This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of the Interior to jointly establish a pilot program to employ veterans in positions that relate to the conservation and resource management activities of USDA and Interior. The VA, USDA, Interior, and the Department of Defense (DOD) are authorized to enter into a partnership to include the pilot program as part of the Skillbridge program, which is a DOD program to provide training to members who are transitioning out of service in the Armed Forces.
The bill also requires the VA to establish guidelines containing best practices for other federal agencies that carry out programs to employ veterans who are transitioning from service in the Armed Forces.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2789 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2789
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer a pilot
program to employ veterans in positions that relate to conservation and
resource management activities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2021
Mr. Lamb (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in
addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer a pilot
program to employ veterans in positions that relate to conservation and
resource management activities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM TO EMPLOY VETERANS IN POSITIONS RELATING TO
CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Secretaries concerned shall jointly establish a pilot program under
which veterans are employed by the Federal Government in positions that
relate to the conservation and resource management activities of the
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture.
(b) Administration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
administer the pilot program under subsection (a).
(c) Positions.--The Secretaries concerned shall--
(1) identify vacant positions in the respective Departments
of the Secretaries that are appropriate to fill using the pilot
program under subsection (a); and
(2) to the extent practicable, fill such positions using
the pilot program.
(d) Application of Civil Service Laws.--A veteran employed under
the pilot program under subsection (a) shall be treated as an employee
as defined by section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Best Practices for Other Departments.--The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall establish guidelines containing best practices
for departments and agencies of the Federal Government that carry out
programs to employ veterans who are transitioning from service in the
Armed Forces. Such guidelines shall include--
(1) lessons learned under the Warrior Training Advancement
Course of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) methods to realize cost savings based on such lessons
learned.
(f) Partnership.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the
Secretaries concerned, and the Secretary of Defense may enter into a
partnership to include the pilot program under subsection (a) as part
of the Skillbridge program under section 1143 of title 10, United
States Code.
(g) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
and the Secretaries concerned shall jointly submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the pilot
program under subsection (a), including--
(A) a description of how the pilot program will be
carried out in a manner to reduce the unemployment of
veterans; and
(B) any recommendations for legislative actions to
improve the pilot program.
(2) Implementation.--Not later than one year after the date
on which the pilot program under subsection (a) commences, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretaries concerned
shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the implementation of the pilot program.
(3) Final report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on
which the pilot program under subsection (a) is completed, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretaries concerned
shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the pilot program that includes the
following:
(A) The number of veterans who applied to
participate in the pilot program.
(B) The number of such veterans employed under the
pilot program.
(C) The number of veterans identified in
subparagraph (B) who transitioned to full-time
positions with the Federal Government after
participating in the pilot program.
(D) Any other information the Secretaries determine
appropriate with respect to measuring the effectiveness
of the pilot program.
(h) Duration.--The authority to carry out the pilot program under
subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is two years after the
date on which the pilot program commences.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the
Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate.
(2) The term ``Secretary concerned'' means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to
matters regarding the National Forest System and the
Department of Agriculture; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior with respect to
matters regarding the National Park System and the
Department of the Interior.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
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