,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gaaa  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #d1 #bjbj,mr4  
,david ,p4 ,roe of ,tennessee 7for      
himself1 ,mr4 ,bilirakis1 ,mr4 ,banks1  
,mrs4 ,radewagen1 ,mr4 ,bost1 ,mr4      
,dunn1 ,mr4 ,wenstrup1 ,mr4 ,bergman1   
,mr4 ,arrington1 ,mr4 ,levin of         
,california1 ,mr4 ,barr1 and ,mr4       
,meuser7 introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs1 and in addition to 
the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 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     
direct the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs to carry out a retraining      
assistance program for unemployed       
veterans1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,veterans ,economic ,recovery ,act  
of #bjbj4  #b4 ,,covid-#ai ,veteran     

,rapid ,retraining ,assistance ,program 
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a    
program under which the ,secretary shall
 provide up to #ab months of retraining 
assistance to an eligible veteran for   
the pursuit of a covered program of     
education4 ,such retraining assistance  
shall be in addition to any other       
entitlement to educational assistance or
 benefits for which a veteran is1 or has
 been1 eligible4  7b7 ,eligible veterans
  7#a7 ,in general ,for purposes of this
 section1 the term eligible veteran     
means a veteran who-- 7,a7 as of the    
date of the submittal of the application
 for assistance under this section1 is  
at least #be years of age but not more  
than #fj years of age2  7,b7 as of the  
date of the submittal of the application
 for assistance under this section1 is  
unemployed by reason of the covered     
public health emergency1 as certified by
 the veteran2  7,c7 as of the date of   
the submittal of the application for    

assistance under this section1 is not   
eligible to receive educational         
assistance under chapter #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 
#cc1 or #ce of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 or chapter #afjf or #afjg
 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code2   
7,d7 is not enrolled in any ,federal or 
,state jobs program2  7,e7 is not in    
receipt of compensation for a           
service-connected disability rated      
totally disabling by reason of          
unemployability2 and  7,f7 will not be  
in receipt of unemployment compensation 
7as defined in section #he7;b7 of the   
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf71     
including any cash benefit received     
pursuant to subtitle ,a of title ,,ii of
 division ,a of the ,cares ,act 7,public
 ,law #aaf-acf71 as of the first day on 
which the veteran would pursue a program
 of education using retraining          
assistance under this section4  7#b7    
,treatment of veterans who transfer     
entitlement ,for purposes of paragraph  
7#a77;,c71 a veteran who has transferred

 all of the veteran's entitlement to    
educational assistance under section    
#ccai of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 shall be considered to be a      
veteran who is not eligible to receive  
educational assistance under chapter #cc
 of such title4  7#c7 ,failure to       
complete ,a veteran who receives        
retraining assistance under this section
 to pursue a program of education and   
who fails to complete the program of    
education shall not be eligible to      
receive additional assistance under this
 section4  7c7 ,covered programs of     
education  7#a7 ,in general ,each       
eligible veteran who receives retraining
 assistance under this section may only 
use such assistance to pursue a program 
of education 7as such term is defined in
 section #cdeb7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code7 for training1 on a      
full-time or part-time basis1 that--    
7,a7 that-- 7i7 is approved under       
chapter #cf of such title2  7ii7 does   
not lead to a bachelors or graduate     

degree2 and  7iii7 is designed to       
provide training for a high-demand      
occupation1 as determined under         
paragraph 7#b72 or  7,b7 is a high      
technology programs of education offered
 by a qualified provider1 under the     
meaning of such terms in section #aaf of
 the ,harry ,w4 ,colmery ,veterans      
,educational ,assistance ,act of #bjag  
7,public ,law #aae-dh2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4    
#cjja note74  7#b7 ,accredited programs 
,in the case of an accredited program of
 education1 the program of education    
shall not be considered a covered       
program of education under this section 
if the program has received a show cause
 order from the accreditor of the       
program during the five-year period     
preceding the date of the enactment of  
this ,act4  7#c7 ,determination of      
high-demand occupations  7,a7 ,initial  
implementation ,in carrying out this    
section1 the ,secretary shall use the   
list of high-demand occupations compiled
 by the ,commissioner of ,labor         

