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Donate NowS.3429 - Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012
A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes.

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S 3429 PCSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Calendar No. 473CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

2d SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 3429CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 24, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 24, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mrs. MURRAY, and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following bill; which was read the first timeCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 25, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 25, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Read the second time and placed on the calendarCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. VETERANS JOBS CORPS.
(a) Establishment- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in cooperation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, establish a veterans jobs corps to employ veterans--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) in conservation, resource management, and historic preservation projects on public lands and maintenance and improvement projects for cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) as firefighters and law enforcement officers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(b) Conservation, Resource Management, Historic Preservation, and Cemetery Maintenance and Improvement Projects-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) IN GENERAL- As part of the veterans jobs corps, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(A) employ veterans to carry out projects described in subsection (a)(1); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(B) award grants to, or enter into contracts with, State governments, local governments, or nongovernmental entities to employ veterans to carry out projects described in subsection (a)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) PRIORITY- In employing or awarding grants or contracts to employ veterans under this subsection, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers shall give priority towards the employment of veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(3) COORDINATION- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate the activities of the Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to employ veterans as part of the veterans job corps.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(4) OVERSIGHT OF PROJECTS- The secretaries referred to in paragraph (1) and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers shall each provide oversight of the projects for which they employ veterans under subparagraph (A) of such paragraph or award grants or enter into contracts under subparagraph (B) of such paragraph.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(c) First Responders-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) FIREFIGHTERS- As part of the veterans jobs corps, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall award grants under section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (

(2) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS- As part of the veterans jobs corps, the Attorney General shall award grants under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (

(3) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this subsection to hire veterans, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General shall give priority to the hiring of veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(d) Assistance-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide assistance to the secretaries described in subsection (a), the Attorney General, and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to carry out the veterans jobs corps. Such assistance may take the form of a transfer under paragraph (2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) TRANSFERS- Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out this section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer such amounts as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out the veterans jobs corps to the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(A) The Attorney General.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(B) The Secretary of Agriculture.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(C) The Secretary of Commerce.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(D) The Secretary of Homeland Security.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(E) The Secretary of the Interior.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(F) The Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(3) ASSISTANCE FOR CONSERVATION, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND CEMETERY MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(A) APPLICATION- If a secretary referred to in subsection (b)(1) or the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers seeks assistance under paragraph (1) to employ a veteran to carry out a project under subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) or to award a grant or contract to carry out a project under subparagraph (B) of such subsection, such secretary or the Commanding General shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an application therefor at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(B) SELECTION- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with the steering committee established under subparagraph (C), award assistance under this paragraph in accordance with such criteria as the steering committee establishes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(C) STEERING COMMITTEE-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(i) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a steering committee--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(I) to establish selection criteria for the awarding of assistance under paragraph (1) to employ a veteran to carry out a project under subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1) or to award a grant or contract to carry out a project under subparagraph (B) of such subsection; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(II) to provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with advice on awarding assistance under this subsection with respect to projects described in subsection (a)(1) and carrying out the veterans jobs corps under subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(ii) COMPOSITION- The steering committee shall be composed of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(I) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(II) The Secretary of Agriculture.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(III) The Secretary of Commerce.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(IV) The Secretary of the Interior.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(V) The Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(iii) CHAIRPERSON- The chairperson of the steering committee shall be the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(iv) ADVISORY INPUT- The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor may provide advice to the steering committee.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(4) ASSISTANCE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS- Not more than 10 percent of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out this section may be transferred to the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to employ veterans under subsection (c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(e) Reporting Framework- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a reporting framework to regularly monitor and evaluate the veterans jobs corps to ensure proper oversight and accountability of the veterans jobs corps.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(f) Outreach- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that veterans employed under the veterans jobs corps are aware of benefits and assistance available to them under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(g) Authorization of Appropriations-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) IN GENERAL- There is available without further appropriation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out this section, $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2012 through 2017.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) LIMITATION- Of amounts made appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out this section, not more than five percent may be spent to administer the veterans jobs corps.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(h) Veteran Defined- In this section, the term ‘veteran’ has the meaning given the term in

