119 HR 980 RH: Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-08-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IBUnion Calendar No. 186119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 980[Report No. 119–228]IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 5, 2025Mr. Van Orden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsAugust 15, 2025Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printedStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicFor text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 5, 2025A BILLTo amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to the provision of on-campus educational and vocational counseling by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act of 2025.

2.

Elimination of requirement that on-campus educational and vocational counseling is provided by certain Department of Veterans Affairs employees

Section 3697B(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the second sentence.

3.

Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve non-degree flight training courses as part of vocational rehabilitation programs for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities

(a)

In general

Section 3104(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(1)by inserting (1) before A rehabilitation program;(2)by striking To the maximum extent practicable and inserting Except as provided under paragraph (2), to the maximum extent practicable; and(3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(2)Notwithstanding section 3680A(b) of this title, the Secretary may approve a rehabilitation program for a veteran under this chapter that includes the pursuit of a course of flight training other than one given by an educational institution of higher learning for credit toward a standard college degree the veteran is seeking..(b)

Applicability

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to a rehabilitation program approved on or after August 1, 2025.

4.

Outreach requirements for Department of Veterans Affairs training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities

(a)

VRE contact information

Section 3104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:(f)The Secretary shall establish a dedicated telephone number within the Education Call Center of the Department for calls about services provided under this chapter. Each regional office of the Department shall include, on the website of the regional office, a name, telephone number, and email address, through which veterans may receive information about services provided under this chapter..(b)

Outreach requirement

(1)

In general

Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

3123.

Outreach requirements

(a)

Question and answer sessions

The Secretary shall provide monthly question and answer sessions for appropriate school certifying officials during which such officials shall have the opportunity to ask questions of Department employees who are veteran readiness and employment counselors or trained outreach specialists.(b)

Informational briefings

(1)The Secretary shall ensure that veteran readiness and employment counselors or trained outreach specialists employed by a Regional Office of the Department provide in-person briefings for veterans about services provided under this chapter at each educational institution located in the geographic area served by the Regional Office.(2)The Secretary may provide a briefing required under paragraph (1) virtually in the case of an educational institution located more than 50 miles away from the headquarters of the Regional Office.(c)

Annual report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the extension of periods of vocational rehabilitation programs under section 3105(c) of this title. Such report shall include, for the year covered by the report—(1)the number of veterans who requested such an extension;(2)the number of such requests that were approved; and(3)the number of such requests that were rejected.

.(2)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:3123. Outreach requirements..(d)

Extension of entitlements

Section 3105(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—(1)by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;(2)by inserting (1) before The Secretary; and(3)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:(2)If a veteran applies for an extension under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall approve or reject the extension by not later than 30 days after the date on which the veteran submits a request for the extension..

5.

Extension of certain limits on payments of pension

Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting May 31, 2032.

August 15, 2025Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed