[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3889 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 Union Calendar No. 401
110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3889

                          [Report No. 110-640]

  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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 18, 2007

 Mr. Boozman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                              May 15, 2008

                     Additional sponsor: Mr. Buyer

                              May 15, 2008

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  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,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study Required.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation 
              programs</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Study Required.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
longitudinal study of a statistically valid sample of the veterans who 
begin participating in a vocational rehabilitation program under this 
chapter during fiscal year 2008. The Secretary shall conduct such study 
over a period of at least 20 years.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(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 
veterans participating in the vocational rehabilitation programs under 
this chapter. The Secretary may add data elements from time to time as 
necessary. Each such report shall contain the following 
information:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) The number of veterans participating in 
        vocational rehabilitation programs under this chapter who 
        suspended participation in such a program during the year 
        covered by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) The average number of months such veterans 
        served on active duty.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) The average disability rating of such 
        veterans.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) The types of other benefits administered by 
        the Secretary received by such veterans.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) The types of social security benefits 
        received by such veterans.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Any unemployment benefits received by such 
        veterans.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) The average number of months such veterans 
        were employed during the year covered by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) The average annual starting and ending 
        salaries such veterans who were employed during the year 
        covered by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(9) The number of such veterans enrolled in an 
        institution of higher learning, as that term is defined in 
        section 3452(f) of this title.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(10) The average number of college credits and 
        degrees obtained by such veterans during the year covered by 
        the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(11) The average number of visits such veterans 
        made to Department medical facilities during the year covered 
        by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(12) The average number of visits such veterans 
        made to non-Department medical facilities during the year 
        covered by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(13) The average total household income of such 
        veterans for the year covered by the report.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(14) The percentage of such veterans who own 
        their principal residences.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(15) The average number of dependents of each 
        such veteran.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following 
new item:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``3122. Longitudinal study of vocational rehabilitation 
                            programs.''.

</DELETED>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.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 401

110th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 3889

                          [Report No. 110-640]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 15, 2008

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