Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Nevada and the gentleman from Kansas for their support of this very important piece of legislation.

I rise in support of S. 760, the Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019. I was proud to introduce the House companion bill, H.R. 5314, with my colleague, Representative Katherine Clark.

Our Nation's veterans deserve our support while deployed and when they return home. One of the best ways to do that is to prepare them for the workforce outside of the military.

Our servicemembers have attained incredible skills during their service, many times, quite frankly, under fire. Sadly, when they return to civilian life, finding a good-paying, family-sustaining job may be difficult.

Many States have significant inconsistencies between the number of registered apprenticeships offered and the number of programs listed as approved for veterans' benefits. These discrepancies exist despite the simple, expedited VA approval process for apprenticeship sponsors who have gone through all the steps to register their programs through the Department of Labor at either the Federal or the State level.

The VA approval process still requires additional steps that not all sponsors follow through to completion. This makes it difficult in many States for veterans to have the full list of apprenticeship programs where they can use their earned benefits and apply their learned skills and knowledge.

H.R. 5314 helps streamline the process of attaining an apprenticeship and reduces roadblocks for our veterans.

The bill ensures programs are equipped to complete the expedited VA process for registered apprenticeships and expands coordination between the Department of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Now, additionally, the bill clarifies that veterans are eligible for advanced placement and appropriate wage increases and instructs apprenticeship programs to account for a participant's competencies and prior experiences, including those gained during military service.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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