[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1021 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.1021

                       One Hundred Fifth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  eight


                                 An Act


 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that consideration may 
not be denied to preference eligibles applying for certain positions in 
            the competitive service, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Employment Opportunities 
Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS FOR VETERANS.

    Section 3304 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(f)(1) Preference eligibles or veterans who have been separated 
from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more 
of active service may not be denied the opportunity to compete for 
vacant positions for which the agency making the announcement will 
accept applications from individuals outside its own workforce under 
merit promotion procedures.
    ``(2) This subsection shall not be construed to confer an 
entitlement to veterans' preference that is not otherwise required by 
law.
    ``(3) The area of consideration for all merit promotion 
announcements which include consideration of individuals of the Federal 
workforce shall indicate that preference eligibles and veterans who 
have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions 
after 3 years or more of active service are eligible to apply. The 
announcements shall be publicized in accordance with section 3327.
    ``(4) The Office of Personnel Management shall establish an 
appointing authority to appoint such preference eligibles and 
veterans.''.

SEC. 3. IMPROVED REDRESS FOR PREFERENCE ELIGIBLES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 3330a. Preference eligibles; administrative redress

    ``(a)(1) A preference eligible who alleges that an agency has 
violated such individual's rights under any statute or regulation 
relating to veterans' preference may file a complaint with the 
Secretary of Labor.
    ``(2)(A) A complaint under this subsection must be filed within 60 
days after the date of the alleged violation.
    ``(B) Such complaint shall be in writing, be in such form as the 
Secretary may prescribe, specify the agency against which the complaint 
is filed, and contain a summary of the allegations that form the basis 
for the complaint.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall, upon request, provide technical 
assistance to a potential complainant with respect to a complaint under 
this subsection.
    ``(b)(1) The Secretary of Labor shall investigate each complaint 
under subsection (a).
    ``(2) In carrying out any investigation under this subsection, the 
Secretary's duly authorized representatives shall, at all reasonable 
times, have reasonable access to, for purposes of examination, and the 
right to copy and receive, any documents of any person or agency that 
the Secretary considers relevant to the investigation.
    ``(3) In carrying out any investigation under this subsection, the 
Secretary may require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of 
witnesses and the production of documents relating to any matter under 
investigation. In case of disobedience of the subpoena or contumacy and 
on request of the Secretary, the Attorney General may apply to any 
district court of the United States in whose jurisdiction such 
disobedience or contumacy occurs for an order enforcing the subpoena.
    ``(4) Upon application, the district courts of the United States 
shall have jurisdiction to issue writs commanding any person or agency 
to comply with the subpoena of the Secretary or to comply with any 
order of the Secretary made pursuant to a lawful investigation under 
this subsection and the district courts shall have jurisdiction to 
punish failure to obey a subpoena or other lawful order of the 
Secretary as a contempt of court.
    ``(c)(1)(A) If the Secretary of Labor determines as a result of an 
investigation under subsection (b) that the action alleged in a 
complaint under subsection (a) occurred, the Secretary shall attempt to 
resolve the complaint by making reasonable efforts to ensure that the 
agency specified in the complaint complies with applicable provisions 
of statute or regulation relating to veterans' preference.
    ``(B) The Secretary of Labor shall make determinations referred to 
in subparagraph (A) based on a preponderance of the evidence.
    ``(2) If the efforts of the Secretary under subsection (b) with 
respect to a complaint under subsection (a) do not result in the 
resolution of the complaint, the Secretary shall notify the person who 
submitted the complaint, in writing, of the results of the Secretary's 
investigation under subsection (b).
    ``(d)(1) If the Secretary of Labor is unable to resolve a complaint 
under subsection (a) within 60 days after the date on which it is 
filed, the complainant may elect to appeal the alleged violation to the 
Merit Systems Protection Board in accordance with such procedures as 
the Merit Systems Protection Board shall prescribe, except that in no 
event may any such appeal be brought--
        ``(A) before the 61st day after the date on which the complaint 
    is filed; or
        ``(B) later than 15 days after the date on which the 
    complainant receives written notification from the Secretary under 
    subsection (c)(2).
    ``(2) An appeal under this subsection may not be brought unless--
        ``(A) the complainant first provides written notification to 
    the Secretary of such complainant's intention to bring such appeal; 
    and
        ``(B) appropriate evidence of compliance with subparagraph (A) 
    is included (in such form and manner as the Merit Systems 
    Protection Board may prescribe) with the notice of appeal under 
    this subsection.
    ``(3) Upon receiving notification under paragraph (2)(A), the 
Secretary shall not continue to investigate or further attempt to 
resolve the complaint to which the notification relates.
    ``(e)(1) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a 
preference eligible from appealing directly to the Merit Systems 
Protection Board from any action which is appealable to the Board under 
any other law, rule, or regulation, in lieu of administrative redress 
under this section.
    ``(2) A preference eligible may not pursue redress for an alleged 
violation described in subsection (a) under this section at the same 
time the preference eligible pursues redress for such violation under 
any other law, rule, or regulation.

