[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 700 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 700

To ensure that the education and training provided members of the Armed 
 Forces and veterans better assists members and veterans in obtaining 
     civilian certifications and licenses, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 10, 2013

 Mr. Kaine (for himself, Mr. Chambliss, and Mr. Baucus) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To ensure that the education and training provided members of the Armed 
 Forces and veterans better assists members and veterans in obtaining 
     civilian certifications and licenses, 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 ``Troop Talent Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 
        unemployment rate for recent veterans of military operations in 
        Iraq and Afghanistan was 9.4 percent in February 2013, compared 
        with 7.6 percent in February 2012.
            (2) With the unemployment rate among such veterans higher 
        than the national average and the number of veterans receiving 
        unemployment benefits doubling since 2002, there is a 
        significant need to assist members of the Armed Forces as they 
        transition to the civilian workforce.
            (3) In order to remain competitive in the civilian 
        employment market, members of the Armed Forces and veterans 
        require information about how their military skill sets 
        translate to the requirements of the civilian workforce. 
        Members of the Armed Forces currently receive insufficient or 
        inadequate information during their training for military 
        occupational specialties on translating skills obtained during 
        such training to civilian occupations and credentials.
            (4) In addition, there is a need for enhanced access by 
        accredited credentialing agencies to military training 
        curricula in order to facilitate and enhance the correlation 
        between military training and applicable civilian credentialing 
        courses and exams.
            (5) The information technology sector is one of the fastest 
        growing industries, with tremendous job growth and demand for 
        talented, qualified individuals. The information technology 
        sector has an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent according to a 
        Bureau of Labor Statistics report from February 2013.
            (6) The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for 
        110,000 computer support specialists over the next decade. 
        Currently, the size of the information technology workforce in 
        the Armed Forces is about 160,000 members.

SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF MECHANISMS TO CORRELATE SKILLS AND TRAINING FOR 
              MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES WITH SKILLS AND 
              TRAINING REQUIRED FOR CIVILIAN CERTIFICATIONS AND 
              LICENSES.

    (a) Improvement of Information Available to Members of the Armed 
Forces About Correlation.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretaries of the military 
        departments, in coordination with the Under Secretary of 
        Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall, to the maximum 
        extent practicable, make information on civilian credentialing 
        opportunities available to members of the Armed Forces 
        beginning with, and at every stage of, training of members for 
        military occupational specialties, in order to permit members--
                    (A) to evaluate the extent to which such training 
                correlates with the skills and training required in 
                connection with various civilian certifications and 
                licenses; and
                    (B) to assess the suitability of such training for 
                obtaining or pursuing such civilian certifications and 
                licenses.
            (2) Coordination with transition goals plans success 
        program.--Information shall be made available under paragraph 
        (1) in a manner consistent with the Transition Goals Plans 
        Success (GPS) program.
            (3) Types of information.--The information made available 
        under paragraph (1) shall include, but not be limited to, the 
        following:
                    (A) Information on the civilian occupational 
                equivalents of military occupational specialties (MOS).
                    (B) Information on civilian license or 
                certification requirements, including examination 
                requirements.
                    (C) Information on the availability and 
                opportunities for use of educational benefits available 
                to members of the Armed Forces, as appropriate, 
                corresponding training, or continuing education that 
                leads to a certification exam in order to provide a 
                pathway to credentialing opportunities.
            (4) Use and adaptation of certain programs.--In making 
        information available under paragraph (1), the Secretaries of 
        the military departments may use and adapt appropriate portions 
        of the Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) programs of 
        the Army and the Navy and the Credentialing and Educational 
        Research Tool (CERT) of the Air Force.
    (b) Improvement of Access of Accredited Civilian Credentialing 
Agencies to Military Training Content.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretaries of the military 
        departments, in coordination with the Under Secretary of 
        Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall, to the maximum 
        extent practicable consistent with national security 
        requirements, make available to accredited civilian 
        credentialing agencies that issue certifications or licenses, 
        upon request of such agencies, information such as military 
        course training curricula, syllabi, and materials, levels of 
        military advancement attained, and professional skills 
        developed.
            (2) Central repository.--The actions taken pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) may include the establishment of a central 
        repository of information on training and training materials 
        provided members in connection with military occupational 
        specialties that is readily accessible by accredited civilian 
        credentialing agencies described in that paragraph in order to 
        meet requests described in that paragraph.

SEC. 4. USE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR COURSES IN PURSUIT OF 
              CIVILIAN CERTIFICATIONS OR LICENSES.

