Topic: Macroeconomics — General
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2008-09-26 00:00:00

Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008 - Title I: Infrastructure Investments - Chapter I: Transportation - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 for infrastructure investments to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for: (1) the Federal Aviation Administration, grants-in-aid for airports; (2) Federal Highway Administration, highway infrastructure investment; (3) Federal Railroad Administration, capital and debt service grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK); (4) Federal Transit Administration, transit capital assistance and transit energy assistance grants. Chapter 2: Clean Water - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 for clean water to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and tribal assistance grants. Chapter 3: Flood Control and Water Resources - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 for flood control and water resources to: (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) - Civil for the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers; and (2) the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. Chapter 4: 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities - Makes supplemental FY2009 appropriations to the Department of Education for school modernization, renovation, and repair (for 21st century green high-performing public school facilities). (Sec. 1401) Requires the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools, including public charter schools, to make them safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date. Allocates grant funds among states on the basis of the relative portion of school improvement funds provided to local educational agencies (LEAs) in each state under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Reserves 1% of the grant funds for assistance to outlying areas and Indian schools. Requires states to reallocate such grant funds to LEAs on the basis of each LEA's share of school improvement funds received by LEAs in the state for the previous fiscal year. Prohibits LEAs from using this Act's grants: (1) for maintenance costs, stadiums, or facilities used primarily for events for which the public is charged admission; or (2) to supplant funds otherwise available for school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction efforts. Prohibits States from considering LEAs' receipt of this Act's grants in determining their eligibility for state aid or the amount of state aid they receive. Requires grantees' contracting procedures for school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction to ensure the maximum number of qualified bidders through full and open competition. Requires the iron and steel used in projects funded under this Act to have been produced in this country, subject to specified exceptions. Requires all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of work assisted under this Act to be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar work in the locality. Directs LEA grantees to use at least 25% of grant funds for public school modernization, renovation, repairs, or construction that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating standards, Energy Star standards, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria, Green Building Initiative environmental design and rating standards (Green Globes), or equivalent standards adopted by the entities that have jurisdiction over such LEAs. Requires the Secretary to provide outreach and technical assistance to states and LEAs concerning the best practices in school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction. Chapter 5: Housing - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 for public and Indian housing to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Public Housing Capital Fund. Chapter 6: Energy Development - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to the Department of Energy (DOE) for: (1) energy efficiency and renewable energy; (2) electricity delivery and energy reliability; and (3) the advanced battery loan guarantee program account. Title II: Unemployment Compensation and Job Training - Chapter 1: Extension of Unemployment Compensation - (Sec. 2101) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to increase the alternative amounts required for first-tier benefits in state emergency unemployment compensation accounts. Requires the amount to be equal to the lesser of: (1) 80% (currently, 50%) of the total amount of regular compensation (including dependents' allowances) payable to the individual during the individual's benefit year; or (2) 20 (currently, 13) times the individual's average weekly benefit amount for the benefit year. (Sec. 2102) Sets forth a special rule for second-tier benefits (identical to the current benefits for first-tier benefits without the increases under this chapter. Prescribes circumstances under which a state shall be considered to be in an extended unemployment benefit period. Limits any individual's emergency unemployment compensation account to only one augmentation under this chapter. (Sec. 2103) Prohibits any additional augmentation for any account exhausted after March 31, 2009. Prohibits any compensation under this chapter for any week beginning after August 27, 2009. Chapter 2: Job Training - Makes supplemental appropriations for FY2009 to the Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration for: (1) job training and employment services; and (2) state unemployment insurance and employment service operations. Title III: Temporary Increase in Medicaid Matching Rate - (Sec. 3001) Prescribes a temporary increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act. Requires substitution of the FY2008 FMAP for the FY2009 FMAP if the former is greater than the latter. Requires, similarly, substitution of the the FY2009 FMAP for the FY2010 FMAP if the former is greater than the latter, but only for the portion of the first calendar quarter in FY2010 before December 1, 2009. Makes for each state for FY2009 and the portion of FY2010 up to December 1, 2009: (1) a general 1% increase in the FMAP; and (2) a general 4% increase in the cap on Medicaid payments to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Requires specified further percentage point increases in the FMAP per calendar quarter for each state that meets certain qualifying criteria, including: (1) reduced employment in the state; (2) a specified increase in food stamp or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation; and (3) a specified increase in the housing foreclosure rate. Specifies circumstances that would make a state ineligible for such increases. (Sec. 3002) Prescribes an adjustment in the computation of the Medicaid FMAP to disregard significantly disproportionate employer pension and insurance fund contributions in a state, as calculated according to a specified formula. Title IV: Temporary Increase in Food Assistance - (Sec. 4001) Revises the formula for calculating the value of certain benefits determined under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and consolidated block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa, using 105% of the June 2008 value of the thrifty food plan. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make specified funds available for the costs of associated state administrative expenses. Makes necessary appropriations. Title V: General Provisions - (Sec. 5001) Entitles this entire Act the Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008. (Sec. 5002) Prohibits the use of any funds made available in this Act to employ unlawful aliens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (Sec. 5003) Designates each amount in each title of this Act as an emergency requirement, necessary to meet emergency needs. (Sec. 5004) Declares that each amount in this Act, unless otherwise expressly provided, is made available in addition to amounts otherwise available for FY2009.