II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 842 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 14, 2011 Mr. Casey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require reports by the Comptroller General on Department of Defense military spouse employment programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Spouse Employment Programs Evaluation Act.

2.

Comptroller General reports on Department of Defense military spouse employment programs

(a)

Annual review required

The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out each year a review of all current Department of Defense military spouse employment programs. (b)

Elements

Each review required by subsection (a) shall, address, at a minimum, the following: (1)The efficacy and effectiveness of Department of Defense military spouse employment programs. (2)All current Department programs to support military spouses or dependents for the purposes of employment assistance. (3)The types of military spouse employment programs that have been considered or used in the past by the Department. (4)The ways in which military spouse employment programs have changed in recent years. (5)The benefits or programs that are specifically available to provide employment assistance to spouses of members of the Armed Forces serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation New Dawn, or any other contingency operation being conducted by the Armed Forces as of the date of such review. (6)Existing mechanisms available to military spouses to express their views on the effectiveness and future direction of Department programs and policies on employment assistance for military spouses. (7)The oversight provided by the Office of Personnel and Management regarding preferences for military spouses in Federal employment. (c)

Comptroller General reports

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Comptroller General shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the review carried out under subsection (a) during the year in which such review is carried out. Each report shall set forth the following: (1)The results of the review concerned. (2)In the first report submitted under this subsection, such clear and concrete metrics as the Comptroller General considers appropriate for the current and future evaluation and assessment of the efficacy and effectiveness of Department of Defense military spouse employment programs. (3)A description of the assumptions utilized in the review, and an assessment of the validity and completeness of such assumptions. (4)Such recommendations as the Comptroller General considers appropriate for improving Department of Defense military spouse employment programs. (d)

Department of Defense reports

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth the number (or a reasonable estimate if a precise number is not available) of military spouses who have obtained employment following participation in Department of Defense military spouse employment programs. The report shall set forth such number (or estimate) for the Department of Defense military spouse employment programs as a whole and for each such military spouse employment program.