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[House Report 111-624]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

111th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     111-624

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  TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO INCLUDE ON THE MAIN 
 PAGE OF THE INTERNET WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS A 
  HYPERLINK TO THE VETSUCCESS INTERNET WEBSITE AND TO PUBLICIZE SUCH 
                            INTERNET WEBSITE

                                _______
                                

 September 28, 2010.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Filner, from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 3685]

    The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 3685) to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to include on the main page of the Internet website of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs a hyperlink to the 
VetSuccess Internet website and to publicize such Internet 
website, having considered the same, report favorably thereon 
without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     1
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Hearings.........................................................     2
Subcommittee Consideration.......................................     3
Committee Consideration..........................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     3
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     3
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     3
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits.............................     4
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     4
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................     4
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     4
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     4
Constitutional Authority Statement...............................     4
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     4

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H.R. 3685 was introduced on September 30, 2009 by 
Representative Cliff Stearns of Florida. H.R. 3685 would 
require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include on 
the main page of the Department's Internet site, a link to the 
VetSuccess Web site. The bill would also require VA to 
publicize the existence of the link and to conduct outreach to 
veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there 
were 1,039,000 unemployed veterans in August of 2010. Among 
those veterans, there were 44,000 unemployed veterans ages 18 
to 24, for a rate of 19.3 percent. Among older veterans aged 25 
to 64, while the rates of unemployment were lower, there were 
over 850,000 veterans searching for jobs with rates as high as 
11.5 percent among the designated age cohorts.
    The Committee notes that while the latest unemployment 
rates among the overall veteran population are slightly lower 
than the national unemployment rate, unemployment among 
veterans, especially disabled veterans should be a primary 
focus of efforts to reduce unemployment.
    During the June 6, 2010, legislative hearing on H.R. 3685 
held by the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, 
Representative Stearns described concerns expressed by his 
constituents about the difficulty in determining local 
employment opportunities. He noted this was especially 
important as disabled veterans were faced with choosing an 
education and training in the VA Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment (VRE) program. He also noted that it is important to 
use taxpayer resources to train veterans for jobs that exist in 
the area where they live or intend to live and that the VA Web 
site did not facilitate such job searches.
    H.R. 3685 would provide more visible information on the 
Internet regarding employment opportunities for veterans. In 
addition to being able to view jobs for veterans posted by 
several sources, VA's Web site needs remodeling to provide a 
comprehensive list of links to multiple resources designed to 
assist veterans in obtaining a job. Resources include such 
topics as resume building, interviewing skills, networking, and 
national Web sites containing job listings by very specific 
locations. The Committee notes that many state employment 
service Web sites already display employment information in 
highly detailed formats and encourages VA to adopt a similar 
approach.
    By requiring VA to conduct more rigorous outreach by 
instituting a national media campaign, veteran job-seekers will 
find the expanded access to sources of employment a valuable 
tool to join or rejoin the ranks of the employed.

                                HEARINGS

    On June 10, 2010, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
held a legislative hearing on several bills introduced during 
the 111th Congress, including H.R. 3685.
    The following witnesses testified: The Honorable Peter 
DeFazio of Oregon; The Honorable Cliff Stearns of Florida; The 
Honorable Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska; Mr. Richard Daley, 
Associate Legislation Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America; 
Ms. Catherine A. Trombley, Assistant Director, National 
Economic Commission, The American Legion; Mr. Eric A. Hilleman, 
Director, National Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign 
Wars of the United States; Thomas Zampieri, Ph.D, Director of 
Government Relations, Blinded Veterans Association; Michael R. 
Duenas, O.D., Associate Director, Health Sciences and Policy, 
American Optometric Association; and, Mr. Thomas J. Pamperin, 
Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Policy and Program 
Management, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department 
of Veterans Affairs accompanied by Mr. John Brizzi, Deputy 
Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, U.S. 
Department of Veterans Affairs and Mr. Joseph E. Simpson, 
Attorney, Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Those submitting statements for the record 
included: The Honorable Frank J. Kratovil, Jr., Representative 
of Maryland and Mr. Raymond C. Kelly, National Legislative 
Director, American Veterans (AMVETS).

                       SUBCOMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On July 15, 2010, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity 
met in an open markup session and ordered favorably forwarded 
to the full Committee H.R. 3685 by voice vote.

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On September 15, 2010, the full Committee met in an open 
markup session, a quorum being present, and ordered H.R. 3685 
reported favorably to the House of Representatives by a voice 
vote.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes 
on the motion to report the legislation and amendments thereto. 
There were no record votes taken on amendments or in connection 
with ordering H.R. 3685 reported to the House. A motion by Mr. 
Buyer of Indiana to order H.R. 3685 reported favorably to the 
House of Representatives was agreed to by voice vote.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause 
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of 
this report.

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance 
goals and objectives are reflected in the descriptive portions 
of this report.

   NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee will adopt as 
its own the estimate of new budget authority, entitlement 
authority, or tax expenditures or revenues contained in the 
cost estimate prepared by the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974.

                  EARMARKS AND TAX AND TARIFF BENEFITS

    H.R. 3685 does not contain any congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in 
clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    The Committee will adopt as its own the cost estimate on 
H.R. 3685 prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, a cost estimate for H.R. 3685 
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available 
when the Committee filed this report.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee will adopt as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates regarding H.R. 3685 prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R. 
3685.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that the 
Constitutional authority for H.R. 3685 is provided by Article 
I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Promotion of the VetSuccess internet Web site

    This section would require VA to include a link to the 
VetSuccess webpage on the main VA webpage. This section would 
require, subject to appropriations, VA to use national media to 
promote the VetSuccess Web site and to conduct outreach to 
veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to make them aware of 
the VetSuccess Web site. Finally, this section would define the 
term VetSuccess internet Web site as the domain name 
www.vetsuccess.gov or any successor Internet Web site 
maintained by VA.

                                  
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