[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 103 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 1, 1994]


 
                    VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT ACT OF 1994

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4776) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve 
veterans' employment programs, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4776

       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' Employment Act of 
     1994''.

     SEC. 2. JOB COUNSELING, TRAINING, AND PLACEMENT.

       (a) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' 
     Employment and Training.--(1) Section 4102A(a) of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (A) by striking out ``(1)'' and ``(2)'' and inserting in 
     lieu thereof ``(A)'' and ``(B)'', respectively;
       (B) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(a)''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) There shall be within the Department of Labor a 
     Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment 
     and Training. The Deputy Assistant Secretary shall perform 
     such functions as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
     Veterans' Employment and Training prescribes. The Deputy 
     Assistant Secretary shall be a veteran, and the position of 
     Deputy Assistant Secretary shall be a career reserved 
     position, as defined in section 3132(a)(8) of title 5.''.
       (2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with 
     respect to a vacancy occurring in the position of Deputy 
     Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and 
     Training after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (b) DVOP Specialists Compensation Rates.--Section 
     4103A(a)(1) of such title is amended by striking out ``a rate 
     not less than the rate prescribed for an entry level 
     professional'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``rates 
     comparable to those paid other professionals''.
       (c) Special Unemployment Study.--Section 4110A(a) of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) by striking out ``disabled veterans and'' and inserting 
     in lieu thereof ``disabled veterans,'';
       (2) by inserting ``, veterans who served on active duty 
     after the Vietnam era, and veterans discharged or released 
     from active duty within four years of the applicable study'' 
     after ``Vietnam era''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following: ``For each of the 
     classifications of veterans referred to in the previous 
     sentence, such studies shall include a category for women who 
     are veterans.''.

     SEC. 3. EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF VETERANS.

       (a) Federal Contracts.--Section 4212 of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking out ``disabled veterans and veterans'' in 
     the first sentence and inserting in lieu thereof ``disabled 
     veterans, veterans'';
       (B) by inserting the following before the period at the end 
     of the first sentence: ``, and veterans who served on active 
     duty in the Armed Forces during a war in a campaign or 
     expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized''; 
     and
       (C) by striking out ``suitable'' in clause (1); and
       (2) in subsection (d)(1)--
       (A) by striking out ``who are veterans of the Vietnam era 
     or special disabled veterans'' in subparagraph (A) and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``and the number of such employees, 
     by job category and hiring location, who are veterans 
     described in subsection (a)''; and
       (B) by striking out ``who are veterans of the Vietnam era 
     or special disabled veterans'' in subparagraph (B) and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``who are veterans described in 
     subsection (a)''.
       (b) Eligibility Requirements for Veterans Under Federal 
     Employment and Training Programs.--Clause (3) of section 4213 
     of such title is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``30,'' after ``13,'';
       (2) by striking out ``34,''; and
       (3) by inserting ``and any amounts received by an eligible 
     person under chapter 106 of title 10,'' after ``title,''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Mississippi [Mr. Mongomery] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery].
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4776 would improve veterans employment programs in 
the Department of Labor. The bill would make the position of Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training a 
career reserved position. Within the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
two-thirds of the Deputy Assistant Secretary positions are required to 
be filled by career civil servants. These individuals bring invaluable 
executive branch and program experience that greatly assist in program 
administration and the policymaking process. This experience and 
expertise will similarly benefit the development and administration of 
veterans' employment and training programs in the Department of Labor.
  The bill would require that Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program 
specialists--known as D-VOPS--be compensated at rates comparable to 
those paid to other professionals.
  The bill would also include veterans who served on active duty after 
the Vietnam era, recently discharged veterans, and women veterans, in 
the 2-year study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to 
determine unemployment among veterans. It is particularly important 
that we have improved statistical information regarding the employment 
needs of women veterans. This bill will make certain that this is done.
  Mr. Speaker, the provisions contained in this bill will strengthen 
the employment programs for veterans as administered by the Department 
of Labor. At a time when many servicemembers are being discharged, this 
assistance is very important.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. STUMP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, our distinguished committee chairman, the 
gentleman from Mississippi, Sonny Montgomery, and our distinguished 
ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on Education, Training and 
Employment, the gentleman from Arkansas, Tim Hutchinson, have also 
produced an excellent bill in H.R. 4776. I commend their work on this 
legislation as well.
  H.R. 4776 deserves the support of every Member of the House and I 
urge its favorable consideration.
  Mr. Speaker, among other provisions, H.R. 4776 would enhance access 
for veterans to all Federal contractor jobs. The bill would also make 
careers as Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program [DVOP] specialists more 
attractive by offering more competitive compensation for many of them. 
Thus, the disabled veterans who fill the DVOP specialist positions in 
State employment agencies would have the possibility of better pay, and 
the disabled veterans they serve would have the benefit of a higher 
experience level among DVOP specialists due to improved retention.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Arkansas [Mr. Hutchinson].
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from 
Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] for the outstanding leadership that he has 
given to our Committee on Veterans' Affairs as a whole, particularly on 
these issues regarding veterans' employment, and I also would like to 
commend the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump] for the outstanding 
leadership that he has provided the Members of our side of the aisle.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I am glad to rise in support of H.R. 4776, 
the Veterans Employment Act of 1994. I am especially pleased with the 
requirement that Federal contractors must list all the openings 
associated with their Federal contract with the Appropriate Local 
Employment Service Office. It is important that we take every step 
possible to ensure that our veterans are contacted and made aware of 
all employment opportunities available to them. I think H.R. 4776 helps 
to accomplish this goal.
  Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be able to support this legislation.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to compliment the gentleman from Arkansas 
[Mr. Hutchinson] for the close work we have had in our subcommittee, 
and also the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump] for his work. I also 
would like to thank the Chair for speeding along this process. We work 
very well together.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in support of H.R. 
4776, the Veteran's Employment Act of 1994. I wish to thank the 
distinguished chairman, the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. 
Montgomery], for introducing this bill. Through his leadership as the 
chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, he, and the ranking 
minority member, the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump], have ensured 
that our Nation's veterans receive the benefits and the services they 
deserve.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4776 will make five noncontroversial revisions to 
the Department of Veteran's Affairs' employment programs. These 
amendments to the employment programs will provide fair and necessary 
benefits for those brave men and women who have served our country.
  The Veteran's Employment Act of 1994 will designate the Deputy 
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veteran's Employment and Training as a 
permanent position. The act will also require that veterans who served 
on active duty after Vietnam, are recently discharged, or are women, 
are included in the biennial veteran employment studies conducted by 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  I fully support this legislation, as I believe it will provide 
essential employment opportunities for our Nation's service men and 
women. H.R. 4776 requires that disabled veterans' outreach program 
specialists [DVOP's] be compensated at rates comparable to the private 
sector. Under this legislation, it will be mandatory for Federal 
contractors to take affirmative action to employ disabled veterans, 
Vietnam veterans, and veterans with active duty service during a war, 
or campaign, for which a campaign badge has been authorized. In 
addition, Federal contractors will be required to post all openings 
associated with the Federal contracts with local employment service 
offices.
  It is imperative that those who work to protect and defend our 
country receive the employment opportunities and the benefits they 
deserve. I urge my colleagues to support the Veteran's Employment Act 
of 1994. This legislation makes vital revisions that will benefit our 
Nation's service members, who through their brave service, have given 
so much to our great country. I believe H.R. 4776 to be a necessary 
measure to support our Nation's veterans.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4776.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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