Flexibility for Displaced Workers Act
Public Law 109-72 · H.R. 3761 · 109th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Sep 23, 2005 · Labor and Employment
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA-7)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. John Boehner, Rep. Buck McKeon,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 400 yea, 0 nay400–0
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Flexibility for Displaced Workers Act - (Sec. 2) Allows national emergency grant funds to states under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) for addressing the effects of Hurricane Katrina (Katrina) to be used to provide disaster relief employment on projects that provide assistance in areas outside of the Katrina-disaster area.
Allows such funds to be used to provide disaster relief employment and other WIA assistance, or temporary general public sector employment, to Katrina-affected individuals, including those who have relocated from states in the disaster area, who were unemployed at the time of the disaster, or who are without employment history, in addition those who meet WIA eligibility requirements.
Limits such general public sector employment to not more than six months in addition to such disaster relief employment. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, however, to extend the duration of employment under this Act and WIA for up to an additional six months due to extraordinary circumstances.
Directs the Secretary, in awarding WIA national emergency grants for disaster relief employment, to give priority: (1) first, to states with major disaster areas; and (2) second, to the remaining states that have been most heavily impacted by the demand for services by Katrina-affected workers.
Allows any state, with the Secretary's approval, to use available WIA national emergency grant funds to assist Katrina-affected workers, including those who have relocated from states in the Katrina-disaster area.
Authorizes the Secretary to award a WIA national emergency grant for employment and training assistance (ETA) for dislocated workers to an eligible entity to provide ETA to Katrina-affected workers, including workers who have relocated from Katrina-disaster areas.
(Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) states operating one-stop centers should make them available for use in Katrina-affected areas and areas where large numbers of Katrina's victims have been relocated; and (2) one-stop operators should increase access for Katrina-affected individuals, including through expanded operational hours and on-site services for those in temporary housing.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 109th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 400 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
400 yea0 nay33 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(185)
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. Jan SchakowskyD-IL-9
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-22
Rep. Raúl GrijalvaD-AZ-7
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Michael CapuanoD-MA-8
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Diane WatsonD-CA-33
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. Mike HondaD-CA-15
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. Stephanie JonesD-OH-11
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3
Rep. Wm. ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-32
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Carolyn KilpatrickD-MI-13
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-4- Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-7
Rep. Linda SánchezD-CA-39
Rep. Gwen MooreD-WI-4- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-30
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-31
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. John DingellD-MI-15
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-23
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-38
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-25
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. David WuD-OR-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4
Rep. Al GreenD-TX-9
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Emanuel CleaverD-MO-5
Rep. Doris MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Anthony WeinerD-NY-9
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Debbie Wasserman SchultzD-FL-20
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-5- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-34
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-14
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Joe CrowleyD-NY-7
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Tim RyanD-OH-17- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
Rep. Brian BairdD-WA-3
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-28
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Chris Van HollenD-MD-8
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-27
Rep. Michael MichaudD-ME-2
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Rahm EmanuelD-IL-5
Rep. G.K. ButterfieldD-NC-1
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. Kendrick MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-43
Rep. Timothy BishopD-NY-1
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Jim LangevinD-RI-2
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-47
Rep. Susan DavisD-CA-53
Rep. Brad MillerD-NC-13
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-29
Rep. Steve IsraelD-NY-2
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Allyson SchwartzD-PA-13
Rep. Russ CarnahanD-MO-3- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Shelley BerkleyD-NV-1
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16
Rep. Brian HigginsD-NY-27
Rep. Daniel LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-5
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Adam SmithD-WA-9
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. David ScottD-GA-13
Rep. A. Dutch RuppersbergerD-MD-2
Rep. John SalazarD-CO-3
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Artur DavisD-AL-7
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Ben ChandlerD-KY-6
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-17
Rep. Dennis CardozaD-CA-18
Rep. Stephanie Herseth SandlinD-SD
Rep. Jim CostaD-CA-20
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-17
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. Ed CaseD-HI-2
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Melissa BeanD-IL-8
Rep. Henry CuellarD-TX-28
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Charles MelanconD-LA-3
Rep. Lincoln DavisD-TN-4
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. John BarrowD-GA-12
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2
Rep. Jim MarshallD-GA-3
Rep. Dan BorenD-OK-2
