To require a report on participation in the Transition Assistance Program.

SA 2273. Mr. ROUNDS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2019 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. ___. REPORT ON PARTICIPATION IN THE TRANSITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) Report Required.--Not later than February 28, 2019, the
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a
report on participation in the Transition Assistance Program
under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code, by
members of the Armed Forces.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:
(1) Information on the participation of members of the
Armed Forces in the Transition Assistance Program during
2018, including the following:
(A) The number of members who were eligible for
participation in the Program during 2018, in aggregate and by
component of the Armed Forces.
(B) The number of members who participated in the Program
during 2018, in aggregate and by component of the Armed
Forces, for each service as follows:
(i) Preseparation counseling provided by the Department of
Defense.
(ii) Briefings provided by the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
(iii) Employment workshops provided by the Department of
Labor.
(C) The number of members who did not participate in the
Program during 2018 due to a waiver of the participation
requirement under section 114(c)(2) of title 10, United Stats
Code, for each service set forth in subparagraph (B).
(2) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative
action as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the
Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and
the Secretary of Homeland Security, considers appropriate to
increase participation of members of the Armed Forces in each
service set forth in paragraph (1)(B).
(3) Assessments of the Transition Assistance Program by
members of the Armed Forces who participated in the Program
during 2018, including the following:
(A) A summary of the data obtained by the Department of
Defense through assessments of the Program by participants in
the Program during 2018, including data obtained through the
assessments as follows:
(i) The Transition Goals Plans Success (GPS) Participant
Assessment.
(ii) Status of Forces Surveys (SOFS).
(B) A summary of the conclusions derived by the Secretary
of Defense from the data described in subparagraph (A).

[[Page S2997]]

(4) Such recommendations for improvements to the Transition
Assistance Program as the Secretary of Defense considers
appropriate in light of the data described by paragraph
(3)(A) and the conclusions described by paragraph (3)(B),
including recommendations for such legislative or
administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate
to carry out such improvements.
______