Note to Reviewer

Request for Emergency ICR Approval: Planning Guidance TEGLs for the

Indian and Native American Program (INAP) and Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Recovery Act Grants

On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). This Act provides additional funds for two Employment and Training Administration (ETA) programs – INAP ($17,820,000) and SCSEP ($120,000,000).

To obtain their shares of the Recovery Act funds, grantees must submit a response to each program’s Planning Guidance TEGL. In each case, the grantee must provide a budget, budget narrative, statement of work, and standard certifications and assurances.

There are two principal factors that provide a rationale for this emergency request. The first factor is that these funds will flow into two programs which put money into the hands of low-income Indian youths and low-income seniors. These funds will work their way quickly into the economy – a fundamental goal of the Recovery Act. The second factor is that the law allows the Department of Labor a short period from the date of enactment to issue guidance to grantees on how to distribute the Recovery Act funds. Having an emergency clearance would allow us to provide a definitive set of instructions to grantees rather than a draft version pending final OMB approval.

Because grantees have a very short time to obligate the Recovery Act funds, ETA is requesting an emergency ICR approval of the INAP and SCSEP recovery Act TEGLs.