A bill to direct the Secretary of Interior to establish a veterans conservation corps, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Conservation Corps 
Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Corps.--The term ``corps'' means the veterans 
        conservation corps established under section 3(a).
            (2) Eligible veteran.--The term ``eligible veteran'' means 
        a veteran (as the term is defined in section 101 of title 38, 
        United States Code) that, as of the date on which the 
        application for the corps is submitted--
                    (A) is unemployed;
                    (B) is not enrolled in any other Federal training 
                program; and
                    (C) meets any other criteria that the Secretary 
                determines to be appropriate.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. VETERANS CONSERVATION CORPS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Commerce, shall 
establish a veterans conservation corps--
            (1) to provide training and employment to eligible 
        veterans;
            (2) to assist eligible veterans in the transition from 
        service in the Armed Forces to civilian life; and
            (3) to assist the Federal Government in maintaining Federal 
        land and water.
    (b) Employment of Eligible Veterans.--
            (1) Long-term employment.--
                    (A) Initial period.--The Secretary shall employ in 
                the corps eligible veterans for a 1-year period to 
                carry out work projects assigned under subsection (c).
                    (B) Extension of employment.--The Secretary may, on 
                a case-by-case basis and as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate, extend the employment of an eligible 
                veteran under subparagraph (A) for an additional 1-year 
                period.
            (2) Temporary employment for student veterans.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary may establish a 
                program in the corps for the short-term employment of 
                eligible veterans that are attending institutions of 
                higher education.
                    (B) Terms.--The employment of an eligible veteran 
                under subparagraph (A) shall not exceed 16 weeks in 
                total.
            (3) Compensation.--An eligible veteran employed by the 
        corps under paragraph (1) or (2) shall receive a stipend and 
        living allowance in an amount to be determined by the 
        Secretary, in consultation with Secretary of Veteran Affairs.
    (c) Work Projects.--
            (1) Assignment.--Each eligible veteran employed under 
        subsection (b)(1) shall be assigned to a work project that--
                    (A) furthers the purposes described in subsection 
                (a); and
                    (B) falls within 1 or more of the following 
                categories:
                            (i) Transportation improvements, such as 
                        improving wilderness trails.
                            (ii) Erosion control.
                            (iii) Landscape and recreation.
                            (iv) Habitat protection and restoration, 
                        including removal of invasive species.
                            (v) Data collection.
                            (vi) Any other specific project category 
                        identified under paragraph (2).
            (2) Specification of additional project categories.--Not 
        later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
        the Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce shall identify 
        additional project categories that the Secretary and the 
        Secretary of Commerce consider appropriate to further the 
        purposes described in subsection (a).
            (3) Leveraging of military skills.--To the maximum extent 
        practicable, an eligible veteran in the corps shall be assigned 
        to a work project under paragraph (1) that enables the eligible 
        veteran to use the skills that the eligible veteran developed 
        as a member of the Armed Forces.
            (4) Development and supervision of work projects.--The 
        Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce shall develop and 
        supervise the work projects under the corps that relate to the 
        respective jurisdiction of the Secretary and the Secretary.
    (d) Education and Training.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Commerce, 
        shall establish a program as part of the corps to provide to 
        eligible veterans employed under the corps any education or 
        training that is necessary to enable the eligible veterans to 
        carry out the work projects assigned under subsection (c)(1).
            (2) Use of existing facilities.--To the maximum extent 
        practicable, the Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
        and the Secretary of Commerce shall use existing facilities of 
        the Federal Government to provide the education and training 
        required under paragraph (1).

Summary: Veterans Conservation Corps Authorization Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a veteran conservation corps (corps) to: (1) provide training and employment to unemployed veterans not enrolled in any other federal training program, (2) assist veterans in their transition from military service to civilian life, and (3) assist the government in maintaining federal land and water. Directs the Secretary to employ such veterans for a one-year period, with an option for employment for an additional one-year period.

Allows the Secretary to establish a corps program for the short-term employment of veterans attending institutions of higher education.

Directs the Secretary to establish a program to provide to such veterans any education or training necessary to carry out assigned work projects.