HR 737 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize a State to transfer or consolidate funds made available to such State under certain transportation, education, and job training programs after the United States experiences economic growth at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for 2 calendar quarters.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

January 28, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. HOEKSTRA (for himself, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. PAUL, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. LINDER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize a State to transfer or consolidate funds made available to such State under certain transportation, education, and job training programs after the United States experiences economic growth at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for 2 calendar quarters.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘State Temporary Economic Priority (STEP) Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to authorize a State to transfer or consolidate funds made available to such State under certain transportation, education, and job training programs after the United States experiences economic growth at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for 2 calendar quarters.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER OR CONSOLIDATE CERTAIN FUNDS.

(a) Authority Available-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- A State may transfer or consolidate funds under subsections (b), (c), and (d) beginning with the calendar quarter after the United States experiences economic growth at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for 2 calendar quarters and continuing until 18 months after the United States experiences economic growth at an annual rate of 1 percent or more for 2 calendar quarters.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) TREATMENT OF TRANSFERRED OR CONSOLIDATED FUNDS- Funds transferred or consolidated under subsections (b), (c), or (d) shall be used in accordance with the statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the program to which the funds are transferred or consolidated.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Transportation Funds-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- In applying subsection (a), a State may transfer, in such amounts as the State determines appropriate, any funds apportioned and allocated to such State from amounts made available from the Highway Trust Fund (26 U.S.C. 9503 et seq.), other than the Mass Transit Account, to any of the apportionments and allocations for the following programs authorized by title 23, United States Code:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) The interstate maintenance program under section 119.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) The National Highway System under section 103(b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) The surface transportation program under section 133.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) The highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program under section 144.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) EXEMPT TRANSPORTATION FUNDS- The funds made available for the highway safety improvement programs authorized by section 148 and chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, shall not be subject to transfer or consolidation under subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Federal Education Funds- In applying subsection (a), a State may, in such amounts as the State determines appropriate from any funds made available to such State under any formula grant programs carried out under any of the following provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), transfer or consolidate such funds between and among such programs:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Part A of title I (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Subpart 1 of part B of title I (Reading First).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Subpart 3 of part B of title I (William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Programs).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Subpart 4 of part B of title I (Improving Literacy Through School Libraries).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) Part C of title I (Education of Migratory Children).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) Part D of title I (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Part F of title I (Comprehensive School Reform).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) Part H of title I (School Dropout Prevention).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) Subpart 1 of part A of title II (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund (Grants to States)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) Part B of title II (Mathematics and Science Partnerships).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) Part D of title II (Enhancing Education Through Technology).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(12) Part A of title III (English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(13) Part A of title IV (Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(14) Part B of title IV (21st Century Community Learning Centers).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(15) Subpart 2 of part A of title V (Innovative Programs (State Programs)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(16) Subpart 1 of part A of title VI (Improving Academic Achievement (Accountability)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Job Training Funds- In applying subsection (a), a State may, in such amounts as the State determines appropriate from any funds made available to such State under the following job training programs, transfer or consolidate such funds between and among such programs:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Any formula grant program carried out under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Any funds made available to the State under part II of subchapter B of chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Definitions- In this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the phrase ‘economic growth at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for 2 calendar quarters’ means, that for 2 consecutive calendar quarters, real gross domestic product, as announced by Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce, has experienced--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) an annual rate of decrease for such quarters;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) no change in the annual rate for such quarters; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) an increase at an annual rate of less than 1 percent for such quarters; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the phrase ‘economic growth at an annual rate of 1 percent or more for 2 calendar quarters’ means an increase in real gross domestic product at an annual rate of 1 percent or more for 2 consecutive calendar quarters, as announced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce for such quarters.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink