article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Job Opportunity and Welfare Reduction Act of 1997''. SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR PLACING WELFARE RECIPIENTS IN JOBS VACATED BY UNAUTHORIZED ALIENS. (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall conduct a pilot program under which the Attorney General shall provide a written notice to a State of one or more potential employment opportunities for an adult who is receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, where such opportunity arises from-- (1) the removal of one or more unauthorized aliens from a work site in the State by an officer or employee of the Service performing duties relating to the enforcement of the immigration laws; or (2) the issuance of an unauthorized work letter by the Attorney General to an employer. (b) Implementation Deadline; Termination.--The Attorney General shall implement the pilot program not later than October 1, 1998. The Attorney General shall terminate the pilot program at the end of the 4- year period beginning on the first day the pilot program is in effect. (c) Scope of Operation.--The Attorney General shall provide for the operation of the pilot program in each State-- (1) the chief executive officer of which has requested that the Attorney General provide for such operation; and (2) that is receiving a grant under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act. (d) Notice.-- (1) Contents.--The notice required under subsection (a) shall include the following: (A) The name and address of the employer-- (i) from whose work site an unauthorized alien was removed; or (ii) to whom the unauthorized work letter was issued. (B) A classification of the employment position (or positions) formerly held by each unauthorized alien who was removed from the work site or was the subject of the unauthorized work letter, in terms of industry and whether the work performed was skilled or unskilled. (C) The location of the work site. (D) The number of unauthorized aliens who were-- (i) removed; or (ii) the subject of the unauthorized work letter. (2) Deadline.--The Attorney General shall submit the notice required under subsection (a) not later than 8 days after the day on which-- (A) the unauthorized alien is removed (in a case described in subsection (a)(1)); or (B) an officer or employee of the Service enters onto the work site for the purpose of removing an unauthorized alien, following issuance of the unauthorized work letter (in a case described in subsection (a)(2)). (e) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act: (1) Service.--The term ``Service'' has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(34) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (2) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(36) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (3) Unauthorized alien.--The term ``unauthorized alien'' has the meaning given such term in section 274A(h)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (4) Unauthorized work letter.--The term ``unauthorized work letter'' means a Form I-9 Inspection Result Letter, issued by the Attorney General to an employer, identifying the possible presence of an unauthorized alien worker. SEC. 3. BONUS TO REWARD PARTICIPATING STATES. (a) In General.--Section 403(a)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(4)) (as amended by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193; 110 Stat. 2121)) is amended-- (1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by adding at the end the following: ``In the case of a high performing State that is an immigration pilot program State, such amount shall also be based on the score assigned to the State under subparagraph (D)(iii) for such fiscal year.''; (2) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows: ``(C) Formula for measuring state performance.-- ``(i) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Governors' Association and the American Public Welfare Association, shall develop a formula for measuring State performance in operating the State program funded under this part so as to achieve the goals set forth in section 401(a). ``(ii) Immigration pilot program states.-- Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of the Job Opportunity and Welfare Reduction Act of 1997, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Governors' Association and the American Public Welfare Association, shall develop a formula for measuring the performance of immigration pilot program States in placing adults receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part in employment vacancies arising from-- ``(I) the removal of an unauthorized alien (as defined in section 2 of such Act) from a work site in the State by an officer or employee of the Immigration and Naturalization Service performing duties relating to the enforcement of the immigration laws; or ``(II) the issuance by the Attorney General to an employer of an unauthorized work letter (as defined in such section) with respect to a work site in the State.''; (3) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows: ``(D) Scoring of state performance; setting of performance thresholds.--For each bonus year, the Secretary shall-- ``(i) use the formula developed under subparagraph (C)(i) to assign a score to each eligible State for the fiscal year that immediately precedes the bonus year; ``(ii) prescribe a performance threshold, based on the scores assigned under clause (i), in such a manner so as to ensure that-- ``(I) the average annual total amount of grants to be made under this paragraph for each bonus year equals $200,000,000; and ``(II) the total amount of grants to be made under this paragraph for all bonus years equals $1,000,000,000; and ``(iii) use the formula developed under subparagraph (C)(ii) to assign an additional score to each immigration pilot program State for the fiscal year that immediately precedes the bonus year, which score shall be used to reward immigration pilot program States-- ``(I) based on their performance, as measured under subparagraph (C)(ii); and ``(II) in a manner consistent with subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (ii).''; and (4) in subparagraph (E), by adding at the end the following: ``(iii) Immigration pilot program state.-- The term `immigration pilot program State' means, with respect to a fiscal year immediately preceding a bonus year, an eligible State-- ``(I) within which the Attorney General is operating the pilot program under section 2 of the Job Opportunity and Welfare Reduction Act of 1997; ``(II) that, after each receipt of a notice of an employment vacancy (or vacancies) from the Attorney General under such section 2, provided to the employer having the vacancy a list containing, with respect to each such vacancy, the name, address, and telephone number of not more than 3 adults who are receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part and who are determined by the State, based on the adult's training, skills, prior experience, and availability for employment, to be qualified to fill the vacancy; and ``(III) that provided to the Secretary, in such form and manner as the Secretary may have required, a report containing the information necessary for the Secretary to measure the State's performance under subparagraph (C)(ii).''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the later of July 1, 1998, or the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 4. REPORT. Not later than 3 months after the date of the termination of the pilot program under section 2, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a report, based on the rate of success of the program in providing referrals leading to job placements, containing the recommendations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services concerning whether the program should be reauthorized, whether the program should be expanded, and how the program could be improved.
summary: Job Opportunity and Welfare Reduction Act of 1997 - Directs the Attorney General to conduct a temporary pilot program in States participating in the (welfare reform) program under part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act. Requires the Attorney General to notify a State of potential employment opportunities for an adult TANF recipient arising from: (1) removal of an unauthorized alien from a work site by the Immigration and Naturalization Service; or (2) the issuance by the Attorney General to an employer of an unauthorized work letter (Form I-9 Inspection Result Letter, identifying the possible presence of an unauthorized alien). Provides for a bonus under TANF to reward high-performing States.