I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3141 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to authorize the 
Reentry Employment Opportunities Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 12, 2021 
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
to authorize the Reentry Employment Opportunities Pro-
gram, 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 ‘‘REO Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES PRO-
GRAM. 
Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating section 172 (29 U.S.C. 
3227) as section 173; and 
(2) by inserting after section 171 (29 U.S.C. 
3226) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 172. REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION.—The term 
‘correctional institution’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 225(e). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
ADULT.—The term ‘eligible 
adult’ means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) on the date of the individual’s enroll-
ment— 
‘‘(i) is not younger than age 25; and 
‘‘(ii) is residing in or returning to the 
geographic area served; and 
‘‘(B)(i) before that date of enrollment— 
‘‘(I) was released from incarceration 
in a correctional institution (including 
being enrolled in a work release center at 
the institution); or 
‘‘(II) served an alternative sentence, 
or a sentence to a diversion program, or-
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dered through the adult criminal justice 
system; or 
‘‘(ii) on that date, is subject to the adult 
criminal justice system, including an individual 
who— 
‘‘(I) is incarcerated in a correctional 
institution (including being enrolled in a 
work release center at the institution), but 
is scheduled to be released within 6 
months; 
‘‘(II) is residing in a residential re-
entry center; 
‘‘(III) is subject to electronic or home- 
based monitoring; 
‘‘(IV) is in the community on proba-
tion or parole; or 
‘‘(V) is serving an alternative sen-
tence, or a sentence to a diversion pro-
gram, ordered through that system. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE YOUNG ADULT.—The term ‘eli-
gible young adult’ means an individual who, on the 
date of the individual’s enrollment— 
‘‘(A) is not younger than age 18 and not 
older than age 24; 
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‘‘(B) is residing in or returning to the geo-
graphic area served; and 
‘‘(C)(i) is a school dropout (within the 
meaning of section 129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)) from a 
high school, except that not more than 10 per-
cent of the individuals accepted to participate in 
a program under subsection (b) may be found 
eligible under this subparagraph solely on the 
basis of meeting the requirements of this 
clause; or 
‘‘(ii) is an individual who is, or has been, 
subject to the juvenile or adult criminal justice 
system, including an individual who— 
‘‘(I) is or has been incarcerated in a 
correctional institution (including being en-
rolled in a work release center at the insti-
tution or in a detention facility for juve-
niles); 
‘‘(II) is or has been subject to that 
system due to having an out-of-home place-
ment, or being on probation or parole; or 
‘‘(III) is serving or has served an al-
ternative sentence, or a sentence to a di-
version program, ordered through that sys-
tem. 
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‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE
YOUTH.—The term ‘eligible 
youth’ means an individual who, on the date of the 
individual’s enrollment— 
‘‘(A) is not younger than age 16 and not 
older than age 17; 
‘‘(B) is residing in or returning to the geo-
graphic area served; and 
‘‘(C)(i) is a school dropout (within the 
meaning of section 129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)) from a 
high school, except that not more than 10 per-
cent of the individuals accepted to participate in 
a program under subsection (c) may be found 
eligible under this subparagraph solely on the 
basis of meeting the requirements of this 
clause; or 
‘‘(ii) is an individual who is, or has been, 
subject to the juvenile justice system, including 
an individual who— 
‘‘(I) is or has been incarcerated in a 
correctional institution (including being en-
rolled in a work release center at the insti-
tution or in a detention facility for juve-
niles); 
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‘‘(II) is or has been subject to that 
system due to having an out-of-home place-
ment, or being on probation or parole; or 
‘‘(III) is serving or has served an al-
ternative sentence, or a sentence to a di-
version program, ordered through that sys-
tem. 
‘‘(5) ENROLL.—The term ‘enroll’ means receive 
confirmation that an individual, having applied to 
participate in a program under this section, has 
been accepted to the program. 
‘‘(6) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP.—The term 
‘registered apprenticeship’ means an apprenticeship 
registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (com-
monly known as the ‘National Apprenticeship Act’; 
50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.). 
‘‘(b) ADULT REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNI-
TIES PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish and carry out an adult Reentry Employment 
Opportunities Program. 
‘‘(2) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) DIRECT
GRANTS.—In carrying out 
the program, the Secretary may make direct 
grants to eligible entities to carry out projects 
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described in paragraph (5), in geographic areas, 
for eligible adults and eligible young adults. 
‘‘(B) 
GRANTS
THROUGH
INTER-
MEDIARIES.—In any year for which the Sec-
retary makes grants under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary shall make intermediary grants 
on a competitive basis to eligible entities who 
are national or regional intermediaries, who 
shall use the grant funds to make direct grants 
to eligible entities or to carry out projects de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) in accordance with 
the provisions of this subsection. For purposes 
of this subsection, a reference to the Secretary 
shall include a reference to an intermediary who 
receives funds under this subparagraph to the 
extent that the intermediary uses the funds to 
make direct grants to eligible entities. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a direct or intermediary grant under this sub-
section, an entity— 
‘‘(A) shall be an organization described in 
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 that is exempt from taxation under sec-
tion 501(a) of such Code; 
‘‘(B) may be— 
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‘‘(i) 
an 
organization 
that 
serves 
women or a minority population; 
‘‘(ii) a State or local government; or 
‘‘(iii) an entity (including an Indian 
tribe or an Alaska Native-controlled or Na-
tive Hawaiian-controlled organization) that 
is eligible for a grant under section 166 
(including the regulations issued under 
that section); and 
‘‘(C) may be an organization that serves— 
‘‘(i) an urban county, meaning a 
county that is a Metropolitan Area, as des-
ignated by the Office of Management and 
Budget; or 
‘‘(ii) a rural county, meaning a county 
that is a Micropolitan Area, or neither a 
Metropolitan Area nor a Micropolitan 
Area, as so designated. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a 
direct grant or an intermediary grant under this 
subsection, an entity shall submit an application to 
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may 
require, including, for a program that includes an 
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industry-recognized credential, a description of the 
program leading to the credential. 
