Emergency Public Works Employment Act of 1983

(Reported to House from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation with amendment, H. Rept. 98-202)

Emergency Public Works Employment Act of 1983 - Establishes a public works employment program of labor-intensive projects for the construction, repair, renovation, and improvement of public facilities.

Requires that Federal payments made under this Act be used for the construction, renovation, repair, and improvement of local public works owned or operated by a local government or territory. Prohibits the use of such Federal payments for the acquisition of any interest in real property, for the construction of any recreational or cultural facility, or for paying maintenance costs for projects constructed under this Act.

Specifies criteria for the apportionment of funds and payments under this Act.

Requires grant applicants under this Act to make specified assurances to the Secretary of the Treasury, including assurances that: (1) any project funded under this Act will be completed within 12 months of receipt of a payment; (2) payments will be used, to the maximum extent feasible, to increase employment of unemployed individuals; (3) any project funded under this Act will not be performed directly by any department, agency, or instrumentality of a participating government and that such project will be performed by contract awarded by competitive bidding; (4) no currently employed individual will be displaced; and (5) any project funded under this Act will be accessible to the handicapped.

Requires the Secretary to carry out an audit on each completed project funded by this Act. Requires all grant recipients to maintain such records as the Secretary prescribes. Grants the Secretary and the Comptroller General access to all books and records of a grant recipient for purposes of audit and examination.

Directs the Secretary to withhold ten percent of any payment under this Act until the completion of the audit. Authorizes the Secretary to retain any withheld funds if the Secretary finds a violation of the requirements of this Act.

Specifies that the number of unemployed persons and the severity of unemployment in a State or county shall be determined, for purposes of this Act, only for the civilian work force and shall be determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Authorizes appropriations.

Provides for the expeditious implementation of the provisions of this Act.