,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hef ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #c1 #bjag,mr4 ,cohen 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,kelly of ,illinois1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,ms4 ,slaughter1 ,ms4 ,bordallo1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,payne1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,mc,govern7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,armed ,services1 ,oversight and ,government ,reform1 the ,judiciary1 and ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to reauthorize the ,,vow to ,hire ,heroes ,act of #bjaa1 to provide assistance to small businesses owned by veterans1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,putting ,our ,veterans ,back to ,work ,act of #bjag4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,title ,i--,renewing our vow to hire heroes ,sec4 #aja4 ,reauthorization of veterans retraining assistance program4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,extension of authority of ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of ,armed ,forces with severe injuries or illnesses4 ,sec4 #ajc4 ,extension of additional rehabilitation programs for persons who have exhausted rights to unemployment benefits under ,state law4 ,sec4 #ajd4 ,reauthorization of collaborative veterans' training1 mentoring1 and placement program4 ,title ,,ii--,building on our vow to hire heroes ,sec4 #bja4 ,unified employment portal for veterans4 ,sec4 #bjb4 ,grants to hire veterans as first responders4 ,sec4 #bjc4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor in the awarding of ,federal contracts4 ,i ,renewing our vow to hire heroes #aja4 ,reauthorization of veterans retraining assistance program 7a7 ,extension ,subsection 7k7 of section #baa of the ,,vow to ,hire ,heroes ,act of #bjaa 7,public ,law #aab-ef2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #dajj note7 is amended by striking ,march #ca1 #bjad and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbj4 7b7 ,number of eligible veterans ,subsection 7a77#b7 of such section is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,c7 #ej1jjj during fiscal year #bjag2 7,d7 #ej1jjj during fiscal year #bjah2 7,e7 #ej1jjj during fiscal year #bjai2 and 7,f7 #ej1jjj during the period beginning ,october #a1 #bjai1 and ending ,december #ca1 #bjbj4 4 7c7 ,clarification of limitation on aggregate amount of assistance ,subsection 7b7 of such section is amended by striking up to #ab months of retraining assistance provided by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and inserting an aggregate of not more than #ab months of retraining assistance provided by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs under this section4 7d7 ,updated report ,subsection 7i7 of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#c7 ,update ,not later than ,december #ca1 #bjba1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress an update to the report described in paragraph 7#a74 4 7e7 ,conforming amendment ,subsection 7e77#a77;,g7 of such section is amended by striking by not later than ,october #a1 #bjac14 #ajb4 ,extension of authority of ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of ,armed ,forces with severe injuries or illnesses 7a7 ,in general ,section #afca7;b77#b7 of the ,wounded ,warrior ,act 7title ,,xvi of ,public ,law #aaj-aha2 #aj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajga note7 is amended by striking ,december #ca1 #bjag and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjbj4 7b7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report on the benefits provided by the ,secretary under section #afca7;b7 of such ,act4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of congress ,in this subsection1 the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 #ajc4 ,extension of additional rehabilitation programs for persons who have exhausted rights to unemployment benefits under ,state law ,section #cajb7;b77#d7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking ,march #ca1 #bjad and inserting ,march #ca1 #bjbj4 #ajd4 ,reauthorization of collaborative veterans' training1 mentoring1 and placement program ,subsection 7e7 of section #dajd;,a of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended to read as follows3 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section amounts as follows3 7#a7 #d1ejj1jjj for the period consisting of fiscal years #bjah and #bjai4 7#b7 #d1ejj1jjj for the period consisting of fiscal years #bjbj and #bjba4 4 ,,ii ,building on our vow to hire heroes #bja4 ,unified employment portal for veterans ,section #daje of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7c7 7#a7 ,the ,secretary shall develop a single1 unified ,federal web-based employment portal1 for use by veterans1 containing information regarding all ,federal programs and activities concerning employment1 unemployment1 and training to the extent the programs and activities affect veterans4 7#b7 ,the ,secretary shall work with representatives from the ,department of ,defense1 the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 the ,small ,business ,administration1 and other ,federal agencies and organizations concerned with veterans' issues1 to determine an appropriate platform and implementing agency for the portal4 ,the ,secretary shall enter into an agreement with the other ,federal agencies for the implementation of the portal4 4 #bjb4 ,grants to hire veterans as first responders 7a7 ,grants for firefighters ,the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall award grants under section #cd of the ,federal ,fire ,prevention and ,control ,act of #aigd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #bbbi;a7 to hire veterans as firefighters4 7b7 ,grants for law enforcement officers ,the ,attorney ,general shall award grants under part ,q of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cgif;dd et seq47 to hire veterans as law enforcement officers4 7c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section to hire veterans1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security and the ,attorney ,general shall give priority to the hiring of veterans who served on active duty in the ,armed ,forces on or after ,september #aa1 #bjja4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #bej1jjj1jjj4 #bjc4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor in the awarding of ,federal contracts 7a7 ,civilian contracts 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #cc of title #da1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #ccac4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor ,the head of each executive agency shall consider favorably as an evaluation factor in solicitations for contracts and task or delivery order valued at or above #be1jjj1jjj the employment by a prospective contractor of veterans constituting at least #e percent of the contractor's workforce4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section #ccab the following new item3 #ccac4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor4 4 7b7 ,defense contracts 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #acg of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #bcch4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor ,the head of each agency shall consider favorably as an evaluation factor in solicitations for contracts and task or delivery order valued at or above #be1jjj1jjj the employment by a prospective contractor of veterans constituting at least five percent of the contractor's workforce4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section #bccg the following new item3 #bcch4 ,employment of veterans as evaluation factor4 4 7c7 ,regulations ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,federal ,acquisition ,regulatory ,council shall amend the ,federal ,acquisition ,regulation to carry out the provisions of section #ccac of title #da1 ,united ,states ,code1 and section #bcch of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsections 7a7 and 7b71 respectively4