Empowering Federal Employment for Veterans Act of 2017

Summary: Empowering Federal Employment for Veterans Act of 2017 or the Empowering FED Vets Act This bill requires executive agencies to establish or maintain a Veterans Employment Program Office and designate a veterans employment official to: (1) enhance employment opportunities for veterans within the agency, (2) provide employment counseling and training programs to applicants to help match the skills and career aspirations of veterans to agency needs, (3) participate in agency career development programs to leverage those programs in matching veterans' career aspirations with high-growth occupations, and (4) provide mandatory annual training to human resources employees and hiring managers concerning veterans' employment. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shall:  facilitate coordination among such officials;  establish a Veterans Program Office to provide government-wide leadership in recruitment and employment of veterans in the executive branch;  regularly convene such officials for working-level meetings to share information on best practices, prospective applicants, and strategies for matching veterans with appropriate employment;  develop mandatory annual training on veterans' employment for agency human resources employees and hiring managers;  develop a skills-based, cross-governmental career development program for agencies;  promote the government as an employer of choice to transitioning members of the Armed Forces and veterans;  market the talent, experience, and dedication of such members and veterans to agencies; and  disseminate federal employment information to veterans and hiring officials.  The bill establishes the Interagency Council on Veterans Employment, which shall:  advise and assist the President and the OPM on matters relating to maintaining a coordinated government-wide effort to increase the number of veterans employed by the government in positions that match their skills and career aspirations by enhancing recruiting, hiring, retention, training and skills development, and job satisfaction;  serve as a national forum for promoting employment opportunities for veterans in the executive branch; and  establish performance measures to assess effectiveness.  The Department of Defense (DOD) shall make appropriate modifications to its SkillBridge initiative to enable federal agencies to participate as employers and trainers.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Empowering Federal Employment for 
Veterans Act of 2017'' or the ``Empowering FED Vets Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS IN FEDERAL 
              AGENCIES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``covered agency'' means--
                    (A) the Department of State;
                    (B) the Department of the Treasury;
                    (C) the Department of Defense;
                    (D) the Department of Justice;
                    (E) the Department of the Interior;
                    (F) the Department of Agriculture;
                    (G) the Department of Commerce;
                    (H) the Department of Labor;
                    (I) the Department of Health and Human Services;
                    (J) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development;
                    (K) the Department of Transportation;
                    (L) the Department of Energy;
                    (M) the Department of Education;
                    (N) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
                    (O) the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (P) the Environmental Protection Agency;
                    (Q) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration;
                    (R) the Agency for International Development;
                    (S) the General Services Administration;
                    (T) the National Science Foundation;
                    (U) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
                    (V) the Office of Personnel Management;
                    (W) the Small Business Administration;
                    (X) the Social Security Administration; and
                    (Y) any other Executive agency (as defined in 
                section 105 of title 5, United States Code) that the 
                President may designate;
            (2) 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 180 days; and
            (3) the term ``veterans employment official'' means--
                    (A) the head of a Veterans Employment Program 
                Office established under subsection (b)(1)(A); and
                    (B) an employee designated to carry out a Veterans 
                Employment Program for a covered agency under 
                subsection (b)(1)(B).
    (b) Veterans Employment Programs.--The head of a covered agency 
shall--
            (1)(A) establish or maintain a Veterans Employment Program 
        Office within the covered agency; or
            (B) designate an employee of the covered agency who shall 
        have full-time responsibility for carrying out a Veterans 
        Employment Program for the covered agency; and
            (2) ensure the public availability of contact information 
        for veterans employment officials to ensure engagement with 
        prospective applicants.
    (c) Responsibilities.--A veterans employment official of a covered 
agency shall--
            (1) enhance employment opportunities for veterans within 
        the agency, consistent with law and merit system principles, 
        including by developing and implementing--
                    (A) the agency's plan for promoting employment 
                opportunities for veterans;
                    (B) veterans recruitment programs; and
                    (C) training programs for veterans with 
                disabilities;
            (2) 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 
        agency, targeting high-demand Federal occupations that are 
        projected to have heavy recruitment needs;
            (3) participate in skills-based, cross-governmental, and 
        individual agency career development programs to leverage those 
        programs in matching veterans' career aspirations with high-
        growth occupations; and
            (4) provide mandatory annual training to human resources 
        employees and hiring managers of the agency concerning 
        veterans' employment, including training on veterans' 
        preferences and special authorities for the hiring of veterans.
    (d) Coordination by Office of Personnel Management.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
        Management shall facilitate coordination among veterans 
        employment officials, including appropriate sharing of 
        resources and information to help match the skills and career 
        aspirations of veterans to the needs of the agencies.
            (2) Responsibilities.--The Director of the Office of 
        Personnel Management shall--
                    (A) establish a Veterans Program Office to provide 
                Government-wide leadership in recruitment and 
                employment of veterans in the executive branch of the 
                Federal Government;
                    (B) regularly convene veterans employment officials 
                for working-level meetings to share information on best 
                practices, prospective applicants, and strategies for 
                matching veterans with appropriate employment;
                    (C) develop mandatory annual training for human 
                resources employees and hiring managers of covered 
                agencies concerning veterans' employment, including 
                training on veterans' preferences and special 
                authorities for the hiring of veterans;
                    (D) develop a skills-based, cross-governmental 
                career development program for covered agencies to 
                leverage in matching veterans' career aspirations with 
                high-growth occupations;
                    (E) promote the Federal Government as an employer 
                of choice to transitioning members of the Armed Forces 
                and veterans;
                    (F) market the talent, experience, and dedication 
                of transitioning members of the Armed Forces and 
                veterans to Federal agencies; and
                    (G) disseminate Federal employment information to 
                veterans and hiring officials.
            (3) Accountability.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
        Personnel Management shall submit to Congress a report on--
                    (A) progress made toward the sharing of resources 
                among veterans employment officials;
                    (B) progress made toward the sharing of information 
                among veterans employment officials, including steps to 
                promote face-to-face interaction and the use of Federal 
                information gateways;
                    (C) the development and implementation of training 
                programs for human resources employees and hiring 
                managers of Federal agencies;
                    (D) career development programs for veterans 
                seeking employment; and
                    (E) efforts to promote the Federal Government as an 
                employer of choice to transitioning members of the 
                Armed Forces and veterans.