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Republicans who voted yea(215)
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-2
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4- Rep. Rob SimmonsR-CT-2
Rep. Michael FitzpatrickR-PA-8
Rep. Jim GerlachR-PA-6
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-24
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-23- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-5
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. David ReichertR-WA-8
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-14
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Charles DentR-PA-15- Rep. Joe SchwarzR-MI-7
- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2- Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-20
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Jon PorterR-NV-3
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Rick RenziR-AZ-1
Rep. Thad McCotterR-MI-11
Rep. Mark KirkR-IL-10
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Tim MurphyR-PA-18
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7
Rep. Randy KuhlR-NY-29
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
Rep. Michael TurnerR-OH-3
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Jeff FortenberryR-NE-1
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-50
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-4
Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-26
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-3
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Charles BoustanyR-LA-7
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-45
Rep. Mike RogersR-AL-3
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-19
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
Rep. John BoozmanR-AR-3
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-24
Rep. Candice MillerR-MI-10- Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-1
- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-22
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-41- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-44
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Thelma DrakeR-VA-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jean SchmidtR-OH-2
Rep. Rodney AlexanderR-LA-5
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1
Rep. Virgil GoodeR-VA-5
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Michael McCaulR-TX-10
Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4
Rep. Devin NunesR-CA-21
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-9
Rep. Jo BonnerR-AL-1- Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-6
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-3
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-3
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12- Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. Geoff DavisR-KY-4
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. David DreierR-CA-26
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. Henry BrownR-SC-1- Rep. Jeb BradleyR-NH-1
Rep. Tom ColeR-OK-4
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8
Rep. Ralph HallR-TX-4
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-8
- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Ginny Brown-WaiteR-FL-5
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2- Rep. Michael SodrelR-IN-9
Rep. Vito FossellaR-NY-13
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7- Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Michael BurgessR-TX-26
Rep. Cathy McMorris RodgersR-WA-5
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7- Rep. Jo Ann DavisR-VA-1
Rep. John CarterR-TX-31
Rep. Steve PearceR-NM-2- Rep. Bobby JindalR-LA-1
- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52- Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. John KlineR-MN-2
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7- Rep. Katherine HarrisR-FL-13
Rep. Ric KellerR-FL-8
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4
Rep. Michael ConawayR-TX-11
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Kenny MarchantR-TX-24
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-3
Rep. Rob BishopR-UT-1
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Connie MackR-FL-14
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2
Rep. Phil GingreyR-GA-11- Rep. Bob BeauprezR-CO-7
Rep. John SullivanR-OK-1
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-42
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Ted PoeR-TX-2
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Louie GohmertR-TX-1
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Bob InglisR-SC-4
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6- Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
- Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-5
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1- Rep. Chris ChocolaR-IN-2
Rep. Virginia FoxxR-NC-5
Rep. John LinderR-GA-7- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. Marilyn MusgraveR-CO-4
Rep. Tom PriceR-GA-6
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-40
Rep. Randy NeugebauerR-TX-19
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-9
Rep. Jeff MillerR-FL-1
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-10
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-46
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Marsha BlackburnR-TN-7- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Lynn WestmorelandR-GA-8
Rep. Tom FeeneyR-FL-24
Rep. J. Gresham BarrettR-SC-3
Rep. Steve KingR-IA-5
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-5
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-6
Rep. Scott GarrettR-NJ-5- Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
Rep. Jeb HensarlingR-TX-5
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-3
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Trent FranksR-AZ-2
Rep. Ron PaulR-TX-14
Rep. Jeff FlakeR-AZ-6
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 475 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 1718Related bill
Hurricane Katrina Employment and Training Assistance Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Sep 23, 2005Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-72.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 22, 2005FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 21, 2005FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CalendarCalendar · Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 216.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Sep 20, 2005FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 0 (Roll no. 476).House roll call 476
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3761.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Boustany moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 14, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.