The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved legislation in February (HR 27) to reauthorize and reform the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). One of the most sweeping amendments to HR 27 comes in the form of amending current language with substitute language. Among other details, the substitute proposes authorizing $211 million for the WIA pilot and demonstration authority (of which $125 million could be used for President Bush's community-based job training grants) and also authorizes the Secretary of Labor to use up to $125 million more from WIA national reserve funds to fund the community-based job training grants. Source: NASWA Bulletin 2/18/05

Several bills benefiting veterans were signed into law in late 2004. They are: PL 108-422 (HR 3936), PL 108-445 (S 2484) and PL 108-454 (S 2486).

PL 108-422, the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004, increases spending for the Grant and Per Diem program that assists homeless veterans from $75 million to $99 million in FY 2005. It will also assist states in hiring and retaining nurses to work in state homes that provide long-term care to veterans.

PL 108-445, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Enhancement Act of 2004, reforms VA's physician pay and nurse employment systems to provide added flexibility to recruit and retain highly qualified medical personnel.

PL 108-454, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, helps to bring VA's job training programs in line with the modern workforce structure and allow GI Bill education benefits to be more easily used for great number of qualified apprenticeship programs. GI Bill benefits for apprenticeship and on-the-job training programs will be increased. The bill also strengthens the legal protections for service members when they are called to active duty and when they return home. Source: Veterans Press, press release 2/8/05

The President's FY 2006 budget request shows increase in programs for veterans. Veterans with service-connected disabilities, lower incomes and those with special needs will receive greater focus under the budget proposal. The request represents a 2.7 percent increase in discretionary funds over the enacted level of 2005. From 2001-2005 there has been a 47 percent increase in veterans health care funding. Source: Veterans Press, press release 2/16/05

The Senate moves forward with bankruptcy reform legislation, which will help low-income veterans. The measure, Amendment 23 to Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (S. 256) was put forward by Sen. Jeff Sessions and offers special consideration in bankruptcy for low-income veterans, active-duty military, and people who have serious medical conditions. A report by the National Consumer Law Center in 2003 noted that veterans are often targeted by an expensive scam in which streams of their military pension and benefits payments are purchased for a lump sum, with high interest rates, although federal law prohibits such schemes. Such schemes can drive military retirees into bankruptcy. Source: Senate Veterans Affairs website

Resources:
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (PL 105-220)
House Committee on Veterans Affairs
Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs