Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) has introduced the 21st Century Worker Opportunity Act (H.R. 1534) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would establish a program that provides dislocated workers with a credit that may be applied towards broadband service or remote job training in a profession that is unlikely to be automated in the next 20 years. The program would be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Vouchers would be limited to one per household, and applicants would have to submit a certification from an employer that they were employed in the manufacturing sector and were laid off or terminated due to automation. The bill has been referred to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Education and the Workforce for consideration.
