[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2431 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2431

 To require the Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary 
  of Veterans Affairs, to carry out a grant program to assist certain 
   members or former members of the Armed Forces in transitioning to 
                 civilian life, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2023

 Mr. Bennet (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Hickenlooper, and Mr. Risch) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary 
  of Veterans Affairs, to carry out a grant program to assist certain 
   members or former members of the Armed Forces in transitioning to 
                 civilian life, 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 ``HUBS for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR PROVISION OF TRANSITION ASSISTANCE TO MEMBERS AND 
              FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AFTER SEPARATION, 
              RETIREMENT, OR DISCHARGE.

    (a) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--In this section:
                    (A) Covered individuals.--The term ``covered 
                individual'' means--
                            (i) a member of the Armed Forces who is 
                        eligible for preseparation counseling under 
                        sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United 
                        States Code;
                            (ii) a former member of the Armed Forces 
                        who is transitioning from service in the Armed 
                        Forces to civilian life; or
                            (iii) a spouse of a member described in 
                        clause (i) or a former member described in 
                        clause (ii).
                    (B) Eligible organizations.--The term ``eligible 
                organization'' means any nonprofit organization 
                (including a veterans service organization), State 
                board, or local board, that the Secretary of Labor 
                determines, in consultation with the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs, is suitable for receipt of a grant 
                under this section pursuant to receipt by the Secretary 
                of Labor of an application submitted under subsection 
                (e)(1).
                    (C) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
                organization'' means an organization that is described 
                in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
                1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) 
                of such Code.
                    (D) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary 
                concerned'' has the meaning given such term in section 
                101 of title 10, United States Code.
                    (E) Supportive services.--The term ``supportive 
                services'' means services such as transportation, child 
                care, dependent care, housing, and needs-related 
                payments, that are necessary to enable an individual to 
                participate in activities supported under this Act.
                    (F) Transition assistance program.--The term 
                ``Transition Assistance Program'' means the Transition 
                Assistance Program under sections 1142 and 1144 of 
                title 10, United States Code.
                    (G) Veterans service organization.--The term 
                ``veterans service organization'' means an organization 
                recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the 
                representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 
                38, United States Code.
            (2) WIOA terms.--Except as otherwise provided, any term 
        used in this Act that is defined in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) shall have the 
        meaning given to such term in such section.
    (b) Grant Program.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, carry out a program to award 
grants to eligible organizations for the provision of assistance to 
covered individuals on the transition of a member or former member of 
the Armed Forces from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life.
    (c) Duration of Program.--The Secretary of Labor shall carry out 
the program under this section during the 5-year period beginning on 
the date of the commencement of the program.
    (d) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Labor shall carry out the 
        program under this section through the award of grants to 
        eligible organizations for the provision of assistance 
        described in subsection (b).
            (2) Matching funds required.--A grant under this section 
        shall be in an amount that does not exceed 50 percent of the 
        amount required by the organization to provide the services 
        described in subsection (f).
    (e) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            (1) Applications.--An organization seeking a grant under 
        this section shall submit to the Secretary of Labor an 
        application for such grant at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information and assurances as the Secretary, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may 
        require.
            (2) Priority for hubs of services.--In awarding grants 
        under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall give priority 
        to an organization that provides multiple forms of services 
        described in subsection (f).
    (f) Use of Funds.--The recipient of a grant under this section 
shall use the grant to coordinate for covered individuals any of the 
following:
            (1) Career and training services, including the provision 
        of such services available through a workforce development 
        system.
            (2) Mental health services provided by a provider of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs or through a nonprofit 
        organization.
            (3) Legal assistance.
            (4) Supportive services.
            (5) Assistance with accessing benefits provided under laws 
        administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (6) Non-clinical case management.
            (7) Entrepreneurship training.
            (8) Such other services that may be related to the 
        assistance and services set forth in this subsection as the 
        Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs, determines may lead directly to successful 
        transition to civilian life.
    (g) Inclusion in Transition Assistance Program Counseling.--The 
Secretary concerned shall include in the information provided to a 
member of the Armed Forces during the Transition Assistance Program 
information regarding any recipient of a grant under this section that 
is located in the community in which that member will reside after 
separation, retirement, or discharge from the Armed Forces.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Labor $2,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028 to carry out this section.
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