    (a) Courses Under Department of Defense Educational Assistance 
Authorities.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 101 of title 10, United States 
        Code, is amended by inserting after section 2015 the following 
        new section:
``Sec. 2015a. Civilian certifications and licenses: use of educational 
              assistance for courses in pursuit of civilian 
              certifications or licenses
    ``(a) Limitation on Use of Assistance.--In the case of a member of 
the armed forces who is enrolled in an educational institution in a 
State for purposes of obtaining employment in an occupation or 
profession requiring the approval or licensure of a board or agency of 
that State, educational assistance specified in subsection (b) may be 
used by the member for a course offered by the educational institution 
that is a required element of the curriculum to be satisfied to obtain 
employment in that occupation or profession only if--
            ``(1) the successful completion of the curriculum fully 
        qualifies a student to--
                    ``(A) take any examination required for entry into 
                the occupation or profession, including satisfying any 
                State or professionally mandated programmatic and 
                specialized accreditation requirements; and
                    ``(B) be certified or licensed or meet any other 
                academically related pre-conditions that are required 
                for entry into the occupation or profession; and
            ``(2) in the case of State licensing or professionally 
        mandated requirements for entry into the occupation or 
        profession that require specialized accreditation, the 
        curriculum meets the requirement for specialized accreditation 
        through its accreditation or pre-accreditation by an 
        accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary 
        of Education or designated by that State as a reliable 
        authority as to the quality or training offered by the 
        institution in that program.
    ``(b) Covered Educational Assistance.--The educational assistance 
specified in this subsection is educational assistance as follows:
            ``(1) Educational assistance for members of the armed 
        forces under section 2007 and 2015 of this title.
            ``(2) Educational assistance for persons enlisting for 
        active duty under chapter 106A of this title.
            ``(3) Educational assistance for members of the armed 
        forces held as captives under section 2183 of this title.
            ``(4) Educational assistance for members of the Selected 
        Reserve under chapter 1606 of this title.
            ``(5) Educational assistance for reserve component members 
        supporting contingency operations and other operations under 
        chapter 1607 of this title.
            ``(6) Such other educational assistance provided members of 
        the armed forces under the laws administered by the Secretary 
        of Defense or the Secretaries of the military departments as 
        the Secretary of Defense shall designate for purposes of this 
        section.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 101 of such title is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 2015 the following new item:

``2015a. Civilian certifications and licenses: use of educational 
                            assistance for courses in pursuit of 
                            civilian certifications or licenses.''.
    (b) Courses Under Educational Assistance Authorities Administered 
by Secretary of Veterans Affairs.--Section 3679 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(c) A course offered by an educational institution in a State 
that is a required element of the curriculum to be satisfied to obtain 
employment in an occupation or profession requiring the approval or 
licensure of a board or agency of that State may be treated as approved 
for purposes of this chapter by an individual seeking to obtain 
employment in that occupation or profession only if--
            ``(1) the successful completion of the curriculum fully 
        qualifies a student to--
                    ``(A) take any examination required for entry into 
                the occupation or profession, including satisfying any 
                State or professionally mandated programmatic and 
                specialized accreditation requirements; and
                    ``(B) be certified or licensed or meet any other 
                academically related pre-conditions that are required 
                for entry into the occupation or profession; and
            ``(2) in the case of State licensing or professionally 
        mandated requirements for entry into the occupation or 
        profession that require specialized accreditation, the 
        curriculum meets the requirement for specialized accreditation 
        through its accreditation or pre-accreditation by an 
        accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary 
        of Education or designated by that State as a reliable 
        authority as to the quality or training offered by the 
        institution in that program.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on August 1, 2014, and shall apply with respect to courses 
pursued on or after that date.

SEC. 5. COVERAGE OF MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES RELATING TO 
              MILITARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNDER PILOT PROGRAM ON 
              RECEIPT OF CIVILIAN CREDENTIALS FOR SKILLS REQUIRED FOR 
              MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES.

    The military occupational specialties designated for purposes of 
the pilot program on receipt of civilian credentials for skills 
required for military occupational specialties under section 558 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (10 U.S.C. 2015 
note) shall include military occupational specialties relating to the 
military information technology workforce.

SEC. 6. REVIVAL OF PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
reestablish the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory 
Committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs provided for under 
section 3689(e) of title 38, United States Code. The Committee shall be 
reestablished in accordance with the provisions of such section 
3689(e), as amended by subsection (b), and shall carry out its duties 
in conformance with, and subject to the requirements of such section, 
as so amended.
    (b) Modification of Authorities and Requirements.--Section 3689(e) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``(2)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
    ``(B) In addition to the duties under subparagraph (A), the 
Committee shall--
            ``(i) develop, in coordination with other appropriate 
        agencies, guidance to be used by the Department or other 
        entities to perform periodic audits of licensure and 
        certification programs to ensure the highest quality education 
        is available to veterans and members of the Armed Forces; and
            ``(ii) develop, in coordination with the Department of 
        Defense, appropriate certification agencies, and other 
        appropriate non-profit organizations, a plan to improve 
        outreach to veterans and members of the Armed Forces on the 
        importance of licensing and certification, as well as 
        educational benefits available to them.'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``and the Secretary of 
        Defense'' and inserting ``the Secretary of Defense, and the 
        Secretary of Education'';
            (3) in paragraph (4), by striking subparagraph (B) and 
        inserting the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) The Committee shall meet with such frequency as the Committee 
determines appropriate.''; and
            (4) in paragraph (5), by striking ``December 31, 2006'' and 
        inserting ``December 31, 2019''.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
reestablishment of the Professional Certification and Licensure 
Advisory Committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to 
this section, the Committee shall submit to Congress a report setting 
forth an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of permitting 
members of the Armed Forces to use educational assistance to which they 
are entitled under chapters 30 and 33 of title 38, United States Code, 
to obtain or pursue civilian employment certifications or licenses 
without the use of such assistance for that purpose being charged 
against the entitlement of such members to such educational assistance.
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