Jobs for Youth Amendment Tagged on to Immigration Bill

A $1.5 billion amendment has been added to the Senate immigration-reform bill to provide summer jobs for teenagers and other youth. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said it's necessary because immigrants would be taking jobs from American youngsters.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bipartisan bill this week.

Sanders' amendment would provide $1.5 billion in the next two years to provide jobs for Americans between the ages of 16 and 24, the Washington Examiner reports.

"Sanders has argued that helping unemployed American young people was the least Congress should do in a bill that allows college students from around the world to take jobs that young Americans would otherwise perform," said a news release from Sanders' office.

Each state would receive at least $7.5 million to run a summer jobs program for young people in 2014 and 2015, while states with high youth unemployment would receive more.

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats in the Senate, said the measure would be paid for by imposing a temporary $10 fee on employers who hire guest workers and international workers who receive green cards.