To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate the vocational training program of the Department of Veterans Affairs for certain low-income veterans in receipt of pension from that Department.

February 27, 2003

Mr. BROWN of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate the vocational training program of the Department of Veterans Affairs for certain low-income veterans in receipt of pension from that Department.

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 `Disabled Veterans' Return-to-Work Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT OF VETERANS VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN PENSION RECIPIENTS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW PROGRAM PERIOD- Subsection (a)(3) of section 1524 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking `the period beginning on February 1, 1985, and ending on December 31, 1995' and inserting `the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Disabled Veterans' Return-to-Work Act of 2003'.

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Subsection (b)(4) of such section is amended by striking `December 31, 1995' and inserting `the end of the program period'.

(c) OUTREACH- Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(f) The Secretary shall ensure that the availability of vocational training under this section is made known through a variety of means, including the Internet and announcements in Department publications and other veterans' publications.'.

(d) REPORTS- Such section is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(g) Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of the Disabled Veterans' Return-to-Work Act of 2003, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the operation of this section. The report shall set forth an evaluation of the vocational training provided under this section for the period involved, and shall include an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the vocational training provided under this section as well as data on the entered-employment rate of veterans pursuing such vocational training.'.

(e) STYLISTIC AMENDMENTS- Such section is further amended--

(1) by striking `of Veterans Affairs' in subsection (a)(1); and

(2) by striking `of this section' in subsections (a)(2), (b)(1), (b)(4) (both places it appears), (c), (d), and (e).

END