I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 167
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a Veterans’ Employ-
ment and Training Bill of Rights, to strengthen preference for veterans
in hiring, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. FILNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a
Veterans’ Employment and Training Bill of Rights, to
strengthen preference for veterans in hiring, 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’ Training and
Employment Bill of Rights Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. VETERANS’ TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT ASSIST-
ANCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 42 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing:
‘‘§ 4215. Veterans’ Employment and Training Bill of
Rights
‘‘(a) For the purposes of this section, an individual
is a covered person if the individual is—
‘‘(1) a veteran who has a service-connected dis-
ability;
‘‘(2) a veteran who served on active duty in the
armed forces during a war, in a campaign or expedi-
tion for which a campaign badge has been author-
ized; or
‘‘(3) the spouse of—
‘‘(A) any person who died of a service-con-
nected disability;
‘‘(B) any member of the Armed Forces
serving on active duty who, at the time of appli-
cation for assistance under this section, is list-
ed, pursuant to section 556 of title 37 and reg-
ulations issued thereunder, by the Secretary
concerned in one or more of the following cat-
egories and has been so listed for a total of
more than 90 days: (i) missing in action, (ii)
captured in line of duty by a hostile force, or
(iii) forcibly detained or interned in line of duty
by a foreign government or power;
‘‘(C) any person who has a total disability
permanent in nature resulting from a service-
connected disability; or
‘‘(D) a veteran who died while a disability
so evaluated was in existence.
‘‘(b) A covered person is entitled to priority of serv-
ices under any federally funded (in whole or in part) work
force preparation, development, or delivery program or
service if the person otherwise meets the eligibility require-
ments for participating in such program or service, includ-
ing a program or service that uses technology to assist
individuals to access work force development programs
(such as job and training opportunities, labor market in-
formation, career assessment tools, and related support
services).
‘‘(c) In addition to subsection (b), the entities at the
State and local levels that administer or deliver services
under a program described in subsection (b) shall be re-
sponsible for the following:
‘‘(1) Providing information and effective refer-
ral assistance to covered persons regarding benefits
and services that may be obtained through other en-
tities or service providers.
‘‘(2) Ensuring that each covered person who
applies to or who is assisted by a program referred
to in subsection (b) is informed of the employment-
related rights and benefits to which the person is en-
titled under this section.
‘‘(d) Each State or local council, board, or advisory
body established in support of a program described in sub-
section (b) shall include adequate representation from the
veterans’ community, particularly from veterans’ service
organizations.
‘‘(e) The Secretary of Labor, following review and
comment by the Advisory Committee on Veterans Employ-
ment and Training, shall submit an annual report to the
Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House
of Representatives which shall include the information
necessary to evaluate whether (1) covered persons are re-
ceiving priority in services and are being fully served by
programs described in subsection (b), and (2) the levels
of service of such programs are in proportion to the inci-
dence of representation of veterans in the labor market,
including within groups targeted by such programs, if any.
The Secretary of Labor may promulgate such regulations
and procedures as may be necessary to ensure that such
reports are provided.
‘‘(f) For the purposes of this section, a federally fund-
ed (in whole or in part) work force preparation, develop-
ment, or delivery program includes (1) programs within
the public employment service system, one-stop career cen-
ters, the Job Training Partnership Act, a demonstration
or other temporary program, and those programs imple-
mented by States or local service providers based on Fed-
eral block grants, and (2) workforce development pro-
grams targeted to specific groups.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 42 of such title is amend-
ed by inserting after the item relating to section 4214 the
following new item:
‘‘4215. Veterans’ Employment and Training Bill of Rights.’’.
SEC. 3. EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS WITH RESPECT TO
FEDERAL CONTRACTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4212 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by striking out subsections (a)
and (b) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘(a) For the purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) the term ‘covered contract’ means a con-
tract in the amount of $100,000 or more entered
into by any department or agency for the procure-
ment of personal property and nonpersonal services