‘‘(5) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity that receives, 
under this subsection, a direct grant to carry out a 
project described in paragraph (2) shall use the 
grant funds to carry out a project that provides op-
portunities in a pre-apprenticeship program, a reg-
istered apprenticeship program, an industry-recog-
nized apprenticeship program, occupational skills 
education, on-the-job training, work experience, job 
referrals, basic skills remediation, educational serv-
ices, behavioral health services, or work readiness ac-
tivities, to eligible adults or eligible young adults. 
‘‘(6) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this subsection for 
fiscal year 2022 and each subsequent fiscal year. 
‘‘(c) YOUTH REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNI-
TIES PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish and carry out a youth Reentry Employment 
Opportunities Program. 
‘‘(2) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) DIRECT
GRANTS.—In carrying out 
the program, the Secretary may make direct 
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grants to eligible entities to carry out projects 
described in subsection (b)(5), in geographic 
areas, for eligible youth. 
‘‘(B) 
GRANTS
THROUGH
INTER-
MEDIARIES.—In any year for which the Sec-
retary makes grants under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary shall make intermediary grants as 
described in subsection (b)(2)(B), except that 
references in that subsection to eligible entities 
shall be treated as references to entities de-
scribed in paragraph (3). 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a direct or intermediary grant under this sub-
section, an entity may be an organization described 
in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 that is exempt from taxation under section 
501(a) of such Code or a State juvenile justice agen-
cy. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a 
direct grant or an intermediary grant under this 
subsection, an entity shall submit an application as 
described in subsection (b)(4). 
‘‘(5) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity that receives, 
under this subsection, a direct grant to carry out a 
project described in paragraph (2) shall use the 
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grant funds as described in subsection (b)(5), for eli-
gible youth. 
‘‘(6) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this subsection for 
fiscal year 2022 and each subsequent fiscal year. 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
reserve and use not more than— 
‘‘(1) 2 percent of the funds appropriated under 
subsection (b)(7) for a fiscal year to provide tech-
nical assistance to recipients of grants under sub-
section (b); and 
‘‘(2) 2 percent of the funds appropriated under 
subsection (c)(7) for a fiscal year to provide tech-
nical assistance to recipients of grants under sub-
section (c).’’. 
SEC. 3. EVALUATION OF THE REENTRY PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Chief Evaluation Officer 
shall evaluate the effectiveness of direct grants and inter-
mediary grants used by the Department of Labor to sup-
port offender reentry and recidivism reduction through re-
entry projects at the Federal, State, local, and tribal lev-
els. The Chief Evaluation Officer shall evaluate each of 
the following: 
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(1) The effectiveness of such projects in rela-
tion to their cost, including the extent to which the 
projects improve reentry outcomes, including em-
ployment, education, housing, and reductions in re-
cidivism, of participants in comparison to com-
parably situated individuals who did not participate 
in such projects. 
(2) The effectiveness of project structures and 
mechanisms for delivery of services. 
(3) The impact of such projects on the commu-
nities and participants involved. 
(4) The impact of such projects on related pro-
grams and activities. 
(5) The extent to which such projects meet the 
needs of various demographic groups. 
(6) The quality and effectiveness of technical 
assistance provided by the Department of Labor to 
grantees for implementing such projects. 
(7) Such other factors as may be appropriate. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR EVALUATION.— 
Not more than 2.5 percent of any amounts appropriated 
for a fiscal year to carry out the reentry projects shall 
be reserved and made available to the Chief Evaluation 
Officer for such evaluation, including evaluating the proc-
esses, implementation, outcomes, costs, and effectiveness 
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of the reentry projects in improving reentry and reducing 
recidivism. Such reserved funding may be used to provide 
support to recipients of direct grants and intermediary 
grants for reentry projects for supplemental data collec-
tion, analysis, and coordination associated with evaluation 
activities. 
(c) TECHNIQUES.—Evaluations conducted under this 
section shall use appropriate methodology and research 
designs. Impact evaluations conducted under this section 
shall include the use of intervention and control groups 
chosen by random assignment methods, to the extent pos-
sible. 
(d) METRICS AND OUTCOMES FOR EVALUATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chief 
Evaluation Officer shall consult with relevant stake-
holders and identify outcome measures, including 
measures for employment, housing, education, and 
public safety, that are to be achieved by reentry 
projects and the metrics by which the achievement 
of such outcomes shall be determined. 
(2) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date on which the Chief Evaluation Officer 
identifies metrics and outcomes under paragraph 
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