations designed to prevent fraud or abuse 
relating to the program established under this Act. 
(f) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.—No addi-
tional appropriations are authorized for any fiscal year to 
carry out this Act. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘regular compensation’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 205(2) of the 
Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensa-
tion Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as in effect 
prior to January 1, 2014; and 
(2) the term ‘‘suitable work’’— 
(A) means suitable work as defined in the 
applicable State law for claimants for regular 
compensation; and 
(B) does not include self-employment or 
employment as an independent contractor. 
(h) REPORTS.—Not later than March 15 of each of 
calendar years 2016 and 2018, the Secretary of Labor 
shall submit a report to Congress that identifies, by geo-
graphic region— 
(1) the total number of relocation subsidies 
granted to individuals under this section during the 
calendar year preceding each such calendar year; 
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(2) the total number of relocation subsidies 
granted to individuals pursuant to subsection 
(c)(3)(A) during such calendar year; 
(3) the total number of relocation subsidies 
granted to individuals pursuant to subsection 
(c)(3)(B) during such calendar year, and the num-
ber of such individuals who obtained employment 
within 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, respec-
tively, after the individual’s relocation; 
(4) the average amount of a relocation subsidy 
granted during such calendar year; 
(5) the average distance traveled for relocation 
by each individual receiving a relocation subsidy dur-
ing such calendar year; and 
(6) the number of individuals who received a re-
location subsidy under this section during such cal-
endar year and subsequently applied for unemploy-
ment benefits. 
Æ 
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