[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 24 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1783-S1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PRYOR (for himself, Mr. Chambliss, and Ms. Mikulski):
  S. 526. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the 
scope of programs of education for which accelerated payments of 
educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill may be used, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I come to the floor today with Senator 
Chambliss and Senator Mikulski to introduce legislation that is 
important to my constituents and young veterans all across America.
  Many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines coming back from 
Iraq and Afghanistan are having a difficult time finding work. I find 
this troubling, and I feel that we have a responsibility to support our 
returning veterans who are looking for work. Currently, unemployment 
among veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 is over 15 percent--nearly 
double the unemployment for non-veterans in the same age group.
  At the same time, many of the fastest growing sectors of our economy 
are in vast need of an additional skilled labor source. The Department 
of Labor has identified industry sectors that are expected to 
experience high growth over the next several years, including trucking, 
construction, hospitality, and financial services. In fact, the 
trucking industry, which is very important to my State, currently has a 
driver shortage of 20,000 drivers. That shortage is expected to grow to 
110,000 by 2014.
  We have industries in need of skilled employees and we have many 
young men and women in need of good, high-paying jobs. Our legislation 
is intended to help match those with needs through increased training 
benefits in the Montgomery GI Bill. The GI Bill, established after 
World War II, was a commitment that Congress made to veterans of that 
war. We would like to extend that commitment to reflect the job 
opportunities of our modern economy.
  To accomplish this task, I join Senators Chambliss and Mikulski in 
re-
introducing the Veterans Employment and Training Act--the VET Act. 
During the 109th Congress, Senator Burns and I worked very hard on 
moving this legislation, and we made a lot of progress. Late last year, 
the language was approved by the Committee on Veterans Affairs and even 
passed the full Senate. Unfortunately, the clock ran out on the 109th 
Congress and the bill never became law. We were very close last 
Congress, and I'm hopeful that this Congress will continue moving the 
VET Act forward and make it law.
  The VET Act would expand for veterans the Accelerated Payment Program 
under the Montgomery GI bill to include job training education in five 
high-growth sectors of the economy--high technology, transportation, 
energy, construction, and hospitality--for the next 4 years to help 
veterans returning from the war on terror transition to the civilian 
workforce.
  Many of the training programs for employment in the identified 
sectors are short but they are often more costly at the beginning. The 
current structure of the GI Bill only provides veterans with the option 
of a smaller monthly stipend. This arrangement works well for 
traditional education institutions, such as 2 and 4-year institutions. 
However, this same arrangement is not conducive to the nature of our 
changing economy and the nature of high growth occupations.
  A reconfigured and expanded Accelerated Payment Program has the 
potential to pay big dividends for our veterans and our economy. The 
Arkansas Employment Security Department estimates that between one-
third and one-half of all nonfarm jobs in Arkansas are in sectors that 
would benefit from this legislation.
  For the benefit of my colleagues, let me briefly review a few reasons 
why I think this legislation is a wise policy decision.
  First, I believe the VET Act will help veterans returning from Iraq 
and the war on terror. Accelerating GI Bill benefits for training in 
high-growth occupations will help place veterans faster in good-paying 
jobs.
  Second, passing the VET Act will encourage returning veterans to 
pursue careers in occupations that will contribute most to the U.S. 
economy. These sectors identified by the Department of Labor are 
expected to add large numbers of jobs to our economy over the next 
several years. This legislation will assist in matching the available 
workforce with our needs to keep our economy growing.
  Third, the VET Act will help make short-term, high-cost training 
programs more affordable to veterans. GI bill benefits are paid monthly 
with a maximum monthly stipend of $1,000. Many of the training programs 
for occupations identified by the Department of Labor as high-growth 
are short term and high cost in nature. Truck driver training courses 
typically last 4 to 6 weeks, but can cost up to $6,000. Without this 
legislation, GI bill benefits will only cover between $1,000 and $1,500 
of the cost. Such a low offset discourages veterans from using GI bill 
benefits from these types of training programs. Accelerated benefits 
would cover 60 percent the cost, and benefits would be paid in a lump 
sum.
  Last, the VET Act will help place veterans in good-paying jobs at a 
very low additional cost to the Federal Government. This bill merely 
enhances benefits already available--the total cost of the accelerated 
benefits program for high-tech occupations is only $5.7 million. This 
is a very small percentage of total benefits available to veterans 
already. Any additional cost will be small and incremental compared to 
the immediate payoff of reducing unemployment among young veterans and 
enhancing employment opportunities in high-growth occupations.
  To date, 10 veterans and industry organizations have endorsed our 
legislation, including the American Legion, AMVETS, American Trucking 
Associations, Owner-Operator Independent Driver's Association, 
Associated General Contractors, and the National Restaurant 
Association, among others.
  Distinguished colleagues, I believe this is good legislation that 
will benefit our veterans and our economy. I look forward to working 
with all of you to enact the VET Act and stand ready to assist you in 
your mission of helping our veterans succeed in civilian life. I ask 
unanimous consent that the text of the legislation, the Veterans 
Employment Act of 2007, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 526

       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 and 
     Training Act of 2007'' or the ``VET Act''.

     SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION ELIGIBLE FOR 
                   ACCELERATED PAYMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
                   UNDER MONTGOMERY GI BILL.

       (a) In General.--Subsection (b) of section 3014A of title 
     38, United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (1) 
     and inserting the following new paragraph (1):
       ``(1) enrolled in--
       ``(A) an approved program of education that leads to 
     employment in a high technology occupation in a high 
     technology industry (as determined pursuant to regulations 
     prescribed by the Secretary); or
       ``(B) during the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and 
     ending on September 30, 2011, an approved program of 
     education lasting less than two years that (as so determined) 
     leads to employment in--
       ``(i) the transportation sector of the economy;
       ``(ii) the construction sector of the economy;
       ``(iii) the hospitality sector of the economy; or
       ``(iv) the energy sector of the economy; and''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Heading amendment.--The heading of such section is 
     amended to read as follows:

[[Page S1784]]

     ``Sec. 3014A. Accelerated payment of basic educational 
       assistance''.

       (2) Clerical amendment.--The item relating to such section 
     in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 30 of 
     such title is amended to read as follows:
``3014A. Accelerated payment of basic educational assistance.''.
                                 ______