WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-39) joined Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA-5) and Representatives David McKinley (R-WV-1), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08), Steve Stivers (R-OH-15), and Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) to introduce the Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act, H.R. 5314, a bipartisan bill that would improve veterans’ access to registered apprenticeships. The Senate companion bill was introduced by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and passed on Wednesday, December 4, 2019. The Representatives are hoping for quick adoption of this bipartisan legislation by the House.
“As a Navy veteran and co-founder of the bipartisan Congressional Military Transition Assistance Pathway Caucus, I strongly believe we need to do more to support our veterans as they successfully transition back into civilian life,” said Rep. Cisneros. “This bipartisan bill will ensure our veterans are aware of apprenticeship and job placement programs that will enable them to provide for their loved ones and be productive members of our military family. I’m honored to join Vice Chair Clark in this effort and urge the House to swiftly act on this common-sense legislation.”
“Our country’s veterans have made deeply personal sacrifices in order to serve this country. We owe them not only our gratitude, but also concrete support, including access to career opportunities that will help them build a future back at home,” said Rep. Clark. “This bipartisan bill will streamline the opportunities that they have rightfully earned.”
Access to registered apprenticeship programs can create a path toward good-paying jobs for veterans entering or returning to the workforce. Currently, there is a discrepancy between listed registered apprenticeships and those that have received approval for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits. The legislation will close that gap by taking three critical steps. The bill will: ensure that apprenticeship programs are aware of and will make a good faith effort to complete the expedited VA process for registering apprenticeships; clarify that veterans are eligible for advanced program placement and commensurate wage increases based on their military experience; improve coordination between the agencies by requiring the DOL to inform the VA of newly registered programs.
Rep. Cisneros is a Navy veteran and serves on the House Armed Services and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. Along with Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI-01), he launched the bipartisan Congressional Military Transition Assistance Pathway (MTAP) Caucus to support and advocate on behalf of military servicemembers returning to civilian life. He also helped secure in the House Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act a provision to examine the effectiveness of recent reforms to the Transition Assistance Program and a bipartisan amendment to support job placement assistance and related employment services for military families.