Skills Against Violence Act of 2024

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9599 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9599

   To establish the gender-based violence survivor workforce program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 2024

Mr. Allred (for himself and Mrs. Sykes) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish the gender-based violence survivor workforce program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Skills Against Violence Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. WORKFORCE PROGRAM.

    Title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 
1994 is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 41001. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE SURVIVOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Office on Violence Against 
Women (in this section, referred to as `Director'), in consultation 
with the Director of the Women's Bureau, the Assistant Secretary for 
Employment and Training Administration, and the Secretary of Labor, 
shall award grants, as appropriate, to States, units of local 
government, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, including 
domestic violence and sexual assault victim service providers and 
domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, that have a documented 
history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating 
violence, sexual assault, or stalking to carry out programs to provide 
assistance to minors, adults, and their dependents.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Any grant awarded under this section may be 
used for programs that provide the following:
            ``(1) Activities to help survivors secure employment, 
        including obtaining employment counseling, occupational 
        training, job retention counseling, and counseling concerning 
        re-entry into the workforce.
            ``(2) Outreach activities to make survivors aware of 
        services offered under this program.
            ``(3) Outreach activities to connect survivors with 
        employers that meet their needs and that support a safe 
        workspace for survivors.
            ``(4) Support services (as defined by section 3 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), including--
                    ``(A) child care, disability care, elder care, and 
                other forms of care;
                    ``(B) transportation;
                    ``(C) professional clothing and equipment;
                    ``(D) legal services; and
                    ``(E) gender-based violence counseling and other 
                mental health counseling.
    ``(c) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, an 
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Director at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Director may reasonably require.
    ``(d) Reports.--
            ``(1) Report to director.--As a part of the report required 
        to be submitted under section 40002(b)(6) of this title, an 
        eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall 
        annually submit to the Director information relating to the 
        effectiveness of the programs carried out with amounts from the 
        grant, including--
                    ``(A) the number of survivors for whom the eligible 
                entity supported workforce development;
                    ``(B) if applicable, the number of survivors who--
                            ``(i) sought career services from the 
                        eligible entity; and
                            ``(ii) the eligible entity could not serve;
                    ``(C) if applicable, the number of survivors who--
                            ``(i) sought occupational skills training;
                            ``(ii) received occupational skills 
                        training; and
                            ``(iii) completed occupational skills 
                        training;
                    ``(D) if applicable, the number of individuals 
                who--
                            ``(i) sought supportive services under 
                        subsection (b)(4);
                            ``(ii) received supportive services under 
                        subsection (b)(4);
                    ``(E) a survivor evaluation component that is 
                documented through survey or interview, including the 
                satisfaction of survivors with the career services;
                    ``(F) if applicable, the number of survivors who 
                received career services who--
                            ``(i) enter employment;
                            ``(ii) failed to enter employment; and
                            ``(iii) any other qualitative or 
                        quantitative information determined by the 
                        Director.
            ``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of enactment of this section, and biennially thereafter, 
        the Director shall submit to Congress a report that summarizes 
        the reports received by the Director under paragraph (1).
    ``(e) Survivors Defined.--The term `survivor' means a survivor of 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, gender-based 
violence, trafficking, sexual harassment, and stalking.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Director such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out this section.''.
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