[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                         LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON
                H.R. 291; H.R. 645; H.R. 728; H.R. 746;
              H.R. 1169; H.R. 1635; H.R. 1669; H.R. 1767;
                  H.R. 1786; H.R. 1798; AND H.R. 1799

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                  SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

                                 OF THE

                     COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                        THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023

                               __________

                            Serial No. 118-8

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
       
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]       


                    Available via http://govinfo.gov
                    
                               __________

                                
                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
51-952                        WASHINGTON : 2023                    
          
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                     COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS

                     MIKE BOST, Illinois, Chairman

AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN,       MARK TAKANO, California, Ranking 
    American Samoa, Vice-Chairwoman      Member
JACK BERGMAN, Michigan               JULIA BROWNLEY, California
NANCY MACE, South Carolina           MIKE LEVIN, California
MATTHEW M. ROSENDALE, SR., Montana   CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire
MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS, Iowa       FRANK J. MRVAN, Indiana
GREGORY F. MURPHY, North Carolina    SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, 
C. SCOTT FRANKLIN, Florida               Florida
DERRICK VAN ORDEN, Wisconsin         CHRISTOPHER R. DELUZIO, 
MORGAN LUTTRELL, Texas                   Pennsylvania
JUAN CISCOMANI, Arizona              MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky
ELIJAH CRANE, Arizona                DELIA C. RAMIREZ, Illinois
KEITH SELF, Texas                    GREG LANDSMAN, Ohio
JENNIFER A. KIGGANS, Virginia        NIKKI BUDZINSKI, Illinois

                       Jon Clark, Staff Director
                  Matt Reel, Democratic Staff Director

                  SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

                 DERRICK VAN ORDEN, Wisconsin, Chairman

NANCY MACE, South Carolina           MIKE LEVIN, California Ranking 
C. SCOTT FRANKLIN, Florida               Member
JUAN CISCOMANI, Arizona              FRANK J. MRVAN, Indiana
ELIJAH CRANE, Arizona                MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky
                                     DELIA C. RAMIREZ, Illinois

Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public 
hearing records of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs are also 
published in electronic form. The printed hearing record remains the 
official version. Because electronic submissions are used to prepare 
both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process 
of converting between various electronic formats may introduce 
unintentional errors or omissions. Such occurrences are inherent in the 
current publication process and should diminish as the process is 
further refined.
                         
                         
                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                              ----------                              

                        THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023

                                                                   Page

                           OPENING STATEMENTS

The Honorable Derrick Van Orden, Chairman........................     1
The Honorable Mike Levin, Ranking Member.........................     5

                               WITNESSES
                                Panel 1

Mr. Joseph Garcia, Executive Director of Education Service, 
  Department of Veterans Affairs.................................     2

        Accompanied by:

    Mr. Nick Pamperin, Executive Director of Veteran Readiness 
        and Employment, Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Keith Harris, Senior Executive Homelessness Agent, Department 
  of Veterans Affairs............................................     4

                                Panel 2

Ms. Tammy Barlet, Vice President of Government Affairs, Student 
    Veterans of America (See Prepared Statement Under Appendix)

Mr. Matthew Brennan, Veteran Education and Employment Policy 
    Analyst, The American Legion (See Prepared Statement Under 
    Appendix)

Ms. Alicia Boddy, Chief Operations and Development Officer, Code 
    Platoon (See Prepared Statement Under Appendix)

Mr. Patrick Murry, Director, National Legislative Service, 
    Veterans of Foreign Wars (See Prepared Statement Under 
    Appendix)

                                APPENDIX
                    Prepared Statements Of Witnesses

Mr. Joseph Garcia Prepared Statement.............................    25
Ms. Tammy Barlet Prepared Statement..............................    31
Mr. Matthew Brennan Prepared Statement...........................    42
Ms. Alicia Boddy Prepared Statement..............................    56
Mr. Patrick Murry Prepared Statement.............................    65

                        Statement For The Record

Disabled American Veterans.......................................    69

 
                         LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON
                H.R. 291; H.R. 645; H.R. 728; H.R. 746;
              H.R. 1169; H.R. 1635; H.R. 1669; H.R. 1767;
                  H.R. 1786; H.R. 1798; AND H.R. 1799

                              ----------                              


                        THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023

             U.S. House of Representatives,
              Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity,
                            Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
                                                   Washington, D.C.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m., in 
room 390, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Derrick Van Orden 
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
    Present: Representatives Derrick Van Orden, Ciscomani, 
Levin, McGarvey, and Ramirez.
    Also present: Representative Cherfilus-McCormick.

        OPENING STATEMENT OF DERRICK VAN ORDEN, CHAIRMAN

    Mr. Van Orden. The subcommittee will come to order. Good 
morning. I am pleased to see everybody here today, especially 
on such a busy day by everybody. I guess it is just us.
    We are going to discuss 11 bills this morning, but before 
we get started, I want to remind everyone we are going to take 
a moment to reflect on why we are here speaking about these 
incredibly important topics. I would like to highlight a fellow 
veteran, Senior Chief Mike Day, former Navy Seal, Navy Cross 
recipient. He has been a friend of mine for a couple of 
decades, and he can only be described as an American hero. He 
was shot 27 times in Iraq. With his primary weapon disabled, he 
drew his pistol and then he killed all of the men that shot him 
27 times. Then he walked himself to the medical evacuation 
helicopter.
    Three days ago, Senior Chief Mike Day succumbed to his 
unseen war wounds, the devils that plagued so many of us that 
have served our Nation, and he took his own life. We are here 
today to prevent this from ever happening again.
    With that said, let us get into this. Today we are going to 
highlight 11 bills. I am only going to speak about four of them 
in the interest of time.
    The first one I would like to speak about is H.R. 1798. I 
introduced this, and it is the Protect Military Dependents Act. 
In a nutshell, this is what it does: If you are eligible for 
veterans' educational benefits and you fail to meet your 
obligation, after giving these benefits to your children or 
your spouse, they cannot be held financially accountable. You 
can and you should. To me, that is a winner right there.
    Then the Employee Vets Act. What this does is it allows 
members of the Department of Labor to interact with our 
servicemembers during the Transition Assistance Program, which 
is when you are getting out of the service, just to make sure 
that, hopefully, our veterans or the soon-to-be veterans are 
employed prior to getting out of the service, which will help 
prevent suicide.
    I also want to talk about the Veteran Employment Through 
Technology Education Courses (VET-TEC) bill, which I think is 
awesome, and it is introduced by a friend of mine named Juan 
Ciscomani. He is just a fantastic guy from Arizona. It has been 
an incredibly successful program where it is actually working, 
and we want to take this from a temporary thing to a permanent 
thing.
    Then in the spirit of bipartisanship, I would like to also 
highlight a bill. It is H.R. 645. It was introduced by 
Representative McCormick. She is a Democrat from Florida. This 
allows several different things to help combat veterans' 
homelessness. All of this is in the record.
    I do have a couple of questions. First and foremost, with 
the bill, excuse me, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless 
Veterans Act, in 2022, Fiscal Year 2022, the VA only expended 
34 percent of the funds allocated to them, $20 million. Two 
things I want to know: Where did the money go that you did not 
spend? I also want to know why you are asking for the same 
amount of money. Oh, sorry. We will get to that in a second. 
Then I also want to make sure that--can I have that, please? 
Excuse me. Prior to yielding to the ranking member--excuse me, 
I am new at this. Okay, while we are waiting for the ranking 
member to appear, I am going to go ahead and introduce the 
witness panel.
    Our first witnesses are from the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. Mr. Joseph Garcia, executive director of Education 
Services; Mr. Nick Pamperin, executive director of Veterans 
Readiness and Employment; and Mr. Keith Harris, senior 
executive homelessness agent. I ask everybody to--I ask the 
Department of Veterans Affairs witnesses on our first panel to 
please stand and raise your right hand.
    [Witnesses sworn.]
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you. Let the record reflect the 
witnesses have answered in the affirmative.
    Mr. Garcia, you are now recognized for 5 minutes to deliver 
your opening statement.

                   STATEMENT OF JOSEPH GARCIA

    Mr. Garcia. Good morning, Chairman Van Orden, Ranking 
Member Levin, and other members of the subcommittee. Thank you 
for the opportunity to discuss pending legislation that would 
affect VA's programs and services. With me today are Dr. Keith 
Harris, national director of clinical operations in the 
Homeless Program office at the Veterans Health Administration, 
and Nick Pamperin, executive director for Veteran Readiness and 
Employment Service at the Veterans Benefit Administration.
    Mr. Chairman, with 11 bills on the agenda, I will highlight 
several in my oral statement. While VA fully supports several 
of the proposed bills, there are areas of concern for some and 
were outlined in more detail in my written testimony. VA 
supports with amendments the draft VET-TEC Authorization Act of 
2023. This bill would permanently authorize VA to carry out a 
program for covered individuals with the opportunity to enroll 
in high technology education.
    First, the bill would only authorize 8,000 covered 
individuals to participate during a fiscal year. These 
individuals could carry over into the next Fiscal Year and thus 
limit the number who could participate in the program.
    Second, this bill would mandate that VA charge 1 month of 
entitlement for covered individuals who have remaining 
entitlement under other GI Bill chapters for every month of 
entitlement used under this high technology program. This 
provision would be inequitable as it would allow some 
beneficiaries who have already used all of their VA educational 
benefits to receive more entitlement, while others would lose 
out on their remaining entitlement.
    VA would support two other bills on the agenda if they were 
amended. Specifically, the draft bill that would allow VA to 
restore educational assistance entitlement because of the 
suspension or termination of a course or program by reason of a 
determination of fraud by the commissioner of the Federal Trade 
Commission or the Secretary of Education; and the draft bill 
regarding liability for overpayments in case of transferred 
entitlement under the post 9-11 GI Bill.
    One of the bills that VA has concerns with is H.R. 291, the 
Vaccine Discharge Parity Act. This bill would include a general 
discharge under honorable conditions on the sole basis that the 
individual failed to obey lawful order to receive a COVID-19 
vaccine as a qualifying discharge for entitlement under the 
Montgomery and post 9-11 GI Bills. VA opposes this bill as we 
are concerned that enactment would create inequity for 
servicemembers discharged for various reasons and not meeting 
the honorable discharge requirement. Only service members with 
the COVID-19 character of discharge reason would be eligible to 
receive educational assistance, while servicemembers with the 
same character of discharge but different reasons would not be 
eligible for educational assistance. VA opposes section 2C of 
the bill that would adjust home loan fees with the purpose of 
helping to offset the cost of this bill.
    VA also opposes the draft Streamlining Aviation for 
Eligible Veterans Act or the SAFE Veterans Act. This bill would 
add a statement that a rehabilitation program may include 
flight training that does not lead to a degree. The purpose of 
the Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program is to 
provide all services and assistance necessary to enable 
veterans with service-connected disabilities to achieve 
independence in daily living and to obtain and maintain 
suitable employment. A rehabilitation program that includes 
flight training but does not lead to a degree would be 
inconsistent with VR&E needs training program requirements.
    Finally, VA fully supports the draft bill that would 
require VA to provide certificates of eligibility and award 
letters using electronic means. VA also fully supports the bill 
that increases the amount for education assistance in the 
Republic of the Philippines.
    Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I will pass it 
over to Dr. Harris for his opening statement from Veterans 
Health Administration (VHA).

    [The Prepared Statement Of Joseph Garcia Appears In The 
Appendix]

    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mr. Garcia. The written statement 
from Mr. Garcia will be entered into the hearing record.
    Dr. Harris, you are now recognized for 5 minutes to deliver 
your opening statement.

                   STATEMENT OF KEITH HARRIS

    Mr. Harris. Thank you, sir. Good morning, Chairman Van 
Orden, Ranking Member Levin, members of the committee, 
committee staff. Thank you for the opportunity to speak 
specifically today to H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for 
Homeless Veterans Act. We are here to speak in strong support 
of this bill.
    H.R. 645 permanently authorizes the vital temporary 
flexibilities granted in section 4201 of Isakson Roe that are 
set to expire with the end of the public health emergency on 
May 11. I am here in part to provide a little background as to 
where these flexibilities came from.
    Despite the essential nature of these flexibilities, VA 
historically was not authorized to provide them. Early in the 
COVID pandemic, both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs 
Committees approached us at VA and asked what we needed to 
support homeless veterans in this unprecedented time. Homeless 
individuals already face great risks in terms of morbidity and 
mortality, and these risks are exponentially greater in the 
face of COVID.
    We consulted with homeless program personnel around the 
country and developed a list of flexibilities that would enable 
us to best respond to the needs of homeless veterans. We 
brought those back to the committees and engaged in a 
productive and collaborative process at that point that 
culminated with Section 4201 of Isakson Roe. For the first time 
in the history of VA homeless programs, under 4201 medical 
centers have been able to directly purchase and provide 
lifesaving food, water, clothing, supplies to homeless 
veterans.
    We have also provided vital transportation assistance, as 
well as communications devices, all of which have allowed 
homeless and at-risk veterans to connect with healthcare 
providers, employers, landlords, and support networks. We 
estimate that over 100,000 veterans have benefited in one form 
or another from this life-changing authority, and we attribute 
recent progress in housing homeless veterans, in part, to this 
authority and its impact on services.
    In preparation for this hearing, I asked Network Homeless 
coordinators around the country for examples of the impact of 
4201 on veterans. I received at this point a hundred stories 
from field staff around the country, and literally more are 
still coming in; I just checked my phone before we started. I 
wanted to share one brief illustrative example that highlights 
the impact of authority to directly pay for shelter, phone, and 
transportation.
    This veteran was residing in a storage shed in the middle 
of rural America. Because of 4201 authority, VA was able to 
equip the veteran with a phone, pay for a hotel to get him 
immediately off the streets, and use Rideshare to get him to 
the hotel. I am certain this assistant saved his life as he 
refused to leave the storage shed if he had to go into a 
shelter and live with other people. The Midwest was 
experiencing the Arctic blast with temperatures reaching 17 
below 0.
    He then used his phone and Rideshare for housing searches, 
appointments, and job interviews. The veteran is now employed, 
housed, and thriving in the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) 
program. Before 4201, this veteran would literally likely have 
died in that freezing storing shed.
    Thousands of veterans have similarly benefited from this 
life-changing and even lifesaving authority. Looking ahead, 
thousands more will need the kinds of assistance that 4201 made 
possible. For these reasons, we applaud Congress for taking 
action on this bill, and we strongly support H.R. 645 to 
permanently authorize the flexibilities in 4201.
    Thank you for the opportunity to be here, and I look 
forward to any questions.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Dr. Harris. The written statement 
of Dr. Harris will be entered into the record for the hearing.
    In accordance with Committee Rule 5E, I ask unanimous 
consent that Representative Cherfilus, please excuse me if I 
mispronounce that, McCormick from Florida be permitted to 
participate in today's subcommittee hearing.
    Okay. Without objection. Without objection, so ordered.
    I now yield to the ranking member, Mr. Levin, for his 
opening statement.

