The House of Representatives passed legislation to provide occupational training to out-of-work veterans as a way to counter growing unemployment in their ranks. The measure passed, 418-6, under suspension of the rules, an expedited procedure requiring a two-thirds majority for passage.

The legislation, HR 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011, would allow 100,000 unemployed veterans ages 35 through 64 to apply for Montgomery GI Bill (PL 78-346) benefits. Eligible veterans could choose to enhance their skills with up to a year of training for high-demand fields such as information technology and health care.
 
The bill, sponsored by Florida Republican Jeff Miller, Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, would require participating veterans to submit a monthly certification of enrollment in a specific course. The assistance each month would be equal to the basic educational benefits provided under the Montgomery GI Bill — a maximum of $1,426 a month for 2011. Payments would be made from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department’s readjustment benefits account.

Chairman Miller’s counterpart, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has moved forward with a different bill (S 951), which is expected to reach the Senate floor this year. It would provide employment opportunities for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both bills would require service members to take part in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) before returning to civilian status. The program, an interagency initiative coordinated by the departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs, is currently mandatory for Marines only.