``Sec. 3330b. Preference eligibles; judicial redress

    ``(a) In lieu of continuing the administrative redress procedure 
provided under section 3330a(d), a preference eligible may elect, in 
accordance with this section, to terminate those administrative 
proceedings and file an action with the appropriate United States 
district court not later than 60 days after the date of the election.
    ``(b) An election under this section may not be made--
        ``(1) before the 121st day after the date on which the appeal 
    is filed with the Merit Systems Protection Board under section 
    3330a(d); or
        ``(2) after the Merit Systems Protection Board has issued a 
    judicially reviewable decision on the merits of the appeal.
    ``(c) An election under this section shall be made, in writing, in 
such form and manner as the Merit Systems Protection Board shall by 
regulation prescribe. The election shall be effective as of the date on 
which it is received, and the administrative proceeding to which it 
relates shall terminate immediately upon the receipt of such election.

``Sec. 3330c. Preference eligibles; remedy

    ``(a) If the Merit Systems Protection Board (in a proceeding under 
section 3330a) or a court (in a proceeding under section 3330b) 
determines that an agency has violated a right described in section 
3330a, the Board or court (as the case may be) shall order the agency 
to comply with such provisions and award compensation for any loss of 
wages or benefits suffered by the individual by reason of the violation 
involved. If the Board or court determines that such violation was 
willful, it shall award an amount equal to backpay as liquidated 
damages.
    ``(b) A preference eligible who prevails in an action under section 
3330a or 3330b shall be awarded reasonable attorney fees, expert 
witness fees, and other litigation expenses.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding after 
the item relating to section 3330 the following:
``3330a. Preference eligibles; administrative redress.
``3330b. Preference eligibles; judicial redress.
``3330c. Preference eligibles; remedy.''.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE.

    (a) Amendment to Title 5, United States Code.--Paragraph (3) of 
section 2108 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement 
Administration Senior Executive Service, or the General Accounting 
Office;'' and inserting ``or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 
Drug Enforcement Administration Senior Executive Service;''.
    (b) Amendments to Title 3, United States Code.--
        (1) In general.--Chapter 2 of title 3, United States Code, is 
    amended by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 115. Veterans' preference

    ``(a) Subject to subsection (b), appointments under sections 105, 
106, and 107 shall be made in accordance with section 2108, and 
sections 3309 through 3312, of title 5.
    ``(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to any appointment to a 
position the rate of basic pay for which is at least equal to the 
minimum rate established for positions in the Senior Executive Service 
under section 5382 of title 5 and the duties of which are comparable to 
those described in section 3132(a)(2) of such title or to any other 
position if, with respect to such position, the President makes 
certification--
        ``(1) that such position is--
            ``(A) a confidential or policy-making position; or
            ``(B) a position for which political affiliation or 
        political philosophy is otherwise an important qualification; 
        and
        ``(2) that any individual selected for such position is 
    expected to vacate the position at or before the end of the 
    President's term (or terms) of office.
Each individual appointed to a position described in the preceding 
sentence as to which the expectation described in paragraph (2) applies 
shall be notified as to such expectation, in writing, at the time of 
appointment to such position.''.
        (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning 
    of chapter 2 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by adding 
    at the end the following:
``115. Veterans' preference.''.

