GI Internship Program Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a program to match veterans who are entitled to educational assistance with internships to provide such veterans with work experience and marketable skills.
The VA shall establish criteria that employers must meet to participate in the program. The following employers are excluded from participating in the program: (1) government agencies, (2) employers who cannot provide the VA with certain assurances, and (3) employers who have previously participated in the program and failed to abide by its requirements.
The VA shall pay individuals who are full-time participants in such an internship the amount of educational assistance payable to those participating in a full-time apprenticeship or other on-job training programs.
Interns shall be considered as employees of the VA, not the program employer, for purposes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Additionally, each intern and employer shall provide the VA with a monthly certification that the intern worked at least 35 hours each week performing functions that provided the individual with valuable experience.
The VA and the Department of Labor shall create and publicize a website to serve as a portal for the program.
The VA shall (1) minimize the administrative burdens incurred by employers due to their participation in the program, and (2) ensure that employer participation is at no cost to the employer.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10327 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10327
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize veterans who are
entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational
Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to use such
entitlement to participate in a career transition internship program
for veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 6, 2024
Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Quigley, and Mr. Soto)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize veterans who are
entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational
Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to use such
entitlement to participate in a career transition internship program
for veterans.
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 ``GI Internship Program Act''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM ON PROVISION OF CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES TO YOUNG
VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 33 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3320A. Career transition internship program
``(a) In General.--The internship program described in subsection
(b) shall be deemed to be an approved program of education for purposes
of this chapter.
``(b) Internship Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish a program to match individuals entitled to educational
assistance under this chapter with eligible employers providing
internships for the purpose of--
``(1) providing such individuals with work experience in
the civilian sector;
``(2) addressing the growing skills gap in the United
States economy;
``(3) increasing the marketable skills of such individuals;
and
``(4) assisting such individuals in obtaining long-term
employment.
``(c) Eligible Employers.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of the program, an eligible
employer is an employer determined by the Secretary to meet
such criteria for participation in the program as the Secretary
shall establish for purposes of the program.
``(2) Past performance on certain matters.--The criteria
established by the Secretary under paragraph (1) may include
past performance of an employer with respect to the following:
``(A) Job training, basic skills training, and
related activities.
``(B) Financial accountability.
``(C) Demonstrated need to hire, desire to grow,
and plan to grow.
``(D) Demonstrated high potential for growth and
long-term job creation.
``(3) For-profit and not-for-profit employers.--The
employers determined by the Secretary to be eligible employers
under paragraph (1) may include both for-profit and not-for-
profit employers.
``(4) Small business concerns.--In determining employers to
be eligible employers under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
ensure that small business concerns (under the meaning given
that term under section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632(a))) are afforded opportunities to participate in
the program.
``(5) Manufacturing.--In determining employers to be
eligible employers under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
give special consideration to employers in the manufacturing
sector.
``(6) Exclusions.--The following employers may not be
determined to be eligible employers under paragraph (1):
``(A) An agency of the Federal Government or a
State or local government.
``(B) An employer that has previously participated
in the program and, as determined by the Secretary,
failed to abide by any requirement of the program.
``(C) An employer that cannot give an assurance to
the Secretary at the time of application for
participation in the program under subsection (f), and
in such manner as the Secretary shall specify pursuant
to that subsection, on each matter as follows:
``(i) That the employer has not been
investigated or subject to a case or action by
the Federal Trade Commission during the 180-day
period ending on the date the employer would
otherwise commence participation in the
program.
``(ii) That the employer has been in good
standing with a State business bureau during
the period described in clause (i).
``(iii) That the employer is not delinquent
with respect to payment of any taxes or
employer contributions described under sections
3301 and 3302(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3301 and 3302(a)(1)).
``(iv) That the employer would not request
the placement of an additional eligible
individual under the program, if after such
additional placement, the number of eligible
individuals placed in internships at such
employer under the program would constitute
more than 10 percent of the eligible employer's
workforce. For purposes of the previous
sentence, being an intern under the program
placed at an employer shall be considered part
of the employer's workforce.
