To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer a pilot program to employ veterans in positions that relate to conservation and resource management activities.
Bill: H.R.2789 | Sponsor: Rep. Lamb, Conor (D-PA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of the Interior to jointly establish a pilot program to employ veterans in positions that relate to the conservation and resource management activities of USDA and Interior. The VA, USDA, Interior, and the Department of Defense (DOD) are authorized to enter into a partnership to include the pilot program as part of the Skillbridge program, which is a DOD program to provide training to members who are transitioning out of service in the Armed Forces.
The bill also requires the VA to establish guidelines containing best practices for other federal agencies that carry out programs to employ veterans who are transitioning from service in the Armed Forces.

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer a pilot 
program to employ veterans in positions that relate to conservation and 
                    resource management activities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM TO EMPLOY VETERANS IN POSITIONS RELATING TO 
              CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
Secretaries concerned shall jointly establish a pilot program under 
which veterans are employed by the Federal Government in positions that 
relate to the conservation and resource management activities of the 
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture.
    (b) Administration.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
administer the pilot program under subsection (a).
    (c) Positions.--The Secretaries concerned shall--
            (1) identify vacant positions in the respective Departments 
        of the Secretaries that are appropriate to fill using the pilot 
        program under subsection (a); and
            (2) to the extent practicable, fill such positions using 
        the pilot program.
    (d) Application of Civil Service Laws.--A veteran employed under 
the pilot program under subsection (a) shall be treated as an employee 
as defined by section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.
    (e) Best Practices for Other Departments.--The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall establish guidelines containing best practices 
for departments and agencies of the Federal Government that carry out 
programs to employ veterans who are transitioning from service in the 
Armed Forces. Such guidelines shall include--
            (1) lessons learned under the Warrior Training Advancement 
        Course of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
            (2) methods to realize cost savings based on such lessons 
        learned.
    (f) Partnership.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretaries concerned, and the Secretary of Defense may enter into a 
partnership to include the pilot program under subsection (a) as part 
of the Skillbridge program under section 1143 of title 10, United 
States Code.
    (g) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        and the Secretaries concerned shall jointly submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees a report on the pilot 
        program under subsection (a), including--
                    (A) a description of how the pilot program will be 
                carried out in a manner to reduce the unemployment of 
                veterans; and
                    (B) any recommendations for legislative actions to 
                improve the pilot program.
            (2) Implementation.--Not later than one year after the date 
        on which the pilot program under subsection (a) commences, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretaries concerned 
        shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on the implementation of the pilot program.
            (3) Final report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
        which the pilot program under subsection (a) is completed, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretaries concerned 
        shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on the pilot program that includes the 
        following:
                    (A) The number of veterans who applied to 
                participate in the pilot program.
                    (B) The number of such veterans employed under the 
                pilot program.
                    (C) The number of veterans identified in 
                subparagraph (B) who transitioned to full-time 
                positions with the Federal Government after 
                participating in the pilot program.
                    (D) Any other information the Secretaries determine 
                appropriate with respect to measuring the effectiveness 
                of the pilot program.
    (h) Duration.--The authority to carry out the pilot program under 
subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is two years after the 
date on which the pilot program commences.
    (i) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Natural 
                Resources of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the 
                Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and 
                the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
                Senate.
            (2) The term ``Secretary concerned'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to 
                matters regarding the National Forest System and the 
                Department of Agriculture; and
                    (B) the Secretary of the Interior with respect to 
                matters regarding the National Park System and the 
                Department of the Interior.
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