Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, when I travel across Michigan, one issue comes up regularly in my conversations with business owners, workers, and families, and that issue is the need to close the skills gap.

There are good-paying jobs available all across my State but not enough workers who have the specific skills needed to fill them. That is why one of my top priorities in the Senate is to expand access to quality skills training programs, like registered apprenticeships, that are connected to today's in-demand jobs.

Effective apprenticeships are good for business. They are good for workers in both urban and rural areas in Michigan, as well as all across our country.

I have also heard from veterans, like Rick Donovan in Oakland County, about how there is a lack of apprenticeships available for veterans who qualify for them to use their GI benefits.

The GI bill offers veterans an approved apprenticeship, additional financial support for housing, and other training materials as they progress through the program. Unfortunately, only a small portion of apprenticeship programs registered by the Department of Labor are also approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In Michigan, for example, there are over 1,000 registered apprenticeship programs but only a couple hundred in which veterans can use their VA educational assistance in connection with that program. This is simply unacceptable. Veterans should have access to as many opportunities as there are available.

That is why Senator Capito and I introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure veterans' interests are not falling through the cracks between Federal agencies as they pursue apprenticeships to launch their career. Our Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act takes three commonsense steps to expand opportunities for veterans to use their financial assistance for quality training programs that lead to good- paying jobs.

First, the bill will ensure that every program applying to become a registered apprenticeship is proactively thinking about ways to support veterans. Programs would need to provide written assurance to the Department of Labor that they are aware of GI bill assistance and are committed to taking the steps necessary to enable benefits to use these benefits as apprentices.

Second, the bill will clarify that skills and training that veterans gain during their military service would be a factor into how they are placed in the program. Many veterans may qualify for advanced placement with higher apprenticeship wages due to their unique experiences while bravely serving our country, and our bill will recognize those skill sets.

Third, the bill will improve coordination between Federal agencies. It would direct the Department of Labor to notify the VA of newly registered apprenticeship programs. It is a simple, straightforward action to actively update new apprenticeship opportunities.

Our Nation's returning heroes deserve every opportunity to pursue their professional dreams after their service. By expanding qualified apprenticeships, this bill will make a real difference in the lives of our veterans.

Rick, a veteran advocate from Michigan, said he would never have known that he could use his GI bill benefits for on-the-job training had he not crossed paths with a more senior veteran who told him about it. It was a conversation that literally changed his life. With the support of the GI bill, Rick was now able to pursue an apprenticeship following his military service. He then used that training toward a college degree and has built a successful career as a union sheet metal worker in Michigan.

We need to listen to and partner with veterans like Rick who are tirelessly advocating to open doors to help fellow veterans, Michiganders, and Americans so they can achieve economic success in the 21st century.

760 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PETERS. I know of no further debate on this bill, as amended.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source