[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 996 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 996

   To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a competitive grant 
    program for community colleges to train veterans for local jobs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2017

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a competitive grant 
    program for community colleges to train veterans for local jobs.

    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 ``Service, Training, Education, and 
Preparation for Veterans Act'' or the ``STEP for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO TRAIN VETERANS FOR LOCAL JOBS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, shall establish a program to award competitive 
grants to eligible community colleges (as described in subsection (b)) 
to train covered veterans for jobs in the local community.
    (b) Eligibility.--In order to be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, a community college shall submit an application to the 
Secretary that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that 
the local community in which the community college is located has--
            (1) employment opportunities that require trained workers; 
        and
            (2) a significant population of covered veterans that might 
        pursue the employment opportunities described in paragraph (1) 
        if given access to necessary training.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A community college receiving a grant under this 
section shall use amounts under the grant to--
            (1) conduct an analysis of--
                    (A) the demand for additional trained employees 
                among local employers, including local manufacturers; 
                and
                    (B) the skills and training possessed by covered 
                veterans seeking employment with local employers, 
                including local manufacturers;
            (2) carry out an existing, or develop and implement a new, 
        certificate or degree program at the community college that 
        provides training to covered veterans that addresses the demand 
        for additional trained employees among local employers, 
        including local manufacturers; and
            (3) facilitate the establishment of an advisory board that 
        consists of representatives from the local business community 
        and the employee from the Department of Veterans Affairs 
        detailed under section 4--
                    (A) to provide assistance regarding the training 
                described in paragraph (2); and
                    (B) to assist covered veterans who have 
                successfully completed the training described in 
                paragraph (2) in their pursuit of local employment 
                opportunities.

SEC. 3. DETAIL OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEE.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall detail an employee of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to participate on the supervisory board 
established in section 2(c)(3).

SEC. 4. GRANT AMOUNT.

    To the maximum extent practicable, the amount of a grant under 
section 2 shall not exceed $2,000,000.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report--
            (1) evaluating the success of the program established under 
        section 2; and
            (2) making recommendations as to whether the program should 
        be continued, and if so, whether the program should be 
        expanded.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has 
        the meaning given the term ``junior or community college'' in 
        section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1058(f)).
            (2) Covered veteran.--The term ``covered veteran'' means a 
        veteran receiving educational assistance under chapter 33 of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2018 to carry out this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
remain available until expended.
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