I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 366 
To reauthorize the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, to provide assistance 
to small businesses owned by veterans, to improve enforcement of employ-
ment and reemployment rights of members of the uniformed services, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2015 
Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. NORTON, Ms. KELLY of Illi-
nois, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. RUSH, Ms. 
BORDALLO, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, 
Ms. BASS, and Mr. SERRANO) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the 
Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, to 
provide assistance to small businesses owned by veterans, 
to improve enforcement of employment and reemploy-
ment rights of members of the uniformed services, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—RENEWING OUR VOW TO HIRE HEROES 
Sec. 101. Reauthorization of veterans retraining assistance program. 
Sec. 102. Extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide re-
habilitation and vocational benefits to members of Armed 
Forces with severe injuries or illnesses. 
Sec. 103. Extension of additional rehabilitation programs for persons who have 
exhausted rights to unemployment benefits under State law. 
Sec. 104. Reauthorization of collaborative veterans’ training, mentoring, and 
placement program. 
TITLE II—BUILDING ON OUR VOW TO HIRE HEROES 
Sec. 201. Unified employment portal for veterans. 
Sec. 202. Grants to hire veterans as first responders. 
Sec. 203. Employment of veterans as evaluation factor in the awarding of Fed-
eral contracts. 
TITLE III—IMPROVING EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT 
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES 
Sec. 301. Enforcement of rights of members of uniformed services with respect 
to States and private employers. 
Sec. 302. Suspension, termination, or debarment of contractors for repeated 
violations of employment or reemployment rights of members 
of uniformed services. 
Sec. 303. Subpoena power for Special Counsel in enforcement of employment 
and reemployment rights of members of uniformed services 
with respect to Federal executive agencies. 
Sec. 304. Issuance and service of civil investigative demands by Attorney Gen-
eral. 
TITLE I—RENEWING OUR VOW 
TO HIRE HEROES 
SEC. 101. REAUTHORIZATION OF VETERANS RETRAINING 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (k) of section 211 of 
the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (Public Law 112– 
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56; 38 U.S.C. 4100 note) is amended by striking ‘‘March 
31, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. 
(b) NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS.—Subsection 
(a)(2) of such section is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(C) 50,000 during fiscal year 2015; 
‘‘(D) 50,000 during fiscal year 2016; 
‘‘(E) 50,000 during fiscal year 2017; and 
‘‘(F) 50,000 during the period beginning 
October 1, 2017, and ending December 31, 
2018.’’. 
(c) CLARIFICATION OF LIMITATION ON AGGREGATE 
AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—Subsection (b) of such section 
is amended by striking ‘‘up to 12 months of retraining 
assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs’’ 
and inserting ‘‘an aggregate of not more than 12 months 
of retraining assistance provided by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs under this section’’. 
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(d) UPDATED REPORT.—Subsection (i) of such sec-
tion is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) UPDATE.—Not later than December 31, 
2019, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collabo-
ration with the Secretary of Labor, shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress an update 
to the report described in paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE REHABILI-
TATION 
AND 
VOCATIONAL 
BENEFITS 
TO 
MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES WITH SEVERE 
INJURIES OR ILLNESSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1631(b)(2) of the Wound-
ed Warrior Act (title XVI of Public Law 110–181; 10 
U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2014’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2018’’. 
(b) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report on the bene-
fits provided by the Secretary under section 1631(b) 
of such Act. 
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‘‘(1) $4,500,000 for the period consisting of fis-
cal years 2016 and 2017. 
‘‘(2) $4,500,000 for the period consisting of fis-
cal years 2018 and 2019.’’. 
TITLE II—BUILDING ON OUR 
VOW TO HIRE HEROES 
SEC. 201. UNIFIED EMPLOYMENT PORTAL FOR VETERANS. 
Section 4105 of title 38, United States Code is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c)(1) The Secretary shall develop a single, unified 
Federal web-based employment portal, for use by veterans, 
containing information regarding all Federal programs 
and activities concerning employment, unemployment, and 
training to the extent the programs and activities affect 
veterans. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall work with representatives 
from the Department of Defense, the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, and 
other Federal agencies and organizations concerned with 
veterans’ issues, to determine an appropriate platform and 
implementing agency for the portal. The Secretary shall 
enter into an agreement with the other Federal agencies 
for the implementation of the portal.’’. 
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SEC. 202. GRANTS TO HIRE VETERANS AS FIRST RESPOND-
ERS. 
(a) GRANTS FOR FIREFIGHTERS.—The Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall award grants under section 34 
of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 
(15 U.S.C. 2229a) to hire veterans as firefighters. 
