,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abah ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bd1 #bjag ,ms4 ,heitkamp 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 and ,ms4 ,harris7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to promote ,federal employment for veterans1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,empowering ,federal ,employment for ,veterans ,act of #bjag or the ,empowering ,,fed ,vets ,act4 #b4 ,establishment of veterans employment programs in ,federal agencies 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the term covered agency means-- 7,a7 the ,department of ,state2 7,b7 the ,department of the ,treasury2 7,c7 the ,department of ,defense2 7,d7 the ,department of ,justice2 7,e7 the ,department of the ,interior2 7,f7 the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,g7 the ,department of ,commerce2 7,h7 the ,department of ,labor2 7,i7 the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services2 7,j7 the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development2 7,k7 the ,department of ,transportation2 7,l7 the ,department of ,energy2 7,m7 the ,department of ,education2 7,n7 the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs2 7,o7 the ,department of ,homeland ,security2 7,p7 the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7,q7 the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration2 7,r7 the ,agency for ,international ,development2 7,s7 the ,general ,services ,administration2 7,t7 the ,national ,science ,foundation2 7,u7 the ,nuclear ,regulatory ,commission2 7,v7 the ,office of ,personnel ,management2 7,w7 the ,small ,business ,administration2 7,x7 the ,social ,security ,administration2 and 7,y7 any other ,executive agency 7as defined in section #aje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code7 that the ,president may designate2 7#b7 the term transitioning member of the ,armed ,forces means a member of the ,armed ,forces who is expected to be discharged or released from active duty in the ,armed ,forces within #ahj days2 and 7#c7 the term veterans employment official means-- 7,a7 the head of a ,veterans ,employment ,program ,office established under subsection 7b77#a77;,a72 and 7,b7 an employee designated to carry out a ,veterans ,employment ,program for a covered agency under subsection 7b77#a77;,b74 7b7 ,veterans ,employment ,programs ,the head of a covered agency shall-- 7#a7 7,a7 establish or maintain a ,veterans ,employment ,program ,office within the covered agency2 or 7,b7 designate an employee of the covered agency who shall have full-time responsibility for carrying out a ,veterans ,employment ,program for the covered agency2 and 7#b7 ensure the public availability of contact information for veterans employment officials to ensure engagement with prospective applicants4 7c7 ,responsibilities ,a veterans employment official of a covered agency shall-- 7#a7 enhance employment opportunities for veterans within the agency1 consistent with law and merit system principles1 including by developing and implementing-- 7,a7 the agency's plan for promoting employment opportunities for veterans2 7,b7 veterans recruitment programs2 and 7,c7 training programs for veterans with disabilities2 7#b7 coordinate and provide employment counseling and training programs to prospective applicants to help match the skills and career aspirations of veterans to the needs of the agency1 targeting high-demand ,federal occupations that are projected to have heavy recruitment needs2 7#c7 participate in skills-based1 cross-governmental1 and individual agency career development programs to leverage those programs in matching veterans' career aspirations with high-growth occupations2 and 7#d7 provide mandatory annual training to human resources employees and hiring managers of the agency concerning veterans' employment1 including training on veterans' preferences and special authorities for the hiring of veterans4 7d7 ,coordination by ,office of ,personnel ,management 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall facilitate coordination among veterans employment officials1 including appropriate sharing of resources and information to help match the skills and career aspirations of veterans to the needs of the agencies4 7#b7 ,responsibilities ,the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall-- 7,a7 establish a ,veterans ,program ,office to provide ,government-wide leadership in recruitment and employment of veterans in the executive branch of the ,federal ,government2 7,b7 regularly convene veterans employment officials for working-level meetings to share information on best practices1 prospective applicants1 and strategies for matching veterans with appropriate employment2 7,c7 develop mandatory annual training for human resources employees and hiring managers of covered agencies concerning veterans' employment1 including training on veterans' preferences and special authorities for the hiring of veterans2 7,d7 develop a skills-based1 cross-governmental career development program for covered agencies to leverage in matching veterans' career aspirations with high-growth