2004 Public Policy Recommendation

Enact H.R. 1906, to revise the Transition Assistance Program for persons separating from active duty in the Armed Forces to make that program mandatory for all separating service members and to provide for the furnishing to such members of information about homelessness.

U.S. Senators — Introduce companion legislation to H.R. 1906. 
 

U.S. Representatives — Co-sponsor H.R. 1906.  
 

Issue Status

H.R. 1906 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 1, 2003 by Representative Lane Evans (D-IL), member of the House Armed Services Committee and ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.  Senate companion legislation has not yet been introduced.  Neither the House nor Senate Armed Services Committees have scheduled hearings on HR 1906 specifically or policy matters pertaining to service member separation generally.

Why this Matters

• Individuals leaving the military are at high risk of homelessness due to a lack of job skills transferable to the civilian sector, disrupted or dissolved family and social support networks, and other risk factors that preceded their military service.
• According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, male veterans are twice as likely to become homeless than non-veteran men and female veterans are four times as likely to become homeless than non-veteran women.
• Separating service members must be made aware of the factors that contribute to homelessness and receive information about sources of preventive assistance before they exit the military.
• The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) has been established to ease the transition of separating service members to the civilian sector.
• Unit commanders, rather than the service member himself/herself, make the determination as to whether the service member may participate in TAP.
• Some service members are denied the opportunity to participate in TAP because the unit commander does not wish to temporary relieve the service member from duty responsibilities for the few days necessary to participate in TAP.   
• The TAP curriculum, which is developed and administered by the Department of Labor, does not currently include a component on homelessness.

Background

In 1990, Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 101-510) that included provisions requiring the U.S. Secretary of Labor, in conjunction with the Secretaries of Defense, Transportation (now Homeland Security due to its responsibility over the Coast Guard), and Veterans Affairs, to establish and maintain a program to furnish counseling, assistance in identifying employment and training opportunities, help in obtaining such employment and training, and other related information and services to members of the armed forces who are being separated from activity duty and the spouses of such members.  The law (10 U.S.C. 1144) requires that such services be provided to a member during the 180-day period before the member is separated from active duty.  This program is known as the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

The program provides information about employment and training assistance, information concerning public programs and programs of military and veterans’ service organizations that may be of assistance to the separating service member, information about DOD and DHS procedures for certifying job skills and experience obtained during the period of service, information on how to obtain small business loans and grants, and information about the geographic area to which the separating service member is relocating.

The law requires the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Transportation (now Homeland Security) to “encourage and otherwise” promote maximum participation of separating service members in TAP.

H.R. 1906 would amend the TAP statute as follows:

·         The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security would be instructed to require service member participation in TAP (and continue to encourage and promote participation in the program by spouses); and

·         Required program elements would be expanded to include a module on homelessness, including risk factors, awareness assessment, and contact information for preventative assistance associated with homelessness.

Committees of Jurisdiction

Senate—Armed Services. Chair, John Warner (R-VA); Ranking Member, Carl Levin (D-MI). 

 
House—Armed Services.  Chair Duncan Hunter (R-CA); Ranking Member, Ike Skelton (D-MO).

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