SMOCTA Reauthorization Act of 2008

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 6221, as amended, the Veteran-Owned Small Business Protection and Clarification Act of 2008.

H.R. 6225, as amended, makes three important improvements for our veterans. First, it closes a loophole in title 38, United States Code, to require that contracts awarded on behalf of Department of Veterans Affairs by agents of the Department include provision to comply with the disabled veteran-owned small business provisions in public law 109- 461.

Second, the bill would expand the types of VA work-study jobs on college campuses to provide more jobs for student veterans and widen interaction between veterans, the faculty, staff and, most importantly, other students.

Finally, H.R. 6221, as amended, would take provisions from H.R. 6272 introduced by Congressman Welch to create the Military Occupational Specialty Transition (MOST) program, a modernized version of the old Service Members Occupational Conversion and Training Act, or SMOCTA.

Focusing on veterans whose military specialty does not translate well into civilian life and who do not have other training opportunities available under title XXXVIII, this bill will benefit veterans whose job skills no longer match what is needed by today's economy.

For example, today's army or marine infantryman is experienced with some types of technology related to their specialty, but most of their training is in small unit tactics and weapons. They are not like the technicians who service and operate sophisticated systems on a daily basis. While an infantryman has developed soft skills such as leadership and initiative that are valuable in many work places, many hands-on skills are usually not part of the resume.

Or take a sailor whose main job is to move aircraft around on the flight deck of a carrier. He works in a very dangerous environment but other than working the light line at an airport, his skill is not very transferable.

Or take the airman who is a load master who is responsible for the safe loading of cargo on aircraft. Outside of working for an airline in the same capacity, the load master has few directly transferable military skills.

I appreciate our colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for his initiative to renew funding for the old Service Members Occupational Conversion and Training Act, or SMOCTA. Again, in a bipartisan manner, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee has brought us a bill that meets Mr. Welch's goal of providing a training program for veterans who finish military service with few or no skills that are transferable to regular life.

Mr. Speaker, I extend my gratitude to Chairman Filner, Ranking Member Buyer, and subcommittee Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin for working together to bring this bill to us as a bipartisan effort to make veterans more competitive in the job market. I also want to thank our staffs for their hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 6221, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers also.

Again, I want to encourage my colleagues to vote for the bill, and I also want to thank Mr. Welch for his hard work in bringing forward, I think, this reauthorization. With the changes that are being made with his help is really going to help the servicemember that comes out who is disadvantaged because he hasn't received as much training in specialized fields as the other members.

I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6221) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include in each contract the Secretary enters for the acquisition of goods and services a provision that requires the contractee to comply with the contracting goals and preferences for small business concerns owned or controlled by veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I want to thank Mr. Boozman, and he included parts of a bill from Ms. Herseth Sandlin and from Mr. Welch from Vermont, another new Member who has been a great participant in our deliberations.

I would like to thank my distinguished colleague, Ranking Member John Boozman in the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, for his bipartisan efforts in crafting H.R. 6221, as amended, Improving Veterans' Opportunities in Education and Business Act.

I also want to thank Subcommittee Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Congressman Peter Welch for introducing language included in this important legislation.

Many of our veterans today are currently transitioning into the workforce or continuing their studies in higher education.

Some of our disabled veterans own small businesses, while others are receiving training to pursue other careers. Our veterans deserve to receive the necessary resources to succeed in life after the military. We must work together to ensure that our Nation's heroes are equipped and provided the training they need for their future careers.

H.R. 6221 would clarify a provision in current law that was intended to assist veterans in the Federal procurement process. This provision has been interpreted by the VA General Counsel that it does not apply to agents acting on behalf of the VA. H.R. 6221 would clarify congressional intent and require any entity that purchases goods and services on behalf of the VA to comply with the contracting goals and preferences for small businesses owned or controlled by veterans.

Language introduced by Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota would authorize $10 million for VA to conduct a 5-year pilot program to expand the veterans' campus work study program.

Eligible work-study may include positions in academic departments and student services, such as jobs in tutoring, research, career services, and campus orientation.

Language was introduced by Representative Peter Welch of Vermont to authorize $60 million for the next 10 years to fund the Service Members' Occupational Conversion and Training Act, commonly called

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

I would ask, Mr. Speaker, that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6221, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6221, as amended, the Veteran Owned Small Business Protection and Clarification Act of 2008. This bill, as amended, would amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include in each contract the Secretary enters for the acquisition of goods and services a provision that requires compliance with the contracting goals and preferences for small business concerns owned or controlled by veterans, and for other purposes.

H.R. 6221, as amended, does 3 very good things for veterans.

First, it closes a loophole in the service disabled veteran-owned business provisions in Public Law 109-461 to require that any VA agreement with other entities to provide contracting services include provisions to comply with those provisions.

Second, the bill would expand the types of VA work study jobs on college campuses to provide more jobs for student veterans, and widen interaction between veterans, the faculty, staff and most importantly, other students.

Finally, H.R. 6221, as amended, would take provisions from H.R. 6272, introduced by Congressman Welch to create the Military Occupational Specialty Transition (MOST) program, a modernized version of the old Service Members' Occupational Conversion and Training Act or SMOCTA.

Focusing on veterans whose military specialty does not translate well into civilian life and who do not have other training opportunities available under title 38, this bill will benefit veterans whose job skills no longer match what is needed by today's economy.

I appreciate our colleague from Vermont, Mr. Welch, for his bill which would renew funding for the old Service Members' Occupational Conversion and Training Act or SMOCTA. Again, in a bipartisan manner, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee has brought us a bill that meets Mr. Welch's goal of providing a training program for veterans who finish military service with few or no skills that are transferrable to civilian life.

Mr. Speaker, I extend my gratitude to Chairman Filner, Subcommittee Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin and Ranking Member Boozman for working together to bring this bill to us as a bipartisan effort to make veterans more competitive in the job market.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6221.

Mr. Speaker, as the Chairwoman of the Veterans' Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee and sponsor of the ``Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act,'' which has been included in the ``Improving Veterans' Opportunity in Education

and Business Act,'' I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6221, as amended.

I would like to thank full Committee Chairman Filner, Ranking Member Buyer, and the sponsor of the bill, Subcommittee Ranking Member Boozman for their leadership and bipartisan support of this bill, which the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee passed on June 26 and the full Committee approved on July 15.

As I noted, this important measure to improve business and education opportunities for veterans includes the ``Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act,'' which I introduced on June 10 of this year. The purpose of my bill is to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 5-year pilot program to expand on existing work- study activities for veterans. Currently, veterans that qualify for work-study would be limited to working on VA related work. My bill would allow those veterans the option of working in academic departments and student services. This change would put them at par with students that qualify for a work-study position under programs not administered by the VA.

I also would like to thank Representative Peter Welch for a bill, which was also included in H.R. 6221, to reauthorize the Military Occupational Specialty Transition (MOST) Program, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Boozman for the introduction of the underlying bill to require VA contractees to comply with contracting goals and preferences for small businesses owned by veterans.

Again, I thank Chairman Boozman for sponsoring this important bill. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 6221, as amended.