#aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #efdi  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend titles 
#aj and #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to  
amend the ,social ,security ,act1 and to
 direct the ,secretaries of ,veterans   
,affairs1 ,defense1 ,labor1 and         
,homeland ,security1 and the            
,administrator of the ,small ,business  
,administration1 to take certain actions
 to improve transition assistance to    
members of the ,armed ,forces who       
separate1 retire1 or are discharged from
 the ,armed ,forces1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,navy ,,seal ,chief 
,petty ,officer ,william ,bill ,mulder  
7,ret47 ,transition ,improvement ,act of
 #bjah4  #b4 ,table of contents ,the    
table of contents for this ,act is as   
follows3  ,sec4 #a4 ,short title4 ,sec4 
#b4 ,table of contents4 ,sec4 #c4       
,definitions4 ,title ,i--,improvements  
to ,transition ,assistance ,sec4 #aja4  
,access for the ,secretaries of ,labor  
and ,veterans ,affairs to the ,federal  

directory of new hires4 ,sec4 #ajb4     
,pilot program for off-base transition  
training for veterans and spouses4 ,sec4
 #ajc4 ,grants for provision of         
transition assistance to members of the 
,armed ,forces after separation1        
retirement1 or discharge4 ,sec4 #ajd4   
,study of community-based transition    
assistance programs for members of the  
,armed ,forces after separation1        
retirement1 or discharge4 ,sec4 #aje4   
,one-year independent assessment of the 
effectiveness of ,,tap4 ,sec4 #ajf4     
,longitudinal study on changes to ,,tap4
 ,title ,,ii--,educational ,assistance  
,sec4 #bja4 ,improvements to assistance 
for certain flight training and other   
programs of education4 ,sec4 #bjb4      
,elimination of the period of           
eligibility for the ,vocational         
,rehabilitation and ,employment program 
of the ,department of ,veterans         
,affairs4 ,sec4 #bjc4 ,educational      
assistance during extended school       
closures due to natural disasters4  #c4 

,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,the   
term ,,tap means the ,transition        
,assistance ,program under sections     
#aadb and #aadd of title #aj1 ,united   
,states ,code4  7#b7 ,the term military 
departments has the meaning given that  
term in section #aja of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code4  ,i ,improvements
 to ,transition ,assistance  #aja4      
,access for the ,secretaries of ,labor  
and ,veterans ,affairs to the ,federal  
directory of new hires ,section         
#dec;,a7h7 of the ,social ,security ,act
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fec;a7h77 is amended by
 adding at the end the following new    
paragraph3  7#d7 ,veteran employment    
,the ,secretaries of ,labor and of      
,veterans ,affairs shall have access to 
information reported by employers       
pursuant to subsection 7b7 of this      
section for purposes of tracking        
employment of veterans4  4  #ajb4 ,pilot
 program for off-base transition        
training for veterans and spouses  7a7  
,extension of pilot program ,subsection 

7a7 of section #cja of the ,dignified   
,burial and ,other ,veterans' ,benefits 
,improvement ,act of #bjab 7,public ,law
 #aab-bfj2 #aj ,u4,s4,c4 #aadd note7 is 
amended--  7#a7 by striking ,during the 
two-year period beginning on the date of
 the enactment of this ,act1 the and    
inserting ,during the five-year period  
beginning on the date of the enactment  
of the ,navy ,,seal ,chief ,petty       
,officer ,william ,bill ,mulder 7,ret47 
,transition ,improvement ,act of #bjah1 
the2 and  7#b7 by striking to assess the
 feasibility and advisability of        
providing such program to eligible      
individuals at locations other than     
military installations4  7b7 ,locations 
,subsection 7c7 of such section is      
amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by    
striking not less than three and not    
more than five ,states and inserting not
 less than #ej locations in ,states 7as 
defined in section #aja7bj7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code72 and  7#b7  
in paragraph 7#b71 by striking at least 

