[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4592 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4592

 To provide for the establishment of a pilot program to encourage the 
          employment of veterans in energy-related positions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 3, 2010

  Mr. Teague (for himself and Mr. Perriello) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for the establishment of a pilot program to encourage the 
          employment of veterans in energy-related positions.

    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 referred to as the ``Energy Jobs for Veterans 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE THE EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS IN 
              ENERGY-RELATED POSITIONS.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--To encourage the employment of 
eligible veterans in energy-related positions, the Secretary of Labor, 
through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and 
Training, shall establish a pilot program to be known as the ``Veterans 
Energy-Related Employment Program''. Under the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall award competitive grants to each of 2 States for the 
establishment and administration of a State program to make payments to 
energy employers who employ eligible veterans, to be known as a ``State 
Energy-Related Employment Program''.
    (b) Eligibility for Grants.--To be eligible for a grant under the 
pilot program, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application 
that--
            (1) includes a proposal for a State program that satisfies 
        the requirements in subsection (d); and
            (2) demonstrates that the State has--
                    (A) a population of eligible veterans of an 
                appropriate size to carry out the State program;
                    (B) a robust and diverse energy industry; and
                    (C) the ability to carry out the State program in 
                paragraph (1).
    (c) Selection.--Under the pilot program, grants shall be awarded to 
2 States that, in the determination of the Secretary, have proposed and 
have the ability to carry out a State program that, for the greatest 
number of eligible veterans, will provide marketable energy job skills 
and employment experience and ensure lasting and sustainable employment 
in well-paying energy jobs. The Secretary shall base such determination 
on the proposal and criteria referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
subsection (b), respectively.
    (d) Requirements for State Program.--Under a State program:
            (1) Amount of payments.--A State shall pay to an energy 
        employer, with respect to each eligible veteran employed in an 
        apprenticeship or provided on-job training referred to in 
        subsection (h)(2)(A) by the energy employer in the State, an 
        amount not to exceed 50 percent of the product of--
                    (A) the hourly rate of wages paid to the eligible 
                veteran by the energy employer; and
                    (B) the number of hours worked by the eligible 
                veteran.
            (2) Limitations.--With respect to each eligible veteran in 
        paragraph (1):
                    (A) Aggregate limitation.--The aggregate amount 
                paid to an energy employer shall not exceed $20,000.
                    (B) Monthly limitation.--The amount paid to an 
                energy employer for any month shall not exceed one-
                twelfth of the amount specified in clause (i).
                    (C) Payment period limitation.--Payments to an 
                energy employer shall not be made for a period of more 
                than 12 months.
            (3) Payment frequency.--Payments to an energy employer 
        shall be made on a quarterly basis.
            (4) Reporting.--An energy employer that receives payments 
        shall be required to submit to the State, for each quarter, a 
        report--
                    (A) in which the energy employer and eligible 
                veteran certify the wages paid by the energy employer 
                to the eligible veteran for such quarter under the 
                program; and
                    (B) containing such other information as the 
                Secretary may specify.
            (5) Outreach.--A State shall conduct outreach to inform 
        energy employers and veterans, including veterans in rural 
        areas, of their eligibility or potential eligibility for 
        participation in the State program.
    (e) Grant.--Under the pilot program:
            (1) Amount.--Grants to a State shall be in such amounts as 
        the Secretary, based on the proposal by the State in subsection 
        (b)(1), determines necessary for the State to--
                    (A) make payments under subsection (d)(1) with 
                respect to eligible veterans who first begin work under 
                the State program in fiscal years 2011 through 2015; 
                and
                    (B) pay the reasonable costs of administering the 
                State program until the date on which no eligible 
                veteran under subparagraph (A) is working under the 
                State program.
            (2) Frequency.--Grants shall be made for such periods as 
        the Secretary determines appropriate.
    (f) Conditions.--Under the pilot program, each grant to a State 
shall be subject to the following conditions:
            (1) Payment.--The State shall pay to the Secretary, on such 
        date as shall be determined by the Secretary, any amount 
        received under the grant that is not used for the purposes in 
        subparagraphs (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of subsection (e).
            (2) Reporting.--The State shall submit to the Secretary a 
        report at such time and containing such information as the 
        Secretary shall require, including information on the use of 
        grant funds.
    (g) Reporting.--The Secretary shall include as part of the annual 
report required by section 4107(c) of title 38, United States Code, a 
detailed description of activities carried out under this section.
    (h) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Eligible veteran.--The term ``eligible veteran'' means 
        an individual entitled to educational assistance under 
        subsection (a) of section 3311 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Energy employer.--The term ``energy employer'' means an 
        employer who--
                    (A) employs an eligible veteran in a program of 
                apprenticeship or provides to an eligible veteran other 
                on-job training approved as provided in paragraph (1) 
                or (2), as appropriate, of subsection (a) of section 
                3687 of title 38, United States Code; and
                    (B) employs such eligible veteran in a trade or 
                business in--
                            (i) the energy-efficient building, 
                        construction, and retrofits industries;
                            (ii) the renewable electric power industry, 
                        including the wind and solar energy industries;
                            (iii) the biofuels industry;
                            (iv) the energy efficiency assessment 
                        industry that serves the residential, 
                        commercial, or industrial sectors;
                            (v) the oil and natural gas industry; or
                            (vi) the nuclear industry.
            (3) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the 
        Veterans Energy-Related Employment Program established under 
        subsection (a).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (5) State program.--The term ``State program'' means a 
        State Energy-Related Employment Program referred to in 
        subsection (a).
    (i) Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015, for 
the purpose of carrying out the pilot program.
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