I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3719 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 6, 2009 
Mr. BUYER (for himself and Mr. MICHAUD) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the 
Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic 
Opportunity Administration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Economic 
Opportunity Administration Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPOR-
TUNITY ADMINISTRATION OF DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION.— 
Part V of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 80—VETERANS ECONOMIC 
OPPORTUNITY ADMINISTRATION 
‘‘8001. Organization of Administration. 
‘‘8002. Functions of Administration. 
‘‘8003. Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. 
‘‘§ 8001. Organization of Administration 
‘‘(a) VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ADMINIS-
TRATION.—There is in the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration. 
The primary function of the Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity Administration is the administration of the pro-
grams of the Department which provide assistance related 
to economic opportunity to veterans and their dependents 
and survivors. 
‘‘(b) UNDER SECRETARY
FOR ECONOMIC OPPOR-
TUNITY.—The Veterans Economic Opportunity Adminis-
tration is under the Under Secretary for Veterans Eco-
nomic Opportunity, who is directly responsible to the Sec-
retary for the operations of the Administration. 
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‘‘§ 8002. Functions of Administration 
‘‘The Veterans Economic Opportunity Administra-
tion is responsible for the administration of the following 
programs of the Department: 
‘‘(1) Vocational rehabilitation and employment 
programs. 
‘‘(2) Educational assistance programs. 
‘‘(3) Veterans’ housing loan and related pro-
grams. 
‘‘(4) Veterans entrepreneurship programs. 
‘‘(5) Programs for homeless veterans. 
‘‘§ 8003. Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
Utilization 
‘‘Notwithstanding section 15(k) of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 644(k)), the head of the Office of 
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization shall report 
directly to both the Secretary and the Under Secretary 
for Veterans Economic Opportunity.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The tables of chap-
ters at the beginning of title 38, and of part V of title 
38, are each amended by inserting after the item relating 
to chapter 79 the following new item: 
‘‘80. Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration ........ 8001’’. 
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SEC. 3. UNDER SECRETARY FOR VETERANS ECONOMIC OP-
PORTUNITY. 
(a) UNDER SECRETARY.—Chapter 3 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
306 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity 
‘‘(a) UNDER SECRETARY.—There is in the Depart-
ment an Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity, who is appointed by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Sec-
retary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be ap-
pointed without regard to political affiliation or activity 
and solely on the basis of demonstrated ability in— 
‘‘(1) fiscal management; and 
‘‘(2) the administration of programs within the 
Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration or 
programs of similar content and scope. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Under Secretary for 
Veterans Economic Opportunity is the head of, and is di-
rectly responsible to the Secretary for the operations of, 
the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration. 
‘‘(c) VACANCIES.—(1) Whenever a vacancy in the po-
sition of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity occurs or is anticipated, the Secretary shall estab-
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lish a commission to recommend individuals to the Presi-
dent for appointment to the position. 
‘‘(2) A commission established under this subsection 
shall be composed of the following members appointed by 
the Secretary: 
‘‘(A) Three persons representing education and 
training, vocational rehabilitation, employment, real 
estate, mortgage finance and related industries, and 
survivor benefits activities affected by the Veterans 
Economic Opportunity Administration. 
‘‘(B) Two persons representing veterans served 
by the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administra-
tion. 
‘‘(C) Two persons who have experience in the 
management of veterans benefits programs or pro-
grams of similar content and scope. 
‘‘(D) The Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
‘‘(E) The chairman of the Veterans’ Advisory 
Committee on Education formed under section 3692 
of this title. 
‘‘(F) One person who has held the position of 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity, if the Secretary determines that it is desir-
able for such person to be a member of the commis-
sion. 
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‘‘(3) A commission established under this subsection 
shall recommend at least three individuals for appoint-
ment to the position of Under Secretary for Veterans Eco-
nomic Opportunity. The commission shall submit all rec-
ommendations to the Secretary. The Secretary shall for-
ward the recommendations to the President with any com-
ments the Secretary considers appropriate. Thereafter, the 
President may request the commission to recommend ad-
ditional individuals for appointment. 
‘‘(4) The Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs who performs personnel 
management and labor relations functions shall serve as 
the executive secretary of a commission established under 
this subsection. 
‘‘(d) QUALIFICATIONS OF RECOMMENDED INDIVID-
UALS.—Each individual recommended to the President by 
the commission for appointment to the position of Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity shall be an 
individual who has held a senior level position in the pri-
vate sector with responsibilities relating to at least one of 
the following: 
‘‘(1) Education policy. 
‘‘(2) Vocational rehabilitation. 
‘‘(3) Employment. 
‘‘(4) Home loan finance. 