,statistics until the final list under  
subparagraph 7,c7 is complete4  7,b7    
,study required ,the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs shall enter into an  
agreement with a federally funded       
research and development corporation or 
another appropriate non-,department     
entity for the conduct of a study to    
determine which occupations are         
high-demand occupations4 ,such study    
shall be completed not later than #cj   
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act4  7,c7 ,final list ,the       
,secretary-- 7i7 may add or remove      
occupation from the list in use pursuant
 to subparagraph 7,a7 during the        
#fj-;day period following the completion
 of the study required by subparagraph  
7,b72  7ii7 shall issue a final list of 
high-demand occupations for use under   
this section by not later than #fj days 
after the date of the completion of the 
study2 and  7iii7 shall make such final 
list publicly available on a website of 
the ,department4  7,d7 ,use of list ,the

 ,secretary shall use the list developed
 under this paragraph in order to apply 
the requirement that retraining         
assistance under this section is used   
for training for a high-demand          
occupation1 but the ,secretary may      
remove occupations from the list as the 
,secretary determines appropriate4  7d7 
,amount of assistance  7#a7 ,retraining 
assistance ,the ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs shall provide to an eligible   
veteran pursuing a covered program of   
education under the retraining          
assistance program under this section an
 amount equal to the amount of          
educational assistance payable under    
section #ccac7;c77#a77;,a7 for each     
month the veteran pursues the covered   
program of education4 ,such amount shall
 be payable directly to the educational 
institution offering the covered program
 of education pursued by the veteran as 
follows3 7,a7 #ej percent of the total  
amount payable shall be paid when the   
eligible veteran begins the program of  

education4  7,b7 #be percent of the     
total amount payable shall be paid when 
the eligible veteran completes the      
program of education4  7,c7 #be percent 
of the total amount payable shall be    
paid when the eligible veteran finds    
employment in a field related to the    
program of education4  7#b7 ,failure to 
complete ,in the case of a veteran who  
pursues a covered program of education  
under the retraining assistance program 
under this section1 but who does not    
complete the program of education1 the  
,secretary shall pay to the educational 
institution offering such program of    
education a pro-rated amount based on   
the number of months the veteran pursued
 the program of education-- 7,a7 under  
paragraph 7#a77;,b71 which shall be     
payable when the veteran provides notice
 to the educational institution that the
 veteran no longer intends to pursue the
 program of education2 and  7,b7 under  
paragraph 7#a77;,c71 which shall by     
payable only if the veteran finds       

employment in a field related to the    
program of education during the         
#ahj-;day period beginning on the date  
on which the veteran withdraws from the 
program of education4  7#c7 ,housing    
stipend ,for each month that an eligible
 veteran pursues a covered program of   
education under the retraining          
assistance program under this section1  
the ,secretary shall pay to the veteran 
a monthly housing stipend in an amount  
equal to-- 7,a7 in the case of a covered
 program of education leading to a      
degree at an institution of higher      
learning 7as that term is defined in    
section #cdeb7;f7 of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code7 pursued on more than a   
half-time basis1 the amount specified   
under subsection 7c77#a77;,b7 of section
 #ccac of title #ch1 ,united ,states    
,code2  7,b7 in the case of a covered   
program of education other than a       
program of education leading to a degree
 at an institution other than an        
institution of higher learning pursued  

on more than a half-time basis1 the     
amount specified under subsection       
7g77#c77;,a77ii7 of such section2  7,c7 
in the case of a covered program of     
education pursued on less than a        
half-time basis1 the amount specified   
under subsection 7f77#b77;,a77ii7 of    
such section2 or  7,d7 in the case of a 
covered program of education pursued    
solely through distance learning on more
 than a half-time basis1 the amount     
specified under subsection              
7c77#a77;,b77iii7 of such section4  7#d7
 ,failure to find employment ,the       
,secretary shall not make a payment     
under paragraph 7#a77;,c7 with respect  
to an eligible veteran who completes or 
fails to completes a program of         
education under the retraining          
assistance program under this section if
 the veteran fails to find employment in
 a field related to the program of      
education within the #ahj-period        
beginning on the date on which the      
veteran withdraws from or completes the 

