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 · Jan 22, 2013
Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2013 - Amends the: (1) VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 to extend through March 31, 2016, the veterans retraining assistance program; and (2) Wounded Warrior Act to extend through 2016 the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) (Secretary) to provide the same rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the Armed Forces (members) with severe injuries or illnesses as are provided to veterans.
Extends through: (1) March 31, 2016, additional VA rehabilitation programs for certain disabled veterans who have completed a VA rehabilitation program and have exhausted their rights to state unemployment benefits; and (2) FY2015 the collaborative veterans' training, mentoring, and placement program.
Directs the Secretary to develop a single, unified federal web-based employment portal for veterans to access information on federal programs and activities concerning veterans employment, unemployment benefits, and training.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Directs the: (1) Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to award grants to hire veterans as firefighters, and (2) Attorney General (AG) to award grants to hire veterans as law enforcement officers.
Requires the head of each executive and defense agency to consider favorably, as an evaluation factor in federal solicitations for contracts and task or delivery orders valued at or above $25 million, the employment by a prospective contractor of veterans constituting at least 5% of the contractor's workforce.
Allows a veteran on whose behalf a complaint of a violation of employment or reemployment rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is made by the AG to intervene in such action, and to obtain appropriate relief. Requires the AG, within 60 days after receiving a referral of an unsuccessful attempt to resolve a complaint relating to a state or private employer, to notify the person on whose behalf the complaint is submitted of either the decision to commence such an action or of when such decision is expected to be made. Requires, in the latter case, such decision to be made within an additional 30 days. Requires the AG to commence such an action when there is reasonable cause to believe that a state or private employer is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of such rights and benefits, and that the pattern or practice denies the full exercise of such rights and benefits.
Authorizes the suspension, termination, or debarment of federal contractors for repeated failures or refusals to comply with USERRA protections.
Provides the Special Counsel with subpoena power to require the attendance and testimony of, and production of documents from, federal employees, to be enforced through the Merit Systems Protection Board.
Authorizes the AG, in employment or reemployment rights investigations, to issue and serve a civil investigative demand for the production of documentary material.
People & committees
Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV] · D–NV
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
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. 113-111.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S45-47)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jan 27, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.6 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.6 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.6 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.6 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.