    (c) Legislative Branch Appointments.--
        (1) Definitions.--For the purposes of this subsection, the 
    terms ``covered employee'' and ``Board'' shall each have the 
    meaning given such term by section 101 of the Congressional 
    Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301).
        (2) Rights and protections.--The rights and protections 
    established under section 2108, sections 3309 through 3312, and 
    subchapter I of chapter 35, of title 5, United States Code, shall 
    apply to covered employees.
        (3) Remedies.--
            (A) In general.--The remedy for a violation of paragraph 
        (2) shall be such remedy as would be appropriate if awarded 
        under applicable provisions of title 5, United States Code, in 
        the case of a violation of the relevant corresponding provision 
        (referred to in paragraph (2)) of such title.
            (B) Procedure.--The procedure for consideration of alleged 
        violations of paragraph (2) shall be the same as apply under 
        section 401 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 
        (and the provisions of law referred to therein) in the case of 
        an alleged violation of part A of title II of such Act.
        (4) Regulations to implement subsection.--
            (A) In general.--The Board shall, pursuant to section 304 
        of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
        1384), issue regulations to implement this subsection.
            (B) Agency regulations.--The regulations issued under 
        subparagraph (A) shall be the same as the most relevant 
        substantive regulations (applicable with respect to the 
        executive branch) promulgated to implement the statutory 
        provisions referred to in paragraph (2) except insofar as the 
        Board may determine, for good cause shown and stated together 
        with the regulation, that a modification of such regulations 
        would be more effective for the implementation of the rights 
        and protections under this subsection.
            (C) Coordination.--The regulations issued under 
        subparagraph (A) shall be consistent with section 225 of the 
        Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1361).
        (5) Applicability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
    subsection, the term ``covered employee'' shall not, for purposes 
    of this subsection, include an employee--
            (A) whose appointment is made by the President with the 
        advice and consent of the Senate;
            (B) whose appointment is made by a Member of Congress or by 
        a committee or subcommittee of either House of Congress; or
            (C) who is appointed to a position, the duties of which are 
        equivalent to those of a Senior Executive Service position 
        (within the meaning of section 3132(a)(2) of title 5, United 
        States Code).
        (6) Effective date.--Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be effective 
    as of the effective date of the regulations under paragraph (4).
    (d) Judicial Branch Appointments.--
        (1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the 
    Judicial Conference of the United States shall prescribe procedures 
    to provide for--
            (A) veterans' preference in the consideration of applicants 
        for employment, and in the conduct of any reductions in force, 
        within the judicial branch; and
            (B) redress for alleged violations of any rights provided 
        for under subparagraph (A).
        (2) Procedures.--Under the procedures, a preference eligible 
    (as defined by section 2108 of title 5, United States Code) shall 
    be afforded preferences in a manner and to the extent consistent 
    with preferences afforded to preference eligibles in the executive 
    branch.
        (3) Exclusions.--Nothing in the procedures shall apply with 
    respect to an applicant or employee--
            (A) whose appointment is made by the President with the 
        advice and consent of the Senate;
            (B) whose appointment is as a judicial officer;
            (C) whose appointment is required by statute to be made by 
        or with the approval of a court or judicial officer; or
            (D) whose appointment is to a position, the duties of which 
        are equivalent to those of a Senior Executive Service position 
        (within the meaning of section 3132(a)(2) of title 5, United 
        States Code).
        (4) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection, the term 
    ``judicial officer'' means a justice, judge, or magistrate judge 
    listed in subparagraph (A), (B), (F), or (G) of section 376(a)(1) 
    of title 28, United States Code.
        (5) Submission to congress; effective date.--
            (A) Submission to congress.--Not later than 12 months after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Judicial Conference of 
        the United States shall submit a copy of the procedures 
        prescribed under this subsection to the Committee on Government 
        Reform and Oversight and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental 
        Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
            (B) Effective date.--The procedures prescribed under this 
        subsection shall take effect 13 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. VETERANS' PREFERENCE REQUIRED FOR REDUCTIONS IN FORCE IN THE 
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
    Section 347(b) of the Department of Transportation and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (109 Stat. 460) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (6);
        (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (7) and 
    inserting ``; and''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(8) sections 3501-3504, as such sections relate to veterans' 
    preference.''.
SEC. 6. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH VETERANS' PREFERENCE REQUIREMENTS TO BE 
TREATED AS A PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICE FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES.
    (a) In General.--Subsection (b) of section 2302 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended--
