Veterans' Job Corps Act - Authorizes the President to establish and operate a Veterans' Job Corps to employ veterans and veterans' widows or widowers who are otherwise unemployed in the construction, maintenance, and carrying on of public works in connection with: (1) the forestation of U.S. or state lands; (2) the prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil erosion; (3) public safety; (4) plant pest and disease control; and (5) the construction, maintenance, or repair of paths, trails, and fire-lanes in National Park System units and other public lands.
Directs the President to employ individuals in the Corps in the following order of preference: (1) unemployed veterans, and (2) widows or widowers who are eligible for unemployment compensation immediately before employment in the Corps.
Authorizes the President to provide individuals employed in the Corps with housing, necessary subsistence, clothing, medical attendance and hospitalization, a cash allowance, and transportation to and from the places of employment.
Prohibits the employment in the Corps of an individual convicted of a felony or a veteran who was discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5683 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5683
To authorize the President to establish the Veterans' Job Corps as a
means of providing gainful employment to unemployed veterans and widows
of veterans through the performance of useful public works, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 9, 2012
Mr. Braley of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the President to establish the Veterans' Job Corps as a
means of providing gainful employment to unemployed veterans and widows
of veterans through the performance of useful public works, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Job Corps Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF VETERANS' JOB CORPS.
(a) Establishment and Purpose.--In order to provide employment
opportunities to veterans and widows and to provide for the restoration
of depleted natural resources in the United States and the advancement
of an orderly program of useful public works, the President may
establish and operate a Veterans' Job Corps to employ veterans and
widows who are otherwise unemployed, in the construction, maintenance,
and carrying on of works of a public nature in connection with--
(1) the forestation of lands belonging to the United States
or a State;
(2) the prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil
erosion;
(3) public safety;
(4) plant pest and disease control;
(5) the construction, maintenance, or repair of paths,
trails, and fire-lanes in units of the National Park System,
public lands, and other lands under the jurisdiction of the
Secretary of the Interior and units of the National Forest
System; and
(6) such other work on Federal or State land incidental to
or necessary in connection with any projects of the character
enumerated in paragraphs (1) through (5) that the President
determines to be desirable.
(b) Role of Federal Agencies.--To operate the Veterans' Job Corps,
the President may use existing Federal departments and agencies,
including the Department of the Interior, the Department of
Agriculture, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Inclusion of Other Lands.--The President may extend the
activities of the Veterans' Job Corps to lands owned by a political
subdivision of a State and lands in private ownership for the purpose
of conducting such kinds of cooperation work authorized by law in
preventing and controlling forest fires and the attacks of forest tree
pests and diseases and such work as is necessary and in the public
interest to control floods.
(d) Contract Authority.--The President may enter into such
contracts or agreements that may be necessary to carry out this Act.
(e) Acquisition of Real Property.--The President, or the head of
any department or agency authorized by the President to construct any
project or to carry on any public works under this Act, may acquire
real property for such project or public work by purchase, donation, or
otherwise.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION OF VETERANS' JOB CORPS.
(a) Employment Preference.--The President shall employ individuals
in the Veterans' Job Corps in the following order of preference:
(1) Unemployed veterans.
(2) Widows who, immediately before employment in the
Veterans' Job Corps, are eligible for unemployment compensation
payable under any State law or Federal unemployment
compensation law, including any additional compensation or
extended compensation under such laws.
(b) Housing and Care of Employees.--The President may provide
housing for individuals employed in the Veterans' Job Corps and furnish
them with such subsistence, clothing, medical attendance and
hospitalization, and cash allowance, as may be necessary, during the
period they are so employed.
(c) Transportation.--The President may provide for the
transportation of individuals employed in the Veterans' Job Corps to
and from the places of employment.
(d) Exclusion.--The following individuals may not be employed under
the provisions of this Act:
(1) An individual convicted of a felony.
(2) A veteran who was discharged from the Armed Forces
under dishonorable conditions.
SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS.
(a) Use of Unobligated Funds Appropriated for Public Works.--
(1) Use of existing funds.--In addition to any amounts
appropriated to carry out this Act, the President may use any
moneys previously appropriated for public works and unobligated
as of the date of the enactment of this Act to establish and
operate a Veterans' Job Corps under this Act.
(2) Use to relieve unemployment.--Not less than 75 percent
of the funds used pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be used to
provide for the employment of individuals under this Act.
(b) Duration of Availability.--Amounts appropriated to carry out
this Act or made available under subsection (b) shall remain available
until expended.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in
section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The term ``widow''--
(A) means the spouse of a veteran who has not
remarried after the death of such veteran; and
(B) includes widowers.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION.
The authority of the President to establish and operate a Veterans'
Job Corps under this Act expires on September 30, 2018.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
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