[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2327 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2327

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 2013

Mr. Miller of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, 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 Economic Opportunity 
Administration Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION 
              OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Economic Opportunity Administration.--Part V of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
chapter:

       ``CHAPTER 80--VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION

``8001. Organization of Administration.
``8002. Functions of Administration.
``Sec. 8001. Organization of Administration
    ``(a) Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration.--There is in 
the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration. The primary function of the Veterans Economic 
Opportunity Administration is the administration of the programs of the 
Department which provide assistance related to economic opportunity to 
veterans and their dependents and survivors.
    ``(b) Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity.--The Veterans 
Economic Opportunity Administration is under the Under Secretary for 
Veterans Economic Opportunity, who is directly responsible to the 
Secretary for the operations of the Administration.
``Sec. 8002. Functions of Administration
    ``The Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration is responsible 
for the administration of the following programs of the Department:
            ``(1) Vocational rehabilitation and employment programs.
            ``(2) Educational assistance programs.
            ``(3) Veterans' housing loan and related programs.
            ``(4) Veterans small business programs, including the 
        program under section 8127 of this title.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--The tables of chapters at the beginning 
of title 38, and of part V of title 38, are each amended by inserting 
after the item relating to chapter 79 the following new item:

``80. Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration..........    8001''.

SEC. 3. UNDER SECRETARY FOR VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

    (a) Under Secretary.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 306 the following new section:
``Sec. 306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity
    ``(a) Under Secretary.--There is in the Department an Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, who is appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be appointed without 
regard to political affiliation or activity and solely on the basis of 
demonstrated ability in--
            ``(1) information technology; and
            ``(2) the administration of programs within the Veterans 
        Economic Opportunity Administration or programs of similar 
        content and scope.
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Under Secretary for Veterans Economic 
Opportunity is the head of, and is directly responsible to the 
Secretary for the operations of, the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration.
    ``(c) Vacancies.--(1) Whenever a vacancy in the position of Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity occurs or is anticipated, 
the Secretary shall establish a commission to recommend individuals to 
the President for appointment to the position.
    ``(2) A commission established under this subsection shall be 
composed of the following members appointed by the Secretary:
            ``(A) Three persons representing education and training, 
        vocational rehabilitation, employment, real estate, mortgage 
        finance and related industries, and survivor benefits 
        activities affected by the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
        Administration.
            ``(B) Two persons representing veterans served by the 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration.
            ``(C) Two persons who have experience in the management of 
        private sector benefits programs of similar content and scope 
        to the economic opportunity programs of the Department.
            ``(D) The Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            ``(E) The chairman of the Veterans' Advisory Committee on 
        Education formed under section 3692 of this title.
            ``(F) One person who has held the position of Under 
        Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, if the Secretary 
        determines that it is desirable for such person to be a member 
        of the commission.
    ``(3) A commission established under this subsection shall 
recommend at least three individuals for appointment to the position of 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity. The commission shall 
submit all recommendations to the Secretary. The Secretary shall 
forward the recommendations to the President and the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives with any 
comments the Secretary considers appropriate. Thereafter, the President 
may request the commission to recommend additional individuals for 
appointment.
    ``(4) The Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs who performs personnel management and labor relations 
functions shall serve as the executive secretary of a commission 
established under this subsection.
    ``(d) Qualifications of Recommended Individuals.--Each individual 
recommended to the President by the commission for appointment to the 
position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be 
an individual who has held a senior level position in the private 
sector with responsibilities relating to at least one of the following:
            ``(1) Education policy.
            ``(2) Vocational rehabilitation.
            ``(3) Employment.
            ``(4) Home loan finance.
            ``(5) Small business development.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
306 the following new item:

``306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Such title is further amended--
            (1) in section 7701(a), by inserting after ``assistance'' 
        the following: ``, other than assistance related to economic 
        opportunity,'';
            (2) in section 7703, by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and 
        redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (2) and (3), 
        respectively;
            (3) in section 306(c)(2), by striking subparagraphs (A) and 
        (E) and redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (F), as 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively;
            (4) in section 317(d), by inserting after ``Under Secretary 
        for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity,'';
            (5) in section 318(d)(2), by inserting after ``Under 
        Secretary for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary 
        for Veterans Economic Opportunity,'';
            (6) in section 516(e)(2)(C), by striking ``Health and the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (7) in section 541(a)(2)(B), by striking ``Health and the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (8) in section 542(a)(2)(A)(iii), by striking ``Health and 
        the Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity'';
            (9) in section 544(a)(2)(B)(vi), by striking ``Health and 
        the Under Secretary for Benefits'' and inserting ``Health, the 
        Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for 
        Veterans Economic Opportunity''; and
            (10) in section 709(c)(2)(A), by inserting after ``Under 
        Secretary for Benefits'' the following: ``, the Under Secretary 
        for Veterans Economic Opportunity,''.
    (d) Full-Time Employees.--For fiscal year 2014, the aggregate 
number of full-time equivalent employees authorized for the Veterans 
Benefit Administration and the Veterans Economic Opportunity 
Administration, as established under chapter 80 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by section 2, may not exceed 20,851.
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