II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1314 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 30, 2011 Mr. Tester (for himself and Mr. Begich) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Labor to establish minimum funding levels for States for the support of disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives, and for other purposes.

1.

Minimum funding levels for disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives

(a)

In general

Clause (iii) of section 4102A(c)(2)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (i)(I)In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish minimum funding levels and may establish hold-harmless criteria for States. (II)Except as provided in subclause (III), at a minimum, the minimum funding levels establish under subclause (I) shall ensure that each State receives sufficient funding to support at least one disabled veterans' outreach program specialist appointed under section 4103A(a)(1) of this title and one local veterans' employment representative assigned under section 4104(b) of this title per 5,000 square miles of service delivery area within the State. (III)In determining minimum funding levels under subclause (II), the Secretary may exclude consideration of counties with a population density of less than one person per square mile. . (b)

Report

(1)

In general

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress a report on the effect of the amendment made by subsection (a) on veterans who reside in highly rural areas. (2)

Elements

The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A)A description of the effect of the amendment made by subsection (a) on veterans who reside in highly rural areas. (B)Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate to improve the provision of contracts and grants under section 4102A(b)(5) of such title to meet the needs of veterans who reside in highly rural areas and are eligible for services furnished under chapter 41 of such title. (3)

Highly rural defined

In this subsection, the term highly rural, in the case of an area, means that the area consists of a county or counties having a population of less than seven persons per square mile.