Pub. L. 91-177, tit. II, sec. 201

Sec. 201. Title I of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 is amended by redesignating part E as part F, by renumbering section 161 (as amended by this Act) as section 171, and by inserting after part D the following new part: “Part E—Special Work and Career Development Programs “statement of purpose “Sec. 161. The Congress finds that the ‘Mainstream’ program aimed primarily at the chronically unemployed and the ‘New Careers’ program providing jobs for the unemployed and low-income persons leading to broader career opportunities are uniquely effective; that, in addition to providing persons assisted with jobs, the key to their economic independence, these programs are of advantage to the 83 Stat. 834 community at large in that they are directed at community beautification and betterment and the improvement of health, education, welfare, public safety, and other public services; and that, while these programs are important and necessary components of comprehensive work and training programs, there is a need to encourage imaginative and innovative use of these programs, to enlarge the authority to operate them, and to increase the resources available for them. “special programs “Sec. 162. (a) The Director is authorized to provide financial assistance to public or private nonprofit agencies to stimulate and support efforts to provide the unemployed with jobs and the low-income worker with greater career opportunity. Programs authorized under this section shall include the following: “(1) A special program to be known as ‘Mainstream’ which involves work activities directed to the needs of those chronically unemployed poor who have poor employment prospects and are unable, because of age, physical condition, obsolete or inadequate skills, declining economic conditions, other causes of a lack of employment opportunity, or otherwise, to secure appropriate employment or training assistance under other programs, and which, in addition to other services provided, will enable such persons to participate in projects for the betterment or beautification of the community or area served by the program, including without limitation activities which will contribute to the management conservation, or development of natural resources, recreational areas, Federal, State, and local government parks, highways, and other lands, the rehabilitation of housing, the improvement of public facilities, and the improvement and expansion of health, education, day care, and recreation services; “(2) A special program to be known as ‘New Careers’ which will provide unemployed or low-income persons with jobs leading to career opportunities, including new types of careers, in programs designed to improve the physical, social, economic, or cultural condition of the community or area served in fields of public service, including without limitation health, education, welfare, recreation, day care, neighborhood redevelopment, and public safety, which provide maximum prospects for on-the-job training, promotion, and advancement and continued employment without Federal assistance, which give promise of contributing to the broader adoption of new methods of structuring jobs and new methods of providing job ladder opportunities, and which provide opportunities for further occupational training to facilitate career advancement. “(b) The Director is authorized to provide financial and other assistance to insure the provision of supportive and follow-up services to supplement programs under this part including health services, counseling, day care for children, transportation assistance, and other special services necessary to assist individuals to achieve success in these programs and in employment. “administrative regulations “Sec. 163. The Director shall prescribe regulations to assure that programs under this part have adequate internal administrative controls, accounting requirements, personnel standards, evaluation procedures, availability of in-service training and technical assistance programs, and other policies as may be necessary to promote the effective use of funds. 83 Stat. 835 “special conditions “Sec. 164. (a) The Director shall not provide financial assistance for any program under this part unless he determines, in accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe, that— “(1) no participant will be employed on projects involving political parties, or the construction, operation, or maintenance of so much of any facility as is used or to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place for religious worship; “(2) the program will not result in the displacement of employed workers or impair existing contracts for services, or result in the substitution of Federal for other funds in connection with work that would otherwise be performed; “(3) the rates of pay for time spent in work-training and education, and other conditions of employment, will be appropriate and reasonable in the light of such factors as the type of work, geographical region, and proficiency of the participant; and “(4) the program will, to the maximum extent feasible, contribute to the occupational development and upward mobility of individual participants. “(b) For programs which provide work and training related to physical improvements, preference shall be given to those improvements which will be substantially used by low-income persons and families or which will contribute substantially to amenities or facilities in urban or rural areas having high concentrations or proportions of low-income persons and families. “(c) Programs approved under this part shall, to the maximum extent feasible, contribute to the elimination of artificial barriers to employment and occupational advancement. “(d) Projects under this part shall provide for maximum feasible use of resources under other Federal programs for work and training and the resources of the private sector. “program participants “Sec. 165. (a) Participants in programs under this part must be unemployed or low-income persons. The Director, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, shall establish criteria for low income, taking into consideration family size, urban-rural and farm-nonfarm differences, and other relevant factors. Any individual shall be deemed to be from a low-income family if the family receives cash welfare payments. “(b) Participants must be permanent residents of the United States or of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. “(c) Participants shall not be deemed Federal employees and shall be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment, including those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, and Federal employment benefits. “equitable distribution of assistance “Sec. 166. The Director shall establish criteria designed to achieve an equitable distribution of assistance among the States. In developing those criteria, he shall consider, among other relevant factors, the ratios of population, unemployment, and family income levels. Of the sums appropriated or allocated for any fiscal year for programs authorized under this part not more than 12½ per centum shall be used within any one State. 83 Stat. 836 “limitations on federal assistance “Sec. 167. Programs assisted under this part shall be subject to the provisions of section 131 of this Act.”