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON PROVIDING VETERANS WITH ACCESS AT ONE-STOP CENTERS TO INTERNET WEBSITES TO FACILITATE ONLINE JOB SEARCHES.
(a) In General- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall commence a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing veterans seeking employment with access to computing facilities to facilitate the access of such veterans to Internet websites that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) match such veterans with available jobs based on the skills the veterans acquired as members of the Armed Forces; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) allow employers to post information about available jobs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(b) Duration- The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall be carried out during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(c) Locations- The pilot program shall be carried out at such one-stop centers and such other locations as the Secretary of Labor considers appropriate for purposes of the pilot program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(d) Assistance With Use of Internet Websites-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) IN GENERAL- Under the pilot program, the Secretary of Labor shall provide each veteran using computing facilities made available under the pilot program with assistance in using such facilities to find employment via Internet websites described in subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) DISABLED VETERANS’ OUTREACH PROGRAM SPECIALISTS AND LOCAL VETERANS’ EMPLOYMENT REPRESENTATIVES- Each State that employs a disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist under

(e) Report- Not later than 455 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Heath, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program that includes the findings of the Secretary with respect to the feasibility and advisability of providing computing facilities as described in subsection (a) with assistance as described in subsection (d) at all one-stop centers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(f) Funding- Amounts made available to the Secretary of Labor to make grants or contracts under

(g) One-Stop Center Defined- In this section, the term ‘one-stop center’ means a center described in section 134(c) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (

SEC. 4. STATE CONSIDERATION OF MILITARY TRAINING IN GRANTING CERTAIN STATE CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES AS A CONDITION ON THE RECEIPT OF FUNDS FOR VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING.
(a) In General-

‘(9)(A) As a condition of a grant or contract under which funds are made available to a State in order to carry out section 4103A or 4104 of this title for any program year, the Secretary shall require the State--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(i) to demonstrate that when the State approves or denies a certification or license described in subparagraph (B) for a veteran the State takes into consideration any training received or experience gained by the veteran while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(ii) to disclose to the Secretary in writing the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(I) Criteria applicants must satisfy to receive a certification or license described in subparagraph (B) by the State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(II) A description of the standard practices of the State for evaluating training received by veterans while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces and evaluating the documented work experience of such veterans during such service for purposes of approving or denying a certification or license described in subparagraph (B).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(III) Identification of areas in which training and experience described in subclause (II) fails to meet criteria described in subclause (I).’CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(B) A certification or license described in this subparagraph is any of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(i) A license to be a State tested nursing assistant or a certified nursing assistant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(ii) A commercial driver’s license.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(iii) An emergency medical technician license EMT-B or EMT-I.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(iv) An emergency medical technician-paramedic license.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(C) The Secretary shall share the information the Secretary receives under subparagraph (A)(ii) with the Secretary of Defense to help the Secretary of Defense improve training for military occupational specialties so that individuals who receive such training are able to receive a certification or license described in subparagraph (B) from a State.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(b) Effective Date- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to a program year beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. MINIMUM FUNDING LEVELS FOR DISABLED VETERANS’ OUTREACH PROGRAM SPECIALISTS AND LOCAL VETERANS’ EMPLOYMENT REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) In General- Clause (iii) of

‘(i)(I) In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish minimum funding levels and may establish hold-harmless criteria for States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(II) Except as provided in subclause (III), at a minimum, the minimum funding levels establish under subclause (I) shall ensure that each State receives sufficient funding to support at least one disabled veterans’ outreach program specialist appointed under section 4103A(a)(1) of this title and one local veterans’ employment representative assigned under section 4104(b) of this title per 5,000 square miles of service delivery area within the State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(III) In determining minimum funding levels under subclause (II), the Secretary may exclude consideration of counties with a population density of less than one person per square mile.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(b) Report-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress a report on the effect of the amendment made by subsection (a) on veterans who reside in highly rural areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) ELEMENTS- The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(A) A description of the effect of the amendment made by subsection (a) on veterans who reside in highly rural areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(B) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary considers appropriate to improve the provision of contracts and grants under section 4102A(b)(5) of such title to meet the needs of veterans who reside in highly rural areas and are eligible for services furnished under chapter 41 of such title.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(3) HIGHLY RURAL DEFINED- In this subsection, the term ‘highly rural’, in the case of an area, means that the area consists of a county or counties having a population of less than seven persons per square mile.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. OFF-BASE TRANSITION TRAINING.
(a) Provision of Off-Base Transition Training- During the three-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall provide the Transition Assistance Program under