two and inserting at least #bj4  7c7    
,conforming repeal ,subsection 7f7 of   
such section is repealed4  #ajc4 ,grants
 for provision of transition assistance 
to members of the ,armed ,forces after  
separation1 retirement1 or discharge    
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs shall make grants to 
eligible organizations for the provision
 of transition assistance to members of 
the ,armed ,forces who are separated1   
retired1 or discharged from the ,armed  
,forces1 and spouses of such members4   
7b7 ,use of funds ,the recipient of a   
grant under this section shall use the  
grant to provide to members of the      
,armed ,forces and spouses described in 
subsection 7a7 resume assistance1       
interview training1 job recruitment     
training1 and related services leading  
directly to successful transition1 as   
determined by the ,secretary4  7c7      
,eligible organizations ,to be eligible 
for a grant under this section1 an      
organization shall submit to the        

,secretary an application containing    
such information and assurances as the  
,secretary1 in consultation with the    
,secretary of ,labor1 may require4  7d7 
,priority for hubs of services ,in      
making grants under this section1 the   
,secretary shall give priority to an    
organization that provides multiple     
forms of services described in          
subsection 7b74  7e7 ,amount of grant ,a
 grant under this section shall be in an
 amount that does not exceed #ej percent
 of the amount required by the          
organization to provide the services    
described in subsection 7b74  7f7       
,deadline ,the ,secretary shall carry   
out this section not later than six     
months after the effective date of this 
,act4  7g7 ,termination ,the authority  
to provide a grant under this section   
shall terminate on the date that is five
 years after the date on which the      
,secretary implements the grant program 
under this section4  7h7 ,authorization 
of appropriations ,there is authorized  

to be appropriated #aj1jjj1jjj to carry 
out this section4  #ajd4 ,study of      
community-based transition assistance   
programs for members of the ,armed      
,forces after separation1 retirement1 or
 discharge  7a7 ,study ,the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 in consultation  
with ,state entities that serve members 
of the ,armed ,forces who are retired1  
separated1 or discharged from the ,armed
 ,forces1 shall enter into an agreement 
with an appropriate non-,federal entity 
to carry out a study to identify        
community-based programs-- 7#a7 that    
provide transition assistance to such   
members2 and  7#b7 operated by nonprofit
 entities4  7b7 ,transmission to members
 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs  
shall transmit the list of programs     
identified under this section to the    
,secretary of ,defense so the           
,secretaries of the military departments
 may provide information in the list to 
members of the ,armed ,forces who       
participate in ,,tap4  7c7 ,online      

publication ,the ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs shall publish the most recent 
version of the list of programs         
identified under this section on a      
public website of the ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs4  #aje4 ,one-year    
independent assessment of the           
effectiveness of ,,tap  7a7 ,independent
 assessment ,not later than #ij days    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs1 in consultation with the      
covered officials1 shall enter into an  
agreement with an appropriate entity    
with experience in adult education to   
carry out a one-year independent        
assessment of ,,tap1 including--  7#a7  
the effectiveness of ,,tap for members  
of each military department during the  
entire military life cycle2  7#b7 the   
appropriateness of the ,,tap career     
readiness standards2  7#c7 a review of  
information that is provided to the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs under 
,,tap1 including mental health data2    

7#d7 whether ,,tap effectively addresses
 the challenges veterans face entering  
the civilian workforce and in           
translating experience and skills from  
military service to the job market2     
7#e7 whether ,,tap effectively addresses
 the challenges faced by the families of
 veterans making the transition to      
civilian life2  7#f7 appropriate metrics
 regarding ,,tap outcomes for members of
 the ,armed ,forces one year after      
separation1 retirement1 or discharge    
from the ,armed ,forces2  7#g7 what the 
,secretary1 in consultation with the    
covered officials1 veterans service     
organizations1 and organizations        
described in section #bjc7;a7 of this   
,act1 determine to be successful        
outcomes for ,,tap2  7#h7 whether       
members of the ,armed ,forces achieve   
successful outcomes for ,,tap1 as       
determined under paragraph 7#g72  7#i7  
how the ,secretary and the covered      
officials provide feedback to each other
 regarding such outcomes2  7#aj7        

