Employment Opportunities Act

Employment Opportunities Act - Authorizes to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act $7,000,000,000 each for fiscal year 1974 and 1975.

Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to enter into arrangements with public service employers in accordance with the provisions of this Act in order to make financial assistance available for the purpose of providing employment opportunities for unemployed persons in jobs providing needed public services. Defines "public service employers" as States, cities, counties and other units of local government, local educational agencies and community colleges, and other public or private nonprofit agencies and institutions of the Federal Government which operate facilities and programs providing public services.

States that an application for Federal assistance for the purpose of carrying out a public service employment program under this Act shall set forth a public service employment program and related training and manpower services, designed to provide jobs for unemployed persons in providing needed public services in fields listed in this Act. Sets forth provisions that an application for assistance under this Act shall contain.

Provides that an application for assistance under this Act shall be approved if the Secretary determines that: (1) the application meets the requirements set forth in this Act; (2) the approvable request for funds does not exceed 90 percent of the cost of carrying out the program proposed in such application, unless the Secretary determines that special circumstances or other provisions of law warrant the waiver of this requirement; (3) an opportunity has been provided to officials of the appropriate units of general local government to submit comments with respect to the application to the applicant and to the Secretary; and (4) an opportunity has been provided to the Governor of the State to submit comments with respect to the application to the applicant and to the Secretary.

States that the sums appropriated under this Act for any fiscal year shall be allocated by the Secretary in such a manner that not less than 80 percent shall be appropriated among the States in that proportion which the total number of unemployed persons in each such State bears to the total number of such persons in the United States. Provides that not less than $1,500,000 shall be apportioned to any State, except that not less than $1,500,000 shall be apportioned among the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

Provides that the amount apportioned to each State shall be apportioned among areas within each such State in that proportion which the total number of unemployed persons in each such area bears to the total number of such persons in that State.

Provides that the Secretary shall not provide financial assistance for any program or activity under this Act unless he determines that: (1) the program will result in an increase in employment opportunities over those which would otherwise be available, (2) the program will not result in the displacement of currently employed workers, (3) the program will not impair existing contracts for services or result in the substitution of Federal for other funds in connection with work that would otherwise be performed and (4) the program will not substitute public service jobs for existing federally assisted jobs.

Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe regulations to assure that program under this Act have adequate administrative controls, accounting requirements, personnel standards, evaluation procedures, and other policies as may be necessary to promote the effective use of funds.

Provides for a National Council of Manpower Advisers to identify the manpower goals and needs of the Nation, and to review and recommend improvements for the programs authorized under this Act. Requires an Annual report to the President by the National Council on its recommendations and activities.