``(v) That the employer has the intention
of retaining eligible participants after such
participants have completed participation in
the program.
``(d) Internships.--
``(1) In general.--For each individual entitled to
educational assistance under this chapter whom the Secretary
approves for participation in the program established under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall attempt to place such
individual in an internship on a full-time basis with an
eligible employer that the Secretary has approved for
participation in the program. For each month such an individual
participates in such an internship on a full-time basis, the
Secretary shall pay to the individual the amount of educational
assistance described in section 3313(g)(3)(B) of this title.
``(2) Duration.--Each internship under the program shall be
for a period of at least 180 days but not more than one year.
``(3) Employment status.--For purposes of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), an
individual placed in an internship with an eligible employer
under the program shall be considered an employee of the
Department of Veterans Affairs and not the eligible employer
during the period of such internship under the program.
``(4) Relation to other federal assistance.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, pay received by an
individual under this subsection may not be used in any
calculation to determine the eligibility of such individual for
any Federal program for the purpose of obtaining child care
assistance.
``(5) Certification.--For each month that an individual
participates in an internship under the program established by
subsection (b), the individual and the eligible employer
providing the internship shall submit to the Secretary
certification that the individual worked at least 35 hours each
week for the eligible employer performing functions that
provided the individual with valuable experience.
``(e) Participation.--
``(1) Application.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible employer or
individual seeking to participate in the program shall
submit to the Secretary an application therefor at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary shall specify.
``(B) Requirements for eligible employers.--An
application submitted by an eligible employer under
subparagraph (A) shall include a certification or other
information, in such form and manner as the Secretary
shall specify, on each of the assurances required by
subsection (c)(6)(C), including the assurance that the
employer has the intention of retaining eligible
participants after they have completed participation in
the program as provided in clause (v) of that
subsection.
``(2) Time of application for certain eligible
individuals.--A member of the Armed Forces on active duty who
expects to be entitled for educational assistance under this
chapter may submit an application to participate in the program
not earlier than 180 days before the date on which the member
expects to be discharged or released from the Armed Forces.
``(3) Selection.--The Secretary shall review each
application submitted by an applicant under paragraph (1) and
approve or disapprove the applicant for participation in the
program.
``(f) Outreach.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and
the Secretary of Labor shall jointly carry out a program of
outreach to inform eligible employers and eligible individuals
about the program and the benefits of participating in the
program.
``(2) Internet portal.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
and the Secretary of Labor shall work together to create and
publicize an internet website to serve as a portal for eligible
individuals and eligible employers to learn about the program
and apply.
``(3) Included locations and groups.--The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Labor shall ensure that
any outreach program and activities conducted under paragraph
(1) include, to the extent practicable, rural communities,
tribal lands of the United States, Native Americans, and tribal
organizations (as defined in section 3765 of title 38, United
States Code).
``(g) Minimization of Burdens on Participating Employers.--The
Secretary shall take such measures as may be necessary to minimize
administrative burdens incurred by eligible employers due to
participation in the program and to ensure that employer participation
in the program is at no cost to the employer.
``(h) Reports.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the
completion of the first year of the program and not later than
90 days after the completion of the second and third years of
the program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on
the program.
``(2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include the following:
``(A) An evaluation of the program.
``(B) The number and characteristics of
participants in the program.
``(C) The number and types of internships in which
individuals were placed under the program.
``(D) The number of individuals who obtained long-
term full-time unsubsidized employment positions after
participation in the program, the hourly wage and
nature of such employment, and if available, whether
such individuals were still employed in such positions
three months after obtaining such positions.
``(E) An assessment of the effect of the program on
earnings of the individuals who participated and the
employment of such individuals.
``(F) Such recommendations for legislative and
administrative action as the Secretary may have to
improve the program, to expand the program, or to
improve the employment of individuals entitled to
educational assistance under this chapter.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
3320 the following new item:
``3320A. Career transition internship program.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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