In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Ex Input:
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Apprenticeships can help veterans bridge the gap 
        between service in the Armed Forces and civilian employment 
        by--
                    (A) receiving on-the-job training under the direct 
                supervision of a professional and classroom 
                instruction;
                    (B) implementing skills the veterans acquired while 
                in the Armed Forces;
                    (C) providing practical work experience to the 
                veterans; and
                    (D) forming professional connections to fellow 
                members of skilled occupations.
            (2) According to the Employment and Training Administration 
        of the Department of Labor, in fiscal year 2016--
                    (A) more than 21,000 apprenticeship programs across 
                the United States are registered with the 
                Administration;
                    (B) approximately 1,700 new apprenticeship programs 
                were established in the United States;
                    (C) more than 206,000 individuals across the United 
                States entered an apprenticeship program;
                    (D) more than 505,000 apprentices sought to acquire 
                skills to earn the wages necessary for financial 
                security; and
                    (E) approximately 49,000 individuals graduated from 
                apprenticeship programs.

SEC. 2. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE CERTAIN 
              APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

    Section 3313(g)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(E) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor) on more than a half-time but less 
                than full-time basis, an annual stipend for tuition and 
                fees not to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).
                    ``(F) In the case of an individual pursuing a 
                program of apprenticeship (that is registered with the 
                Employment and Training Administration of the 
                Department of Labor and for which the individual 
                provides proof of current registration to the 
                Secretary) that is not sponsored by the employer of the 
                individual, an annual stipend for tuition and fees not 
                to exceed the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the actual net cost for tuition and 
                        fees for the program of apprenticeship after 
                        the application of any waiver of, or reduction 
                        in, tuition and fees; or
                            ``(ii) 25 percent of the amount calculated 
                        under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii).''.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are 
not sponsored by employers of participants in such programs should 
supply professional development resources and interview training to the 
participants.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS WHO PURSUE COMPUTER NUMERICALLY 
              CONTROLLED MACHINING CERTIFICATIONS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide eligible 
veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in 
computer numerically controlled machining.
    (b) Eligibility.--For purposes of the pilot program under this 
section, an eligible veteran is a veteran who is entitled to 
educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary.
    (c) Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--For purposes of carrying out subsection 
        (a), by not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall seek to enter into contracts 
        with multiple qualified providers of certification programs in 
        computer numerically controlled machining for the provision of 
        such programs to eligible veterans under the pilot program.
            (2) Payment of contractors.--A contract under this 
        subsection shall provide that the Secretary shall pay to a 
        provider--
                    (A) 25 percent of the cost of providing the 
                certification program upon the enrollment of an 
                eligible veteran in the program;
                    (B) 25 percent of such cost upon the completion of 
                the program by the veteran; and
                    (C) 50 percent of such cost upon the employment of 
                the veteran following completion of the program.
            (3) Qualified providers.--For purposes of the pilot 
        program, a provider of a certification program in computer 
        numerically controlled machining is qualified if the provider 
        has been operational for at least two years.
            (4) Tuition reimbursement.--In entering into contracts to 
        carry out the pilot program, the Secretary shall give 
        preference to a qualified provider that offers tuition 
        reimbursement for any student who--
                    (A) completes a certification program offered by 
                the provider; and
                    (B) does not find full-time meaningful employment 
                within the 180-day period beginning on the date the 
                student completes the program.
