[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 91 (Thursday, June 9, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3769-S3770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4662. Mrs. MURRAY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 597. MILITARY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

       (a) Promotion Required.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall promote the 
     enhancement and implementation of military apprenticeship 
     programs that provide an opportunity for members of the Armed 
     Forces to improve their job skills and obtain certificates of 
     completion for such apprenticeship

[[Page S3770]]

     programs while such members are on active duty. The Secretary 
     of Defense also shall promote connections between military 
     training, education, and transition activities and registered 
     apprenticeship programs in order to improve employment 
     outcomes for veterans and help ready-to-hire employers 
     connect to this skilled workforce.
       (b) Voluntary Goals.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
     Secretary of Defense shall establish voluntary goals for each 
     Armed Force relating to the following:
       (1) The number of members participating in activities 
     relating to military apprenticeships prior to separation from 
     active duty.
       (2) The establishment of partnerships with apprenticeship 
     programs, including registered apprenticeship programs, 
     through the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program, 
     Skill Bridge programs, the Transition Assistance Program, 
     tuition assistance programs, and other appropriate 
     mechanisms.
       (3) The number of veterans entering apprenticeship 
     programs, including registered apprenticeship programs, upon 
     separation from active duty.
       (c) Biennial Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the appropriate committees of the Congress on a biennial 
     basis a report describing the activities undertaken pursuant 
     to this section, including the progress in achieving the 
     voluntary goals established under subsection (b).
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