[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2813-H2815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMPROVING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS ACT OF 2013
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1412) to improve and increase the availability of
on-job training and apprenticeship programs carried out by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1412
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 ``Improving Job
Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2013''.
[[Page H2814]]
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF PRIVATE SECTOR
ON-JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS.
During the four-year period beginning on the date that is
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out section
3677(b)(1)(A) of title 38, United States Code, by
substituting ``75 per centum'' for ``85 per centum''.
SEC. 3. ON-JOB TRAINING AT FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.
Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall enter into agreements with the heads of other Federal
departments and agencies to operate programs of training on
the job under section 3677 of title 38, United States Code,
to train eligible veterans or persons to perform skills
necessary for employment by the department or agency
operating the program.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF REDUCED PENSION FOR CERTAIN VETERANS
COVERED BY MEDICAID PLANS FOR SERVICES
FURNISHED BY NURSING FACILITIES.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``November 30, 2016'' and inserting
``December 31, 2016''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
might consume.
H.R. 1412, as amended, is another product of the House Committee on
Veterans' Affairs' work to improve the effectiveness of GI Bill
benefits for veterans.
I want to express my appreciation to the Subcommittee Chairman Bill
Flores, Ranking Member Mark Takano, and our new full committee Ranking
Member Mike Michaud for working with us to bring this amended bill to
the full House.
In general, H.R. 1412, as amended, responds to concerns about how to
ensure that veterans make the best use of their hard-earned GI Bill
benefits. Specifically, H.R. 1412 improves the GI Bill's on-the-job
training option that offers veterans the opportunity to gain work
experience and at the same time offers employers a lower cost while the
veteran undergoes their training.
The bill, as amended, has two major sections. Section 2 would reduce
the final required training salary of a veteran engaged with an
employer's on-the-job training apprenticeship program from the current
85 percent of the fully trained wage for the job to 75 percent. This
new requirement would be put in place for a period of 4 years,
following the effective date of this section. The temporary decrease in
the wage requirement will provide more employers the flexibility to
offer OJT programs when they otherwise would not have been able to do
so.
Section 3 would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to conclude
agreements with other Federal agencies to have them further participate
in the OJT program. If we're going to ask private employers to offer
more opportunities to our veterans, the Federal Government ought to
lead by example.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is another step in reducing the unemployment
rate among our veterans and is fully paid for. I greatly appreciate the
bipartisan manner in which our colleagues have worked to reach an
accord on the final provisions of this bill, and I encourage all
Members to support the bill.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
First of all, I want to thank the chairman of the full committee for
all his hard work and for working in a bipartisan manner not only on
this piece of legislation but all of the bills that we've been dealing
with in the committee this Congress.
I rise today in support of H.R. 1412, as amended, the Improving Job
Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2013. I want to thank Mr. Coffman for
introducing this legislation. I also want to thank committee Chairman
Miller and subcommittee Chairman Mr. Flores and Ranking Member Takano
for their leadership in assisting and bringing this bill before us
today.
In these challenging employment markets, we need to use all available
means to assist our veterans in obtaining the training that they need
to find a good paying job. H.R. 1412 assists veterans by improving and
increasing the VA's on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs.
In these programs, a veteran employee's salary is paid in part by the
employer and in part by the VA, with not less than 50 percent being
paid by the program. As a veteran completes the apprenticeship and
becomes a fully qualified employee, the employer pays an increasing
percentage of the salary, eventually assuming all of it.
H.R. 1412 reduces slightly the percentage of the salary the employer
pays near the end of the training program. This eases the burden on the
employers and is an incentive to employers to increase the number of
veterans in the program. The Veterans' Affairs Committee will be
closely monitoring this program to ensure that more veterans are being
offered training opportunities as a result.
{time} 1240
Mr. Speaker, we know that on-the-job training and apprenticeship is a
highly efficient and cost-effective means of connecting veterans with
meaningful, long-term employment. This is good for both veterans and
employers. H.R. 1412 enhances the opportunities for both, making it
easier for companies to employ veterans and for veterans to find new
jobs and careers.
Unfortunately, however, too few employers know about this program and
how to connect to it. As we pass this legislation, I encourage the VA
to do more to inform employers and veterans about the benefits of this
program.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time I'm pleased to yield
such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.
Coffman), the author of the bill and a stalwart supporter of America's
veterans.
Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and
Ranking Member Michaud for their leadership on the committee. Their
efforts to advance this important bill will help veterans who are
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan find jobs.
As a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and as a
Marine Corps combat veteran myself, it is important to me and to our
country that we take care of those who have served this Nation after
they come home from war.
Our veterans have great skills when it comes to working as a member
of a team and getting the job done; but, unfortunately, in many
instances, their technical skills aren't readily transferable to
civilian occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the
unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans between the
ages of 20 and 24 was 19 percent in April. This is why I am happy to
have my legislation, H.R. 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for
Veterans Act of 2013, on the floor today for a vote.
This legislation seeks to increase the availability of on-the-job
training and apprenticeship programs to help veterans make the
transition into the civilian workforce. This legislation will build on
an existing, yet little known and underutilized, on-the-job training
program that allows veterans to use their educational benefits they
earned through their military service to learn a trade or skill by
participating in an approved apprenticeship or on-the-job training
program.
There are two pillars of this legislation. The first is it will
decrease the final percentage of the veteran's salary paid by the
employer from 85 to 75 percent as a means to further incentivize
employers to participate. Secondly, the legislation will expand this
training program by requiring the VA to enter into agreements with
other Federal agencies to expand on-the-job training opportunities
throughout the Federal Government.
This legislation will be a great tool for both private sector and
Federal employers to hire our veterans who are struggling to make that
transition from the military to the civilian workforce. Employers in
Colorado have already explained to me how beneficial this legislation
can be for their operations because they know that hiring veterans is a
proven bonus. They know that veterans are hardworking, team-oriented,
and quick learners who are capable of gaining highly technical skills
that are prevalent in many industries today.
For example, the CEO of Tri-State Generation in Colorado, based in my
[[Page H2815]]
home district, told me that the Improving Job Opportunities for
Veterans Act will add to his company's existing outreach to our
veterans. Currently, they employ 150 veterans. Now they will do even
more. I applaud their efforts and of other companies who want to hire
vets.
I hope this bill helps employers connect to the great pool of talent
of those returning from military service.
Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maine for
yielding.
I rise today to support the increased job opportunities embodied in
H.R. 1412 and the changes it makes to the on-the-job training and
apprenticeship programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I want
to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman) for introducing this
bill and the Veterans' Affairs Committee leadership, Chairman Miller,
Ranking Member Michaud, and subcommittee Chairman Flores for moving
this bill through committee.
This legislation will expand access for veterans to on-the-job
training and apprenticeships, and assist employers in hiring veterans
who have shown time and again that their real-world experience,
leadership, and countless other skills are great resources for American
companies. By reducing the percentage of salary paid to a veteran
participating in one of these programs, this bill would make it more
attractive for companies to hire veterans doing on-the-job training and
apprenticeships.
It is our hope that these opportunities will help bridge the
employment gaps veterans are currently experiencing. Unfortunately, it
is also clear from our subcommittee work that the Department of
Veterans Affairs could be doing a better job advertising this great
benefit. The more veterans and employers know about these benefits, the
more opportunities veterans can have in the job market.
I am proud to support this legislation and urge my colleagues from
both sides of the aisle to support it as well.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the bipartisan spirit of the
Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers at this
time, and so if Mr. Michaud is ready to close, we are prepared to
close.
Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have no further Members who wish to
speak, but I do want to, in closing, emphasize that veterans are an
asset to any organization, whether it is in the private or public
sector. They make the organization better, and they improve the bottom
line. This bill is very timely and is very important for our veterans.
I also want to thank, once again, Mr. Takano for his leadership on
this issue. In his life before he became a Member of Congress, he was
in the community college system, and he knows about training and how
important apprenticeship programs are. So I encourage my colleagues to
support this legislation.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, once again I encourage all
Members to support H.R. 1412, as amended.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 1412,
The Improving Job Opportunities for Veterans Act.
This bipartisan bill helps our Nation's veterans get the training
they need to build a stronger future.
It improves and increases the awareness and availability of on-the-
job training and apprenticeship programs.
After all they have sacrificed for our country, we should do our part
to ensure veterans have good training and good job opportunities.
I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle--Mr. Coffman and
Mr. Takano--for introducing this bill.
Helping our veterans isn't a partisan issue--it's a national
responsibility.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1412, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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