        OPENING STATEMENT OF MIKE LEVIN, RANKING MEMBER

    Mr. Levin. Thank you, Chairman Van Orden. Thank you for 
holding this legislative hearing on 11 pieces of legislation 
today.
    Before getting started, I just wanted to offer my prayers 
for the families of the nine soldiers who were killed this 
morning after two U.S. Army helicopters collided during a 
training mission near an Army base on the Kentucky-Tennessee 
border. Our prayers are with them and their families.
    The work we do today will prepare our subcommittee to 
continue building upon our accomplishments over the last 4 
years to improve veteran education, house more homeless 
veterans, and place more veterans into jobs. I want to 
personally thank the chairman for including my legislation, 
H.R. 1786, to employ more veterans at the Department of 
Interior. Many of you know I place a great importance on 
conserving our Federal lands and waters, and I can think of no 
better group of individuals to continue their service by 
protecting our natural treasures than our veterans. Not only 
will our bipartisan GROW Act employ veterans, but I believe it 
will also create a hiring model for all Federal agencies in the 
future. We need to hire more veterans.
    In addition, I am pleased that Chairman Van Orden included 
H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act, 
from our colleague, Representative Cherfilus-McCormick.
    Chairman, your pronunciation was perfect. Well done.
    Congress acted swiftly during the COVID-19 pandemic to 
provide VA temporary authorities, and no one can argue with the 
results. Since this committee provided VA with the temporary 
authorities, which would be made permanent by H.R. 645, nearly 
$9 million have been used to support over 39,000 homeless or 
at-risk veterans with foundational needs, like food, shelter, 
clothing, and transportation to medical appointments and job 
interviews. VA's work during the pandemic to help more homeless 
veterans was truly an accomplishment, but it was only possible 
because this committee acted. Now it is time to act again 
before authorities are lost.
    This legislation will ensure that when VA and its community 
providers are caring for homeless veterans, they are able to 
purchase basic needs in support of those veterans' journeys 
into stable, permanent housing.
    Also on the agenda today is H.R. 1767 from Representative 
Ramirez, which, excitingly, is the first piece of legislation 
she has introduced as a Member of Congress. The Student Veteran 
Benefit Restoration Act would make thousands of veterans whole 
after schools they attended failed them. I am proud to be a co-
lead on the legislation and I hope to see it enacted into law.
    Bipartisan student veteran education reform has also been a 
hallmark of this committee. We have delivered time and time 
again, but our work is not done. Legislation builds upon our 
Isakson Roe Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 
2020 and the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 
2022, and continues to push bad actors out of the veteran 
education space.
    Finally, I am glad that we are going to be considering two 
Republican bills that I am co-leading. H.R. 1169, the VA E-
Notification Enhancement Act, from my friend Representative 
Arrington of Texas, would ensure that veterans can receive 
notifications for education benefits electronically, making the 
process easier, quicker, and more efficient for veterans. H.R. 
1635, the Filipino Education Fairness Act from Representative 
Kiggans, finally fixes an outdated limitation on GI Bill 
payments for education programs in the Philippines. We must 
deliver fairness for student veterans who wish to pursue their 
education in the Philippines and, for that matter, everywhere 
else.
    With that, I am ready to get to work today, ready to hear 
views from VA and our Veterans Service Organization (VSO) 
partners. Are we going straight to questions or--I will yield 
back my time for now.
    Mr. Van Orden. That would be great. We are just going to--
--
    Mr. Levin. Perfect.
    Mr. Van Orden.--move things and then we are going to 
questions.
    Mr. Levin. Go for it.
    Mr. Van Orden. All right. Thank you, Ranking Member Levin. 
I appreciate----
    Mr. Levin. Thank you, Chairman.
    Mr. Van Orden. We will now proceed directly to questions. I 
ask members and witnesses to please respect the 5-minute rule. 
I will recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    We kind of covered this briefly. I am only going to talk 
about 4 of the 11 bills. In the spirit of bipartisanship, we 
will be highlighting one for my Democratic colleagues.
    The first one is H.R. 1798 that I introduced, the 
Protecting Military Dependents Act. We spoke about this. If a 
servicemember is eligible for VA benefits and he gives those to 
his or her children or spouse for educational benefits, and 
then the servicemember does not meet the threshold for those 
benefits any longer due to misconduct, that the child or the 
spouse is not held accountable financially by the government. I 
think that is just the right thing to do.
    The Employee Acts, again, it is going to amend Title 38 to 
make sure that members of the Department of Labor from each 
State can participate in the Transition Assistance Program with 
the goal of having our veterans employed prior to leaving the 
service.
    VET-TEC, you kidding me? It is working. Let us do more of 
that. Introduced by Juan Ciscomani, my Republican colleague 
from Arizona.
    Then I also want to highlight the H.R. 645, Healthy 
Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act. That is introduced by my 
friend, Representative Cherfilus-McCormick.
    Mr. Van Orden. Sheesh, that is a hard one.
    All right. Dr. Harris, housing homeless veterans is 
incredibly important to the subcommittee and for my ranking 
member, Mr. Levin, and his top priority legislative--his top 
legislative priority, and I appreciate that greatly. We want to 
make sure that we can do whatever we can for these veterans to 
fulfill that, but we still also have to uphold our duty to 
protect the taxpayers from rampant spending.
    H.R. 645 would make permanent Section 4201 of the Isakson 
and Roe Veterans Healthcare Benefit Program Act of 2020. 
However, the data supplied to our committee by you shows that 
you used only 34 percent of the funds authorized in Fiscal Year 
2022.
    My two questions are this. It is a $20 million program. 
Sixty-six percent of this money, these moneys went unexpended. 
Where is the rest of the money?
    Mr. Harris. Thank you, sir. I would say there is a bit to 
unpack in this. It is not a very simple yes or no.
    Mr. Van Orden. All right.
    Mr. Harris. Fiscal year 2022 was the first full year we had 
this authority.
    Mr. Van Orden. Okay.
    Mr. Harris. That $20 million is not a fixed program 
budgeted amount. It is the amount we estimated was needed by 
the field that year. We wanted to aim high. The last thing we 
wanted was for medical centers to run out of money with 
homeless veterans still in need.
    Mr. Van Orden. Yep.
    Mr. Harris. We have never had this before. We took a guess 
at $20 million. Turned out a lot less than that was spent in 
2022.
    There is different reasons for that. We did not know what 
to estimate the need at. There were also loads of obstacles in 
terms of logistics and procurement and purchasing these things. 
Homeless programs have wanted for decades to have these 
authorities; they have been told no for decades. Fiscal 
departments have been trained to say no to these things for 
decades. There is a lot of that to overcome.
    All that said, we in Fiscal Year 2023, we are on pace now 
to spend what annualized would be about $8 million a year. That 
is actually the amount we allocated for Fiscal Year 2023. We 
dialed the amount we sent out significantly lower, down to 8 
million. While we are not on pace to hit that now, the month of 
March, we spent $731,000, which annualizes 8.8 million. We 
think we have now dialed in the amount that field staff need 
and how much we should put out.
    As for where the money from Fiscal Year 2022 went, VHA 
Finance handles American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, which is how 
this was funded. They sweep that excess back on a pretty 
regular basis, actually. Happy to take that question for the 
record as to what exactly was done with it at that point.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you. The quick follow up, though, is 
you are asking for $20 million.
    Mr. Harris. Yes.
    Mr. Van Orden. You just said you needed eight.
    Mr. Harris. That is the rest to unpack. There is several 
pieces of this.
    Mr. Van Orden. Okay. Let us take that for the record, 
please. Mr. Garcia, during the last briefing committee staff 
received, they were told that currently you only have one full-
time employee working for VET-TEC. Is that correct?
    Mr. Garcia. Sir, in Education Service we recently hired 
somebody. She was a mom with two children. She took the VET-TEC 
training online, which is great because she is a mom that had 
child care concerns. She actually was hired, but then lost a 
job because her husband is a long haul truck driver, so she had 
to lose that job because of child care concerns. Our staff was 
working with her and actually placed her. She is now helping us 
by designing a SharePoint site and using her project management 
skills from VET-TEC to improve our system and processes. So 
that, to your point, is another example of the VET-TEC success. 
We recently hired her through the VET-TEC program.
    Mr. Van Orden. Okay, great. Well, thank you, Mr. Garcia. I 
would like to have my staff connect with you again to make sure 
that we can flush this out completely. In respecting my fellow 
member's time, I will now yield and recognize Ranking Member 
Levin for 5 minutes to question the witnesses.
    Mr. Levin. I thank my friend the chairman, and I will 
actually start by picking up where he left off. I will ask Dr. 
Harris, why are you asking for 20 million when you only need 
eight?
    Mr. Harris. Thank you, sir. I hate unfinished answers. The 
reason is that that number includes both the goods and services 
side of 4201, but also the Rideshare program, which is also 
authorized under the transportation portion of 4201 and H.R. 
645. The accounting you have received to date is strictly for 
the rides and goods and services, but Rideshare is also 
included in our cost projections going forward. That explains 
the delta, 12 million for Rideshare, 8 million for goods and 
services.
    Mr. Levin. All right. I appreciate that clarification. Let 
me just say I certainly support my friend and colleague, 
Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick, H.R. 645 Healthy Foundations 
for Homeless Veterans Act. Proud to cosponsor the bill. Think 
it fills a critical gap in resources for homeless veterans.
    Let me shift to something we heard last week at our 
committee's budget hearing. I had asked Secretary McDonough 
about the expiration of the elevated grant and per diem rate 
for veterans residing in transitional housing. He indicated 
that the expiration is going to create major problems for VA to 
end veteran homelessness and could significantly set us back 
from reaching that shared goal. We know how vital nonprofits 
are to VA's efforts to house every homeless veteran; got great 
relationships with our local nonprofits in San Diego. Very 
concerned about the stress that the expiration of these 
authorities will put on our community partners.
    I will go back to you, Dr. Harris. As the authority expires 
for the grant and per diem rate, how will our reliance on 
community nonprofits and philanthropy shift? Can we reasonably 
expect nonprofits to be able to fill the gaps in services and 
resources that Congress could provide by making these 
authorities permanent and fully funding VA's homeless programs?
    Mr. Harris. It is a really important question, and with 
your permission, I am going to expand the answer to this 
expiring authority, also.
    Mr. Levin. You got time to unpack.
    Mr. Harris. You are right that the elevated rate and grant 
per diem is expiring. That will put a strain on grantees and 
nonprofits. The expiration of 4201's authority will put a much 
greater strain on those and it ends up being the same answer, 
but that is what I want to speak to. As much as I would like to 
say otherwise, the answer is no, they cannot fill all the gaps 
that are left when we can not do it ourselves.
    I want to be clear about what I mean by that. We have so 
many permanent housing resources. We have 100,000-plus HUD-VASH 
vouchers. We have millions in Supportive Services for Veterans 
Families (SSVF). We have loads of temporary and transitional 
resources. We can house homeless veterans in the resources we 
have. We could house thousands more than we have now. The 
problem is getting them into those beds and keeping them there, 
and that is where these flexibilities have helped us the most.
    I just want to give you a quick sense of how that works. 
Before these authorities, a veteran shows up at the ER, 
chronically homeless, seriously mentally ill. We say, Mr. 
Smith, we are not going to be able to admit you tonight. You 
are going to have to go to a shelter. Here is a list. Go find a 
shelter. You do not have a car. You are going to need to find 
public transportation. Here is a map of public transportation. 
It is cold outside. I wish we could give you a coat, but we can 
not. Here is a list of charities who can do that. You need help 
with case management, we will set up an appointment next week 
and come on back and we will help you. That is the way it was 
for decades. It is a miracle we housed as many homeless 
veterans as we did.
    With these flexibilities, the answer is we are going to put 
you in a hotel tonight. You do not have to get there yourself. 
We are going to use Rideshare to get you straight from here to 
that hotel. We are going to get you food tonight. We are going 
to get you clothed. Then we are going to give you a phone so 
that you can be in touch with your case manager right from that 
room and start working on housing.
    The stories I heard this week all say the same thing: We 
need that. Without that, veterans fall through the cracks, and 
that is the critical thing. These flexibilities have filled 
those cracks.
    Mr. Levin. Really important comments. Thank you so much.
    With the time I have left, I will turn to Mr. Garcia. VA is 
still in the midst of modernizing all its education IT systems. 
I actually think you have come a long way. I remember going 
with staff and with Members to Muskogee, Oklahoma, where we saw 
about a 40-or 50-year-old IT system out there. Thank you for 
the work that you are doing.
    I have H.R. 1169 VA E-Notification Enhancement Act, with 
Jodey Arrington, continues those efforts by requiring 
electronic certificates of eligibility. Your testimony states 
the VA is already in process of meeting some of those goals. 
When do you expect all the provisions of that bill to be met?
    Mr. Garcia. Sir, we believe that through the digital GI 
Bill modernization, we are already underway. In August 2022, 
original claims now have that ability to receive the electronic 
notification or opt out if they choose to. It is part of the 
digital GI Bill effort, which is a long-term effort, as you 
know. We are looking at the end of 2025 to have all of that 
electronic notification done as part of the digital GIB 
modernization effort.
    Mr. Levin. I appreciate that. I am out of time, Mr. 
Chairman. I yield back.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Ranking Member Levin.
    I now recognize Mrs. Ramirez from Illinois for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman Van Orden and Ranking 
Member Mike Levin.
    I want to first thank you for including my bill, House 
Resolution 1767, the Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act in 
today's legislative hearing. As I have been hearing the 
conversation, my colleagues know that the work of housing, 
education, and health care is extremely important to me. I 
certainly believe that when it comes to our veterans, there is 
an intersection between stable housing, access to health care, 
and being able to get the education necessary to get the career 
that they deserve with living wages and retiring with dignity.
    I have presented a bill here today to the legislative 
hearing. The GI Bill has had a profound impact on veterans 
returning to civilian life as well as on the education 
community at large. The educational benefits provided by the GI 
Bill have been instrumental in helping veterans improve their 
economic security and promote their success in postsecondary 
education. Those benefits have helped ensure that veterans are 
fully supported and integrated.
    As I have heard you talk today, particularly about the 
budget and housing, I would like to hear a little bit more as 
we look at the challenges that we see, particularly around 
housing. What do you think in the next year the housing need 
could look like for our veterans, especially as we know that 
moving from shelter to permanent housing also requires for them 
to have stable jobs. This would certainly mean that they, in 
some cases, to have that permanent housing, they would be 
paying, you know, for a one bedroom, depending on where they 
live, $1,500 to other places for a two bedroom, $2,500. Talk to 
me a little bit more about the necessity for some of these 
supports that you talk about as we look at some of the housing 
insecurity over the next year.
    Mr. Harris. Yes, thank you. I promise I am going to try to 
talk shorter this time. I am using up everyone's time, I 
apologize.
    It is an incredibly important need that you note. I want to 
say again, we have permanent housing resources. The challenge 
is, as you noted, getting people into those and the various 
supports that that requires. The stories I read this week, the 
100-plus examples of the way these Flexibilities helped, showed 
how important those are.
    It takes a lot to get into housing. That is a long road to 
go from the streets to housing, and there are many steps along 
that way. They require--you can do virtually none of it without 
a phone. You can not do much of it without transportation. You 
can not go to the Housing Authority. You can not go to the 
Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) or Social Security office. 
You can not go see apartments, attend open houses, meet with 
landlords, to get a job. You need a driver's license. You need 
the tools that these Flexibilities provide to get those. All 
those steps have to happen before we get into housing.
    You noted the market. The lack of affordable housing is one 
of the single biggest forces we are up against in terms of 
ultimately ending veteran homelessness. We are working with HUD 
on various ways to improve those processes to potentially 
increase fair market rent rates. There is a lot of work 
underway, way more than I can speak to right this second. Those 
flexibility, without those, and they expire May 11, we will 
face a very difficult road unless and until these authorities 
are made permanent.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Got it. I just want to go back to 
specifically the Rideshare component of it. You are saying that 
oftentimes when veterans have showed up at the VA for support 
services to be able to help relocate to a shelter or 
transitional housing, or even to go for these appointments, 
they have had to figure out how to get to the place or they 
have had to figure out the case management appointment the next 
week. You are saying being able to provide that transportation 
and being able to do more of that one-stop service makes it 
easier for them to navigate and certainly more quickly 
stabilize their housing situation?
    Mr. Harris. Absolutely. It is the centerpiece of the 
examples I received this week. It is at the center of all of 
it. It is very difficult to get from point A to point B for any 
of us in public transportation.
    Mrs. Ramirez. That is right. Well, thank you so much. I 
yield back, Chairman.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mrs. Ramirez.
    I now recognize Mr. McGarvey from Kentucky for 5 minutes.
    Mr. McGarvey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to 
start off, Mr. Chairman, by echoing your comments and offering 
the thoughts and prayers for the soldiers who lost their lives 
in the helicopter crash near my home state of Kentucky at Fort 
Campbell. The brave men and women of Fort Campbell are 
certainly integral to our state and our country and our 
security. It is just awful news to wake up this morning and 
learn of their passing. I think it also highlights what we need 
to do to help the men and women who are willing to put on a 
uniform and sacrifice everything to make sure that we are safe.
    As I look at some of the bills, we have got some great 
bills in front of this committee that really do look out for 
our veterans. One of them, H.R. 1699, the VET-TEC Authorization 
Act, offered by my colleague, Mr. Ciscomani.
    It is a jobs program, not an education program, which means 
that we have an expectation that the participants in this 
program are going to get a good job when they finish. In fact, 
the requirements, the providers who are giving this training to 
vets in the technology space, is that they are not paid until 
the vets actually get a job. What I want to make sure with you 
guys this morning is that that is not providing a perverse 
incentive where we want to make sure that our veterans are not 
just getting a job, but getting a good job and getting a good 
job where they are making a good salary and good benefits. This 
is not just a program to get any job, it is to get a quality 
job, but that is not specified in the law right now.
    Mr. Garcia, would you support requirements for providers 
that veterans are hired into jobs with competitive salaries and 
other job quality metrics?
    Mr. Garcia. Thank you, sir. We are all in agreement that 
VET-TEC is successful, right? The metrics that we have now, the 
outcome measures show they are hired within about 58 days for 
employment, average salary 65,000, so they are good paying 
jobs. I think we would continue to support really looking at 
meaningful outcomes to make sure they have a good paying job 
that also is an area that they want to get into, right, and 
that they are studied for.
    We have changed our form that tracks that to expand more 
data that we can analyze and make sure that we are tracking 
good outcome measures for our veterans that use VET-TEC. 
Hopefully, that addresses that.
    Mr. McGarvey. No, thank you. I appreciate that. You know, 
because we are talking about the technology sector, again, like 
you said, there is really good things happening. I just want to 
make sure that good things continue to happen for our veterans 
who are in programs like this.
    As you know that VET-TEC is an employment program and it is 
susceptible to outside factors just like anything else. We are 
seeing news, particularly out of places like Silicon Valley, 
about the dip in employment in the tech sector right now. Is 
veteran employment in the tech industry shrinking right now? 
Are we seeing it shrink with layoffs? What kind of trends are 
you all seeing come about in this sector and with this program?
    Mr. Garcia. Yes, sir. We are looking at that. Obviously, 
the news is the high number of layoffs that are from the larger 
companies. What we are looking at, what we are noticing is that 
at the smaller companies, the midsized companies, that is not 
really an issue right now as what you see in the news. A lot of 
the hiring was early on, that peaked and there was maybe a 
right-sizing, what you are seeing in terms of getting to that 
number. That is not the best answer, but I think there was a 
huge increase and then it kind of modified back down, so that 
is some of the settling.
    There is also concerns because some of the benefit 
packages, severance packages, from those high layoffs are like 
up to 6 months. We are tracking to make sure that we are 
watching those as well that maybe are not really impacted right 
away because of a good severance package. We want to make sure 
that they are not impacted down the road. Right?
    We are looking at the industry as a whole, but, again, it 
looks like at the smaller to midsized tech companies, it looks 
like it is not as prevalent as what you see in the news with 
the high-volume companies.
    Mr. McGarvey. Thank you. Obviously, that is something we 
want to continue to watch. We want this to be successful. We 
want our veterans to have good training and get into good 
quality jobs. As you all continue to monitor this, we can check 
back with you, but certainly want to know how to address this 
if we see this becoming a problem and make sure, again, our 
veterans are taken care of after they have served us. Thank you 
very much.
    I yield back my time.
    Mr. Garcia. Yes, sir.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mr. McGarvey.
    I would now like to recognize Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick from 
Florida for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and 
thank you for pronouncing my name correctly. Thank you, Ranking 
Member. Thank you also for your testimony and being here today.
    I want to start off also recognizing our soldiers who lost 
their life. They are definitely in our prayers and our 
condolences.
    I also want to start off by thanking the deputy general 
counsel, Ally Cimino, of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, 
for her dedication to solving veterans' homelessness and ending 
food insecurity in our veterans. With her help, these issues 
will be a thing of the past. Thank you, Ally.
    Dr. Harris, thank you for being here. My bipartisan 
legislation, H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless 
Veterans Act, would permanently authorize us to fund on basic 
needs for homeless veterans such as food, transportation, 
communication devices, and shelter. I think we can agree that 
these are essential that every person requires to thrive. They 
are the foundation of a person's well-being. Since 2021, VA has 
helped over 39,000 homeless veterans access basic goods and 
services, and provided nearly 42,000 homeless veterans with 
over 400,000 rides to medical appointments and job interviews 
and through this authority.
    Dr. Harris, can you please explain how the VA filled these 
needs for homeless veterans prior to the pandemic?
    Mr. Harris. Yes, ma'am. My direct gratitude to you for 
introducing this bill and second the commendation of Ally as 
well.
    In short, we were unable to directly provide these things 
prior to these flexibilities. We could provide a veteran a 
sandwich if he or she had appointments across an entire day. We 
could reimburse travel if they lived far enough away. Those are 
great for a standard veteran with a car and a job and a stable 
life. They do not begin to touch the needs of a homeless 
veteran. We were unable to provide for these before.
    Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick. Thank you. Are VA staff and 
clinicians seeing that this authority is helping to improve 
homeless veterans outcomes in terms of getting and keeping them 
stable and housed?
    Mr. Harris. Yes. As I noted, I had asked the field for 
examples of this, and I wish I had time to share them all. The 
veteran with cancer who could not attend chemo appointments 
because they were too far away through public transportation, 
but we got him there with Rideshare. The suicidal veteran whose 
only companion was his dog, whose prospective landlord would 
not let him move in, but we were able to cover pet fees and 
deposits, and he was able to move in and live stably. The woman 
fleeing domestic violence late on a Friday, shelter beds full, 
grant and per diem beds full. We were able to put her in a 
hotel over the weekend. The veteran whose apartment burned 
down. She and her kids were facing separation because they 
could not move into a shelter together. We are able to put them 
all in a hotel and stay in that hotel stably until they could 
move back into a HUD-VASH program.
    Countless veterans who could not make medically necessary 
lifesaving appointments without transportation, Rideshare gets 
them there. We could not do that in the past. Countless 
veterans facing eviction if not for assistance we could provide 
either through utilities arrears, pest infestations, hoarding 
problems.
    These are things we could help veterans with. This is what 
kept veterans in housing. I could go on way longer than my 5 
minutes with those examples. I will stop.
    Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick. Well, thank you. My last and 
final question, how are the communication devices authorized in 
this bill utilized by homeless veterans? Can you discuss the 
importance of access to cell phones or laptops for the homeless 
veterans?
    Mr. Harris. Yes. Thank you. It is incredibly important. We 
are aware there is some skepticism about the phones. There is 
concerns of kind of worst-case scenarios, veterans selling 
these for profit, for money, using them to buy drugs. There are 
controls we have built into that process. We think we have done 
a good job with that. We think medical center staff and 
veterans themselves have done a good job with that.
    On the flip side, I would argue there is no more single 
important tool for both a homeless veteran, but also for any of 
us, than a phone in today's life. How long would any of us 
survive in our jobs, in our lives without one? It may feel like 
it ought to be easier for somebody on the streets. It is 
harder. All those challenges are compounded.
    Everything you have to do to move from the streets to 
housing requires some degree of communication, access to 
information, not the least of which is contact with your VA 
providers, but landlords, employers, friends, and family, the 
social support network that keeps us sane, that keeps us--
prevents the social isolation that can lead to eviction. The 
phones are incredibly important and dollar for dollar are 
likely the single best investment we have made under these 
authorities.
    Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick. Thank you. This is actually my 
final question, even though I said the last one was. How do you 
see the expiration of this authority, if we are not able to 
make it permanent, affecting our ability to end and prevent 
veterans homelessness in short and in long term?
    Mr. Harris. It is a really important question. Not stating 
an agency position here, but based on my own experience and 
based on the feedback in the 100-plus examples I received, I do 
not think it is possible to completely, totally end veteran 
homelessness without these flexibilities. It is not that we do 
not have the permanent housing resources, as I noted earlier. 
It is the ability to keep the veterans from falling through the 
cracks, who always have in the past, who will begin to again, 
despite everyone's best efforts, without these flexibilities. 
We need them.
    Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick. Thank you so much for your 
testimony.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you.
    Mr. Van Orden. Well, thank you, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick.
    Thank you very much, witnesses, for coming. I appreciate it 
very much. You are now excused, and I would hope that you would 
stay with us for the next panel.
    In our second panel, we have several veterans service 
organizations. Ms. Tammy Barlet from Student Veterans of 
America, Mr. Matthew Brennan from the American Legion, Ms. 
Alicia Boddy from Code Platoon and the VET-TEC Working Group, 
and Mr. Patrick Murray from Veterans of Foreign Wars.
    I would like to welcome the witnesses on our second panel 
to the witness table. I ask that you all please stand and raise 
your right hand.
    [Witnesses sworn.]
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you very much. Let the record reflect 
that the witnesses have all answered in the affirmative.
    I want you all to know that we have read your written 
testimony. In the interest of time, we are going to go right 
into questions, and I ask for unanimous consent to waive the 
taking of this oral testimony to proceed directly to 
questioning the witnesses. All right. Without objection, so 
ordered.
    I now recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    I just have one question. Mr. Murray from Veterans of 
Foreign Wars (VFW), which I am a lifetime member. Oh, there you 
are, sir. Where is your cover, Mr. Murray?
    Mr. Murray. We do not wear covers during testimony, sir.
    Mr. Van Orden. Oh, my gosh. Well, all right. I hope you 
have it with you. In your testimony, you indicated support for 
the Streamlining Aviation for Eligibility Veterans Act to 
provide more flexibility in the Veterans Readiness and 
Employment program. Can you elaborate on how this bill would 
benefit disabled veterans?
    Mr. Murray. Yes, sir. The VR&E program, when utilized 
correctly, can be a fantastic, life-changing program. The 
nondegree granting part of it is not the most important part in 
our minds of VR&E. It is getting them employed. If that leads 
to gainful employment in whatever field that might be, we 
support that endeavor.
    Mr. Van Orden. Well, outstanding. With that, I yield back. 
Thank you very much for that.
    I now yield to Ranking Member Levin for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Just a couple of questions. I will start with Ms. Barlet. I 
want to thank you for your written testimony on the Student 
Veteran Benefit Restoration Act. I think you perfectly 
explained the problem at hand, that, and I quote, ``While 
relief exists for Federal student loan borrowers impacted by 
fraud, the same is not true for VA education beneficiaries.'' 
It is incredibly unfair to GI Bill students, especially given 
the sacrifices they have made through their service or that of 
their loved one. What kind of message do you think it sends to 
veterans and military families that we have this discrepancy?
    Ms. Barlet. Thank you, Ranking Member Levin. I appreciate 
the question.
    The message that the discrepancy currently exists shows 
that there is a movement to make sure that these student 
veterans and other military-affiliated students are taken care 
of. This piece of legislation puts forth that, with the 
understanding that VA will also be restored in the support that 
they have given that student veteran and other military-
associated student veterans. This is something that needs to be 
done and moving in the right direction.
    Mr. Levin. Thank you. I appreciate that. Look forward to 
working with you and student veterans on this legislation.
    Then I will turn to my friend, Mr. Murray. It is always 
good to see you, sir.
    Chairman Van Orden's legislation to expand job counseling 
and Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for states will improve 
the TAP process, helping transitioning servicemembers prepare 
better to find a job. It is now been more than 4 years since 
the last significant changes to the TAP process and I would 
like to take the opportunity just to get your views on where we 
are with TAP today.
    The first question is, have the 2019 National Defense 
Authorization Act (NDAA) TAP changes that were made after I 
first got elected, have they been effective?
    Mr. Murray. Short answer to that yes, there have been great 
improvements to the TAP program. Where it came from years ago, 
where it is today, it is considerably better. However, it is a 
Department of Defense (DOD) managed program and DOD is not 
providing proper oversight of it.
    We know it is not this committee's job, but we call on all 
of Congress to make sure that TAP is being administered 
correctly. Specifically, the change that this bill would allow 
is for State agencies to be able to contact servicemembers 
while they are going through the TAP portion. Roughly, 
normally, it is about 6 months out. The law calls for one year 
out. We see that DOD is not adhering to those metrics.
    This will allow two-way communications. A recent change 
that was put in DD Form 2648 allows servicemembers to send 
their forms, their relevant documents, to State agencies. Those 
State agencies cannot respond back. This will allow for two-way 
communication.
    However, it is the role of the transition assistance 
manager to make connections in the communities to which 
servicemembers are transitioning to. We had a hearing last year 
and there are a lot of great resources in San Diego, for 
example. That is not just sending your DD 214 to the California 
State agency. It is reaching out to those groups in the 
community that do really substantive work for transition around 
the country. That is what we want to see happen. This is a good 
step in that right direction.
    Mr. Levin. I appreciate that. Any other witnesses have any 
ideas or suggestions on further improvements to TAP?
    None?
    Mr. Murray. A joint hearing between and the House Veterans' 
Affairs Committee and the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) 
would be fantastic. Make sure that they are adhering to 
something where we see about 175-to 200,000 troops getting out 
every single year. That should be an evergreen priority of the 
Armed Services Committee. We have not seen that since I believe 
it was 2018 was the last time there was a TAP hearing on the 
Armed Services Committee. It is too long.
    Mr. Levin. I could not agree with you more, Mr. Murray, and 
I know you and I have talked about this. You know, from my 
friend, the chairman, so important that we try to get our 
committee together with HASC to do a joint hearing. I know you 
all will have plenty of comments at that time. TAP is so, so 
important.
    Yes, go ahead, Ms. Barlet.
    Ms. Barlet. Thank you, Representative Levin.
    Something that was mentioned at our joint hearing just a 
few months ago was the understanding that when a servicemember 
goes from TAP as a veteran, that they are aware of the 
professional adjustment that they can perform in their Free 
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. There 
is an understanding that when they come out and now they are 
the veteran and they are filling out the FAFSA, that FAFSA is 
not being implemented with their last income tax when they had 
a job through the military, but it is being adjusted through 
the institution--a conversation through the institution and 
that student veteran with the understanding that they have 
recently transitioned.
    Mr. Levin. Got it. I appreciate that. Thank you all. We 
look for your continued input and feedback on improvements to 
TAP.
    With that, I will yield back to the chairman.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Ranking Member Levin.
    I now recognize Mr. Ciscomani from Arizona for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Ciscomani. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome to all of you. 
Thanks for being here.
    In the interest of time, I know we are combining some of 
the efforts, so I am going to read a few words here on the VET-
TEC bill, and then I will open up for some quick questions.
    Thank you, Chairman Van Orden and fellow members of the 
subcommittee. I am grateful that my bill, H.R. 1669, the VET-
TEC Authorization Act, is being considered today. This 
bipartisan effort, which I introduced with Chairman Bost and 
also Congressman Khanna, would permanently authorize the 
Veteran Employment Through Veteran Education Courses, or VET-
TEC program.
    As part of the Forever GI Bill that was signed into law in 
2017, Speaker McCarthy and Congressman Khanna established the 
VET-TEC pilot program which allows eligible veterans to gain 
experience and training in high-demand tech jobs. Since the 
start of the VET-TEC program in 2019, over 12,000 veterans have 
completed the program in areas like computer programming, 
software development, data processing, and other in-demand 
careers. This is crucial to strengthening our American 
workforce.
    Of the veterans that completed the program, roughly 64 
percent are offered a job relating to the training they 
received, with an average salary of around $65,000 a year. 
These results show that the program works, and with permanent 
authorization, more veterans will be able to participate in the 
program each year.
    I am proud to have partnered with Chairman Bost and 
Congressman Khanna on this legislation, and I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to ensure veterans can continue to 
grow in the civilian workforce.
    Now, Mr. Brennan and all veterans here today, including 
those on the subcommittee panel, I want to just thank you all 
for your sacrifice, for your service to our country. Mr. 
Brennan, thank you for being here, and I sincerely appreciate 
the support from the American Legion on permanently authorizing 
the VET-TEC program. Can you discuss how your members can--have 
benefited actually from the pilot program and the need for some 
of the changes to the program that we have highlighted?
    Mr. Brennan. Yes, sir. Thank you for your question.
    The VET-TEC program, as noted earlier, has been a huge 
success for veterans transitioning out of the service into 
civilian life. Our members have benefited from it because right 
now, as we note, there is a dire need for employment in these 
sought-after sectors. We believe that making this program 
permanent and ensuring that they go into these jobs that are 
well-paying is instrumental to ensuring their successful 
transition back into the service.
    Mr. Ciscomani. Thank you.
    Mr. Brennan. Or out of the service.
    Mr. Ciscomani. I know. Thank you so much for that and for 
being here. This is a great potential that it has here to be 
permanent. We have seen the great success of it so far, and we 
are happy to be supporting it as well. Thank you so much.
    Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mr. Ciscomani.
    I now recognize Mrs. Ramirez from Arizona for 5 minutes.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman.
    I want to first thank you all for your written testimonies, 
particularly on my legislation that creates some level parity 
between Title 4 and Title 38. As you know, the committee has 
long wished to restore veterans who have been defrauded or 
otherwise left holding the bag for bad actors. The GI Bill has 
had a profound impact on veterans as they return to civilian 
life. The educational benefits have provided the GI Bill 
instrumental service to helping veterans improve their economic 
security and promote their success in postsecondary education.
    Moreover, these benefits have helped ensure that veterans 
are fully supported and integrated into the education 
community. Sadly, as we know, there are still some predatory, 
often for-profit institutions that see GI Bill educational 
benefits and only see a profitable exploit. H.R. 1767, the 
Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act, is essential for the 
veteran community and it needs to be prioritized. The bill 
ensures that our veterans receive full educational benefits if 
a for-profit institution has wrongfully defrauded them.
    We are committed to our veterans, and part of that 
commitment is ensuring that the GI Bill educational benefit is 
honored for our veterans who have more than earned it, and 
their families and loved ones. My ranking member, Congressman 
Mike Levin from California, has shown his commitment to this 
issue for years, and I am honored to have his support as an 
original co-sponsor of the bill H.R. 1767. It has also earned 
support from key champions for vets, Veteran Education Success 
and Student Veterans of America.
    I want to come back to your testimony, and I want to ask 
you a couple of questions in the time that I do have. This 
question is for Ms. Barlet or anyone else could actually answer 
as well, but should there be an expectation that schools repay 
benefits if they fail to provide a student veteran the class 
that they promised them?
    Ms. Barlet. Thank you, Representative Ramirez.
    It is something that needs to be taken into account. These 
are Federal funds that are being used for the veteran or the 
military-affiliated student veteran attending these 
institutions. When a closure or false career expectations come 
from this, and VA and Social Security Administration (SSA) 
decide to no longer use that institution for services, it does 
need to be taken into account.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Why has the VA not already acted to restore 
benefits for more students impacted by school closures or in 
instances of fraud?
    Ms. Barlet. Unfortunately, I am unable to answer that 
question for you. Looking at the trend of how Department of 
Education established the borrower's defense, it was just a 
matter of time for additional agencies to also work within that 
same manner.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Do you believe using the borrower defense is 
a good way to properly capture students who need the GI Bill 
restored?
    Ms. Barlet. It is one of the tools, but your legislation is 
going to lead to additional tools to ensure that they are made 
whole.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Got it. Thank you. Last question for you. Are 
there other triggers that would be appropriate to make sure 
that we are restoring these benefits for the veterans?
    Ms. Barlet. Other triggers would be, like I mentioned 
before, the false career expectations. When a veteran discusses 
with the institution's administration and they see that if they 
attend there and complete the degree that there is going to be 
a job expectation for them coming out of that, that is going to 
lead their family into success and security, we want to ensure 
that those actors that provide that information are doing well. 
Those actors that give false career expectations are under that 
scrutiny.
    Mrs. Ramirez. Thank you.
    Look, just a few more words on my bill, and thank you so 
much for the work that you are doing and how, you know, you 
have explained how critical this bill is to help restore those 
benefits.
    It is long past time to give our veteran community the 
justice they deserve. We have to ensure that no student veteran 
is ever robbed of their educational benefits again by making 
sure we are cutting off any predatory schemes. I really look 
forward to working with our ranking member, our chairman, and 
the entire Veterans' Affairs Committee to ensure that every 
student veteran has access to their full educational benefits. 
I urge all of my colleagues to join us by cosponsoring, and I 
look forward to swiftly moving to a committee markup.
    Thank you and I yield back, Chairman.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mrs. Ramirez.
    I now recognize Mr. McGarvey from Kentucky for 5 minutes.
    Mr. McGarvey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate 
everybody's testimony today.
    I want to talk a little about H.R. 291, which is the 
Vaccine Discharge Parity Act, introduced by my colleague, Mr. 
Fitzgerald. This bill is going to reinstate GI benefits to 
veterans discharged due to refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. It 
means these individuals will get access to their benefits, 
which I think is a good thing to have veterans being able to 
access their benefits.
    It is also going to mean they are going to jump the line 
over other individuals still waiting for their benefits, such 
as those discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. I am 
for expanding benefits, but let us think about the frustration, 
the hurt, the betrayal that a lot of our veterans who were let 
go from their service under Don't Ask, Don't Tell have to wait 
again to try and access their GI education benefits. Enough is 
enough.
    Ms. Barlet, could you speak a little bit about the need for 
comprehensive reform to eligibility for education benefits and 
not just picking here and there who gets them?
    Ms. Barlet. Thank you, Representative.
    A comprehensive reform would let those veterans understand 
that their government is behind them and things that had made 
or issues that had made their discharge difficult or less than 
honorable is being discussed, things such as underlying mental 
health conditions, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), or because of 
their sexual orientation while service.
    Mr. McGarvey. Thank you. I appreciate that.
    You know, we started off today talking about a tragedy, a 
tragedy for our soldiers down at Fort Campbell, a tragedy that 
so many--it is a risk anyone who puts on a uniform takes to 
serve us. I think that it is important for us to be there for 
those who put on that uniform after they serve because of the 
risks they take. I hope this is an area we can get right and 
have a comprehensive reform so that the people who have served 
have access to the benefits they have earned. I stress that, 
that they have earned.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Mr. McGarvey.
    Hey, I just want to tell you, man, if there is anything we 
can do collectively as a body to assist with the 
servicemembers' families from your state of Kentucky, just 
please ask. It is exceptionally important that these folks are 
recognized. We just got a whole bunch of new Gold Star moms or 
dads or husbands and wives, and it is just a bad thing. That is 
a real offer.
    Then I just ask with the concurrence of the ranking member, 
Mr. Levin, if I could ask Ms. Boddy a question. Is that all 
right? Good.
    You came out here from California, did not you?
    Ms. Boddy. Yes, I did, all the way from Los Angeles.
    Mr. Van Orden. Yes. Well, thank you very much. You flew 
right over what I call America. Hey, right? Sorry, I had to do 
it. That is for him.
    Thank you for your testimony and for coming out again from 
California. I appreciate both of your support of this bill with 
VET-TEC and the recommendations on how to make the bill better. 
What methods have Code Platoon or the VET-TEC Working Group, 
which you are a member of, use to keep in communication with 
the veterans after graduation? Could these communication 
techniques be improved, in your opinion?
    Ms. Boddy. Thank you for the question.
    You know, our providers are always looking to improve 
communications with our veterans after they graduate and we 
look forward to partnering with the VA especially. We think 
there is a lot of opportunity there to provide a united front 
and say that, you know, the program is not over when you 
graduate. The program is really over when you find that 
meaningful employment.
    Providers have really done a lot over the last 5 years 
during this pilot to improve our career services and improve 
those outreach efforts. Through the working group especially, 
we have seen that partnering with the VA and having all of us 
saying the same message to the veterans is really impactful. We 
hope that we can really focus on that meaningful employment 
piece and leverage our relationship with the VA as providers to 
help with that outreach and keep veterans engaged and find 
those meaningful employment jobs for them.
    Mr. Van Orden. Awesome. If there is any roadblocks that you 
run into, please tell us. I just think this is a winning 
program and I would like to see it come to fruition 
permanently.
    I want to thank you all for coming and for your views on 
this legislation discussed today. I believe the proposals we 
have here today, including VET-TEC, which we just discussed, 
Authorization Act of 2023, are incredibly important to ensuring 
veterans continue to use the benefits that they have earned. I 
look forward to continued working with the stakeholders, that 
is all of our vets, and also the ranking member and the rest of 
the committee to get these bills to the floor.
    With that, I yield to the ranking member, Mr. Levin, for 
any concluding remarks he might have.
    Mr. Levin. No concluding remarks. I appreciate the 
chairman, appreciate all of our witnesses. Thanks for all the 
excellent work that you do.
    Mr. Van Orden. Thank you, Ranking Member Levin. Thank you 
again for coming to participate in today's hearing.
    I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record statements 
from the Disabled American Veterans and Veterans Education 
Success. Without objection, so ordered.
    I ask unanimous consent that all members have 5 legislative 
days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material. Without objection, so ordered.
    This hearing stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 10:36 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]    
      
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                         A  P  P  E  N  D  I  X

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                    Prepared Statement of Witnesses

                              ----------                              


                  Prepared Statement of Joseph Garcia

    Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and other Members of the 
Subcommittee, thank you for inviting us here today to present our views 
on several bills that would affect VA programs and services. Joining me 
today are Dr. Keith Harris, Senior Executive Homelessness Agent, 
Greater Los Angeles, Office of the Secretary Veterans Health 
Administration (VHA), and Nick Pamperin, Executive Director, Veteran 
Readiness and Employment Service (VBA).

H.R. 291   ``Vaccine Discharge Parity Act''

    Sections 2(a) and (b) of this bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  
3011(a)(3)(B) and 3311(c) to include a general discharge under 
honorable conditions on the sole basis that the individual failed to 
obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19, as a qualifying 
discharge for entitlement to educational assistance under the 
Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program and the Post-9/11 GI 
Bill. Section 2(c) of the bill would adjust home loan fees to help 
offset the costs of the bill. Specifically, this section would amend 38 
U.S.C. Sec.  3729(b) to replace ``January 14, 2031'' with ``March 1, 
2031'' in each place it appears in the loan fee table in section 
3729(b)(2).
    VA opposes this bill. Currently, an individual who serves in the 
Armed Forces must receive an honorable discharge to establish 
eligibility for educational assistance under the MGIB-AD and Post-9/11 
GI Bill. VA is concerned that enactment of this bill would create an 
inequity for Service members discharged for various reasons and not 
meeting the ``honorable discharge'' requirement for eligibility for 
educational assistance. Only Service members with the COVID-19 
character of discharge ``reason'' would be eligible to receive 
educational assistance, while Service members with the same character 
of discharge but different reason would not be eligible for educational 
assistance.
    VA also has concerns regarding the availability of Department of 
Defense (DoD) data elements corresponding with information technology 
systems and claims processing rules to facilitate the data exchange 
needed for automated claims processing. Additional funding would be 
required for Veterans Benefits Administration and DoD interfaces and 
Digital GI Bill (DGIB) automation planning and delivery. For example, 
the VA and DoD Identity Repository (VADIR) would require additional 
indicators to reflect that the reason for a particular discharge was 
due to refusal to take a vaccine, given the current Interface Control 
Document (DGIB-VADIR) includes no specifications for a particular 
discharge being due to refusal to take a vaccine. Without additional 
development resources to make these and other required changes, fewer 
claims could be accomplished using automation. The new rules would also 
need to be programmed into the Benefits Delivery Network and the Post-
9/11 GI Bill Long Term Solution to calculate eligibility for this small 
population of individuals.
    VA opposes section 2(c) of the bill. This section would adjust home 
loan fees with the purpose of helping to offset the costs of the bill. 
Loan fees are collected to reduce the taxpayer cost of VA's loan 
guaranty program. As such, VA does not support using the fees as an 
offset for the costs of another benefit program. Additionally, VA notes 
that home loan fees that are required under 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3729(b)(2) 
are scheduled to expire on November 14, 2031, not January 14, 2031. See 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, P. L. 117-328, Division U, 
Sec.  204. Therefore, this section of the bill as drafted would fail to 
accomplish the purpose of extending the period in which home loan fees 
are collected by VA.

H.R. 645   ``Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act''

    H.R. 645 would add a new section 2068 to title 38, U.S. Code, to 
allow VA to use amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to 
carry out sections 2011, 2012, 2031, or 2061 to provide certain 
assistance to homeless Veterans and Veterans participating in the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-
VASH) program. The assistance authorized under proposed section 2068(a) 
would include assistance needed for the safety and survival of the 
Veteran (such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and hygiene items), 
transportation needed to support the stability and health of the 
Veteran (such as transportation for appointments with service 
providers, the conduct of housing searches and the obtainment of food 
and supplies), communications equipment and services (such as tablets, 
smartphones, disposable phones, and related service plans) needed to 
support the stability and health of the Veteran (such as through the 
maintenance of contact with service providers, prospective landlords, 
and family members), and such other assistance as VA determines 
necessary.
    Proposed section 2068(b) would authorize VA to collaborate, to the 
extent practicable, with one or more organizations to manage the use of 
VA land for homeless Veterans for living and sleeping. This 
collaboration could include the provision, by either VA or the head of 
the organization concerned, of food services and security of property, 
buildings, and other facilities owned or controlled by VA.
    VA strongly supports this bill, as it is consistent with an 
Administration proposal included in the FY 2024 Budget (``Flexibility 
in the Provision of Assistance to Homeless Veterans''). The bill would 
effectively replicate the authority granted under section 4201 of P.L. 
116-315 but would remove the limitation related to the period of the 
covered public health emergency.
    Before the authority in section 4201 of P.L. 116-315 was 
established, VA could not use funds to provide these services or 
support and had to rely on donations or community organizations, which 
were not always readily available, to fill the service gaps. VA 
providers need the continued flexibility and access to critical 
resources provided by this authority to carry out the mission of making 
Veteran homelessness rare, brief, and non-reoccurring. In recent years, 
VA providers have excelled at reducing Veteran homelessness; however, 
the Veterans who remain unsheltered often present with complex needs 
and face unprecedented barriers, such as high cost of food, increased 
housing costs, and lack of public transportation or access to 
information. To complete the mission of ending Veteran homelessness, VA 
needs to be able to provide all available resources.
    Furthermore, use of Department land allows for the flexibility to 
use designated areas on VA medical center campuses to offer temporary 
housing, food, access to health care, case management, peer support, 
and a clean environment to vulnerable unsheltered Veterans experiencing 
homelessness. This is needed to address the continuing high number of 
unsheltered homeless Veterans nationally, and the need for low-barrier 
safe-haven settings that can provide immediate access to shelter and 
services for Veterans 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
    Most importantly, the barriers that this bill would address existed 
before the COVID-19 public health emergency and will persist after the 
emergency declaration has ended, increasing risks to Veterans' safety, 
survival and well-being, and negatively impacting living conditions. We 
do note, as a technical matter, that the bill should establish a new 
section 2069 in title 38, as there currently is a section 2068 
(regarding mental health consultations), which was added by section 
404(b) of the STRONG Veterans Act (Div. V of P.L. 117-328).
    The total estimated cost is $20.52 million for FY 2024, $21.36 
million for FY 2025, approximately $111.47 million over a 5-year 
period, and the cost over a 10-year period is approximately $243.42 
million. This estimated cost is based on FY 2022 expenditures.

