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H.R. 856: Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

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H.R. 856: Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-03 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research and Technology. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

Plain summary

Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017 This bill amends the: (1) VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 to extend through 2020 the veterans retraining assistance program, and (2) Wounded Warrior Act to extend through 2020 the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide the same rehabilitation and vocational benefits to members of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses as are provided to veterans. The bill extends through: (1) March 31, 2020, 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) FY2021 the collaborative veterans' training, mentoring, and placement program. The VA shall develop a single, unified federal web-based employment portal for veterans to access information on federal programs and activities concerning veterans employment, unemployment, and training. The bill directs the: (1) Department of Homeland Security to award grants to hire veterans as firefighters, and (2) Department of Justice to award grants to hire veterans as law enforcement officers. The head of each executive and defense agency shall consider favorably, as an evaluation factor in federal solicitations for civilian or defense 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Putting Our Veterans Back to Work Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] · 13 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Peter Welch (D-VT), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Rick Larsen (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] reported raising $785,039 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr856 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115