INVEST Act

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide the work opportunity tax credit with respect to the hiring of veterans in the field of renewable energy. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Incentives for our Nation’s Veterans in Energy Sustainability Technologies INVEST Act 2. Work opportunity tax credit for veterans hired in the field of renewable energy (a) In general Section 51(d)(14) (14) Certain veterans hired in the field of renewable energy (A) In general For purposes of this subpart, an individual shall be treated a member of a targeted group if such individual is a specified veteran, but qualified wages with respect to such individual shall include only wages attributable to services rendered in a field of renewable energy. (B) Specified veteran For purposes of this paragraph, the term specified veteran (i) having received a credential or certification from the Department of Defense of military occupational specialty or skill in a field of renewable energy or with respect to advanced manufacturing, machinist or welding, or engineering, (ii) having completed a vocational degree in a field of renewable energy during the 1-year period ending on the hiring date, or (iii) having completed a LEED certification with the United States Green Building Council. (C) Renewable energy For purposes of this paragraph, renewable energy means resources that rely on fuel sources that restore themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish, including the sun, wind, moving water, organic plant and waste material, and the earth’s heat. . (b) Treatment of possessions (1) Payments to possessions (A) Mirror code possessions The Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to each possession of the United States with a mirror code tax system amounts equal to the loss to that possession by reason of the amendment made by this section. Such amounts shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury based on information provided by the government of the respective possession of the United States. (B) Other possessions The Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to each possession of the United States which does not have a mirror code tax system the amount estimated by the Secretary of the Treasury as being equal to the loss to that possession that would have occurred by reason of the amendment made by this section if a mirror code tax system had been in effect in such possession. The preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to any possession of the United States unless such possession establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the possession has implemented (or, at the discretion of the Secretary, will implement) an income tax benefit which is substantially equivalent to the income tax credit in effect after the amendments made by this section. (2) Coordination with credit allowed against united states income taxes The credit allowed against United States income taxes for any taxable year under the amendment made by this section to section 51 (3) Definitions and special rules (A) Possession of the united states For purposes of this subsection, the term possession of the United States (B) Mirror code tax system For purposes of this subsection, the term mirror code tax system (C) Treatment of payments For purposes of section 1324(b)(2) of title 31, United States Code, the payments under this subsection shall be treated in the same manner as a refund due from credit provisions described in such section. (c) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply to individuals who begin work for the employer after December 31, 2016.

Summary: Incentives for our Nation's Veterans in Energy Sustainability Technologies or the INVEST Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of a specified veteran who works in a field of renewable energy. A "specified veteran" means any veteran who is certified as: (1) having received a credential or certification from the Department of Defense of a military occupational specialty or skill in a field of renewable energy or with respect to advanced manufacturing, machinist or welding, or engineering; (2) having completed a vocational degree in a field of renewable energy; or (3) having completed a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification with the United States Green Building Council. The Department of the Treasury shall pay: (1) each U.S. possession (i.e., American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) with a mirror code tax system amounts equal to the loss to such possession due to this Act; and (2) each U.S. possession without such a tax system an amount estimated to equal the loss to such possession that would have occurred due to this Act if such a tax system had been in effect.