To establish a competitive grant program for youth summer job placement.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Youth Summer Jobs Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR SUMMER JOBS FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, shall award competitive grants to 
eligible entities for the purpose of providing job placement during the 
summer for out-of-school youths.
    (b) Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity shall--
            (1) be a unit of general local government; and
            (2) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
        such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
        may require.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Amounts received as a grant under this 
        section shall be used for providing summer employment for out-
        of-school youths that includes employment and job readiness 
        activities, as determined by the Secretary, including work 
        experiences and job placement.
            (2) Use of existing programs.--An eligible entity that 
        operates an existing youth summer jobs program may use a grant 
        received under this section to expand such program, in lieu of 
        establishing a new program to provide job placement for youths, 
        by providing under such program job training and support 
        services, including health and nutrition referral, housing 
        referral, financial literacy, and instruction on basic daily 
        living skills.
    (d) Preference.--
            (1) In general.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give preference to an eligible entity in a 
        community where, for the period between 2002 and 2007, at least 
        one of the following rates was higher than the national 
        average:
                    (A) High school dropout rate.
                    (B) Poverty rate.
                    (C) Juvenile offender rate.
                    (D) Unemployment rate.
                    (E) Industry-depletion rate.
            (2) Additional preference.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary shall give additional preference to an 
        eligible entity that operates in a community where, for the 
        period between 2002 and 2007, each rate listed under paragraph 
        (1) was higher than the national average of each such rate.
    (e) Grant Terms.--
            (1) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be 
        for a term of not less than 5 years.
            (2) Grant amount.--The Secretary shall determine the amount 
        of funds in a grant under this section.
            (3) Limitation on number of grants.--A grant recipient 
        under this section shall not have more than 1 grant under this 
        section at anytime. Once a grant term ends, the recipient of 
        such grant may re-apply for a grant under this section.
            (4) Return of unobligated grant funds.--Not later than 30 
        days after the date on which a grant term ends, the eligible 
        entity who received such grant shall return any unspent grant 
        funds to the Secretary.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Eligible entity.--Not later than September 30 of each 
        fiscal year for which an eligible entity receives a grant under 
        this section, such entity shall submit to the Secretary a 
        report describing the grant-funded program conducted by such 
        entity. The report shall include an assessment of how such 
        program improved the employability skills of out-of-school 
        youths.
            (2) Secretary.--Not later than August 1 of each fiscal year 
        for which a grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary 
        shall submit a report to Congress on the effectiveness of each 
        grant-funded program. Such report shall include an assessment 
        of the effectiveness of such program to improve General 
        Education Development attainment and job placement of out-of-
        school youths participating in such program.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible youth.--The term ``eligible youth'' means an 
        individual who has attained age 14 but not age 22.
            (2) Out-of-school youth.--The term ``out-of-school youth'' 
        means--
                    (A) an eligible youth who is enrolled in a public 
                or private secondary school; or
                    (B) an eligible youth who has received a secondary 
                school diploma or its equivalent but is basic-skills 
                deficient, unemployed, or underemployed.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (4) Unit of general local government.--The term ``unit of 
        general local government'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 
        2801).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--For grants under this 
section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary the 
following amounts:
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
            (2) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
            (3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.
            (4) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.
            (5) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.
            (6) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2017.

Summary: National Youth Summer Jobs Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to award 5-year competitive grants to eligible local government units to provide summer employment, including job readiness activities, work experiences, and job placement, for out-of-school youths age 14 to 21 who are enrolled in a public or private secondary school or have received a secondary school diploma or its equivalent but are basic-skills deficient, unemployed, or underemployed.

Allows eligible entities that operate existing youth summer jobs programs to use grants to expand their programs, in lieu of establishing new job placement programs, by providing job training and support services, including health and nutrition referral, housing referral, financial literacy, and instruction on basic daily living skills.