[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 114-189
114th Congress

An Act


 
To provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and
members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and
historic preservation activities, and for other purposes. <>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) The Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies are
required to preserve and catalogue artifacts and other items of
national historical significance that are uncovered during the
course of their work (notably under part 79 of title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations).
(2) Uncatalogued artifacts within the care of Federal
agencies are stored in hundreds of repositories and museums
across the Nation.
(3) In October 2009, the Corps of Engineers, Center of
Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological
Collections, initiated the Veterans' Curation Program to employ
and train Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in archaeological
processing.
(4) The Veterans' Curation Program employs veterans and
members of the Armed Forces in the sorting, cleaning, and
cataloguing of artifacts managed by the Corps of Engineers.
(5) Employees of the Veterans' Curation Program gain
valuable work skills, including computer database management,
records management, photographic and scanning techniques,
computer software proficiency, vocabulary and writing skills,
and interpersonal communication skills, as well as knowledge and
training in archaeology and history.
(6) Since 2009, a total of 241 veterans have participated in
the Veterans' Curation Program, including the current class of
38 participants. Of the 203 graduates of the program, 87 percent
have received permanent employment in a field related to
training received under the program or chosen to continue their
education.
(7) Experience in archaeological curation gained through the
Veterans' Curation Program is valuable training and experience
for the museum, forensics, administrative, records management,
and other fields.
(8) Veterans' Curation Program participants may assist the
Corps of Engineers in developing a more efficient and
comprehensive collections management program and also may
provide the workforce to meet the records management needs

[[Page 614]]

at other agencies and departments, including the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
SEC. 2. TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF ARMED
FORCES IN CURATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

Using available funds, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the
Chief of Engineers, shall carry out a Veterans' Curation Program to hire
veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Secretary in
carrying out curation and historic preservation activities.

Approved July 6, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3114:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114-249 (Comm. on Transportation and Infrastructure).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 161 (2015):
Nov. 16, 17, considered and passed
House.
Vol. 162 (2016):
June 23, considered and passed
Senate.