I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2861 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide incentives for States 
to accept professional credentials related to military training and skills 
that are obtained by members of the Armed Forces while serving in 
the Armed Forces. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 8, 2017 
Mr. RUSSELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide incentives 
for States to accept professional credentials related to 
military training and skills that are obtained by members 
of the Armed Forces while serving in the Armed Forces. 
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 ‘‘Hire Military Service 
Members Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INCENTIVES TO INCREASE STATE PARTICIPATION 
IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS TO 
ASSIST MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES IN 
OBTAINING 
PROFESSIONAL 
CREDENTIALS 
WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2015 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(f) EFFECT OF FAILURE OF STATES TO ACCEPT 
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS OBTAINED UNDER PRO-
GRAM.—(1) If the Secretary concerned determines that a 
State that imposes professional licensing requirements 
fails to accept professional credentials related to military 
training and skills that are obtained by members of the 
armed forces under the program required by this section 
or under a similar program for members accredited by a 
nationally recognized, third-party personnel certification 
program accreditor, the Secretary concerned shall with-
hold payments for Unemployment Compensation for Ex- 
Servicemembers otherwise due to that State for a calendar 
quarter. 
‘‘(2) Amounts withheld from a State under paragraph 
(1), if remaining unpaid at the end of a fiscal year because 
of the continued failure of the State to accept member 
professional credentials described in paragraph (1) before 
the end of that fiscal year, shall be available to the Sec-
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retary concerned during the next fiscal year to carry out 
the program required by this section. Such amounts are 
in addition to other amounts made available to carry out 
the program. 
‘‘(3) Paragraph (1) shall take effect 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection.’’. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
AND PROGRESS RE-
PORT.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, with respect to the Coast 
Guard, shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and House of Representatives 
a plan to implement the amendment made by sub-
section (a). 
(2) PROGRESS
REPORT.—Not later than two 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, with respect to the Coast Guard, shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and House of Representatives a report evalu-
ating the success of the amendment made by sub-
section (a) in forcing States to accept professional 
credentials related to military training and skills 
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that are obtained by members of the Armed Forces 
while serving in the Armed Forces. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall carry 
out this subsection in consultation with the Secre-
taries of the military departments and the Secretary 
of Labor. 
Æ 
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