In the Senate of the United States, 
November 10, 2011. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 674) entitled ‘‘An Act to amend the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent with-
holding on certain payments made to vendors by government 
entities, to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross 
income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain 
healthcare-related programs, and for other purposes.’’, do 
pass with the following 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike title II and insert the following: 
TITLE II—VOW TO HIRE HEROES 
Sec. 201. Short title. 
Subtitle A—Retraining Veterans 
Sec. 211. Veterans retraining assistance program. 
Subtitle B—Improving the Transition Assistance Program 
Sec. 221. Mandatory participation of members of the Armed Forces in the Tran-
sition Assistance Program of Department of Defense. 
Sec. 222. Individualized assessment for members of the Armed Forces under tran-
sition assistance on equivalence between skills developed in mili-
tary occupational specialties and qualifications required for ci-
vilian employment with the private sector. 
Sec. 223. Transition Assistance Program contracting.
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Sec. 224. Contracts with private entities to assist in carrying out Transition As-
sistance Program of Department of Defense. 
Sec. 225. Improved access to apprenticeship programs for members of the Armed 
Forces who are being separated from active duty or retired. 
Sec. 226. Comptroller General review. 
Subtitle C—Improving the Transition of Veterans to Civilian Employment 
Sec. 231. Two-year extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pro-
vide rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the 
Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses. 
Sec. 232. Expansion of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay employ-
ers for providing on-job training to veterans who have not been 
rehabilitated to point of employability. 
Sec. 233. Training and rehabilitation for veterans with service-connected disabil-
ities who have exhausted rights to unemployment benefits under 
State law. 
Sec. 234. Collaborative veterans’ training, mentoring, and placement program. 
Sec. 235. Appointment of honorably discharged members and other employment 
assistance. 
Sec. 236. Department of Defense pilot program on work experience for members 
of the Armed Forces on terminal leave. 
Sec. 237. Enhancement of demonstration program on credentialing and licensing 
of veterans. 
Sec. 238. Inclusion of performance measures in annual report on veteran job 
counseling, training, and placement programs of the Department 
of Labor. 
Sec. 239. Clarification of priority of service for veterans in Department of Labor 
job training programs. 
Sec. 240. Evaluation of individuals receiving training at the National Veterans’ 
Employment and Training Services Institute. 
Sec. 241. Requirements for full-time disabled veterans’ outreach program special-
ists and local veterans’ employment representatives. 
Subtitle D—Improvements to Uniformed Services Employment and 
Reemployment Rights 
Sec. 251. Clarification of benefits of employment covered under USERRA. 
Subtitle E—Other Matters 
Sec. 261. Returning heroes and wounded warriors work opportunity tax credits. 
Sec. 262. Extension of reduced pension for certain veterans covered by Medicaid 
plans for services furnished by nursing facilities. 
Sec. 263. Reimbursement rate for ambulance services. 
Sec. 264. Extension of authority for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to obtain infor-
mation from Secretary of Treasury and Commissioner of Social 
Security for income verification purposes. 
Sec. 265. Modification of loan guaranty fee for certain subsequent loans. 
TITLE III—OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO FEDERAL VENDORS 
Sec. 301. One hundred percent levy for payments to Federal vendors relating to 
property.
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Sec. 302. Study and report on reducing the amount of the tax gap owed by Fed-
eral contractors. 
TITLE IV—MODIFICATION OF CALCULATION OF MODIFIED AD-
JUSTED 
GROSS 
INCOME 
FOR 
DETERMINING 
CERTAIN 
HEALTHCARE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY 
Sec. 401. Modification of calculation of modified adjusted gross income for deter-
mining certain healthcare program eligibility. 
TITLE V—BUDGETARY EFFECTS 
Sec. 501. Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010. 
TITLE II—VOW TO HIRE HEROES 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘VOW to Hire Heroes 
Act of 2011’’. 
Subtitle A—Retraining Veterans 
SEC. 211. VETERANS RETRAINING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2012, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in collabora-
tion with the Secretary of Labor, establish and com-
mence a program of retraining assistance for eligible 
veterans. 