(b) Eligible Individuals- For purposes of this section, an eligible individual is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(c) Locations-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(1) NUMBER OF STATES- The Secretary shall carry out the training under subsection (a) in not less than three and not more than five States selected by the Secretary for purposes of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(2) SELECTION OF STATES WITH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT- Of the States selected by the Secretary under paragraph (1), at least two shall be States with high rates of unemployment among veterans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(3) NUMBER OF LOCATIONS IN EACH STATE- The Secretary shall provide training under subsection (a) to eligible individuals at a sufficient number of locations within each State selected under this subsection to meet the needs of eligible individuals in such State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(4) SELECTION OF LOCATIONS- The Secretary shall select locations for the provision of training under subsection (a) to facilitate access by participants and may not select any location on a military installation other than a National Guard or reserve facility that is not located on an active duty military installation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(d) Inclusion of Information About Veterans Benefits- The Secretary shall ensure that the training provided under subsection (a) generally follows the content of the Transition Assistance Program under

(e) Annual Report- Not later than March 1 of any year during which the Secretary provides training under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the provision of such training.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

(f) Comptroller General Report- Not later than 180 days after the termination of the three-year period described in subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the training provided under such subsection. The report shall include the evaluation of the Comptroller General regarding the feasibility and advisability of carrying out off-base transition training at locations nationwide.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. 100 PERCENT CONTINUOUS LEVY ON PAYMENT TO MEDICARE PROVIDERS AND SUPPLIERS.
Paragraph (3) of section 6331(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘, or, with respect to payments made during the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012, to a Medicare provider or supplier under title XVIII of the Social Security Act.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN UNPAID TAXES.
(a) In General- Subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 7345. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT IN CASE OF CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.
‘(a) In General- If the Secretary receives certification by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that any individual has a seriously delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of $50,000, the Secretary shall transmit such certification to the Secretary of State for action with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of a passport pursuant to section 40304(d) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(b) Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt- For purposes of this section, the term ‘seriously delinquent tax debt’ means an outstanding debt under this title for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records pursuant to section 6323 or a notice of levy has been filed pursuant to section 6331, except that such term does not include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(1) a debt that is being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement under section 6159 or 7122, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(2) a debt with respect to which collection is suspended because a collection due process hearing under section 6330, or relief under subsection (b), (c), or (f) of section 6015, is requested or pending.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(c) Adjustment for Inflation- In the case of a calendar year beginning after 2012, the dollar amount in subsection (a) shall be increased by an amount equal to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(1) such dollar amount, multiplied byCommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(2) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by substituting ‘calendar year 2011’ for ‘calendar year 1992’ in subparagraph (B) thereof.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
If any amount as adjusted under the preceding sentence is not a multiple of $1,000, such amount shall be rounded to the next highest multiple of $1,000.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new item:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘Sec. 7345. Revocation or denial of passport in case of certain tax delinquencies.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(c) Authority for Information Sharing-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(1) IN GENERAL- Subsection (l) of section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(23) DISCLOSURE OF RETURN INFORMATION TO DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR PURPOSES OF PASSPORT REVOCATION UNDER SECTION 7345-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall, upon receiving a certification described in section 7345, disclose to the Secretary of State return information with respect to a taxpayer who has a seriously delinquent tax debt described in such section. Such return information shall be limited to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(i) the taxpayer identity information with respect to such taxpayer, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(ii) the amount of such seriously delinquent tax debt.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
‘(B) RESTRICTION ON DISCLOSURE- Return information disclosed under subparagraph (A) may be used by officers and employees of the Department of State for the purposes of, and to the extent necessary in, carrying out the requirements of section 40304(d) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Paragraph (4) of section 6103(p) of such Code is amended by striking ‘or (22)’ each place it appears in subparagraph (F)(ii) and in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘(22), or (23)’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(d) Authority To Deny or Revoke Passport-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(1) DENIAL-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided under subparagraph (B), upon receiving a certification described in section 7345 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 from the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of State may not issue a passport or passport card to any individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt described in such section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(B) EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN SITUATIONS- Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State may issue a passport or passport card, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian reasons, to an individual described in subparagraph (A).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(2) REVOCATION-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of State may revoke a passport or passport card previously issued to any individual described in paragraph (1)(A).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(B) LIMITATION FOR RETURN TO UNITED STATES- If the Secretary of State decides to revoke a passport or passport card under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State, before revocation, may--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(i) limit a previously issued passport or passport card only for return travel to the United States; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(ii) issue a limited passport or passport card that only permits return travel to the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(3) HOLD HARMLESS- The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State shall not be liable to an individual for any action with respect to a certification by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue under section 7345 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
(e) Effective Date- The provisions of, and amendments made by, this section shall take effect on January 1, 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink
Calendar No. 473CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

2d SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 3429CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans jobs corps, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 25, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 25, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Read the second time and placed on the calendarCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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U.S. Congress - Text of S.3429 as Placed on Calendar Senate Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012



