[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S8274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4678. Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. Bennet) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. 
Reed and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2022 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY ON 
                   OPPORTUNITIES FOR USE OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL 
                   ASSISTANCE TO PURSUE CAREERS IN OUTDOOR 
                   RECREATION.

       (a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct a study on the use by veterans of 
     educational assistance provided under laws administered by 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pursue careers in 
     outdoor recreation.
       (b) Elements.--The study required by subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) Identification of opportunities for veterans to use 
     educational assistance provided under laws administered by 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pursue careers in 
     outdoor recreation in the private sector and in the public 
     sector.
       (2) Identification of any difficulties with using the 
     educational assistance provided under laws administered by 
     the Secretary to veterans to pursue careers in outdoor 
     recreation in the private and public sector, including 
     trained, apprentice, assistant, and certified guides.
       (3) Assessment of the availability of opportunities for 
     careers in outdoor recreation at the following:
       (A) The Department of Agriculture.
       (B) The Department of the Interior.
       (C) The Army Corps of Engineers.
       (D) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (4) Identification of any challenges veterans may have 
     pursuing careers in outdoor recreation at the agencies list 
     under paragraph (3).
       (5) Identification of options to increase opportunities for 
     veterans to pursue careers in outdoor recreation at the 
     agencies listed under paragraph (3).
       (c) Stakeholder Perspectives.--In conducting the study 
     required by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall 
     obtain the perspectives of the outdoor recreation industry, 
     veterans groups focusing on the outdoors, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and other interested stakeholders.
       (d) Briefing and Report.--
       (1) Briefing.--Not later than 240 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     provide the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
     the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a briefing on the study required by 
     subsection (a).
       (2) Report.--After providing the briefing required by 
     paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
     committees described in such paragraph a report on the 
     findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study 
     completed under subsection (a).
       (e) Outdoor Recreation Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``outdoor recreation'' means recreational activities 
     undertaken for pleasure that--
       (1) generally involve some level of intentional physical 
     exertion; and
       (2) occur in nature-based environments outdoors.
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