Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments

Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments - Authorizes to be appropriated $697,482,000 for fiscal year 1973, $700,096,000 for fiscal year 1974, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1975, to carry out the Vocational Rehabilitation Act.

Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to make grants: (1) to public or nonprofit private, agencies for paying part of the cost of planning, preparing, and initiating programs to provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with spinal cord injuries or to low-achieving deaf individuals; and (2) to any State agency designated pursuant to a plan approved under the Act, or to any local agency participating in the administration of such a plan, for paying part of the cost of pilot or demonstration projects for the provision of vocational rehabilitation services to handicapped individuals who are migratory agricultural workers, and to members of their families. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 34)

Provides that whenever the Secretary determines that any amount of an allotment to a State for any fiscal year will not be utilized by such State in carrying out vocational rehabilitation services the Secretary may allot to one or more other States to an amount the extent he determines such other State will be able to use such additional amount during such year for carrying out such purposes.

Authorizes grants for such services to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 32)

Includes American Samoa, and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands within the definition of "State" under the Act. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 41)

Requires a State plan for vocational rehabilitation services to provide satisfactory assurance to the Secretary that the agencies administering such plan will take into account, in connection with matters of general policy arising in the administration of the plan, the views of individuals who are recipients of such services, the views of individuals who represent citizen groups, individuals who represent professional groups, and individuals who are providers of vocational rehabilitation services. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 35(a))

Increases to $30 the minimum training allowance to people participating in such service programs under the Act. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 41(b))

Increases to $3,000,000 the annual amount which may be expended for the evaluation of the vocational rehabilitation program under the Act. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 37(a))

Repeals the provision for grants for innovation of vocational rehabilitation program under the Act. Provides for advance funding of programs under the Act.

Provides that an individual who, as a part of his rehabilitation under a State plan, participates in a program of work experience in a Federal agency, shall not be considered to be a Federal employee or to be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment.