[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3889 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 3889


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2008

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
  Veterans Affairs to conduct a longitudinal study of the vocational 
         rehabilitation programs administered by the Secretary.

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

SECTION 1. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
              VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Study Required.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation programs
    ``(a) Study Required.--(1) Subject to the availabilty of 
appropriated funds, the Secretary shall conduct a longitudinal study of 
a statistically valid sample of each of the groups of individuals 
described in paragraph (2). The Secretary shall study each such group 
over a period of at least 20 years.
    ``(2) The groups of individuals described in this paragraph are the 
following:
            ``(A) Individuals who begin participating in a vocational 
        rehabilitation program under this chapter during fiscal year 
        2009.
            ``(B) Individuals who begin participating in such a program 
        during fiscal year 2011.
            ``(C) Individuals who begin participating in such a program 
        during fiscal year 2014.
    ``(b) Annual Reports.--By not later than July 1 of each year 
covered by the study required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House 
of Representatives a report on the study during the preceding year.
    ``(c) Contents of Report.--The Secretary shall include in the 
report required under subsection (b) any data the Secretary determines 
is necessary to determine the long-term outcomes of the individuals 
participating in the vocational rehabilitation programs under this 
chapter. The Secretary may add data elements from time to time as 
necessary. In addition, each such report shall contain the following 
information:
            ``(1) The number of individuals participating in vocational 
        rehabilitation programs under this chapter who suspended 
        participation in such a program during the year covered by the 
        report.
            ``(2) The average number of months such individuals served 
        on active duty.
            ``(3) The distribution of disability rating of such 
        individuals.
            ``(4) The types of other benefits administered by the 
        Secretary received by such individuals.
            ``(5) The types of social security benefits received by 
        such individuals.
            ``(6) Any unemployment benefits received by such 
        individuals.
            ``(7) The average number of months such individuals were 
        employed during the year covered by the report.
            ``(8) The average annual starting and ending salaries such 
        individuals who were employed during the year covered by the 
        report.
            ``(9) The number of such individuals enrolled in an 
        institution of higher learning, as that term is defined in 
        section 3452(f) of this title.
            ``(10) The average number of academic credit hours, 
        degrees, and certificates obtained by such individuals during 
        the year covered by the report.
            ``(11) The average number of visits such individuals made 
        to Department medical facilities during the year covered by the 
        report.
            ``(12) The average number of visits such individuals made 
        to non-Department medical facilities during the year covered by 
        the report.
            ``(13) The average annual income of such individuals.
            ``(14) The average total household income of such 
        individuals for the year covered by the report.
            ``(15) The percentage of such individuals who own their 
        principal residences.
            ``(16) The average number of dependents of each such 
        veteran.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation programs.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 20, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.