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‘‘(5) Small business development.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 306 the following new 
item: 
‘‘306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such title is fur-
ther amended— 
(1) in section 7701(a), by inserting after ‘‘as-
sistance’’ the following: ‘‘, other than assistance re-
lated to economic opportunity,’’; 
(2) in section 7703, by striking paragraphs (2) 
and (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; 
(3) in section 306(c)(2), by striking subpara-
graphs (A) and (E) and redesignating subpara-
graphs (B), (C), (D), and (F), as subparagraphs (A) 
through (D), respectively; 
(4) in section 317(d), by inserting after ‘‘Under 
Secretary for Benefits’’ the following: ‘‘, the Under 
Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity,’’; 
(5) in section 318(d)(2), by inserting after 
‘‘Under Secretary for Benefits’’ the following: ‘‘, the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity,’’; 
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(6) in section 516(e)(2)(C), by striking ‘‘Health 
and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and inserting 
‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity’’; 
(7) in section 541(a)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘Health 
and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and inserting 
‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity’’; 
(8) in section 542(a)(2)(A)(iii), by striking 
‘‘Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, 
and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity’’; 
(9) in section 544(a)(2)(B)(vi), by striking 
‘‘Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, 
and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity’’; and 
(10) in section 709(c)(2)(A), by inserting after 
‘‘Under Secretary for Benefits’’ the following: ‘‘, the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity,’’. 
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SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS-DEPART-
MENT OF LABOR-SMALL BUSINESS ADMINIS-
TRATION JOINT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON 
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 3 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 323. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of 
Labor-Small 
Business 
Administration 
Joint Executive Committee on Economic 
Opportunity 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—(1) There is established an 
interagency committee to be known as the Department of 
Veterans Affairs-Department of Labor-Small Business 
Administration Joint Executive Committee on Economic 
Opportunity (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
‘Committee’). 
‘‘(2) The Committee is composed of— 
‘‘(A) the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
for Veterans Economic Opportunity; 
‘‘(B) the Director of Homeless Programs of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs; 
‘‘(C) the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Vet-
erans Employment and Training; and 
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‘‘(D) the Associate Administrator of the Small 
Business Administration for Veterans Business De-
velopment. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.—(1) The Deputy 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Under Secretary of 
Labor, and the Administrator of the Small Business Ad-
ministration shall jointly determine the administrative and 
procedural guidelines for the operation of the Committee. 
‘‘(2) The two Departments and the Small Business 
Administration shall supply appropriate staff and re-
sources to provide administrative support and services. 
Support for such purposes shall be provided at a level suf-
ficient for the efficient operation of the Committee. 
‘‘(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—(1) The Committee shall 
recommend to the Secretaries and the Administrator stra-
tegic direction for the joint coordination and sharing ef-
forts between and within the two Departments and the 
Administration to promote and administer veterans eco-
nomic opportunity programs for education and training, 
vocational rehabilitation, employment, small business, and 
homelessness under section 8111 of this title, and shall 
oversee implementation of those efforts. 
‘‘(2) The Committee shall submit to the two Secre-
taries and the Administrator and directly to Congress an 
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annual report containing such recommendations as the 
Committee considers appropriate. 
‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS.—In order to enable the Committee 
to make recommendations in its annual report under sub-
section (c)(2), the Committee shall do the following: 
‘‘(1) Review existing policies, procedures, and 
practices relating to the coordination and sharing of 
resources between the two Departments. 
‘‘(2) Identify changes in policies, procedures, 
and practices that, in the judgment of the Com-
mittee, would promote mutually beneficial coordina-
tion, use, or exchange of use of services and re-
sources of the two Departments and the Administra-
tion, with the goal of improving the quality, effi-
ciency and effectiveness of the delivery of benefits 
and services to veterans, service members, military 
retirees, and their families through a relationship 
among the Department of Veterans Affairs, the De-
partment of Labor, and the Small Business Admin-
istration. 
‘‘(3) Identify and assess further opportunities 
for the coordination and collaboration between the 
Departments and the Administration that, in the 
judgment of the Committee, would not adversely af-
fect the range of services, the quality of care, or the 
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established priorities for benefits provided by either 
of the Departments or the Administration. 
‘‘(4) Review the plans of both Departments and 
the Administration for the acquisition of additional 
resources, especially new facilities and major equip-
ment and technology, in order to assess the potential 
effect of such plans on further opportunities for the 
coordination and sharing of resources. 
‘‘(5) Review the implementation of activities de-
signed to promote the coordination and sharing of 
resources between the Departments and the Admin-
istration. 
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION
WITH
CERTAIN
ORGANIZA-
TIONS.—In carrying out its responsibilities under this sec-
tion, the Committee may consult with appropriate organi-
zations that promote employment.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘323. Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Labor-Small Business Ad-
ministration Joint Executive Committee on Economic Oppor-
tunity.’’. 
Æ 
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