,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #acd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,january #bh1       
#bjba,mr4 ,moran 7for himself and ,mr4  
,tester7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,veterans ,affairs to carry out a       
retraining assistance program for       
unemployed veterans1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,,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  7b7 
,eligible veterans  7#a7 ,in general    
,for purposes of this section1 an       
eligible veteran is a veteran who-- 7,a7
 as of the date of the receipt by the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs of the
 application for assistance under this  

section1 is at least #bb years of age   
but not more than #ff years of age2     
7,b7 as of such date1 is unemployed by  
reason of a covered public health       
emergency1 as certified by the veteran2 
7,c7 as of such date1 is not eligible to
 receive educational assistance under   
chapter #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 or #ce of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 or    
chapter #afjf 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 receive 
a housing stipend payment 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 ,any  
veteran who receives retraining         
assistance under this section to pursue 
a covered 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 ,for        
purposes of this section1 a covered     
program of education is a program of    
education 7as such term is defined in   
section #cdeb7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code7 for training1 pursued on 
a full-time or part-time basis-- 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#c72 or     
7,b7 that is a high technology program  
of education offered by a qualified     
provider1 under the meaning given 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 to determine whether a program 
of education is designed to provide     
training for high-demand occupations1   
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall use the list of high-demand       
occupations compiled by the             
,commissioner of ,labor ,statistics     
until the final list is issued under    
subparagraph 7,c74  7,b7 ,study required
  7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall 
enter into an agreement with a federally
 funded research and development        
corporation or another appropriate      
non-,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
entity for the conduct of a study to    
determine which occupations are         
high-demand occupations4  7ii7 ,deadline
 ,the study described in clause 7i7     
shall be completed not later than #ij   
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act4  7,c7 ,final list ,the       
,secretary-- 7i7 may add or remove an   
occupation from the list in use pursuant
 to subparagraph 7,a7 during the        
#ij-;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 #ij 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 final list    
issued under subparagraph 7,c7 to       
determine whether a program of education
 is designed to provide training for    
high-demand occupations4  7,e7 ,removal 
of occupations ,the ,secretary may      
remove occupations from the final list  
issued under subparagraph 7,c7 as the   
,secretary determines appropriate4  7#d7
 ,full-time defined ,in this subsection1
 the term full-time has the meaning     
given such term under section #cfhh of  
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  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 of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code4  7#b7 ,payments 
,amounts described in paragraph 7#a7    
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 on the date on which the eligible  
veteran begins the covered program of   
education4  7,b7 #be percent of the     
total amount payable shall be paid on   
the date on which the eligible veteran  
completes the covered program of        
education4  7,c7 #be percent of the     
total amount payable shall be paid on   
the date on which the eligible veteran  
finds employment in a field related to  
the covered program of education4  7#c7 
,failure to complete  7,a7 ,pro-rated   
payments ,in the case of an eligible    

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 in accordance with this       
paragraph4  7,b7 ,payment otherwise due 
upon completion of program ,the         
,secretary shall pay to the educational 
institution a pro-rated amount under    
paragraph 7#b77;,b7 when the veteran    
provides notice to the educational      
institution that the veteran no longer  
intends to pursue the program of        
education4  7,c7 ,nonrecovery from      
veteran ,in the case of a veteran       
referred to in subparagraph 7,a71 the   
educational institution may not seek    
payment from the veteran for any amount 
that would have been payable under      
paragraph 7#b77;,b7 had the veteran     

completed the program of education4     
7,d7 ,payment due upon employment  7i7  
,veterans who find employment ,in the   
case of a veteran referred to in        
subparagraph 7,a7 who 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   
education1 the ,secretary shall pay to  
the educational institution a pro-rated 
amount under paragraph 7#b77;,c7 when   
the veteran finds such employment4  7ii7
 ,veterans who do not find employment   
,in the case of a veteran referred to in
 subparagraph 7,a7 who does not find    
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 education-- 7,i7 the         
,secretary shall not make a payment to  
the educational institution under       
paragraph 7#b77;,c72 and  7,,ii7 the    
educational institution may not seek    

payment from the veteran for any amount 
that would have been payable under      
paragraph 7#b77;,c7 had the veteran     
found employment during such #ahj-;day  
period4  7#d7 ,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  
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 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 or    