program4  7e7 ,no transferability       
,retraining assistance provided under   
this section may not be transferred to  
another individual4  7f7 ,employment    
assistance  7#a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary of ,labor shall contact each 
veteran who pursues a covered program of
 education under this section-- 7,a7 not
 later than #cj days after the date on  
which the veteran begins the program of 
education to notify the veteran of the  
availability of employment placement    
services upon completion of the program2
 and  7,b7 not later than #ad days after
 the date on which the veteran          
completes1 or terminates participation  
in1 such program to facilitate the      
provision of employment placement       
services to such veteran4  7#b7         
,provision of information ,the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
provide to the ,secretary of ,labor such
 information as may be necessary to     
carry out paragraph 7#a74  7g7          
,nonprofit organization  7#a7 ,in       

general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans    
,affairs may enter into a memorandum of 
understanding with one or more qualified
 nonprofit organizations for the purpose
 of facilitating the employment of      
veterans who participate in the         
retraining assistance program under this
 section4  7#b7 ,qualified nonprofit    
organization ,for purposes of this      
subsection1 a qualified nonprofit       
organization is a nonprofit organization
 that-- 7,a7 is an association of       
businesses2 and  7,b7 has at least two  
years of experience providing job       
placement services for veterans4  7h7   
,follow-,up outreach ,the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs1 in coordination with
 the ,secretary of ,labor shall contact 
each veteran who completes a covered    
program of education under the          
retraining assistance program under this
 section #cj1 #fj1 #ij1 and #ahj days   
after the veteran completes such program
 of education to ask the veteran about  
the experience of the veteran in the    

retraining assistance program and the   
veteran's employment status4  7i7 ,time 
frame for participation ,an eligible    
veteran who participates in the         
retraining assistance program under this
 section shall-- 7#a7 begin a program of
 education by not later than #aej days  
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act2 and  7#b7 complete such program of
 education by not later than #ag months 
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4  7j7 ,limitation ,not more than   
#ce1jjj eligible veterans may receive   
retraining assistance under this        
section4  7k7 ,termination ,no          
retraining assistance may be paid under 
this section after the date that is #ag 
months after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act4  7l7 ,,gao report ,not    
later than #ahj days after the          
termination of the retraining assistance
 program under subsection 7k71 the      
,comptroller ,general shall submit to   
the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs  
of the ,senate and ,house of            

,representatives a report on the        
outcomes and effectiveness of the       
program4  7m7 ,definitions ,in this     
section3 7#a7 ,the term covered public  
health emergency means the declaration--
 7,a7 of a public health emergency1     
based on an outbreak of ,,covid-#ai by  
the ,secretary of ,health and ,human    
,services under section #cai of the     
,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d72 or  7,b7 of a        
domestic emergency1 based on an outbreak
 of ,,covid-#ai by the ,president1 the  
,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 or   
,state1 or local authority4  7#b7 ,the  
term veteran means-- 7,a7 a person who  
served in the active military1 naval1 or
 air service1 and who was discharged or 
released therefrom under conditions     
other than dishonorable2 or  7,b7 a     
member of a reserve component of the    
,armed ,forces who serves on active duty
 pursuant to section #ejb7;f7 of title  
#cb1 ,united ,states ,code1 for a period
 of #cj days or longer by reason of the 

covered public health emergency4  7n7   
,funding  7#a7 ,in general ,for each    
fiscal year for which the ,secretary    
provides retraining assistance under    
this section1 such sums as may be       
necessary shall be made available for   
such assistance from funds appropriated 
to1 or otherwise made available to1 the 
,department for the payment of          
readjustment benefits4  7#b7            
,administrative costs ,there is         
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,secretary #aj1jjj1jjj for              
administrative costs associated with    
carrying out this section4  #c4 ,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  #d4         
,expansion of eligible class of         
providers of high technology programs of
 education for veterans ,section #aaf of
 the ,harry ,w4 ,colmery ,veterans      
,educational ,assistance ,act of #bjag  
7,public ,law #aae-dh2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4    
#cjja note7 is amended-- 7#a7 in        
subsection 7b71 by adding at the end the
 following3 ,the ,secretary shall treat 
an individual as an eligible veteran if 
the ,secretary determines that the      
individual shall become an eligible     
veteran fewer than #ahj days after the  
date of such determination42  7#b7 in   
subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph      
7#c77;,a71 by striking has been         
operational for at least #b years and   
inserting employs instructors whom the  
,secretary determines are experts in    
their respective fields in accordance   
with paragraph 7#f72 and  7,b7 by adding
 at the end the following new paragraph3

