I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3620 

To require the Secretary of Energy to develop a solar workforce training 

course for certain members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2021 

Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself and Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in 

addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Energy to develop a solar workforce training course for certain members of the Armed 

Forces, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Solar Vocational Edu5 cation and Training for our Servicemembers Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘Solar VETS Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SOLAR WORKFORCE TRAINING COURSE FOR MEM2 BERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 

3 (a) TRAINING COURSE.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collabora5 tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a 

6 training course for careers in solar-related occupa7 tions to be— 

8 (A) made available— 

9 (i) at military installations; and 

10 (ii) to eligible members of the Armed 

11 Forces; and 

12 (B) administered by institutions of higher 

13 education pursuant to an agreement with the 

14 Secretary. 

15 (2) COURSE COMPONENTS.—The training 

16 course shall include— 

17 (A) hands-on, in-person instruction with 

18 respect to solar-related occupations; 

19 (B) assistance with resume preparation; 

20 (C) assistance with job interview prepara21 tion; and 

22 (D) an examination that results in the re23 ceipt of an entry-level certification in solar in24 stallation (such as a certification from the 

25 North American Board of Certified Energy 

26 Practitioners). 


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1 (3) FEES OR CHARGES PROHIBITED; REIM2 BURSEMENT FOR EXAMINATION COSTS.— 

3 (A) FEES OR CHARGES.—No fee or charge 

4 may be assessed to an eligible member of the 

5 Armed Forces in connection with the participa6 tion of the member in the training course. 

7 (B) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Secretary 

8 shall reimburse an eligible member of the 

9 Armed Forces for the costs of an examination 

10 described in paragraph (2)(D) incurred by the 

11 member. 

12 (b) SELECTION OF PARTICIPATING MILITARY IN13 STALLATIONS.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collabora15 tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall select mili16 tary installations at which the training course will be 

17 offered to eligible members of the Armed Forces. 

18 (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In selecting a military 

19 installation, the Secretary shall consider— 

20 (A) the average number of eligible mem21 bers of the Armed Forces stationed at the mili22 tary installation; 

23 (B) the solar market in the local commu24 nity near the military installation, including the 


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1 number of relevant employers and job opportu2 nities; and 

3 (C) the capability of institutions of higher 

4 education located near the military installation 

5 to administer the training course. 

6 (c) AGREEMENT WITH INSTITUTION OF HIGHER

7 EDUCATION.—For each military installation at which the 

8 training course is to be offered, the Secretary shall enter 

9 into an agreement with an institution of higher education 

10 located near the military installation under which the in11 stitution shall administer the training course. 

12 (d) OUTREACH.—The Secretary, in collaboration 

13 with the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure that— 

14 (1) commanders at military installations are 

15 aware of the availability of the training course; and 

16 (2) installation transition offices inform eligible 

17 members of the Armed Forces about the training 

18 course. 

19 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi20 nitions apply: 

21 (1) ELIGIBLE MEMBER OF THE ARMED

22 FORCES.—The term ‘‘eligible member of the Armed 

23 Forces’’ means a member of the Armed Forces 

24 that— 


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1 (A) has completed at least 180 days on ac2 tive duty in the Armed Forces; and 

3 (B) is expected to be discharged or re4 leased from active duty in the Armed Forces 

5 within 180 days of the date of commencement 

6 of participation in the training course. 

7 (2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

8 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

9 meaning given that term in section 101 of the High10 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

11 (3) MILITARY INSTALLATION.—The term ‘‘mili12 tary installation’’ means a military installation that 

13 is located within any of the several States, the Dis14 trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 

15 Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the 

16 United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern 

17 Mariana Islands, or Guam. 

18 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

19 the Secretary of Energy. 

20 (5) TRAINING COURSE.—The term ‘‘training 

21 course’’ means the training course developed under 

22 subsection (a). 

Æ 


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