7,c7 in the case of a covered program of
 education pursued on less than a       
half-time basis1 or 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#e7 ,failure to find    
employment ,the ,secretary shall not    
make a payment under paragraph 7#b77;,c7
 with respect to an eligible veteran who
 completes or fails to complete a       
covered 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 ,relation to
 other educational assistance and       
benefits ,retraining assistance provided
 under this section shall be in addition
 to any other entitlement to educational
 assistance or benefits for which an    

eligible veteran is1 or has been1       
eligible4  7f7 ,no transferability      
,retraining assistance provided under   
this section may not be transferred to  
another individual4  7g7 ,employment    
assistance  7#a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary of ,labor shall contact each 
eligible 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  

7h7 ,nonprofit organization  7#a7 ,in   
general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans    
,affairs shall seek to enter into a     
memorandum of understanding with one or 
more qualified nonprofit organizations  
for the purpose of facilitating the     
employment of eligible 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  7i7 ,follow up outreach ,the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 in    
coordination with the ,secretary of     
,labor1 shall contact each veteran who  
completes a covered program of education
 under the retraining assistance program
 under this section #cj days1 #fj days1 
#ij days1 and #ahj days after the       
veteran completes such program of       

education to ask the veteran about--    
7#a7 the experience of the veteran in   
the retraining assistance program2 and  
7#b7 the veteran's employment status4   
7j7 ,quarterly reports ,not later than  
one year after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 and quarterly thereafter1
 the ,secretary of ,labor shall submit  
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
 of the ,senate and the ,committee on   
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report containing the
 following information about veterans   
who participate in the retraining       
assistance program under this section3  
7#a7 ,the percentage of such veterans   
who found employment before the end of  
the second calendar quarter after       
exiting the program4  7#b7 ,the         
percentage of such veterans who found   
employment before the end of the fourth 
calendar quarter after exiting the      
program4  7#c7 ,the median earnings of  
all such veterans for the second quarter
 after exiting the program4  7#d7 ,the  

percentage of such veterans who attain a
 recognized postsecondary credential    
during the #ab-month period after       
exiting the program4  7k7 ,limitation   
,not more than #ce1jjj eligible veterans
 may receive retraining assistance under
 this section4  7l7 ,termination ,no    
retraining assistance may be paid under 
this section after the date that is #ba 
months after the date of the enactment  
of this ,act4  7m7 ,,gao report ,not    
later than #ahj days after the          
termination of the retraining assistance
 program under subsection 7l71 the      
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall submit to the ,committee  
on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate   
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives a report on the        
outcomes and effectiveness of the       
program4  7n7 ,funding  7#a7 ,in general
 ,for each fiscal year for which the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
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 of ,veterans ,affairs for   
the payment of readjustment benefits4   
7#b7 ,administrative costs ,there is    
authorized to be appropriated           
#ae1jjj1jjj for administrative costs    
associated with carrying out this       
section for each fiscal year for which  
the ,secretary provides retraining      
assistance under this section4  7o7     
,initiation of payments ,the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs may begin         
providing retraining assistance under   
this section on the date that is #ahj   
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act4  7p7 ,definitions ,in this   
section3 7#a7 ,active military1 naval1  
or air service2 discharge or release    
,the terms active military1 naval1 or   
air service and discharge or release    
have the meanings given those terms in  
section #aja of title #ch1 ,united      

,states ,code4  7#b7 ,active service    
,the term active service has the meaning
 given such term in section #aja of     
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#c7 
,covered public health emergency ,the   
term covered public health emergency    
means-- 7,a7 the public health emergency
 declared by the ,secretary of ,health  
and ,human ,services under section #cai 
of the ,public ,health ,service ,act    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 on ,january #ca1 
#bjbj1 with respect to ,coronavirus     
,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai72 or  7,b7 a
 domestic emergency declared1 based on  
an outbreak of ,coronavirus ,disease    
#bjai 7,,covid-#ai71 by the ,president1 
the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1  
or a ,state or local authority4  7#d7   
,veteran ,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 performs active service for a period
 of #cj days or longer by reason of a   
covered public health emergency4