    (d) Housing Stipend.--The Secretary shall pay to each eligible 
veteran who is enrolled in a certification program in computer 
numerically controlled machining under the pilot program on a full-time 
basis a monthly housing stipend equal to the product of--
            (1) in the case of--
                    (A) a veteran pursuing resident training, the 
                monthly amount of the basic allowance for housing 
                payable under section 403 of title 37, United States 
                Code, for a member with dependents in pay grade E-5 who 
                resides in the military housing area that encompasses 
                all or the majority of the ZIP code area in which the 
                campus at which the veteran attends training or classes 
                is located; or
                    (B) a veteran pursuing a certification program 
                through distance learning, a monthly amount equal to 50 
                percent of the amount payable under subparagraph (A); 
                and
            (2) the lesser of--
                    (A) 1.0; or
                    (B) the number of course hours carried by the 
                individual in pursuit of the certification program 
                involved, divided by the minimum number of course hours 
                required for full-time pursuit of such certification 
                program, rounded to the nearest tenth.
    (e) Certification Program in Computer Numerically Controlled 
Machining Defined.--In this section, the term ``certification program 
in computer numerically controlled machining'' means a training program 
that--
            (1) is offered by an entity--
                    (A) other than an institution of higher learning; 
                or
                    (B) that is a professional organization;
            (2) does not lead to a degree; and
            (3) leads to a National Institute for Metalworking Skills 
        credential or certification in computer numerically controlled 
        machining.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Secretary of veterans affairs.--Not later than one year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
        the pilot program under this section.
            (2) Comptroller general.--
                    (A) Interim report.--Not later than three years 
                after the date on which the Secretary first enters into 
                a contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                of the United States shall submit to Congress a report 
                containing the results of the interim assessment of the 
                Comptroller General. Such report shall include the 
                recommendations of the Comptroller General for 
                improving the pilot program and an assessment of each 
                of the following:
                            (i) The manufacturing and training 
                        experience of the directors and instructors of 
                        the providers of certification programs in 
                        computer numerically controlled machining under 
                        the pilot program.
                            (ii) Whether the providers followed 
                        training curricula commonly used in the 
                        industry (including curricula from the National 
                        Institute for Metalworking Skills) for the 
                        certification programs.
                            (iii) Whether the providers use open source 
                        curricula for the certification programs.
                            (iv) The admittance rate into the pilot 
                        program.
                            (v) The job placement rate for veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program.
                            (vi) The average salary of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program and were subsequently employed.
                            (vii) The average age of veterans who 
                        participated in the pilot program.
                    (B) Final report.--Not later than five years after 
                the date on which the Secretary first enters into a 
                contract under this section, the Comptroller General 
                shall submit to Congress a final report on the pilot 
                program. Such report shall include the recommendation 
                of the Comptroller General with respect to whether the 
                program should be extended and an assessment of each of 
                the following:
                            (i) Each item described in clauses (i) 
                        through (vii) of subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) The percentage of veterans who 
                        completed a certification program under the 
                        pilot program who were subsequently employed 
                        for a period of six months or longer.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 for each 
fiscal year during which the Secretary carries out a pilot program 
under this section.
    (h) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under 
this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the 
date on which the Secretary first enters into a contract under this 
section.

SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF THE CAREER TECHNICAL TRAINING 
              TRACK OF THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
review of the career technical training track of the Transition 
Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (specifically 
with regard to the effectiveness of educating participants about 
apprenticeship opportunities) and submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the review and any recommendations of the Comptroller 
General for improving the program.

Ex Output:
This bill provides educational assistance to veterans who pursue certain apprenticeship programs registered with the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor. It is the sense of Congress that apprenticeship programs that are not sponsored by program participants' employers should provide the participants with professional development resources and interview training.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall carry out a pilot program to provide eligible veterans with the opportunity to enroll in certification programs in computer numerically controlled machining. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress regarding the career technical training track of the VA's Transition Assistance Program, including its effectiveness in educating participants about apprenticeship opportunities. 


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Fair Treatment Act of 
1995''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
      TITLE I--REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE

Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Compliance guides.
Sec. 103. No action letter.
Sec. 104. Voluntary self-audits.
                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 201. Performance measures.
Sec. 202. Grace period for correction of violations of Environmental 
                            Protection Agency regulations.
Sec. 203. Waiver of punitive fines for small entities.

      TITLE I--REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE

SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
            (1) Compliance guide.--The term ``compliance guide'' means 
        a publication made by a covered agency under section 102(a).
            (2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means any 
        agency that, on the date of enactment of this Act, has 
        promulgated any rule for which a regulatory flexibility 
        analysis was required under section 605 of title 5, United 
        States Code, and any other agency that promulgates any such 
        rule, as of the date of enactment of this Act.
            (3) No action letter.--The term ``no action letter'' means 
        a written determination from a covered agency stating that, 
        based on a no action request submitted to the agency by a small 
        entity, the agency will not take enforcement action against the 
        small entity under the rules of the covered agency.
            (4) No action request.--The term ``no action request'' 
        means a written correspondence submitted by a small entity to a 
        covered agency--
                    (A) stating a set of facts; and
                    (B) requesting a determination by the agency of 
                whether the agency would take an enforcement action 
                against the small entity based on such facts and the 
                application of any rule of the agency.
            (5) Rule.--The term ``rule'' has the same meaning as in 
        section 601(2) of title 5, United States Code.
            (6) Small entity.--The term ``small entity'' has the same 
        meaning as in section 601(6) of title 5, United States Code.
            (7) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
        concern'' has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Small 
        Business Act.
            (8) Voluntary self-audit.--The term ``voluntary self-
        audit'' means an audit, assessment, or review of any operation, 
        practice, or condition of a small entity that--
                    (A) is initiated by an officer, employee, or agent 
                of the small entity; and
                    (B) is not required by law.

SEC. 102. COMPLIANCE GUIDES.

    (a) Compliance Guide.--
            (1) Publication.--If a covered agency is required to 
        prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for a rule or group 
        of related rules under section 603 of title 5, United States 
        Code, the agency shall publish a compliance guide for such rule 
        or group of related rules.
            (2) Requirements.--Each compliance guide published under 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) contain a summary description of the rule or 
                group of related rules;
                    (B) contain a citation to the location of the 
                complete rule or group of related rules in the Federal 
                Register;
                    (C) provide notice to small entities of the 
                requirements under the rule or group of related rules 
                and explain the actions that a small entity is required 
                to take to comply with the rule or group of related 
                rules;
                    (D) be written in a manner to be understood by the 
                average owner or manager of a small entity; and
                    (E) be updated as required to reflect changes in 
                the rule.
    (b) Dissemination.--
            (1) In general.--Each covered agency shall establish a 
        system to ensure that compliance guides required under this 
        section are published, disseminated, and made easily available 
        to small entities.
            (2) Small business development centers.--In carrying out 
        this subsection, each covered agency shall provide sufficient 
        numbers of compliance guides to small business development 
        centers for distribution to small businesses concerns.
    (c) Limitation on Enforcement.--
            (1) In general.--No covered agency may bring an enforcement 
        action in any Federal court or in any Federal administrative 
        proceeding against a small entity to enforce a rule for which a 
        compliance guide is not published and disseminated by the 
        covered agency as required under this section.
            (2) Effective dates.--This subsection shall take effect--
                    (A) 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act with regard to a final regulation in effect on the 
                date of the enactment of this Act; and
                    (B) on the date of the enactment of this Act with 
                regard to a regulation that takes effect as a final 
                regulation after such date of enactment.

SEC. 103. NO ACTION LETTER.

    (a) Application.--This section applies to all covered agencies, 
except--
            (1) the Federal Trade Commission;
            (2) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and
            (3) the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    (b) Issuance of No Action Letter.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which a covered agency receives a no action request, the agency 
shall--
            (1) make a determination regarding whether to grant the no 
        action request, deny the no action request, or seek further 
        information regarding the no action request; and
            (2) if the agency makes a determination under paragraph (1) 
        to grant the no action request, issue a no action letter and 
        transmit the letter to the requesting small entity.
    (c) Reliance on No Action Letter or Compliance Guide.--In any 
enforcement action brought by a covered agency in any Federal court or 
Federal administrative proceeding against a small entity, the small 
entity shall have a complete defense to any allegation of noncompliance 
or violation of a rule if the small entity affirmatively pleads and 
proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the act or omission 
constituting the alleged noncompliance or violation was taken in good 
faith with and in reliance on--
            (1) a no action letter from that agency; or
            (2) a compliance guide of the applicable rule published by 
        the agency under section 102(a).

SEC. 104. VOLUNTARY SELF-AUDITS.