(2) NUMBER
OF
ELIGIBLE
VETERANS.—The 
number of unique eligible veterans who participate in 
the program established under paragraph (1) may not 
exceed— 
(A) 45,000 during fiscal year 2012; and 
(B) 54,000 during the period beginning Oc-
tober 1, 2012, and ending March 31, 2014.
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(b) RETRAINING ASSISTANCE.—Except as provided by 
subsection (k), each veteran who participates in the pro-
gram established under subsection (a)(1) shall be entitled 
to up to 12 months of retraining assistance provided by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such retraining assist-
ance may only be used by the veteran to pursue a program 
of education (as such term is defined in section 3452(b) of 
title 38, United States Code) for training, on a full-time 
basis, that— 
(1) is approved under chapter 36 of such title; 
(2) is offered by a community college or technical 
school; 
(3) leads to an associate degree or a certificate 
(or other similar evidence of the completion of the 
program of education or training); 
(4) is designed to provide training for a high-de-
mand occupation, as determined by the Commissioner 
of Labor Statistics; and 
(5) begins on or after July 1, 2012. 
(c) MONTHLY CERTIFICATION.—Each veteran who 
participates in the program established under subsection 
(a)(1) shall certify to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the 
enrollment of the veteran in a program of education de-
scribed in subsection (b) for each month in which the vet-
eran participates in the program.
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(d) AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.—The monthly amount 
of the retraining assistance payable under this section is 
the amount in effect under section 3015(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code. 
(e) ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this section, 
an eligible veteran is a veteran who— 
(A) as of the date of the submittal of the ap-
plication for assistance under this section, is at 
least 35 years of age but not more than 60 years 
of age; 
(B) was last discharged from active duty 
service in the Armed Forces under conditions 
other than dishonorable; 
(C) as of the date of the submittal of the ap-
plication for assistance under this section, is un-
employed; 
(D) as of the date of the submittal of the ap-
plication for assistance under this section, is not 
eligible to receive educational assistance under 
chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of title 38, United 
States Code, or chapter 1606 or 1607 of title 10, 
United States Code;
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determines under clause (i) that an appli-
cant is eligible for assistance under this sec-
tion, the Secretary of Labor shall forward 
the application of such applicant to the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs in accordance 
with the terms of the agreement required by 
subsection (h). 
(B) DETERMINATION
BY
SECRETARY
OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—For each application relat-
ing to an applicant received by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs under subparagraph (A)(ii), the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall determine 
under subparagraphs (B), (D), and (E) of para-
graph (1) whether such applicant is eligible for 
assistance under this section. 
(f) EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.—For each veteran who 
participates in the program established under subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary of Labor shall contact such veteran 
not later than 30 days after the date on which the veteran 
completes, or terminates participation in, such program to 
facilitate employment of such veteran and availability or 
provision of employment placement services to such veteran. 
(g) CHARGING OF ASSISTANCE AGAINST OTHER ENTI-
TLEMENT.—Assistance provided under this section shall be 
counted against the aggregate period for which section 3695
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of title 38, United States Code, limits the individual’s re-
ceipt of educational assistance under laws administered by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(h) JOINT AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs and the Secretary of Labor shall enter into an 
agreement to carry out this section. 
(2) APPEALS PROCESS.—The agreement required 
by paragraph (1) shall include establishment of a 
process for resolving disputes relating to and appeals 
of decisions of the Secretaries under subsection (e)(2). 
(i) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2014, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in collabora-
tion with the Secretary of Labor, submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report on the retrain-
ing assistance provided under this section. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The total number of— 
(i) eligible veterans who participated; 
and 
(ii) associates degrees or certificates 
awarded (or other similar evidence of the
† HR 674 EAS 
completion of the program of education or 
training earned). 
(B) Data related to the employment status 
of eligible veterans who participated. 
(j) FUNDING.—Payments under this section shall be 
made from amounts appropriated to or otherwise made 
available to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the pay-
ment of readjustment benefits. Not more than $2,000,000 
shall be made available from such amounts for information 
technology expenses (not including personnel costs) associ-
ated with the administration of the program established 
under subsection (a)(1). 
(k) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority to 
make payments under this section shall terminate on March 
31, 2014. 
(l) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES
OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension 
of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives.
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Subtitle B—Improving the 
Transition Assistance Program 
SEC. 221. MANDATORY PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES IN THE TRANSITION AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1144 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) PARTICIPATION.—(1) Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall require the participation in the 
program carried out under this section of the members eligi-
ble for assistance under the program. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security may, under regulations such Secre-
taries shall prescribe, waive the participation requirement 
of paragraph (1) with respect to— 
‘‘(A) such groups or classifications of members as 
the Secretaries determine, after consultation with the 
Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, for whom participation is not and would not 
be of assistance to such members based on the Secre-
taries’ articulable justification that there is extraor-
dinarily high reason to believe the exempted members 
are unlikely to face major readjustment, health care,
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employment, or other challenges associated with tran-
sition to civilian life; and 
‘‘(B) individual members possessing specialized 
skills who, due to unavoidable circumstances, are 
needed to support a unit’s imminent deployment.’’. 
(b) REQUIRED USE OF EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, 
JOB TRAINING ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER TRANSITIONAL 
SERVICES
IN
PRESEPARATION
COUNSELING.—Section 
1142(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and 
inserting ‘‘shall’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall take effect on the date that is 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 222. INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES UNDER TRANSITION AS-
SISTANCE 
ON 
EQUIVALENCE 
BETWEEN 
SKILLS DEVELOPED IN MILITARY OCCUPA-
TIONAL SPECIALTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS 
REQUIRED FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT WITH 
THE PRIVATE SECTOR. 
(a) STUDY ON EQUIVALENCE REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Labor shall, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, enter into a contract 
with a qualified organization to conduct a study to
† HR 674 EAS 
identify any equivalences between the skills developed 
by members of the Armed Forces through various 
military occupational specialties (MOS), successful 
completion of resident training courses, attaining 
various military ranks or rates, or other military ex-
periences and the qualifications required for various 
positions of civilian employment in the private sector. 
(2) COOPERATION OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The 
departments and agencies of the Federal Government, 
including the Office of Personnel Management, the 
General Services Administration, the Government Ac-
countability Office, the Department of Education, and 
other appropriate departments and agencies, shall co-
operate with the contractor under paragraph (1) to 
conduct the study required under that paragraph. 
(3) REPORT.—Upon completion of the study con-
ducted under paragraph (1), the contractor under 
that paragraph shall submit to the Secretary of De-
fense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Sec-
retary of Labor a report setting forth the results of the 
study. The report shall include such information as 
the Secretaries shall specify in the contract under 
paragraph (1) for purposes of this section. 
(4) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary 
of Labor shall transmit to the appropriate committees
† HR 674 EAS 
of Congress the report submitted under paragraph (3), 
together with such comments on the report as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(5) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CONGRESS 
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate 
committees of Congress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Com-
mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-
sion of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives. 
(b) PUBLICATION.—The secretaries described in sub-
section (a)(1) shall ensure that the equivalences identified 
under subsection (a)(1) are— 
(1) made publicly available on an Internet 
website; and 
(2) regularly updated to reflect the most recent 
findings of the secretaries with respect to such equiva-
lences. 
(c) INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT OF CIVILIAN POSI-
TIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH MILITARY EXPERIENCES.— 
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each member of
† HR 674 EAS 
the Armed Forces who is participating in the Transition 
Assistance Program (TAP) of the Department of Defense 
receives, as part of such member’s participation in that pro-
gram, an individualized assessment of the various positions 
of civilian employment in the private sector for which such 
member may be qualified as a result of the skills developed 
by such member through various military occupational spe-
cialties (MOS), successful completion of resident training 
courses, attaining various military ranks or rates, or other 
military experiences. The assessment shall be performed 
using the results of the study conducted under subsection 
(a) and such other information as the Secretary of Defense, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and 
the Secretary of Labor, considers appropriate for that pur-
pose. 