occupations2 7,e7 promote the ,federal ,government as an employer of choice to transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans2 7,f7 market the talent1 experience1 and dedication of transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans to ,federal agencies2 and 7,g7 disseminate ,federal employment information to veterans and hiring officials4 7#c7 ,accountability ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall submit to ,congress a report on-- 7,a7 progress made toward the sharing of resources among veterans employment officials2 7,b7 progress made toward the sharing of information among veterans employment officials1 including steps to promote face-to-face interaction and the use of ,federal information gateways2 7,c7 the development and implementation of training programs for human resources employees and hiring managers of ,federal agencies2 7,d7 career development programs for veterans seeking employment2 and 7,e7 efforts to promote the ,federal ,government as an employer of choice to transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces and veterans4 #c4 ,interagency ,council on ,veterans ,employment 7a7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,there is established an interagency council on matters relating to the employment of veterans4 7#b7 ,designation ,the council established under paragraph 7#a7 shall be known as the ,interagency ,council on ,veterans ,employment 7in this section the ,council74 7b7 ,membership 7#a7 ,composition ,the ,council shall consist of the heads of-- 7,a7 each covered agency 7as defined in section #b7;a772 and 7,b7 any other ,executive agency 7as defined in section #aje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code7 that the ,president may designate4 7#b7 ,co-chairs ,the ,secretary of ,labor and the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall serve as ,co-,chairs of the ,council4 7#c7 ,vice-chair ,the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall serve as the ,vice ,chair of the ,council4 7c7 ,duties ,the duties of the ,council shall include each of the following3 7#a7 ,to advise and assist the ,president and the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management on matters relating to maintaining a coordinated ,government-wide effort to increase the number of veterans employed by the ,federal ,government in positions that match the skills and career aspirations of veterans1 by enhancing recruiting1 hiring1 retention1 training and skills development1 and job satisfaction4 7#b7 ,to serve as a national forum for promoting employment opportunities for veterans in the executive branch of the ,federal ,government4 7#c7 ,to establish performance measures to assess the effectiveness of efforts to promote recruiting1 hiring1 retention1 training and skills development1 and job satisfaction of veterans by the ,federal ,government4 7#d7 ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act and not less frequently than once each year thereafter1 to submit to the ,president and ,congress a report on the effectiveness of those efforts4 7d7 ,administration 7#a7 ,duties of ,co-,chairs ,the ,co-,chairs shall convene regular meetings of the ,council1 determine its agenda1 and direct its work4 7#b7 ,steering ,committee ,at the direction of the ,co-,chairs1 the ,council may establish-- 7,a7 a ,steering ,committee to provide leadership1 accountability1 and strategic direction to the ,council2 and 7,b7 subgroups to promote coordination among veterans employment officials 7as defined in section #b7;a774 7#c7 ,executive ,director ,the ,vice ,chair shall designate an ,executive ,director for the ,council to support the ,vice ,chair in managing the ,council's activities4 7#d7 ,,opm ,the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall provide administrative support for the ,council to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations 7as of the date of the provision74 #d4 ,expansion of ,skill,bridge initiative to include participation by ,federal agencies 7a7 ,modification of initiative by ,secretary of ,defense ,the ,secretary of ,defense1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management1 shall make such modifications to the ,skill,bridge initiative of the ,department of ,defense as the ,secretary considers appropriate to enable ,federal agencies to participate in the initiative as employers and trainers1 including the provision of training by ,federal agencies under the initiative to transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces4 7b7 ,participation by ,federal agencies ,the ,director1 in consultation with the ,secretary1 shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that each ,federal agency participates in the ,skill,bridge initiative of the ,department of ,defense as described in subsection 7a74 7c7 ,transitioning members of the ,armed ,forces defined ,in this section1 the term transitioning member of the ,armed ,forces means a member of the ,armed ,forces who is expected to be discharged or released from active duty in the ,armed ,forces not more than #ahj days after the member commences training under the ,skill,bridge initiative4