OUTDOOR INDUSTRY VETERANS CAREERS GAO STUDY.

SEC. 201. OUTDOOR INDUSTRY VETERANS CAREERS GAO STUDY. (a) Study Required.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the use by veterans of educational assistance provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pursue careers in outdoor recreation. (b) Elements.—The study required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) Identification of opportunities for veterans to use educational assistance provided under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pursue careers in outdoor recreation in the private sector and in the public sector. (2) Identification of any difficulties with using the educational assistance provided under laws administered by the Secretary to veterans to pursue careers in outdoor recreation in the private and public sector, including trained, apprentice, assistant, and certified guides. (3) Assessment of the availability of opportunities for careers in outdoor recreation at the following: (A) The Department of Agriculture. (B) The Department of the Interior. (C) The Army Corps of Engineers. (D) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (4) Identification of any challenges veterans may have pursuing careers in outdoor recreation at the agencies list under paragraph (3). (5) Identification of options to increase opportunities for veterans to pursue careers in outdoor recreation at the agencies listed under paragraph (3). (c) Stakeholder Perspectives.—In conducting the study required by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall obtain the perspectives of the outdoor recreation industry, veterans groups focusing on the outdoors, nongovernmental organizations, and other interested stakeholders. (d) Briefing and Report.— (1) Briefing.—Not later than 240 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall provide the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a briefing on the study required by subsection (a). (2) Report.—After providing the briefing required by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the committees described in such paragraph a report on the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study completed under subsection (a). (e) Outdoor Recreation Defined.—In this section, the term “outdoor recreation” means recreational activities undertaken for pleasure that— (1) generally involve some level of intentional physical exertion; and (2) occur in nature-based environments outdoors.