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON VETERANS EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--There is established an interagency 
        council on matters relating to the employment of veterans.
            (2) Designation.--The council established under paragraph 
        (1) shall be known as the ``Interagency Council on Veterans 
        Employment'' (in this section the ``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Council shall consist of the heads 
        of--
                    (A) each covered agency (as defined in section 
                2(a)); and
                    (B) any other Executive agency (as defined in 
                section 105 of title 5, United States Code) that the 
                President may designate.
            (2) Co-chairs.--The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Council.
            (3) Vice-chair.--The Director of the Office of Personnel 
        Management shall serve as the Vice Chair of the Council.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Council shall include each of the 
following:
            (1) 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 
        veterans, by enhancing recruiting, hiring, retention, training 
        and skills development, and job satisfaction.
            (2) To serve as a national forum for promoting employment 
        opportunities for veterans in the executive branch of the 
        Federal Government.
            (3) To establish performance measures to assess the 
        effectiveness of efforts to promote recruiting, hiring, 
        retention, training and skills development, and job 
        satisfaction of veterans by the Federal Government.
            (4) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        this Act and not less frequently than once each year 
        thereafter, to submit to the President and Congress a report on 
        the effectiveness of those efforts.
    (d) Administration.--
            (1) Duties of co-chairs.--The Co-Chairs shall convene 
        regular meetings of the Council, determine its agenda, and 
        direct its work.
            (2) Steering committee.--At the direction of the Co-Chairs, 
        the Council may establish--
                    (A) a Steering Committee to provide leadership, 
                accountability, and strategic direction to the Council; 
                and
                    (B) subgroups to promote coordination among 
                veterans employment officials (as defined in section 
                2(a)).
            (3) Executive director.--The Vice Chair shall designate an 
        Executive Director for the Council to support the Vice Chair in 
        managing the Council's activities.
            (4) OPM.--The Office of Personnel Management shall provide 
        administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted 
        by law and within existing appropriations (as of the date of 
        the provision).

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF SKILLBRIDGE INITIATIVE TO INCLUDE PARTICIPATION BY 
              FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Modification of Initiative by Secretary of Defense.--The 
Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the Office 
of Personnel Management, shall make such modifications to the 
SkillBridge initiative of the Department of Defense as the Secretary 
considers appropriate to enable Federal agencies to participate in the 
initiative as employers and trainers, including the provision of 
training by Federal agencies under the initiative to transitioning 
members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Participation by Federal Agencies.--The Director, in 
consultation with the Secretary, shall take such actions as may be 
necessary to ensure that each Federal agency participates in the 
SkillBridge initiative of the Department of Defense as described in 
subsection (a).
    (c) Transitioning Members of the Armed Forces Defined.--In this 
section, 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 180 days after the 
member commences training under the SkillBridge initiative.