Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-856
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2017-02-03 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government information and archives
Law enforcement officers
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Public contracts and procurement
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: 

Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

 
 This bill amends the: (1) VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 to extend through 2020 the veterans retraining assistance program, and (2) Wounded Warrior Act to extend through 2020 the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide the same rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses as are provided to veterans.
 
 The bill extends through: (1) March 31, 2020, additional VA rehabilitation programs for certain disabled veterans who have completed a VA rehabilitation program and have exhausted their rights to state unemployment benefits; and (2) FY2021 the collaborative veterans' training, mentoring, and placement program.
 
 The VA shall develop a single, unified federal web-based employment portal for veterans to access information on federal programs and activities concerning veterans employment, unemployment, and training.
 
 The bill directs the: (1) Department of Homeland Security to award grants to hire veterans as firefighters, and (2) Department of Justice to award grants to hire veterans as law enforcement officers.
 
 The head of each executive and defense agency shall consider favorably, as an evaluation factor in federal solicitations for civilian or defense contracts and task or delivery orders valued at or above $25 million, the employment by a prospective contractor of veterans constituting at least 5% of the contractor's workforce.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.
action_date: 2017-02-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2017-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, the Judiciary, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E140)
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-02-03
text: Introduced in House