[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3340 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3340

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
        provide veterans with apprenticeships and career advice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 3, 2011

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to 
        provide veterans with apprenticeships and career advice.

    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 ``Help Inspire and Retrain our 
Exceptional Veterans Act of 2011'' or the ``HIRE Veterans Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH APPRENTICESHIPS AND 
              CAREER ADVICE.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a program to 
award grants to local Chambers of Commerce to provide veterans with 
apprenticeships and career advice.
    (b) Use of Grant.--A local Chamber of Commerce may use a grant 
awarded under this section to establish a veterans apprenticeship 
program that provides veterans (particularly those who served in 
Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New 
Dawn) with--
            (1) training with respect to writing a resume;
            (2) career advice; and
            (3) opportunities to pursue apprenticeships with businesses 
        participating in the program.
    (c) Number and Amount of Grants.--
            (1) Number.--The Secretary may not award more than one 
        grant to a local Chamber of Commerce during each five-year 
        period in which the grant program established under subsection 
        (a) is carried out.
            (2) Amount.--A grant awarded under this section shall be an 
        amount that is not less than $10,000 and not more than $20,000.
    (d) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, a 
local Chamber of Commerce shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require.
    (e) Termination.--The grant program established under subsection 
(a) shall terminate on September 30, 2022.
    (f) Annual Report.--Not later than March 31 of each year following 
a year in which a grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the grant program, including--
            (1) a list of each grant awarded in the year covered by the 
        report, including the amount of the grant and the local Chamber 
        of Commerce awarded the grant; and
            (2) the number of veterans who participated in a program 
        described in subsection (b) who became employed during such 
        year, including whether such employment is considered permanent 
        or temporary.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section a total of 
$10,000,000.
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