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.

[114th Congress Public Law 189]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 130 STAT. 613]]

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. <<NOTE: July 
                        6, 2016 -  [H.R. 3114]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: 10 USC 3036 
note.>> 
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 130 STAT. 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:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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