H.R. 444: Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003

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H.R. 444: Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003

108th Congress · introduced 2003-01-29 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Official title

Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003

Plain summary

Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Labor to allot grants to States to allocate funds to local areas to establish personal reemployment accounts for certain individuals identified as likely to exhaust their unemployment compensation and in need of job search assistance to make a successful transition to new employment. Sets forth individual eligibility requirements for such accounts. Includes as eligible, besides individuals likely to exhaust their unemployment compensation, individuals whose unemployment can be attributed in substantial part to unfair competition from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. Allows States to establish additional eligibility and priority criteria. Provides for such accounts to: (1) accelerate reemployment; (2) promote retention in employment; and (3) give individuals more flexibility, choice, and control in obtaining intensive reemployment, training, and supportive services (as well as assistance in purchasing or leasing an automobile when necessary to allow the recipient to accept a long-term employment offer). Allows such services to be purchased by recipients, or by local workforce investment boards on behalf of recipients, through a one-stop delivery system or other providers. Permits certain amounts in accounts to be used for income support. Provides for reemployment bonuses. Requires States to establish a uniform statewide amount, up to $3,000, for each individual account. Limits the time in which amounts in an account may be used to not more than one year after the account's establishment. Prohibits the establishment of any such account beginning two years after the enactment of this Act. Sets forth requirements for State and local plans, program information, evaluation, and the Secretary's reporting to Congress on the use of personal reemployment accounts as a mechanism to assist individuals in obtaining and retaining employment. (Sec. 3) Includes administration of personal reemployment accounts among the functions of local workforce investment boards. (Sec. 4) Requires a State's one-stop delivery system to provide access to personal reemployment accounts. (Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 for the personal reemployment accounts program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Porter, Jon C. [R-NV-3] · 39 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 444, Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003 (2003-03-11); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 444, Back to Work Incentive Act of 2003 (2003-03-11)

Cosponsors on this site

Joe Wilson (R-SC), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)

Recorded votes

• House roll call 224 (2004): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR444 (2004-06-03): Failed
• House roll call 225 (2004): On Passage, HR444 (2004-06-03): Passed

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr444.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr444 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108