recommendations for the ,secretaries of 
the military departments regarding how  
to improve outcomes for members of the  
,armed ,forces after separation1        
retirement1 and discharge2 and  7#aa7   
other topics the ,secretary and the     
covered officials determine would aid   
members of the ,armed ,forces as they   
transition to civilian life4  7b7       
,report ,not later than #ij days after  
the completion of the independent       
assessment under subsection 7a71 the    
,secretary and the covered officials1   
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and  
,house of ,representatives and the      
,committees on ,armed ,services of the  
,senate and ,house of ,representatives--
  7#a7 the findings and recommendations 
7including recommended legislation7 of  
the independent assessment prepared by  
the entity described in subsection 7a72 
and  7#b7 responses of the ,secretary   
and the covered officials to the        
findings and recommendations described  

in paragraph 7#a74  7c7 ,covered        
officials defined ,in this section1 the 
term covered officials is comprised of--
 7#a7 the ,secretary of ,defense2  7#b7 
the ,secretary of ,labor2  7#c7 the     
,administrator of the ,small ,business  
,administration2 and  7#d7 the          
,secretaries of the military            
departments4  #ajf4 ,longitudinal study 
on changes to ,,tap  7a7 ,study ,not    
later than #ij days after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 in    
consultation with the ,secretaries of   
,defense and ,labor and the             
,administrator of the ,small ,business  
,administration1 shall conduct a        
five-year longitudinal study regarding  
,,tap on three separate cohorts of      
members of the ,armed ,forces who have  
separated from the ,armed ,forces1      
including--  7#a7 a cohort that has     
attended ,,tap counseling as implemented
 on the date of the enactment of this   
,act2  7#b7 a cohort that attends ,,tap 

counseling after the ,secretaries of    
,defense and ,labor implement changes   
recommended in the report under section 
#bje7;b7 of this ,act2 and  7#c7 a      
cohort that has not attended ,,tap      
counseling4  7b7 ,progress reports ,not 
later than #ij days after the day that  
is one year after the date of the       
initiation of the study under subsection
 7a7 and annually thereafter for the    
three subsequent years1 the ,secretaries
 of ,veterans ,affairs1 ,defense1 and   
,labor1 and the ,administrator of the   
,small ,business ,administration1 shall 
submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' 
,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of   
,representatives and the ,committees on 
,armed ,services of the ,senate and     
,house of ,representatives a progress   
report of activities under the study    
during the immediately preceding year4  
7c7 ,final report ,not later than #ahj  
days after the completion of the study  
under subsection 7a71 the ,secretaries  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 ,defense1 and    

,labor1 and the ,administrator of the   
,small ,business ,administration1 shall 
submit to the ,committees on ,veterans' 
,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of   
,representatives and the ,committees on 
,armed ,services of the ,senate and     
,house of ,representatives a report of  
final findings and recommendations based
 on the study4  7d7 ,elements ,the final
 report under subsection 7c7 shall      
include information regarding the       
following3  7#a7 ,the percentage of each
 cohort that received unemployment      
benefits during the study4  7#b7 ,the   
numbers of months members of each cohort
 were employed during the study4  7#c7  
,annual starting and ending salaries of 
members of each cohort who were employed
 during the study4  7#d7 ,how many      
members of each cohort enrolled in an   
institution of higher learning1 as that 
term is defined in section #cdeb7;f7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#e7 
,the academic credit hours1 degrees1 and
 certificates obtained by members of    

