PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 27, 2013
Veterans Conservation Corps Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a veterans conservation corps to assist veterans in the transition from service in the Armed Forces to civilian life and to employ veterans: (1) in conservation, resource management, and historic preservation projects on public lands; (2) in maintenance and improvement projects for cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration; and (3) as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and disaster relief personnel.
Requires priority to be given to the employment of veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.
Requires, as part of the veterans conservation corps: (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award grants under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to hire veterans as firefighters; (2) the Attorney General to award grants under the public safety and community policing grant program (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program) under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to hire veterans as law enforcement officers; and (3) the DHS Secretary to provide funds to increase participation by veterans in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Corps program.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Authorizes the VA Secretary to transfer amounts to carry out the corps to the Attorney General, the Chief of Engineers, and the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, DHS, and Interior.
Directs the VA Secretary to establish a steering committee to establish selection criteria for, and provide advice to the VA Secretary on, the awarding of assistance under this Act.
People & committees
Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL] · D–FL
Legislative record
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Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-280.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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