H.R. 9411

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9411 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9411

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide grants to entities that 
provide services that supplement the Transition Assistance Program of 
the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 23, 2026

Mr. Mannion (for himself and Mr. LaLota) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide grants to entities that 
provide services that supplement the Transition Assistance Program of 
the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Next Mission Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPLEMENT THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a 
program to award multiyear grants to entities described in subsection 
(b) that provide to covered individuals the services described in 
subsection (c).
(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the pilot 
program, an entity shall--
(1) be a private, nonprofit organization;
(2) have a record of successfully providing career services 
(including job placement) or job training;
(3) have rigorous evaluation practices that indicate 
efficiency;
(4) have partnerships with entities (such as employers, 
governmental agencies, and nonprofit entities) to provide 
services described in subsection (c); and
(5) be able to train online to reach rural participants and 
reduce costs.
(c) Services.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used to 
provide, at no cost to a covered individual, the following services:
(1) Assessment of education, work history, and employment 
goals, to determine appropriate employment services.
(2) Preparation for civilian employment, including mock 
interviews, salary negotiation training, use of professional 
networking platforms, or company research.
(3) Providing industry-specific learning pathways that--
(A) focus on stable, high-demand fields as 
determined by labor market information;
(B) help a covered individual choose a career 
pathway and navigate training requirements;
(C) help a covered individual apply skills acquired 
in the Armed Forces to a civilian career;
(D) include one-on-one assistance from a career 
services professional or academic advisor; and
(E) include coursework or other forms of education 
and training required for industry-recognized 
credentials and certifications.
(4) Job placement.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to an entity whose program outcomes have been 
independently verified by a third-party.
(e) Consultation.--In carrying out this program, the Secretary of 
Defense shall consult with other Federal entities, including--
(1) the Office of Transition and Economic Development of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) the Veterans Employment and Training Service of the 
Department of Labor.
(f) Performance Metrics.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
metrics for the pilot program, including--
(1) the number of covered individuals who receive and 
complete skills training;
(2) the number of covered individuals who secure 
employment;
(3) the job retention rate for covered individuals 
described in paragraph (2); and
(4) the median salary of covered individuals described in 
paragraph (2).
(g) Assessment of Possible Expansion.--Each grantee under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an assessment of the feasibility 
of expanding the services offered under the grant program to--
(1) members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces; 
and
(2) covered individuals located outside the United States.
(h) Termination.--The authority to provide a grant under this 
section shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date 
on which the Secretary implements the grant program under this section.
(i) Report.--Not later than six months after the termination of the 
pilot program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report that includes--
(1) a description of specific activities carried out under 
this section;
(2) the metrics and evaluations used to assess the 
effectiveness of the grant program; and
(3) a summary of the assessments submitted to the Secretary 
under subsection (g).
(j) Covered Individual Defined.--In this section, the term 
``covered individual'' means--
(1) a member of the Armed Forces participating in the 
Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense 
under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code; 
or
(2) a spouse of a member described in subparagraph (A).
<all>