[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5229 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5229

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study to 
evaluate the effectiveness of programs, especially in regards to women 
veterans and minority veterans, in transitioning to civilian life, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 13, 2016

 Mr. Takano (for himself and Mrs. Radewagen) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study to 
evaluate the effectiveness of programs, especially in regards to women 
veterans and minority veterans, in transitioning to civilian life, 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 ``Improving Transition Programs for 
All Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The rate of unemployment for women veterans is higher 
        than the rate for male veterans. In 2015, the unemployment rate 
        for women veterans remained relatively unchanged at 5.4 
        percent, while the rate for male veterans declined to 4.5 
        percent.
            (2) Women veterans, on average, earn less than male 
        veterans. In 2013, the median income for women veterans was 
        $35,264, while the median income for male veterans was $41,310.
            (3) Women veterans and veterans with disabilities are more 
        likely to become homeless.
            (4) Service-connected disabled veterans with relatively 
        high disability ratings have a higher unemployment rate than 
        those with relatively low disability ratings. In 2015, the 
        unemployment rate for veterans with a service-connected 
        disability rating of 60 percent or higher was 9.6 percent, much 
        higher than the 4.0 percent rate for veterans with a service-
        connected disability rating of 30 percent or lower.
            (5) In 2013, American Indian and Alaska Native veterans had 
        the lowest median personal incomes of any group of minority 
        veterans.
            (6) In 2013, American Indian and Alaska Native veterans 
        were less likely to have finished an advanced degree than other 
        veterans.
            (7) American Indian and Alaska Native veterans were more 
        likely to have a service-connected disability rating compared 
        to all other veterans. In 2013, the rate of American Indian and 
        Alaska Native veterans with a service-connected disability 
        rating was about 26 percent compared to 18.2 percent for all 
        other veterans.
            (8) There is a lack of data on, and an understanding of, 
        the challenges and needs of veterans who are residents of a 
        territory of the United States and veterans who are part of the 
        indigenous population of a territory of the United States.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VETERANS TRANSITION EFFORTS.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with 
the Secretaries of Labor and Defense, shall carry out a study to 
evaluate programs to assist veterans of the Armed Forces in their 
transition to civilian life. Such study shall be designed to determine 
the effectiveness of current programs, especially in regards to the 
unique challenges faced by women veterans and minority veterans 
including whether such programs--
            (1) effectively address the challenges veterans face in 
        pursuing higher education, especially the challenge faced by 
        women and minority veterans;
            (2) effectively address the challenges veterans face 
        entering the civilian workforce and in translating experience 
        and skills from military service to the job market; and
            (3) effectively address the challenges faced by the 
        families of veterans transitioning to civilian life.
    (b) Report.--Eighteen months after the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit a report to the Committees 
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives 
regarding the findings and recommendations of the study required under 
subsection (a) of this section.
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