To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand educational assistance to veterans who pursue certain apprenticeship programs, to establish a pilot program for veterans to pursue certification programs in computer numerically controlled machining, and for other purposes.

Summary: This bill provides educational assistance to veterans who pursue certain apprenticeship programs registered with the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor. It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are not sponsored by program participants' employers should provide the participants with professional development resources and interview training.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall carry out a pilot program to provide eligible veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in computer numerically controlled machining. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress regarding the career technical training track of the VA's Transition Assistance Program, including its effectiveness in educating participants about apprenticeship opportunities. 

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Apprenticeships can help veterans bridge the gap 
        between service in the Armed Forces and civilian employment 
        by--
                    (A) receiving on-the-job training under the direct 
                supervision of a professional and classroom 
                instruction;
                    (B) implementing skills the veterans acquired while 
                in the Armed Forces;
                    (C) providing practical work experience to the 
                veterans; and
                    (D) forming professional connections to fellow 
                members of skilled occupations.
            (2) According to the Employment and Training Administration 
        of the Department of Labor, in fiscal year 2016--
                    (A) more than 21,000 apprenticeship programs across 
                the United States are registered with the 
                Administration;
                    (B) approximately 1,700 new apprenticeship programs 
                were established in the United States;
                    (C) more than 206,000 individuals across the United 
                States entered an apprenticeship program;
                    (D) more than 505,000 apprentices sought to acquire 
                skills to earn the wages necessary for financial 
                security; and
                    (E) approximately 49,000 individuals graduated from 
                apprenticeship programs.

SEC. 2. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE CERTAIN 
              APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

    Section 3313(g)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(E) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor) on more than a half-time but less 
                than full-time basis, an annual stipend for tuition and 
                fees not to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).
                    ``(F) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor and for which the individual 
                provides proof of current registration to the 
                Secretary) that is not sponsored by the employer of the 
                individual, an annual stipend for tuition and fees not 
                to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).''.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are 
not sponsored by employers of participants in such programs should 
supply professional development resources and interview training to the 
participants.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE COMPUTER NUMERICALLY 
              CONTROLLED MACHINING CERTIFICATIONS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide eligible 
veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in 
computer numerically controlled machining.
    (b) Eligibility.--For purposes of the pilot program under this 
section, an eligible veteran is a veteran who is entitled to 
educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary.
    (c) Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--For purposes of carrying out subsection 
        (a), by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into contracts 
        with multiple qualified providers of certification programs in 
        computer numerically controlled machining for the provision of 
        such programs to eligible veterans under the pilot program.
            (2) Payment of contractors.--A contract under this 
        subsection shall provide that the Secretary shall pay to a 
        provider--
                    (A) 25 percent of the cost of providing the 
                certification program upon the enrollment of an 
                eligible veteran in the program;
                    (B) 25 percent of such cost upon the completion of 
                the program by the veteran; and
                    (C) 50 percent of such cost upon the employment of 
                the veteran following completion of the program.
            (3) Qualified providers.--For purposes of the pilot 
        program, a provider of a certification program in computer 
        numerically controlled machining is qualified if the provider 
        has been operational for at least two years.
            (4) Tuition reimbursement.--In entering into contracts to 
        carry out the pilot program, the Secretary shall give 
        preference to a qualified provider that offers tuition 
        reimbursement for any student who--
                    (A) completes a certification program offered by 
                the provider; and
                    (B) does not find full-time meaningful employment 
                within the 180-day period beginning on the date the 
                student completes the program.
    (d) Housing Stipend.--The Secretary shall pay to each eligible 
veteran who is enrolled in a certification program in computer 
numerically controlled machining under the pilot program on a full-time 
basis a monthly housing stipend equal to the product of--
            (1) in the case of--
                    (A) a veteran pursuing resident training, the 
                monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing 
                payable under section 403 of title 37, United States 
                Code, for a member with dependents in pay grade E-5 who 
                resides in the military housing area that encompasses 
                all or the majority of the ZIP code area in which the 
                campus at which the veteran attends training or classes 
                is located; or
                    (B) a veteran pursuing a certification program 
                through distance learning, a monthly amount equal to 50 
                percent of the amount payable under subparagraph (A); 
                and
            (2) the lesser of--
                    (A) 1.0; or
                    (B) the number of course hours carried by the 
                individual in pursuit of the certification program 
                involved, divided by the minimum number of course hours 
                required for full-time pursuit of such certification 
                program, rounded to the nearest tenth.
    (e) Certification Program in Computer Numerically Controlled 
Machining Defined.--In this section, the term ``certification program 
in computer numerically controlled machining'' means a training program 
that--
            (1) is offered by an entity--
                    (A) other than an institution of higher learning; 
                or
                    (B) that is a professional organization;
            (2) does not lead to a degree; and
            (3) leads to a National Institute for Metalworking Skills 
        credential or certification in computer numerically controlled 
        machining.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Secretary of veterans affairs.--Not later than one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
        the pilot program under this section.
            (2) Comptroller general.--
                    (A) Interim report.--Not later than three years 
                after the date on which the Secretary first enters into 
                a contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                of the United States shall submit to Congress a report 
                containing the results of the interim assessment of the 
                Comptroller General. Such report shall include the 
                recommendations of the Comptroller General for 
                improving the pilot program and an assessment of each 
                of the following:
                            (i) The manufacturing and training 
                        experience of the directors and instructors of 
                        the providers of certification programs in 
                        computer numerically controlled machining under 
                        the pilot program.
                            (ii) Whether the providers followed 
                        training curricula commonly used in the 
                        industry (including curricula from the National 
                        Institute for Metalworking Skills) for the 
                        certification programs.
                            (iii) Whether the providers use open source 
                        curricula for the certification programs.
                            (iv) The admittance rate into the pilot 
                        program.
                            (v) The job placement rate for veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program.
                            (vi) The average salary of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program and were subsequently employed.
                            (vii) The average age of veterans who 
                        participated in the pilot program.
                    (B) Final report.--Not later than five years after 
                the date on which the Secretary first enters into a 
                contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                shall submit to Congress a final report on the pilot 
                program. Such report shall include the recommendation 
                of the Comptroller General with respect to whether the 
                program should be extended and an assessment of each of 
                the following:
                            (i) Each item described in clauses (i) 
                        through (vii) of subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) The percentage of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program who were subsequently employed 
                        for a period of six months or longer.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 for each 
fiscal year during which the Secretary carries out a pilot program 
under this section.
    (h) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under 
this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the 
date on which the Secretary first enters into a contract under this 
section.

SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF THE CAREER TECHNICAL TRAINING 
              TRACK OF THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
review of the career technical training track of the Transition 
Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (specifically 
with regard to the effectiveness of educating participants about 
apprenticeship opportunities) and submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the review and any recommendations of the Comptroller 
General for improving the program.