    (a) Procedures.--Each agency shall establish voluntary self-audit 
procedures for small entities regulated by the agency.
    (b) Inadmissibility of Evidence and Limitation on Discovery.--If 
action to address a violation is taken not later than 180 days after 
the date on which a voluntary self-audit is concluded, the evidence 
described in subsection (c)--
            (1) shall not be admissible, unless agreed to by the small 
        entity, in any enforcement action brought against a small 
        entity by a Federal agency in any Federal--
                    (A) court; or
                    (B) administrative proceeding; and
            (2) may not be the subject of discovery in any enforcement 
        action brought against a small entity by a Federal agency in 
        any Federal--
                    (A) court; or
                    (B) administrative proceeding.
    (c) Application.--For purposes of subsection (b), the evidence 
described in this subsection is--
            (1) a voluntary self-audit made in good faith; and
            (2) any report, finding, opinion, or any other oral or 
        written communication made in good faith relating to such 
        voluntary self-audit.
    (d) Exceptions.--Subsection (b) shall not apply if--
            (1) the act or omission that forms the basis of the 
        enforcement action is a violation of criminal law; or
            (2) the voluntary self-audit or the report, finding, 
        opinion, or other oral or written communication was prepared 
        for the purpose of avoiding disclosure of information required 
        for an investigative, administrative, or judicial proceeding 
        that, at the time of preparation, was imminent or in progress.

                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

    No covered agency shall establish or enforce agency personnel 
practices that reward agency employees, directly or indirectly, based 
on the number of contacts made with small entities in pursuit of 
enforcement actions or on the amount of fines levied against small 
entities to enforce agency regulations.

SEC. 202. GRACE PERIOD FOR CORRECTION OF VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
              PROTECTION AGENCY REGULATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), for violations of 
regulations identified on or after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall afford 
small entities 180 days after the date on which the violation is 
identified to correct such violation.
    (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply--
            (1) if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency determines that there is an imminent risk to public 
        health or worker safety; or
            (2) to a violation of a regulation for which criminal 
        liability may be imposed.

SEC. 203. WAIVER OF PUNITIVE FINES FOR SMALL ENTITIES.

    Notwithstanding any other law, policy, or practice, a covered 
agency may waive all or part of a punitive fine that would otherwise be 
imposed on a small entity if--
            (1) the fine is for a first time violation of a law or 
        regulation; and
            (2) the small entity acts quickly and in good faith to 
        correct the violation.

Ex Output:
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  Regulatory Simplification and Voluntary Compliance 
     Title II:  Miscellaneous Provisions 
Small Business Fair Treatment Act of 1995 - 
Title I:  Regulatory Simplification and Voluntary Compliance
 - Directs a Federal regulatory agency that is required to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for a rule or group of related rules to publish a compliance guide which:  (1) contains a summary of the rules and a citation as to their location; (2) provides a notice to small businesses (small entities) of such rules as well as an understandable explanation of actions necessary for compliance; and (3) is updated as required. Requires such guide to be disseminated to small entities, as well as to small business development centers.  Prohibits any covered agency from bringing an action against a small entity to enforce a rule for which such a guide has not been published and disseminated. 
(Sec. 103) Requires covered agencies other than the Federal Trade Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to determine within 90 days whether to grant or deny a request by a small entity that no action be taken against such entity with respect to the enforcement of a rule (no action request).  Allows a small entity to rely on a no action response from a covered agency in any subsequent action brought against the small entity for a rule's enforcement. 
(Sec. 104) Requires each covered agency to establish voluntary self-audit procedures for small entities regulated by the agency. Makes inadmissible as evidence in an action, as well as outside the bounds of discovery, any information compiled by a small entity in a voluntary self-audit, as long as an action to address such violation is brought within 180 days after the conclusion of the self-audit. 
Title II:  Miscellaneous Provisions
 - Prohibits any covered agency from establishing personnel practices that reward its employees based on the number of contacts made with small entities in pursuit of enforcement actions or the levy of fines to enforce agency regulations. 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to afford small entities a 180-day grace period for the correction of EPA violations, with exceptions. 
(Sec. 203) Authorizes a covered agency to waive all or part of any punitive fine that would otherwise be imposed on a small entity:  (1) for a first time violation; and (2) if the small entity acts quickly and in good faith to correct the violation.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF RESEARCH CREDIT.