  7#f7 ,experts ,the ,secretary shall   
determine whether instructors are       
experts under paragraph 7#c77;,a7 based 
on evidence furnished to the ,secretary 
by the provider regarding the ability of
 the instructors to-- 7,a7 identify     
professions in need of new employees to 
hire1 tailor the programs to meet market
 needs1 and identify the employers      
likely to hire graduates2  7,b7         
effectively teach the skills offered to 
eligible veterans2  7,c7 provide        
relevant industry experience in the     
fields of programs offered to incoming  
eligible veterans2 and  7,d7 demonstrate
 relevant industry experience in such   
fields of programs4  2  7#c7 in         
subsection 7d71 in the matter preceding 
paragraph 7#a71 by inserting 7not       
including an individual described in the
 second sentence of subsection 7b77     
after each eligible veteran2  7#d7 in   
subsection 7e71 in the matter preceding 
paragraph 7#a71 by inserting 1 including
 a part-time program shorter than six   

months in duration1 after means a       
program of education2  7#e7 in          
subsection 7g71 by striking #ae1jjj1jjj 
and inserting #de1jjj1jjj2 and  7#f7 by 
adding at the end the following new     
subsection 7i73  7i7 ,prohibition on    
certain accounting of assistance ,the   
,secretary may not consider enrollment  
in a high technology program of         
education under this section to be      
assistance under a provision of law     
referred to in section #cfie of title   
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  4  #e4     
,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 ,act and         
inserting ,during the #e-year period    
beginning on the date of the enactment  

of the ,veterans ,economic ,recovery    
,act of #bjbj2 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
 fewer than #ej locations in ,states 7as
 defined in section #aja of title #ch1  
,united ,states ,code72  7#b7 in        
paragraph 7#b71 by striking at least two
 and inserting at least #bj2 and  7#c7  
by adding at the end the following new  
paragraphs3  7#e7 ,preferences ,in      
selecting ,states for participation in  
the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall 
provide a preference for any ,state     
with-- 7,a7 a high rate of usage of     
unemployment benefits for recently      
separated members of the ,armed ,forces2
 or  7,b7 a labor force or economy that 
has been significantly impacted by the  

covered public health emergency4  7#f7  
,covered public health emergency ,in    
this subsection1 the term covered public
 health emergency means the             
declaration-- 7,a7 of a public health   
emergency1 based on an outbreak of      
,,covid-#ai by the ,secretary of ,health
 and ,human ,services under section #cai
 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act   
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d72 or  7,b7 of a   
domestic emergency1 based on an outbreak
 of ,,covid-#ai by the ,president1 the  
,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 or   
,state1 or local authority4  4  7c7     
,annual report ,subsection 7e7 of such  
section is amended by adding at the end 
the following new sentence3 ,each such  
report shall include information about  
the employment outcomes of the eligible 
individuals who received such training  
during the year covered by the report44 
7d7 ,conforming repeal ,subsection 7f7  
of such section is repealed4  #f4       
,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 ,in 

making grants under this section1 the   
,secretary shall give priority to an    
organization that-- 7#a7 provides       
multiple forms of services described in 
subsection 7b72 or  7#b7 is located in a
 ,state with-- 7,a7 a high rate of      
veteran unemployment2  7,b7 a high rate 
of usage of unemployment benefits for   
recently separated members of the ,armed
 ,forces2 or  7,c7 a labor force or     
economy that has been significantly     
impacted by the covered public health   
emergency 7as such term is defined in   
section #b7m77#b774  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