[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 7, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Moran, and Mr. 
        Tester):
  S. 889. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the 
Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, the Transition Assistance Program, TAP, 
provides training to servicemembers regarding veteran benefits, job 
search skills, pre-separation counseling, resume writing, how to 
prepare for interviews, and other transition training. TAP is a great 
program; however, there is always room for improvement. For this 
reason, I am joining with Senator's Moran and Manchin to introduce 
their Servicemembers' Choice in Transition Act of 2013. This 
legislation enhances the content of TAP to enable those leaving 
military service to better utilize their GI Bill benefits as a way to 
transition to civilian employment. It also makes TAP more interactive 
and provides a better fit for each servicemembers' personal transition 
goals.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill 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. 889

       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 ``Servicemembers' Choice in 
     Transition Act 0f 2013''.

     SEC. 2. CONTENTS OF TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Section 1144 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(9) Provide information about disability-related 
     employment and education protections.''.
       (2) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as 
     subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
     subsection (c):
       ``(c) Additional Elements of Program.--The mandatory 
     program carried out under this section shall include--
       ``(1) for any member who plans to use the member's 
     entitlement to educational assistance under title 38--
       ``(A) instruction providing an overview of the use of such 
     entitlement; and
       ``(B) testing to determine academic readiness for post-
     secondary education, courses of post-secondary education 
     appropriate for the member, courses of post-secondary 
     education compatible with the member's education goals, and 
     instruction on how to finance the member's post-secondary 
     education; and
       ``(2) instruction in the benefits under laws administered 
     by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and in other subjects 
     determined by the Secretary concerned.''.
       (b) Deadline for Implementation.--The program carried out 
     under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, shall 
     comply with the requirements of subsections (b)(9) and (c) of 
     such section, as added by subsection (a), by not later than 
     April 1, 2015.
       (c) Feasibility Study.--Not later than 270 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs 
     of the Senate and the House of Representatives the results of 
     a study carried out by the Secretary to determine the 
     feasibility of providing the instruction described in 
     subsection (b) of section 1142 of title 10, United States 
     Code, at all overseas locations where such instruction is 
     provided by entering into a contract jointly with the 
     Secretary of Labor for the provision of such instruction.

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