(b) GRANTS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.— 
The Attorney General shall award grants under part Q 
of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd et seq.) to hire veterans 
as law enforcement officers. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion to hire veterans, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
and the Attorney General shall give priority to the hiring 
of veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces 
on or after September 11, 2001. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$250,000,000. 
SEC. 203. EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS AS EVALUATION 
FACTOR IN THE AWARDING OF FEDERAL 
CONTRACTS. 
(a) CIVILIAN CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 33 of title 41, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 3313. Employment of veterans as evaluation factor 
‘‘The head of each executive agency shall consider fa-
vorably as an evaluation factor in solicitations for con-
tracts and task or delivery order valued at or above 
$25,000,000 the employment by a prospective contractor 
of veterans constituting at least 5 percent of the contrac-
tor’s workforce.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding after the item relating to section 3312 the 
following new item: 
‘‘3313. Employment of veterans as evaluation factor.’’. 
(b) DEFENSE CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 137 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2338. Employment of veterans as evaluation factor 
‘‘The head of each agency shall consider favorably as 
an evaluation factor in solicitations for contracts and task 
or delivery order valued at or above $25,000,000 the em-
ployment by a prospective contractor of veterans consti-
tuting at least five percent of the contractor’s workforce.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
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by adding after the item relating to section 2337 the 
following new item: 
‘‘2338. Employment of veterans as evaluation factor.’’. 
(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulatory Council shall amend the Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulation to carry out the provisions of section 3313 
of title 41, United States Code, and section 2338 of title 
10, United States Code, as added by subsections (a) and 
(b), respectively. 
TITLE III—IMPROVING EMPLOY-
MENT AND REEMPLOYMENT 
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE 
UNIFORMED SERVICES 
SEC. 301. ENFORCEMENT OF RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF UNI-
FORMED 
SERVICES 
WITH 
RESPECT 
TO 
STATES AND PRIVATE EMPLOYERS. 
(a) ACTION FOR RELIEF.—Subsection (a) of section 
4323 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘appear on behalf of, and 
act as attorney for, the person on whose behalf 
the complaint is submitted and’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘for such person’’; 
(C) by striking the fourth sentence; and 
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(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘The person on whose behalf the complaint is 
referred may, upon timely application, intervene 
in such action, and may obtain such appro-
priate relief as is provided in subsections (d) 
and (e).’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2)(A) Not later than 60 days after the date the 
Attorney General receives a referral under paragraph (1), 
the Attorney General shall transmit, in writing, to the per-
son on whose behalf the complaint is submitted— 
‘‘(i) if the Attorney General has made a deci-
sion to commence an action for relief under para-
graph (1) relating to the complaint of the person, 
notice of the decision; and 
‘‘(ii) if the Attorney General has not made such 
a decision, notice of when the Attorney General ex-
pects to make such a decision. 
‘‘(B) If the Attorney General notifies a person that 
the Attorney General expects to make a decision under 
subparagraph (A)(ii), the Attorney General shall, not later 
than 30 days after the date on which the Attorney General 
makes such decision, notify, in writing, the person of such 
decision.’’; 
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(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (4); 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (3): 
‘‘(3) Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable 
cause to believe that a State (as an employer) or a private 
employer is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance 
to the full enjoyment of any of the rights and benefits pro-
vided for under this chapter, and that the pattern or prac-
tice is of such a nature and is intended to deny the full 
exercise of such rights and benefits, the Attorney General 
may commence an action for relief under this chapter.’’; 
and 
(5) in paragraph (4), as redesignated by para-
graph (3), by striking subparagraph (C) and insert-
ing the following new subparagraph (C): 
‘‘(C) has been notified by the Attorney General 
that the Attorney General does not intend to com-
mence an action for relief under paragraph (1) with 
respect to the complaint under such paragraph.’’. 
(b) STANDING.—Subsection (f) of such section is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) STANDING.—An action under this chapter may 
be initiated only by the Attorney General or by a person 
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claiming rights or benefits under this chapter under sub-
section (a).’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (h)(2) 
of such section is amended by striking ‘‘under subsection 
(a)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘under paragraph (1) or (4) of sub-
section (a)’’. 
