S.Amdt. 4417

1. Adds SEC. 587. IMPROVED ADMINISTRATION OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS at the end of subtitle F of title V

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 587. IMPROVED ADMINISTRATION OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

   Inserted: (a) Preseparation Counseling.--Section 1142 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subsection (a)--

   Inserted: (A) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and

   Inserted: (B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

   Inserted: "(4) For members of the reserve components who have been serving on active duty continuously for at least 180 days, the Secretary concerned shall require that preseparation counseling under this section be provided to all such members (including officers) before the members are separated.

   Inserted: "(5) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that commanders of members entitled to services under this section authorize the members to obtain such services during duty time.";

   Inserted: (2) in subsection (b)--

   Inserted: (A) in paragraph (4), by striking "(4) Information concerning" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(4) Provision of information on civilian occupations and related assistance programs, including information concerning--

   Inserted: "(A) certification and licensure requirements that are applicable to civilian occupations;

   Inserted: "(B) civilian occupations that correspond to military occupational specialties; and

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   Inserted: "(C)"; and

   Inserted: (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

   Inserted: "(15) Information concerning homelessness, including risk factors, awareness assessment, and contact information for preventative assistance associated with homelessness.";

   Inserted: (3) by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "(d) Additional Requirements.--(1) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that--

   Inserted: "(A) preseparation counseling under this section includes material that is specifically relevant to the needs of--

   Inserted: "(i) persons being separated from active duty by discharge from a regular component of the armed forces; and

   Inserted: "(ii) members of the reserve components being separated from active duty;

   Inserted: "(B) the preseparation counseling under this section is provided to each member of the armed forces eligible for such counseling under this section and includes web-based services, telemedicine, and individual counseling;

   Inserted: "(C) the scope and content of the material presented in preseparation counseling at each location under this section are consistent with the scope and content of the material presented in the preseparation counseling at the other locations under this section; and

   Inserted: "(D) follow up counseling is provided for each member of the reserve components described in subparagraph (A) not later than 180 days after separation from active duty.

   Inserted: "(2) The Secretary concerned shall, on a continuing basis, update the content of the materials used by the National Veterans Training Institute and such officials' other activities that provide direct training support to personnel who provide preseparation counseling under this section."; and

   Inserted: (4) by amending the heading to read as follows:

   Inserted: "Sec. 1142. Members separating from active duty:

   Inserted: preseparation counseling".

   Inserted: (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 58 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 1142 and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "1142. Members separating from active duty: preseparation counseling.".

   Inserted: (c) Department of Labor Transitional Services Program.--Section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking "paragraph (4)(A)" in the second sentence and inserting "paragraph (6)(A)";

   Inserted: (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

   Inserted: "(c) Participation.--(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall require participation by members of the armed forces eligible for assistance under the program carried out under this section.

   Inserted: "(2) The Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security need not require, but shall encourage and otherwise promote, participation in the program by the following members of the armed forces described in paragraph (1):

   Inserted: "(A) Each member who has previously participated in the program.

   Inserted: "(B) Each member who, upon discharge or release from active duty, is returning to--

   Inserted: "(i) a position of employment; or

   Inserted: "(ii) pursuit of an academic degree or other educational or occupational training objective that the member was pursuing when called or ordered to such active duty.

   Inserted: "(3) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that commanders of members entitled to services under this section authorize the members to obtain such services during duty time."; and

   Inserted: (3) by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "(e) Mechanisms for Provision of Counseling and Services.--(1) In providing counseling and other services under the program under this section, the Secretary of Labor--

   Inserted: "(A) may utilize range of methods for providing such counseling and services, including face-to-face workshop, individual counseling, web-based tutorial, videotape workshops, and any combination thereof; and

   Inserted: "(B) shall encourage face-to-face workshops as the optimal method for the provision of such counseling and services.

   Inserted: "(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the scope and content of counseling and services under the program are consistent, regardless of the mechanism utilized under paragraph (1) to provide such counseling and services.

