A bill to authorize a competitive grant program to assist members of the National Guard and Reserve and former and current members of the Armed Forces in securing employment in the private sector, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hire a Hero Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE AWARD OF GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR 
              ASSISTANCE OF MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
              FORCES IN SECURING PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the unemployment rate of former members of the Armed 
        Forces who served in Iraq or Afghanistan exceeds the national 
        average unemployment rate; and
            (2) career training and employment services dedicated to 
        providing former members of the Armed Forces with professional 
        skills and technical competency in various trades have shown 
        remarkable levels of success and are helping to ameliorate the 
        high unemployment rate among former members of the Armed 
        Forces.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Federal Government should support private sector employment initiatives 
for military personnel in order to help ensure that those who serve or 
have served in the Armed Forces have access to gainful employment.
    (c) Award of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
        may, utilizing amounts authorized to be appropriated by 
        subsection (h), award grants to nonprofit organizations to 
        assist individuals described in paragraph (2) in securing 
        employment in the private sector. The nonprofit organizations 
        to be awarded grants shall be determined on a competitive 
        basis.
            (2) Covered individuals.--An individual described in this 
        paragraph is any individual as follows:
                    (A) A member of the National Guard or Reserve.
                    (B) A member of the Armed Forces who is nearing 
                separation, discharge, or release from the Armed 
                Forces.
                    (C) A former member of the Armed Forces.
            (3) Grant term.--A grant under paragraph (1) may be for a 
        term of one or more years, as determined by the Chief of the 
        National Guard Bureau.
            (4) Expenditure of funds.--The Chief of the National Guard 
        Bureau may specify in any grant under paragraph (1) dates by 
        which specific percentages of funds under the grant shall be 
        expended.
            (5) Employment in particular areas of economy.--It is the 
        sense of Congress that the Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
        should, in awarding grants under this section, consider 
        nonprofit organizations that partner with entities and 
        associations in the private sector involved in construction, 
        energy, transportation, aerospace, domestic security, and other 
        areas of the economy in which the employment of individuals 
        having past military service would be of particular utility.
    (d) Utilization of Grant Amounts.--
            (1) In general.--A nonprofit organization awarded a grant 
        under subsection (c) may utilize the grant for operating 
        expenses, job training, public information activities, and such 
        other activities as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
        determines appropriate.
            (2) Exception for salaries.--The Chief of the National 
        Guard Bureau shall determine the percentage of amounts received 
        by a nonprofit organization pursuant to a grant awarded under 
        subsection (c) that may be used to provide salaries to 
        employees of the organization. Any such determination shall be 
        made on a case-by-case basis.
    (e) Fiscal Control, Accountability, and Program Performance.--The 
Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall establish fiscal control, 
accountability, and program performance measures for nonprofit 
organizations awarded grants under subsection (c) in the administration 
of such grants.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Progress report.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief of the National 
        Guard Bureau shall submit to the congressional defense 
        committees a report setting forth the following:
                    (A) An assessment of the progress made toward 
                implementing the requirements of this section.
                    (B) A description of any grants awarded under 
                subsection (c).
            (2) Annual report.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
        Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall submit to the 
        congressional defense committees a report containing a 
        description of each grant awarded under subsection (c) during 
        the preceding fiscal year.
    (g) Congressional Defense Committees Defined.--The term 
``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given that term in 
section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.
    (h) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated for each of 
fiscal years 2008 through 2012 for the Department of Defense for 
operation and maintenance for the Army National Guard, $25,000,000 to 
carry out this section.

Summary: Hire a Hero Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the federal government should support private sector employment initiatives for military personnel to help ensure that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces have access to gainful employment. Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (Chief) to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist the following individuals in securing employment in the private sector: (1) a member of the National Guard or reserve. (2) a member of the Armed Forces who is nearing separation, discharge, or release. And (3) a former member of the Armed Forces. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Chief, in awarding such grants, should consider organizations that partner with private entities and associations involved in construction, energy, transportation, aerospace, domestic security, and other areas in which the employment of individuals having past military service would be of particular utility. Requires the Chief to establish fiscal control, accountability, and program performance measures for grantees.