SEC. 302. SUSPENSION, TERMINATION, OR DEBARMENT OF 
CONTRACTORS FOR REPEATED VIOLATIONS 
OF 
EMPLOYMENT 
OR 
REEMPLOYMENT 
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF UNIFORMED SERV-
ICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 43 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 4328. Suspension, termination, or debarment of 
contractors 
‘‘(a) GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION, TERMINATION, OR 
DEBARMENT.—Payment under a contract awarded by a 
Federal executive agency may be suspended and the con-
tract may be terminated, and the contractor who made 
the contract with the agency may be suspended or 
debarred in accordance with the requirements of this sec-
tion, if the head of the agency determines that the con-
tractor as an employer has repeatedly been convicted of 
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failing or refusing to comply with one or more provisions 
of this chapter. 
‘‘(b) 
EFFECT
OF
DEBARMENT.—A 
contractor 
debarred by a final decision under this section is ineligible 
for award of a contract by a Federal executive agency, 
and for participation in a future procurement by a Federal 
executive agency, for a period specified in the decision, not 
to exceed five years.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 43 of such title is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 4327 the 
following new item: 
‘‘4328. Suspension, termination, or debarment of contractor.’’. 
(c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulatory Council shall amend the Federal Acquisi-
tion Regulation to carry out section 4328 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 4328 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
apply with respect to failures and refusals to comply with 
provisions of chapter 43 of such title occurring on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Section 4332(a) of such title 
is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as para-
graph (11); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol-
lowing new paragraph (10): 
‘‘(10) The number of suspensions, terminations, 
and debarments under section 4328 of this title, 
disaggregated by the agency or department imposing 
the suspension or debarment.’’. 
SEC. 303. SUBPOENA POWER FOR SPECIAL COUNSEL IN EN-
FORCEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND REEM-
PLOYMENT RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF UNI-
FORMED SERVICES WITH RESPECT TO FED-
ERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES. 
Section 4324 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e)(1) In order to carry out the Special Counsel’s 
responsibilities under this section, the Special Counsel 
may require by subpoena the attendance and testimony 
of Federal employees and the production of documents 
from Federal employees and Federal executive agencies. 
‘‘(2) In the case of contumacy or failure to obey a 
subpoena issued under paragraph (1), upon application by 
the Special Counsel, the Merit Systems Protection Board 
may issue an order requiring a Federal employee or Fed-
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eral executive agency to comply with a subpoena of the 
Special Counsel. 
‘‘(3) An order issued under paragraph (2) may be 
enforced by the Merit Systems Protection Board in the 
same manner as any order issued under section 1204 of 
title 5.’’. 
SEC. 304. ISSUANCE AND SERVICE OF CIVIL INVESTIGATIVE 
DEMANDS BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4323 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection 
(j); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
lowing new subsection (i): 
‘‘(i) ISSUANCE AND SERVICE OF CIVIL INVESTIGA-
TIVE DEMANDS.—(1) Whenever the Attorney General has 
reason to believe that any person may be in possession, 
custody, or control of any documentary material relevant 
to an investigation under this subchapter, the Attorney 
General may, before commencing a civil action under sub-
section (a), issue in writing and serve upon such person, 
a civil investigative demand requiring— 
‘‘(A) the production of such documentary mate-
rial for inspection and copying; 
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‘‘(B) that the custodian of such documentary 
material answer in writing written questions with re-
spect to such documentary material; or 
‘‘(C) the production of any combination of such 
documentary material or answers. 
‘‘(2) The provisions of section 3733 of title 31 gov-
erning the authority to issue, use, and enforce civil inves-
tigative demands shall apply with respect to the authority 
to issue, use, and enforce civil investigative demands under 
this section, except that, for purposes of applying such sec-
tion 3733— 
‘‘(A) references to false claims law investigators 
or investigations shall be considered references to in-
vestigators or investigations under this subchapter; 
‘‘(B) references to interrogatories shall be con-
sidered references to written questions, and answers 
to such need not be under oath; 
‘‘(C) the definitions relating to ‘false claims 
law’ shall not apply; and 
‘‘(D) provisions relating to qui tam relators 
shall not apply.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (i) of such sec-
tion, as added by subsection (a)(2), shall take effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with 
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respect to violations of chapter 43 of such title alleged to 
have occurred on or after such date. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Section 4332(b)(2) of such 
title is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Not later than’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT ON CIVIL IN-
VESTIGATIVE DEMANDS.— 
‘‘(i) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Attorney 
General shall include with each report sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A) for the last 
quarter of each fiscal year a report on the 
issuance of civil investigative demands 
under section 4323(i) of this title during 
the most recently completed fiscal year. 
‘‘(ii) ELEMENTS.—Each report sub-
mitted under clause (i) shall include the 
following for the fiscal year covered by the 
report: 
‘‘(I) The number of times that a 
civil investigative demand was issued 
under section 4323(i) of this title. 
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