S. 3865 - HOPE Act - Help Our Patriots Employment Act of 2006

109th CONGRESS
2d Session

S. 3865

To provide incentive for employers to hire service-connected disabled veterans and to improve adjustment assistance and job-training transition for injured and disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 7 (legislative day, September 6), 2006

Mr. BAUCUS introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Help Our Patriots Employment (HOPE) Act of 2006'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) As of July 15, 2006, a total of 19,813 members of the Armed Forces of the United States have been wounded in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

(2) As of July 15, 2006, a total of 3,083 members of the National Guard have been wounded in action in OIF and OEF.

(3) As of July 15, 2006, a total of 1,626 members of the Reserve have been wounded in action in OIF and OEF.

(4) Rural States are carrying a huge burden when it comes to this Nation's current conflicts abroad. Ninety-five percent of America's National Guard combat battalions and special operations have been mobilized since September 11, 2001. When not deployed, many members of the National Guard and Reserve have second and third jobs to make ends meet.

(5) Many of these brave servicemen and women are now permanently disabled, and many of them are now unable to perform the jobs they did before deployment because of injury or disability.

(6) Since August 2002, the number of veterans collecting unemployment insurance has risen 96 percent. In addition, during any given year, 500,000 veterans experience homelessness.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF DISABLED VETERANS UNDER THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT.

(a) Disabled Veterans Treated as Members of Targeted Group-

(1) IN GENERAL- Subparagraph (A) of section 51(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to qualified veteran) is amended by striking `agency as being a member of a family' and all that follows and inserting `agency as--

`(i) being a member of a family receiving assistance under a food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 for at least a 3-month period ending during the 12-month period ending on the hiring date, or

`(ii) entitled to compensation for a service-connected disability.'.

(2) DEFINITIONS- Paragraph (3) of section 51(d) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(C) OTHER DEFINITIONS- For purposes of subparagraph (A), the terms `compensation' and `service-connected' have the meanings given such terms under section 101 of title 38, United States Code.'.

(b) Increase in Amount of Wages Taken Into Account for Disabled Veterans- Paragraph (3) of section 51(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--

(1) by inserting `($12,000 per year in the case of any individual who is a qualified veteran by reason of subsection (d)(3)(A)(ii))' before the period at the end, and

(2) by striking `ONLY FIRST $6,000 OF' in the heading and inserting `LIMITATION ON'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to individuals who begin work for an employer after December 31, 2005.

SEC. 4. INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES INSTITUTE.

(a) In General- In addition to any amounts otherwise appropriated, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Labor to operate the National Veterans' Employment and Training Services Institute in accordance with section 4109 of title 38, United States Code, $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

(b) Availability- Any amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.

END