Introducing the VALOR Act for our Veterans

Today, I joined Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Jodey Arrington (R-TX) to introduce a bipartisan bill that will provide our military veterans increased access to apprenticeship training programs. The Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act is a targeted effort to streamline how apprenticeship programs located in more than one state are certified.

Currently, employers who hire veterans through apprenticeships are required to individually register their programs with each state approval agency. This creates a burdensome and unnecessary paperwork process that ultimately discourages employers from offering apprenticeships. In one case, a company opted not to extend an offer to a veteran because they decided the complicated process required to hire her wasn’t worth their time.

The VALOR Act will streamline the registration process and fix this problem. It ensures that a company would only be required to receive approval from the state in which they are headquartered. Making apprenticeships more accessible is always a win-win for our veterans and our businesses. This legislation is a golden opportunity to support those transitioning from active duty to civilian life in El Paso, throughout Texas, and across the country.

A copy of the legislation is below.