I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4173 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to contract for a report on 

employment placement, retention, and advancement of recently separated 

servicemembers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 20, 2004 

Mr. MICHAUD (for himself, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. SMITH of New 

Jersey, and Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to contract for 

a report on employment placement, retention, and advancement of recently separated servicemembers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT, RE4 TENTION, AND ADVANCEMENT OF RECENTLY 

5 SEPARATED SERVICEMEMBERS. 

6 (a) CONTRACT FOR REPORT.—The Secretary of Vet7 erans Affairs shall enter into a contract with a qualified 

8 entity to conduct a study of and prepare a report on the 
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1 employment histories of recently separated 

2 servicemembers. 

3 (b) CONTENT OF REPORT.—(1) The study conducted 

4 pursuant to subsection (a) shall consist of an analysis of 

5 employment-related data that has been collected with re6 spect to recently separated servicemembers. 

7 (2) In conducting the study, the qualified entity 

8 shall— 

9 (A) determine whether the employment ob10 tained by recently separated servicemembers is com11 mensurate with training and education of those 

12 servicemembers; 

13 (B) determine whether recently separated 

14 servicemembers received educational assistance or 

15 training and rehabilitation under programs adminis16 tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under 

17 chapter 30 or 31 of title 38, United States Code, or 

18 under chapter 1606 of title 10, United States Code; 

19 (C) determine whether transition assistance 

20 services provided to recently separated 

21 servicemembers assisted those servicemembers in ob22 taining civilian employment; 

23 (D) analyze trends in hiring of veterans by the 

24 private sector; and 
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1 (E) identify recently separated servicemembers 

2 who have reached senior level management positions. 

3 (c) USE OF DATA.—In conducting the study under 

4 subsection (a), the qualified entity shall review data com5 piled and reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics and shall 

6 collect additional data on the employment histories of re7 cently separated servicemembers available from such other 

8 sources as the qualified entity determines to be appro9 priate. 

10 (d) CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.—(1) The contract 

11 entered into under subsection (a) shall contain such terms 

12 and conditions as the Secretary may require. The contract 

13 shall require that the report on the study be submitted 

14 to the Secretary not later than 2 years after the date on 

15 which the contract was entered into. 

16 (2) The report required under subsection (a) shall 

17 contain the findings and conclusions of the qualified entity 

18 on the study and specific recommendations to improve em19 ployment opportunities for veterans recently separated 

20 from service in the Armed Forces, including if appropriate 

21 recommendations for— 

22 (A) the establishment of networks of contacts 

23 for employment of such veterans in the private sec24 tor; 
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1 (B) outreach to private sector leaders on the 

2 merits and sound business practice of hiring such 

3 veterans; and 

4 (C) additional methods to facilitate communica5 tion between private sector employers and such vet6 erans who are seeking employment. 

7 (e) FUNDING.—Payment by the Secretary for the 

8 contract entered into under subsection (a)— 

9 (1) shall be made from the Department of Vet10 erans Affairs appropriations account from which 

11 payments for compensation and pensions are made; 

12 and 

13 (2) may not exceed $490,000. 

14 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

15 (1) The term ‘‘qualified entity’’ means an entity 

16 or organization that meets the following require17 ments: 

18 (A) Demonstrated experience in conducting 

19 employment surveys of recently separated 

20 servicemembers, including Internet-based sur21 veys, that meet such quality assurance require22 ments as the Secretary determines appropriate. 

23 (B) Demonstrated familiarity with veteran 

24 employment matters. 
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1 (C) Demonstrated ability in developing 

2 plans to market veterans as employment assets. 

3 (D) Demonstrated ability to acquire serv4 ices at no cost from other organizations, such 

5 as technology, staff services, and advertising 

6 services. 

7 (E) Demonstrated ability to develop rela8 tionships, establish employment networks, and 

9 facilitate interaction between private and public 

10 sector leaders and veterans. 

11 (2) The term ‘‘employment history’’ means, 

12 with respect to a recently separated servicemember, 

13 training, placement, retention, and advancement in 

14 employment of that servicemember. 

15 (3) The term ‘‘recently separated 

16 servicemember’’ means any veteran (as defined in 

17 section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code) dis18 charged or released from active duty in the Armed 

19 Forces of the United States during the 16-year pe20 riod beginning on January 1, 1990. 

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