text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Jobs Now Act of 2017''.
  
  SEC. 2. GRANTS TO UNITS OF GENERAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
  
      Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
  Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 172 the 
  following:
  
  ``SEC. 173. PILOT PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) Program Authorized.--Notwithstanding section 181(e), from the 
  amounts appropriated under subsection (h), the Secretary shall carry 
  out a 2-year pilot program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
  units of general local government or community-based organizations to 
  retain, employ, or train employees providing a public service for a 
  unit of general local government.
      ``(b) Unit of General Local Government Defined.--For purposes of 
  this section, the term `unit of general local government' means any 
  general purpose political subdivision of a State, or the United States 
  Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
  Mariana Islands, the freely associated states of the Republic of the 
  Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic 
  of Palau, that has the power to levy taxes and spend funds, as well as 
  general corporate and police powers.
      ``(c) Uses of Funds.--
              ``(1) Required uses.--
                      ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a 
                  unit of general local government or community-based 
                  organization shall use not less than 50 percent of the 
                  grant funds received under this section to--
                              ``(i) in the case of a unit, retain 
                          employees of such unit who are providing a 
                          public service for the unit and who would 
                          otherwise be laid off as a consequence of 
                          budget cuts; and
                              ``(ii) in the case of an organization, 
                          retain employees of the organization who are 
                          providing a public service for the unit in 
                          which the organization is located and who would 
                          otherwise be laid off as a consequence of 
                          budget cuts.
                      ``(B) Exception.--In a case in which 50 percent of 
                  a grant amount received under this section would exceed 
                  the amount needed for a unit or organization to retain 
                  the employees described in subparagraph (A), the unit 
                  or organization may use only the amount needed to 
                  retain such employees for such purpose.
              ``(2) Authorized uses.--After using grant funds received 
          under this section in accordance with paragraph (1), a unit of 
          general local government or community-based organization may 
          use any remaining grant funds provided under this section to--
                      ``(A) in the case of a unit of general local 
                  government--
                              ``(i) employ individuals in new positions 
                          providing a public service for the unit; or
                              ``(ii) train individuals for new public 
                          service positions for the unit; and
                      ``(B) in the case of a community-based 
                  organization--
                              ``(i) employ individuals in new positions 
                          that would provide a public service for the 
                          unit in which the organization is located or 
                          services in the private sector; or
                              ``(ii) train individuals for any such 
                          positions.
      ``(d) Priority for Certain Individuals.--The Secretary shall 
  encourage each unit of general local government and each community-
  based organization receiving a grant under this section to use such 
  grant funds to retain, employ, or train--
              ``(1) veterans;
              ``(2) individuals with disabilities;
              ``(3) individuals who are receiving unemployment benefits; 
          or
              ``(4) dislocated workers.
      ``(e) Priority for Certain Units and Organizations.--
              ``(1) Units.--In awarding grants to units of general local 
          government under this section, the Secretary shall give 
          priority to units of general local government with high 
          unemployment, foreclosure, and poverty rates as compared to 
          other units of general local government applying to receive a 
          grant under this section.
              ``(2) Organizations.--In awarding grants to units of 
          general local government under this section, the Secretary 
          shall give priority to community-based organizations located in 
          units of general local government with high unemployment, 
          foreclosure, and poverty rates as compared to other units of 
          general local government applying to receive a grant under this 
          section.
      ``(f) Application.--Each unit of general local government or 
  community-based organization desiring to receive a grant under this 
  section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
  such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
  require.
      ``(g) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the first appropriation 
  of funds under subsection (h), the Secretary shall submit to Congress, 
  a report on--
              ``(1) the number and percentage of individuals hired or 
          trained, and the number and percentage of employees of units 
          retained, as a result of a grant under this section; and
              ``(2) best practices in carrying out a grant program to 
          hire, train, or retain employees of units of general local 
          government.
      ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated $1,000,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal years 
  2018 and 2019.''.
target: Jobs Now Act of 2017  This bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Department of Labor to carry out a two-year pilot program to award competitive grants to general local government units or community-based organizations to retain, employ, or train employees who provide a local government unit with a public service. The bill prescribes required and authorized uses of grant fund and priorities for awarding and using grant funds, including:  encouraging grantees to use funds to retain, employ, or train veterans, individuals with disabilities, individuals who receive unemployment benefits, or dislocated workers; and   giving priority in awarding grants to local government units and their community-based organizations with high unemployment, foreclosure, and poverty rates.
feat_title: Jobs Now Act of 2017