   Inserted: "(f) Updated Materials.--The Secretary concerned shall, on a continuing basis, update the content of all materials used by the Department of Labor that provide direct training support to personnel who provide transitional services counseling under this section.".

   Inserted: SEC. 588. COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT ON ACCESS TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES BEING DISCHARGED, SEPARATED OR RELEASED FROM THE ARMED FORCES.

   Inserted: (a) Assessment Required.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct and provide to Congress within 240 days an assessment of the following:

   Inserted: (1) The current policies and practices of the Department of Defense (including the military departments and the Armed Forces), the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Labor on permitting access by military and veterans' service organizations and State veterans service agencies to members of the Armed Forces who are scheduled, or are in the process of being scheduled, for separation, discharge, release, or retirement from active duty in the Armed Forces for the purposes of providing preseparation counseling, other assistance briefings, and veteran-to-veteran counseling to such members.

   Inserted: (2) Whether such policies and practices are consistently applied throughout the military departments, the regular and reserve components of the Armed Forces, all duty stations of the Armed Forces, and facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: (3) The effectiveness of preseparation counseling provided by veterans for members of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (4) The effectiveness of preseparation counseling and other assistance briefings by military and veterans' service organizations and State veterans service agencies for members of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (5) The effectiveness of veteran-to-veteran counseling to members of the Armed Forces who have been discharged or released, or are retired, from active duty in the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: (b) Recommendations.--In conducting the assessment required by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall develop such recommendations as the Comptroller General considers appropriate on the following:

   Inserted: (1) The extent to which the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Labor should encourage or require veteran preseparation counseling, preseparation counseling, and other assistance briefings by military and veterans' service organizations and State veterans service agencies.

   Inserted: (2) Means by which veterans should learn about and gain access to veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling, preseparation counseling, and other assistance briefings by military and veterans' service organizations, State and local veterans service agencies, community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations) serving veterans, and other veteran-to-veteran counseling, and where and how access should be made available.

   Inserted: (3) Means by which the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Labor shall ensure consistency in the application of policies and practices on veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling, preseparation counseling, veteran-to-veteran counseling, and other assistance briefings by military and veterans' service organizations, State and local veterans service agencies, community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations) serving veterans throughout the military departments, the regular and reserve components of the Armed Forces, all duty stations of the Armed Forces, and facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

   Inserted: (c) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) The term "counseling", with respect to the members of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a)(1), includes group-level briefings and individual and family meetings with such members in order to provide the following:

   Inserted: (A) The counseling required under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code.

   Inserted: (B) The employment, job training, and other assistance, and information on such assistance, required by section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.

   Inserted: (C) Information on benefits delivery at discharge programs.

   Inserted: (D) Information on the programs and services of the entity or organization providing such counseling.

   Inserted: (2) The term "benefits delivery at discharge program" means a program administered jointly by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide information and assistance on available benefits and other transition assistance to obtain any disability benefits for which a member of the Armed Forces.

   Inserted: (1) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this subsection, the term "appropriate committees of Congress" means--

   Inserted: (A) the Committees on Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and

   Inserted: (B) the Committees on Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.

   Inserted: (d) Provision of Materials.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate actions to ensure the provision to all members of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a)(1) from military and veterans' service organizations and State veterans' service agencies of such materials (including materials described in paragraph (2)) on separation from active duty in the Armed Forces and adjustment to civilian life as such organizations and agencies seek to provide to such members. The Secretary may prohibit the provision of any such materials to such members only if such materials are factually inaccurate.

   Inserted: (2) Materials.--The materials described in this paragraph are materials on the following:

   Inserted: (A) The counseling required to be provided under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code.

   Inserted: (B) The employment, job training, and other assistance required to be provided under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.

   Inserted: (C) Benefits delivery at discharge programs.

   Inserted: (D) Programs and services provided by the organization or agency concerned.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle F of title V, add the following:

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As printed