H.R. 728   Pilot Program on Short-Term Fellowship Programs

    This bill would authorize the Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Veterans' Employment and Training to carry out a pilot program under 
which a State may use a grant or contract under 38 U.S.C. Sec.  
4102A(b)(5) (the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program) to carry out a 
pilot program on short-term fellowship programs. Each program would 
consist of Veterans participating as fellows with an employer for a 
period not exceeding 20 weeks, pay such Veterans a monthly stipend, and 
provide such Veterans an opportunity to be employed on a long-term 
basis with the employer following such period.
    VA defers to the Department of Labor regarding this bill.

    H.R. XXX   Education Fraud

    Section 1(a) of this bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3699(b)(1) by 
adding a new subparagraph that would allow VA to restore educational 
assistance entitlement under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 or 
10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 1607, if an individual was unable to complete 
a course or program as a result of the suspension or termination of a 
course or program of education by reason of a determination of fraud by 
the Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission or the Secretary of 
Education.
    Section 1(b) of the bill would further amend 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3699 
by adding a new subsection (f) that would require the educational 
institution to repay the Secretary of Veterans Affairs all amounts of 
educational assistance received pursuant to the educational assistance 
programs administered by VA during the period when the fraud was 
determined to have occurred, if the educational institution closes or 
suspends or terminates a course or program of education by reason of a 
determination of fraud by the Commissioner of the Federal Trade 
Commission or the Secretary of Education.
    VA would support this bill, if amended. Since students may be 
accomplices to the fraud in certain instances, VA recommends that 
section 1(a) of the bill include language to specify that students who 
participate in the fraud are not eligible for restored entitlement 
under this section. VA also recommends that this bill be amended to 
include findings of substantial misrepresentation made by VA or a State 
Approving Agency.
    No discretionary costs are associated with this bill. Additional 
time is needed to determine if the bill has significant mandatory 
costs.

H.R. XXX   Sole Liability for Transferred Educational Assistance

    This bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3319(i), regarding liability 
for overpayments in cases of transferred entitlement, to remove joint 
liability for certain overpayments. Specifically, this bill would 
require VA to hold the individual who transfers unused education 
benefits to a dependent solely liable for any overpayment of 
educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill when the individual 
fails to complete his or her service agreement.
    VA would support this bill, if amended. However, if it is the 
intent of Congress to eliminate liability for dependents who share no 
fault in the overpayment, VA recommends that the bill be amended to 
also address tuition and fee overpayments that are collected against 
schools, as these will likely be passed on to students. Debts resulting 
from reductions and termination of benefits are currently split between 
the student and the school. The student is liable for the monthly 
housing allowance, books and supplies, and kicker benefits, while the 
school is responsible for tuition and fees.
    Section 1019 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans 
Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315), 
which revised 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3685(b), requires schools to be 
financially responsible for all tuition and fee debts paid under the 
Post-9/11 GI Bill. However, schools may seek reimbursement of tuition 
and fee debts from students independent of the protection covered in 
this bill. Therefore, VA recommends that the bill be amended to 
explicitly state that payment of tuition and fees that result in an 
overpayment under 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3319(i)(2)(A) would not constitute a 
liability against the school or dependent in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 
Sec.  3685. This amendment would ensure that these debts are not passed 
on to the student by the school.
    We note that the proposed amendment to section 3319(i)(2)(A) is 
unclear because it would refer to the amount of any transferred 
entitlement that is used by a dependent ``as an overpayment of 
educational assistance under paragraph (1)'' (which provides for joint 
and several liability) ``for which the individual [transferring 
entitlement] shall be solely liable'' (emphasis added). Congress may 
want to consider removing the ``under paragraph (1)'' language in 
section 3319(i)(2)(A) to clarify its intent.
    No mandatory or discretionary costs or savings are associated with 
this proposed legislation.

H.R. XXX   Electronic Certificates of Eligibility

    This bill would amend 38 U.S.C. chapter 36 by adding new section 
3698A, which would require VA to provide certificates of eligibility 
and award letters using electronic means to an individual entitled to 
educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 33, or 35; the 
Veteran Employment through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) pilot 
program; or any other provision of law administered by VA that is 
determined appropriate. The individual may elect to receive the 
documents by mail rather than through electronic means or revoke an 
election at any time, by means prescribed by VA.
    VA supports this bill, as it is consistent with current practices. 
This bill would give all VA education beneficiaries access to their 
eligibility and entitlement information in an electronic format. We 
note that 38 U.S.C. Sec.  5104(c), as amended by the Honoring Our PACT 
ACT of 2022, Public Law 117-168, Sec.  807, currently permits VA to 
provide notice of its decisions electronically if a claimant (or the 
claimant's representative) elects to receive such notice 
electronically.
    No mandatory or discretionary costs are associated with this bill, 
as VA currently provides certificates of eligibility and award letters 
by electronic means.

H.R. XXX   Increase in Educational Assistance for Programs of Education 
in the Philippines

    This bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3532 to remove the 
requirement for VA to compute the educational assistance allowance for 
an eligible person at an institution located in the Republic of the 
Philippines at the rate of $0.50 for each dollar.
    VA supports this bill. This bill would provide increased funding 
for certain individuals pursuing a program of education in the Republic 
of the Philippines.
    Mandatory costs associated with this bill are $598,000 in FY 2023, 
$11.7 million over 5 years, and $25.5 million over 10 years. No 
discretionary costs to VBA's General Operating Expenses account are 
associated with this bill. IT costs are estimated to be $3.2 million in 
FY 2026.

H.R. XXX   ``Get Rewarding Outdoor Work for Our Veterans Act'' (or the 
``GROW Act'')

    This bill would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit 
to Congress a report on the Warrior Training Advancement Course 
(WARTAC) and direct the Secretary of the Interior to administer a pilot 
program to employ Veterans in positions that relate to conservation and 
resource management activities of the Department of the Interior (DOI).
    Section 2 of the bill would direct the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to submit to Congress an initial report on WARTAC no later than 
6 months after the date of enactment and submit a report one year after 
submission of the initial report, and annually thereafter, that 
includes information on best TAP practices of WARTAC, cost savings of 
WARTAC and hiring covered members who complete WARTAC.
    VA cites concerns with Section 2 of this bill. While VA can provide 
some of the information requested in the reporting requirement in 
section 2, development of such a report would be time-consuming and 
costly for VA and would divert resources from other important work. 
Annually, the total number of WARTAC participants is generally fewer 
than 400 Veterans. Congressionally Mandated Reports (CMR) go through a 
rigorous concurrence process and consume valuable VA resources. VA 
strives to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, and the amount of 
time, money, and staff involvement that would go into drafting and 
reviewing these reports could be better spent on other important 
projects helping Veterans. VA submitted 24 CMRs in fiscal year 2022 and 
VA's cost estimates for all CMRs submitted in fiscal year 2022 totaled 
approximately $661,228.
    VA welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with its Congressional 
partners through quarterly briefings in lieu of a mandated report. 
Transparency is important to VA, and VA could provide updates on the 
current state and future state of the WARTAC program at any time or on 
a recurring basis as requested. As WARTAC is an authorized DoD 
Skillbridge program that falls under the authority of DoD Instruction 
1322.29, Job Training, Employment Skills Training, Apprenticeships, and 
Internships for Eligible Service Members, VA would defer reporting on 
the majority of the elements required under section 2(b) to DoD.
    Section 3 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to administer 
a pilot program to employ Veterans in positions that relate to 
conservation and resource management activities at DOI.
    VA defers to DOI regarding section 3. VA can serve as an active 
partner to DOI and help Veterans connect to the pilot through already-
established VA programs such as Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) 
services, the Personalized Career Planning and Guidance Program, and 
Skillbridge.

H.R. XXX   ``Streamlining Aviation for Eligible Veterans Act'' (or the 
``SAFE Veterans Act'')

    This bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3101 by adding a statement 
that a rehabilitation program may include flight training that does not 
lead to a degree.
    VA opposes this bill. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3100, the 
purpose of the VR&E program is to provide all services and assistance 
necessary to enable Veterans with service-connected disabilities to 
achieve maximum independence in daily living and, to the maximum extent 
feasible, to become employable and to obtain and maintain suitable 
employment. Currently, under chapter 31, a VR&E participant may enroll 
in flight training as part of a degree program within the individual's 
rehabilitation plan, allowing for the Veteran to be trained in the 
field of aviation or a related field. The flight training should lead 
to a degree, certification, or license that enables the Veteran to seek 
and obtain suitable employment. Should the Veteran's disabilities 
change or worsen, possessing a degree allows the Veteran other 
opportunities to obtain and maintain employment. A rehabilitation 
program that includes flight training but does not lead to a degree 
would be inconsistent with VR&E's requirements for its training 
programs.

H.R. XXX   TAP Outreach

    This bill would amend 38 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  4101 and 4103A (the Jobs 
for Veterans State Grants Program) to add members of the Armed Forces 
eligible for the Transition Assistance Program (under sections 1142 and 
1144 of title 10) as persons eligible to receive priority in the 
Department of Labor's intensive services and placement service program 
conducted by Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program specialists.
    VA defers to the Department of Labor regarding this bill.