each cohort during the study4  7#f7 ,the
 annual income of members of each       
cohort4  7#g7 ,the total household      
income of members of each cohort4  7#h7 
,how many members of each cohort own    
their principal residences4  7#i7 ,how  
many dependents that members of each    
cohort have4  7#aj7 ,the percentage of  
each cohort that achieves a successful  
outcome for ,,tap1 as determined under  
section #bje7;a77#f7 of this ,act4      
7#aa7 ,other criteria the ,secretaries  
and the ,administrator of the ,small    
,business ,administration determine     
appropriate4  ,,ii ,educational         
,assistance  #bja4 ,improvements to     
assistance for certain flight training  
and other programs of education  7a7    
,use of entitlement for private pilot's 
licenses ,section #cjcd7;d7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended--
  7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7 by striking the
 semicolon and inserting the following3 
and is required for the course of       
education being pursued 7including with 

respect to a dual major1 concentration1 
or other element of a degree72 and2     
7#b7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 and    
7#c7 by redesignating paragraph 7#c7 as 
paragraph 7#b74  7b7 ,accelerated       
payments for flight training ,section   
#ccac of such title is amended by adding
 at the end the following new           
subsection3  7k7 ,accelerated payments  
for certain flight training  7#a7       
,payments ,an individual enrolled in a  
program of education pursued at a       
vocational school or institution of     
higher learning in which flight training
 is required to earn the degree being   
pursued 7including with respect to a    
dual major1 concentration1 or other     
element of such a degree7 may elect to  
receive accelerated payments of amounts 
for tuition and fees determined under   
subsection 7c74 ,the amount of each     
accelerated payment shall be an amount  
equal to twice the amount for tuition   
and fee so determined under such        
subsection1 but the total amount of such

 payments may not exceed the total      
amount of tuition and fees for the      
program of education4 ,the amount of    
monthly stipends shall be determined in 
accordance with such subsection 7c7 and 
may not be accelerated under this       
paragraph4  7#b7 ,educational counseling
 ,an individual may make an election    
under paragraph 7#a7 only if the        
individual receives educational         
counseling under section #cfig;,a7a7 of 
this title4  7#c7 ,charge against       
entitlement ,the number of months of    
entitlement charged an individual for   
accelerated payments made pursuant to   
paragraph 7#a7 shall be determined at   
the rate of two months for each month in
 which such an accelerated payment is   
made4  4  7c7 ,flight training at public
 institutions ,subsection 7c77#a77;,a7  
of such section #ccac is amended--  7#a7
 in clause 7i7-- 7,a7 by redesignating  
subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7 as items 7aa7
 and 7bb71 respectively2  7,b7 by       
striking ,in the case of a program of   

education pursued at a public           
institution of higher learning and      
inserting 7,i7 ,subject to subclause    
7,,ii71 in the case of a program of     
education pursued at a public           
institution of higher learning not      
described in clause 7ii77,,ii77bb72 and 
7,c7 by adding at the end the following 
new subclause3  7,,ii7 ,in determining  
the actual net cost for in-,state       
tuition and fees pursuant to subclause  
7,i71 the ,secretary may not pay for    
tuition and fees relating to flight     
training4  2 and  7#b7 in clause 7ii7-- 
7,a7 in subclause 7,i71 by redesignating
 items 7aa7 and 7bb7 as subitems 7,,aa7 
and 7,,bb71 respectively2  7,b7 in      
subclause 7,,ii71 by redesignating items
 7aa7 and 7bb7 as subitems 7,,aa7 and   
7,,bb71 respectively2  7,c7 by          
redesignating subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7
 as items 7aa7 and 7bb71 respectively2  
7,d7 by striking ,in the case of a      
program of education pursued at a       
non-public or foreign institution of    

higher learning and inserting 7,i7 ,in  
the case of a program of education      
described in subclause 7,,ii72 and  7,e7
 by adding at the end the following new 
subclause3  7,,ii7 ,a program of        
education described in this subclause is
 any of the following3  7aa7 ,a program 
of education pursued at a non-public or 
foreign institution of higher learning4 
7bb7 ,a program of education pursued at 
a public institution of higher learning 
in which flight training is required to 
earn the degree being pursued 7including
 with respect to a dual major1          
concentration1 or other element of such 
a degree74  4  7d7 ,certain programs of 
education carried out under contract    
,section #ccac7;c77#a77;,a77ii77,,ii7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as   
added by subsection 7c77#b77;,e71 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new item3  7cc7 ,a program of 
education pursued at a public           
institution of higher learning in which 
the public institution of higher        