    (a) Extension.--Subsection (h) of section 41 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to credit for research activities) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``June 30, 1995'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``December 31, 1997'', and
            (2) by striking ``July 1, 1995'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``January 1, 1998''.
    (b) Base Amount for Start-up Companies.--Clause (i) of section 
41(c)(3)(B) of such Code (relating to start-up companies) is amended to 
read as follows:
                            ``(i)  Taxpayers to which subparagraph 
                        applies.--The fixed-base percentage shall be 
                        determined under this subparagraph if--
                                    ``(I) the first taxable year in 
                                which a taxpayer had both gross 
                                receipts and qualified research 
                                expenses begins after December 31, 
                                1983, or
                                    ``(II) there are fewer than 3 
                                taxable years beginning after December 
                                31, 1983, and before January 1, 1989, 
                                in which the taxpayer had both gross 
                                receipts and qualified research 
                                expenses.''.
    (c) Election of Alternative Incremental Credit.--Subsection (c) of 
section 41 of such Code is amended by redesignating paragraphs (4) and 
(5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively, and by inserting after 
paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Election of alternative incremental credit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--At the election of the taxpayer, 
                the credit determined under subsection (a)(1) shall be 
                equal to the sum of--
                            ``(i) 1.65 percent of so much of the 
                        qualified research expenses for the taxable 
                        year as exceeds 1 percent of the average 
                        described in subsection (c)(1)(B) but does not 
                        exceed 1.5 percent of such average,
                            ``(ii) 2.2 percent of so much of such 
                        expenses as exceeds 1.5 percent of such average 
                        but does not exceed 2 percent of such average, 
                        and
                            ``(iii) 2.75 percent of so much of such 
                        expenses as exceeds 2 percent of such average.
                    ``(B) Election.--An election under this paragraph 
                may be made only for the first taxable year of the 
                taxpayer beginning after June 30, 1995. Such an 
                election shall apply to the taxable year for which made 
                and all succeeding taxable years unless revoked with 
                the consent of the Secretary.''
    (d) Increased Credit for Contract Research Expenses With Respect to 
Certain Research Consortia.--Paragraph (3) of section 41(b) of such 
Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Amounts paid to certain research consortia.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Subparagraph (A) shall 
                        be applied by substituting `80 percent' for `65 
                        percent' with respect to amounts paid or 
                        incurred by the taxpayer to a qualified 
                        research consortium for qualified research.
                            ``(ii) Qualified research consortium.--The 
                        term `qualified research consortium' means any 
                        organization described in subsection (e)(6)(B) 
                        if--
                                    ``(I) at least 15 unrelated 
                                taxpayers paid (during the calendar 
                                year in which the taxable year of the 
                                taxpayer begins) amounts to such 
                                organization for qualified research,
                                    ``(II) no 3 persons paid during 
                                such calendar year more than 50 percent 
                                of the total amounts paid during such 
                                calendar year for qualified research, 
                                and
                                    ``(III) no person contributed more 
                                than 20 percent of such total amounts.
                        For purposes of subclause (I), all persons 
                        treated as a single employer under subsection 
                        (a) or (b) of section 52 shall be treated as 
                        related taxpayers.''
    (e) Conforming Amendment.--Subparagraph (D) of section 28(b)(1) of 
such Code is amended by striking ``June 30, 1995'' and inserting 
``December 31, 1997''.
    (f) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years 
        ending after June 30, 1995.
            (2) Subsections (c) and (d).--The amendments made by 
        subsections (c) and (d) shall apply to taxable years beginning 
        after June 30, 1995.

Ex Output:

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through December 31, 1997, the credit for increasing research activities.  Modifies the fixed-base percentage for start-up companies. 
Allows an individual to elect an alternative incremental credit. Makes the election of such credit applicable to the taxable year in which the election is made and for all succeeding taxable years, unless it is revoked with the consent of the Secretary of the Treasury. 
Increases from 65 percent to 80 percent the amount for contract research expenses with respect to amounts paid or incurred by the taxpayer to qualified research consortia for qualified research.