Consolidation of disabled veterans outreach program and local veterans’ employment representatives

(a) Consolidation (1) In general Section 4104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 4104. Veteran employment specialists (a) Requirement for employment by states (1) Subject to approval by the Secretary, a State shall employ and assign such full- or part-time veteran employment specialists in an agency of the State as the State determines appropriate and efficient to carry out the following: (A) Employment, training, and placement services under this chapter. (B) Intensive services under this chapter to meet the employment needs of eligible veterans with the following priority in the provision of services: (i) Special disabled veterans. (ii) Other disabled veterans. (iii) Other eligible veterans in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary taking into account applicable rates of unemployment and the employment emphases set forth in chapter 42 of this title. (2) In the provision of services in accordance with this subsection, maximum emphasis in meeting the employment and training needs of veterans shall be placed on assisting economically or educationally disadvantaged veterans. (b) Principal duties As principal duties, veteran employment specialists shall— (1) conduct outreach to employers in the area to assist veterans and disabled veterans in gaining employment, including conducting seminars for employers and, in conjunction with employers, conducting job search workshops and establishing job search groups; and (2) facilitate employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans and disabled veterans in a State under the applicable State employment service delivery systems. (c) Requirement for qualified veterans (1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), a State shall, to the maximum extent practicable, employ qualified veterans to carry out the services referred to in subsection (a). Preference shall be given in the appointment of such specialists to qualified disabled veterans. Preference shall be accorded in the following order: (A) To qualified service-connected disabled veterans. (B) If no veteran described in subparagraph (A) is available, to qualified eligible veterans. (C) If no veteran described in subparagraph (A) or (B) is available, then to qualified eligible persons. (2) During any period in which more than 10 percent of the individuals employed to carry out the services referred to in subsection (a) are non-veterans, the preference accorded under paragraph (1) shall be as follows: (A) To qualified service-connected disabled veterans. (B) If no veteran described in subparagraph (A) is available, to qualified eligible veterans. (3) (A) Each State that employs a veteran employment specialist under this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report on the qualifications used by the State in making hiring determinations for such specialists and the salary structure under which such specialists are compensated. (B) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report summarizing the reports submitted under subparagraph (A). (C) The first report submitted by the Secretary under subparagraph (B) shall include an evaluation of whether the pay for veteran employment specialists should be scheduled on a standard basis for each State and include locality pay. (d) Part-time employees A part-time veteran employment specialist shall perform the functions of a veteran employment specialist under this section on a halftime basis. (e) Reporting Each veteran employment specialist shall be administratively responsible to the manager of the employment service delivery system and shall provide reports, not less frequently than quarterly, to the manager of such office and to the Director for Veterans’ Employment and Training for the State regarding compliance with Federal law and regulations with respect to special services and priorities for eligible veterans and eligible persons.. (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the item relating to section 4104 and inserting the following new item: 4104. Veteran employment specialists.. (3) Training The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that an individual who is a veteran employment specialist under section 4104 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by paragraph (1), is properly trained to carry out the duties of such position. (b) Conforming amendments Such title is further amended— (1) by striking section 4103A and by striking the item relating to such section in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 41 of such title; (2) in section 4102A— (A) in subsection (b)— (i) in paragraph (5)— (I) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); (II) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) veteran employment specialists appointed under section 4104(a) of this title; and; and (III) in subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, by striking such specialists and representatives described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting such representatives described in subparagraph (A); (ii) in paragraph (7), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and through local veterans’ employment representatives and inserting veteran employment specialists; (B) in subsection (c)— (i) in paragraph (1)— (I) by striking sections 4103A(a) and and inserting section; and (II) by striking section 4103A or; (ii) in paragraph (2)(A)— (I) in clause (i)(I)— (aa) by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and local veterans’ employment representatives and inserting veteran employment specialists; and (bb) by striking sections 4103A and 4104 and inserting section 4104; (II) in clause (iii), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist or a local veterans’ employment representative and inserting veteran employment specialist; (iii) in paragraph (4), by striking 4103A or; (iv) in paragraph (5), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist and local veterans’ employment representative and inserting veteran employment specialist; (v) in paragraph (7), by striking 4103A or; and (vi) in paragraph (8)(A)— (I) by striking 4103A or; and (II) by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist or a local veterans’ employment representative and inserting veteran employment specialist; and (C) in subsection (f)(1), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and local veterans’ employment representatives and inserting veteran employment specialists; (3) in section 4109(a), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists, local veterans’ employment representatives and inserting veteran employment specialists; (4) in section 4112(d)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist and inserting veteran employment specialist; and (B) by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and (5) in section 3672(d)(1), by striking disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists under section 4103A and inserting veteran employment specialists appointed under section 4104(a). (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2027.