        (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (10);
        (2) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and
        (3) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following:
        ``(11)(A) knowingly take, recommend, or approve any personnel 
    action if the taking of such action would violate a veterans' 
    preference requirement; or
        ``(B) knowingly fail to take, recommend, or approve any 
    personnel action if the failure to take such action would violate a 
    veterans' preference requirement; or''.
    (b) Definition; Limitation.--Section 2302 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e)(1) For the purpose of this section, the term `veterans' 
preference requirement' means any of the following provisions of law:
        ``(A) Sections 2108, 3305(b), 3309, 3310, 3311, 3312, 3313, 
    3314, 3315, 3316, 3317(b), 3318, 3320, 3351, 3352, 3363, 3501, 
    3502(b), 3504, and 4303(e) and (with respect to a preference 
    eligible referred to in section 7511(a)(1)(B)) subchapter II of 
    chapter 75 and section 7701.
        ``(B) Sections 943(c)(2) and 1784(c) of title 10.
        ``(C) Section 1308(b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands 
    Conservation Act.
        ``(D) Section 301(c) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980.
        ``(E) Sections 106(f), 7281(e), and 7802(5) of title 38.
        ``(F) Section 1005(a) of title 39.
        ``(G) Any other provision of law that the Director of the 
    Office of Personnel Management designates in regulations as being a 
    veterans' preference requirement for the purposes of this 
    subsection.
        ``(H) Any regulation prescribed under subsection (b) or (c) of 
    section 1302 and any other regulation that implements a provision 
    of law referred to in any of the preceding subparagraphs.
    ``(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no 
authority to order corrective action shall be available in connection 
with a prohibited personnel practice described in subsection (b)(11). 
Nothing in this paragraph shall be considered to affect any authority 
under section 1215 (relating to disciplinary action).''.
    (c) Repeals.--
        (1) Section 1599c of title 10, united states code.--
            (A) Repeal.--Section 1599c of title 10, United States Code, 
        is repealed.
            (B) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 81 of such title is amended by striking 
        out the item relating to section 1599c.
        (2) Section 2302(a)(1) of title 5, united states code.--
    Subsection (a)(1) of section 2302 of title 5, United States Code, 
    is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) For the purpose of this title, `prohibited personnel 
practice' means any action described in subsection (b).''.
    (d) Savings Provision.--This section shall be treated as if it had 
never been enacted for purposes of any personnel action (within the 
meaning of section 2302 of title 5, United States Code) preceding the 
date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT EMPHASIS 
UNDER FEDERAL CONTRACTS.
    (a) Covered Veterans.--Section 4212 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a)--
            (A) by striking out ``$10,000'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``$25,000''; and
            (B) by striking out ``special disabled veterans and 
        veterans of the Vietnam era'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
        ``special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, and 
        any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in 
        a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been 
        authorized'';
        (2) in subsection (b), by striking out ``special disabled 
    veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era'' and inserting in lieu 
    thereof ``veteran covered by the first sentence of subsection 
    (a)''; and
        (3) in subsection (d)(1), by striking out ``veterans of the 
    Vietnam era or special disabled veterans'' both places it appears 
    and inserting in lieu thereof ``special disabled veterans, veterans 
    of the Vietnam era, or other veterans who served on active duty 
    during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign 
    badge has been authorized''.
    (b) Prohibition on Contracting With Entities Not Meeting Reporting 
Requirements.--(1) Subchapter III of chapter 13 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1354. Limitation on use of appropriated funds for contracts with 
    entities not meeting veterans' employment reporting requirements
    ``(a)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no agency may obligate or expend 
funds appropriated for the agency for a fiscal year to enter into a 
contract described in section 4212(a) of title 38 with a contractor 
from which a report was required under section 4212(d) of that title 
with respect to the preceding fiscal year if such contractor did not 
submit such report.
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall cease to apply with respect to a 
contractor otherwise covered by that paragraph on the date on which the 
contractor submits the report required by such section 4212(d) for the 
fiscal year concerned.
    ``(b) The Secretary of Labor shall make available in a database a 
list of the contractors that have complied with the provisions of such 
section 4212(d).''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 13 of such 
title is amended by adding at the end the following:
``1354. Limitation on use of appropriated funds for contracts with 
          entities not meeting veterans' employment reporting 
          requirements.''.
SEC. 8. REQUIREMENT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN ANNUAL REPORTS FROM 
FEDERAL CONTRACTORS ON VETERANS EMPLOYMENT.
    Section 4212(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
section 7(a)(3) of this Act, is further amended--
        (1) by striking out ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A);
        (2) by striking out the period at the end of subparagraph (B) 
    and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(C) the maximum number and the minimum number of employees of 
    such contractor during the period covered by the report.''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.