learning enters into a contract or      
agreement with an entity 7other than    
another public institution of higher    
learning7 to provide such program of    
education or a portion of such program  
of education4  4  7e7 ,application  7#a7
 ,in general ,except as provided by     
paragraph 7#b71 the amendments made by  
this section shall apply with respect to
 a quarter1 semester1 or term1 as       
applicable1 commencing on or after the  
date of the enactment of this ,act4     
7#b7 ,special rule for current students 
,in the case of an individual who1 as of
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1
 is using educational assistance under  
chapter #cc of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 to pursue a course of    
education that includes a program of    
education described in item 7bb7 or 7cc7
 of section #ccac7;c77#a77;,a77ii77,,ii7
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as
 added by subsections 7c7 and 7d71      
respectively1 the amendment made by such
 subsection shall apply with respect to 

a quarter1 semester1 or term1 as        
applicable1 commencing on or after the  
date that is two years after the date of
 the enactment of this ,act4  #bjb4     
,elimination of the period of           
eligibility for the ,vocational         
,rehabilitation and ,employment program 
of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs
  7a7 ,in general ,section #cajc of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
repealed4  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the 
table of sections at the beginning of   
chapter #ca of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section   
#cajc4  #bjc4 ,educational assistance   
during extended school closures due to  
natural disasters ,section #cfhj of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new subsection3  7h7 ,school  
closure during natural disasters  7#a7  
,in general ,an individual described in 
paragraph 7#b7 shall be entitled to a   
monthly stipend in the amount to which  
the individual would be entitled were   

the individual pursuing a course of     
education at an institution of higher   
education through resident training but 
for a school closure described under    
paragraph 7#d74  7#b7 ,individual       
described ,an individual described in   
this paragraph is an individual pursuing
 a course of education at an institution
 of higher education using educational  
assistance under chapter #cb1 #cc1 #cd1 
or #ce of this title1 who-- 7,a7 is     
forced to discontinue pursuing such     
course at such institution by reason of 
a school closure described under        
paragraph 7#d72 and  7,b7 opts to-- 7i7 
pursue that course of education solely  
by distance learning2 or  7ii7 pursue an
 alternative course of education solely 
by distance learning4  7#c7 ,duration   
,the duration of the monthly stipends   
payable to an individual under paragraph
 7#a7 shall be the shorter of the       
following3  7,a7 ,the period of time    
necessary to complete the quarter1      
semester1 term or academic period during

 which the school closure described in  
paragraph 7#d7 occurs4  7,b7 ,four      
months4  7#d7 ,school closure ,a school 
closure described in this paragraph is  
the closure of an institution of higher 
education-- 7,a7 by reason of a natural 
disaster2  7,b7 for a period of time    
that-- 7i7 the institution confirms will
 last for four weeks or longer2 or  7ii7
 the institution describes as indefinite
 and that endures for a period of four  
weeks or longer2 and  7,c7 that the     
,secretary confirms is covered for      
purposes of this subsection4  7#e7      
,natural disaster defined ,in this      
subsection1 the term natural disaster   
means a specific weather event or earth 
process1 including a hurricane1 tornado1
 wildfire or forest fire1 earthquake1   
avalanche1 mudslide1 hailstorm1         
thunderstorm1 lightning storm1 freeze1  
blizzard1 sinkhole1 or other disastrous 
event that occurs as a result of such an
 event or process1 that the ,president  
or the governor of a ,state declares a  

natural disaster4  7#f7 ,no charge to   
entitlement ,no charge shall be made to 
the entitlement of any individual to    
educational assistance under chapter    
#cb1 #cc1 #cd1 or #ce of this title by  
reason of a payment under this          
subsection4  4  ,passed the ,house of   
,representatives ,july #bd1             
#bjah4;,clerk4