(d) FURTHER USE IN EMPLOYMENT-RELATED TRANSI-
TION ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) TRANSMITTAL
OF
ASSESSMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall make the individualized assess-
ment provided a member under subsection (a) avail-
able electronically to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
and the Secretary of Labor. 
(2) USE IN ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Labor may use an 
individualized assessment with respect to an indi-
† HR 674 EAS 
vidual under paragraph (1) for employment-related 
assistance in the transition from military service to 
civilian life provided the individual by such Sec-
retary and to otherwise facilitate and enhance the 
transition of the individual from military service to 
civilian life. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect on 
the date that is one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 
223. 
TRANSITION 
ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM 
CON-
TRACTING. 
(a) 
TRANSITION
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM
CON-
TRACTING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 4113 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 4113. Transition Assistance Program personnel 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT
TO CONTRACT.—In accordance 
with section 1144 of title 10, the Secretary shall enter into 
a contract with an appropriate private entity or entities 
to provide the functions described in subsection (b) at all 
locations where the program described in such section is 
carried out. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—Contractors under subsection (a) 
shall provide to members of the Armed Forces who are being 
separated from active duty (and the spouses of such mem-
† HR 674 EAS 
bers) the services described in section 1144(a)(1) of title 10, 
including the following: 
‘‘(1) Counseling. 
‘‘(2) Assistance in identifying employment and 
training opportunities and help in obtaining such 
employment and training. 
‘‘(3) Assessment of academic preparation for en-
rollment in an institution of higher learning or occu-
pational training. 
‘‘(4) Other related information and services 
under such section. 
‘‘(5) Such other services as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 41 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to section 4113 and inserting the following 
new item: 
‘‘4113. Transition Assistance Program personnel.’’. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary 
of Labor shall enter into the contract required by section 
4113 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), not later than two years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
† HR 674 EAS 
SEC. 224. CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES TO ASSIST 
IN CARRYING OUT TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 
Section 1144(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘public or pri-
vate entities; and’’ and inserting ‘‘public entities;’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para-
graph (7); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (5), the fol-
lowing new paragraph (6): 
‘‘(6) enter into contracts with private entities, 
particularly with qualified private entities that have 
experience with instructing members of the armed 
forces eligible for assistance under the program car-
ried out under this section on— 
‘‘(A) private sector culture, resume writing, 
career networking, and training on job search 
technologies; 
‘‘(B) academic readiness and educational 
opportunities; or 
‘‘(C) other relevant topics; and’’.
† HR 674 EAS 
SEC. 225. IMPROVED ACCESS TO APPRENTICESHIP PRO-
GRAMS 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES WHO ARE BEING SEPARATED FROM 
ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED. 
Section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) 
PARTICIPATION
IN
APPRENTICESHIP
PRO-
GRAMS.—As part of the program carried out under this sec-
tion, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Home-
land Security may permit a member of the armed forces 
eligible for assistance under the program to participate in 
an apprenticeship program registered under the Act of Au-
gust 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ‘National Appren-
ticeship Act’; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et 
seq.), or a pre-apprenticeship program that provides credit 
toward a program registered under such Act, that provides 
members of the armed forces with the education, training, 
and services necessary to transition to meaningful employ-
ment that leads to economic self-sufficiency.’’. 
SEC. 226. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW. 
Not later than two years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall conduct a review of the Transition Assistance 
Program (TAP) and submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the review and any recommendations of the 
Comptroller General for improving the program.
† HR 674 EAS 
Subtitle C—Improving the Transi-
tion of Veterans to Civilian Em-
ployment 
SEC. 231. TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SEC-
RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE 
REHABILITATION AND VOCATIONAL BENE-
FITS TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
WITH SEVERE INJURIES OR ILLNESSES. 
Section 1631(b)(2) of the Wounded Warrior Act (title 
XVI of Public Law 110–181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2012’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2014’’. 
SEC. 232. EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PAY EMPLOYERS FOR 
PROVIDING ON-JOB TRAINING TO VETERANS 
WHO HAVE NOT BEEN REHABILITATED TO 
POINT OF EMPLOYABILITY. 
Section 3116(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘who have been rehabilitated to the 
point of employability’’.