H.R. XXX   ``VET-TEC Authorization Act of 2023''

    Section 2(a) of this bill would add new 38 U.S.C. Sec.  3699C to 
permanently authorize VA to carry out a program under which the 
Secretary provides covered individuals with the opportunity to enroll 
in high-technology programs of education that the Secretary determines 
provide training or skills sought by employers in a relevant field or 
industry. A ``covered individual'' is a Veteran whom the Secretary 
determines served an aggregate of at least 36 months on active duty and 
was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable and 
who has not attained the age of 62 before beginning a high-technology 
program of education, and a member of the Armed Forces whom the 
Secretary determines will become a Veteran fewer than 180 days after 
the date of such determination.
    This bill would allow not more than 8,000 covered individuals to 
participate in the program in any fiscal year. Covered individuals who 
pursue a high-technology program of education under section 3699C would 
receive educational assistance in amounts equal to the 100 percent 
benefit level under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33), including the 
housing stipend and in accordance with the treatment of programs that 
are distance learning and programs that are less than half-time. VA 
would be authorized to pay educational assistance to covered 
individuals for a high-technology program of education and a second 
such program if the second program begins at least 18 months after the 
covered individual graduates from the first such program, and if 
chapter 33 is used for pursuit of the second such program. Covered 
individuals with remaining entitlement to educational assistance under 
chapter 30, 32, 33, 34, or 35 would be charged at the rate of one month 
of such remaining entitlement for each such month of educational 
assistance under this program. Individuals receiving benefits under 
this program would not be subject to the 48-month entitlement 
limitation applicable to other VA educational programs.
    If a covered individual withdraws from a high-technology program of 
education, paid for with educational assistance under section 3699C, 
after receiving orders to enter a period of covered service, the 
Secretary would have to provide educational assistance to the covered 
individual for another such program.
    Under this bill, VA would be authorized to enter into contracts 
with qualified providers of high-technology programs and would be 
required to provide the conditions under which VA may terminate the 
contract with the provider and the procedures for providing for the 
graduation of students who were enrolled in a program provided by such 
provider in the case of such a termination. Such a contract would 
authorize VA to pay as follows.

      25 percent of the cost of tuition and other fees upon 
enrollment of a covered individual;

      25 percent upon graduation of the individual from the 
program; and

      50 percent of such cost upon--

          The completion of 180 days of full-time employment by 
        the covered individual----

                  In the field of study of the program; and

                  If the employment was secured not later than 
                180 days following graduation of the covered individual 
                from the program.

          The employment of the individual by the provider for 
        a period of one year; or

          The enrollment of the individual in a different 
        program of education to continue education in the field of 
        study of such high-technology program of education provided by 
        a different provider.

    This bill would maintain the current rule that a provider of a 
high-technology program of education is qualified if the provider 
employs instructors whom VA determines are experts in their respective 
fields, the provider has successfully provided the high-technology 
program for at least one year, and the provider meets the approval 
criteria developed by VA. However, this bill would add two additional 
qualifications, requiring that a provider identify professions in need 
of new employees to hire, tailor the program to meet market needs, and 
identify employers likely to hire graduates; and that a provider not 
charge tuition and fees to a covered individual who receives assistance 
under section 3699C to pursue such program that are higher than the 
tuition and fees charged by such provider to another individual. VA 
would also be required to give preference to a provider of a high-
technology program from which at least 70 percent of graduates each 
year find full-time employment in the field of study of the program 
within 180 days after graduating from the program or that refunds 
tuition and fees for a student who graduates from such a program and 
does not find employment.
    Finally, this bill would require VA to submit a report to Congress 
no later than one year after the date of enactment of this bill and 
annually thereafter on the operation of the program under section 
3699C.
    This bill would take effect 180 days after the date of enactment 
and would amend section 116(h) of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans 
Educational Assistance Act of 2017, Public Law 115-48, to provide that 
the authority to carry out a pilot program under that section will 
terminate on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
section 3699C.
    VA would support this bill with amendments and with an identified 
funding offset. First, the bill would authorize only 8,000 covered 
individuals to participate in the program during a fiscal year. These 
individuals could carry over into the next fiscal year and thus limit 
the number of individuals who could participate in the program. VA does 
not understand the purpose for limiting the number of individuals who 
could pursue this program given the fact that this program would be 
permanent and there are no participant limits for other permanent VA 
education programs. This would require VA to create very complex rules 
for its Information Technology systems, which could be costly and 
require more time to implement.
    Second, this bill would mandate that VA charge one month of 
entitlement for covered individuals who have remaining entitlement 
under chapter 30, 32, 33, 34, or 35 for every month of entitlement used 
under this high-technology program. This provision would be inequitable 
as it would allow some beneficiaries who have already used all their VA 
educational benefits to receive more entitlement, while others would 
lose out on their remaining entitlement under other VA educational 
programs. Additionally, this bill would state that the 48-month 
entitlement limitation would not apply to this high-technology program. 
However, since other VA educational programs are subject to the 48-
month entitlement limitation, and this bill would require remaining 
entitlement to be deducted from those programs, in actuality some 
people would be limited to the 48 months, while others would not. 
Furthermore, this provision would be very problematic for VA to carry 
out because some individuals may have remaining entitlement under 
multiple benefits; therefore, VA would have to determine a process for 
beneficiaries to choose from which benefit to deduct entitlement, which 
could delay claims processing.
    This bill would be effective 180 days after the date of enactment, 
while the pilot program would end one year after the enactment of this 
bill. This would cause overlap of the pilot and permanent students and 
providers. This could cause complications with the transition of this 
program and be very confusing for beneficiaries. Also, the effective 
date of only 180 days from the date of enactment would not provide 
enough time to implement all the new provisions.
    Finally, as stated above, in lieu of CMRs, VA recommends and 
welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with its Congressional partners 
through quarterly briefings (or briefings as requested). CMRs go 
through a rigorous concurrence process and consume valuable VA 
resources. VA strives to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars and the 
amount of time, money, and staff involvement that go into drafting and 
reviewing mandated reports could be better spent on other important 
projects helping Veterans. VA's cost estimates for all CMRs submitted 
in fiscal year 2022 total approximately $661,228. Transparency is 
important to VA, and VA would provide updates on the current and future 
State of the VET TEC program at any time or on a recurring basis as 
requested.
    Significant mandatory and discretionary costs are associated with 
this bill. VA needs additional time to prepare its cost estimate.

Conclusion

    This concludes my statement. We would be happy to answer any 
questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.
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                   Prepared Statement of Tammy Barlet
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                 Prepared Statement of Matthew Brennan
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                   Prepared Statement of Alicia Boddy
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                  Prepared Statement of Patrick Murray

    Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and members of the 
subcommittee, on behalf of the men and women of the Veterans of Foreign 
Wars of the United States (VFW) and its Auxiliary, thank you for the 
opportunity to provide our remarks on legislation pending before this 
subcommittee.

H.R. 291, Vaccine Discharge Parity Act

    The VFW opposes this bill. Service members who were separated for 
refusing to obey a lawful order should be held to the same standard as 
other service members who committed similar violations. The maximum 
punishment for violating Article 92--violation of or failure to obey a 
lawful general order or regulation--is dishonorable discharge, 
forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for two years. 
Lesser offenses have lesser penalties such as receiving a general 
discharge under honorable conditions.
    Additionally, this bill claims to seek parity for service members 
who received a general discharge under honorable conditions by making 
them eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The VFW believes this is an 
unnecessary proposal. All veterans in this category of discharge, 
regardless of why they received it, are not eligible for GI Bill 
benefits. Since these veterans have the same eligibility for education 
benefits as every other veteran with a general discharge under 
honorable conditions, parity already exists. We believe any substantive 
discussion surrounding changes to the discharge conditions eligible for 
educational assistance must be done broadly and without special 
treatment, specifically for those failing to obey a lawful order.

H.R. 645, Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act

    The VFW supports this proposal to permanently authorize the use of 
certain funds to improve flexibility in the provision of assistance to 
homeless veterans. Combating veteran homelessness is more than just 
simply providing a roof over a person's head, and oftentimes is 
accompanied by other financial struggles. This proposal would allow for 
more flexibility in assisting veterans struggling to acquire food, 
clothing, hygiene materials, and other items needed for daily life. 
This holistic effort would hopefully provide additional help for 
veterans struggling with housing security.
    The VFW also believes financial literacy training is important to 
assist veterans seeking supportive services for housing through the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Too many veterans face housing 
instability because they are not as financially literate as they could 
be. We recommend that VA establishes a basic financial literacy tool 
and ensures every veteran who utilizes supportive services also 
completes a financial literacy course and undergoes credit counseling. 
This simple, educational tool can mitigate future dilemmas and the 
recurrent need for supportive programs.

H.R. 728, To direct the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' 
Employment and Training to carry out a pilot program on short-term 
fellowship programs for veterans

    The VFW supports this proposal that would create a pilot program to 
offer short-term fellowships for veterans at nonprofit organizations. 
This initiative would provide opportunities for veterans to receive 
valuable training and experience at organizations that further a social 
cause or provide a public benefit. Furthermore, it would create public 
service employment opportunities for veterans.

H.R. 746, Streamlining Aviation for Eligible (SAFE) Veterans Act

    The VFW supports this proposal to provide parity for students 
seeking flight training at certain institutions through the Veteran 
Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. Recent changes allowed student 
veterans utilizing the GI Bill to attend flight training through 
educational programs that do not provide a degree. This proposal would 
allow the same permissions for veterans utilizing Chapter 31 VR&E to 
pursue flight training at similar institutions.

H.R. 1169, VA E-Notification Enhancement Act

    The VFW has for years supported the proposal to make certificates 
of eligibility electronic. The option of having certificates available 
digitally is long past due. If VA's information technology systems 
cannot make this option a reality, then proper funding for a simple 
solution should be requested, authorized, and appropriated to make this 
commonsense fix for a 20th century problem. Certificates of eligibility 
for programs all across VA are constantly requested by outside 
entities, so an electronic solution is needed. There are certain VA 
forms that can be accessed through eBenefits, but then those forms must 
be sent to various parties. Veterans should be able to log in and see 
all the benefits and programs to which they are entitled, not just 
disability compensation eligibility.

Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 
that educational assistance paid under Department of Veterans Affairs 
educational assistance programs to an individual who pursued a program 
or course of education that was suspended or terminated for certain 
reasons shall not be charged against the entitlement of the individual, 
and for other purposes

    The VFW supports this proposal to ensure veterans who attend 
schools that have accreditation suspended or terminated do not suffer 
further fallout such as losing months or years of GI Bill entitlement 
through no fault of their own. In the past few years, some large 
schools closed their doors because of poor governance or financial 
mismanagement. The student veterans who were attending those schools 
were often unexpectedly forced to find new education options quickly. 
Far too many of those student veterans were unable to transfer any or 
all of their credits to other schools, wasting months of work. This 
proposal would ensure those student veterans could restart their 
education paths with their GI Bill entitlement restored.

Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to render an 
individual, who transfers certain educational assistance, to which the 
individual is entitled because of an agreement by such individual to 
serve in the Armed Forces, to a dependent of that individual, and who 
fails to complete such agreement, solely liable for the overpayment of 
such educational assistance, and for other purposes

    The VFW supports this proposal to remove the financial burden for 
certain beneficiaries of educational assistance. GI Bill 
transferability often seems like a straightforward option for service 
members, but occasionally a recipient of this remarkable benefit gets 
involved in unintended bureaucracy. The VFW agrees that the transferred 
recipient of the GI Bill should not be held financially liable if the 
original service member fails to fulfill his or her service obligation. 
Once discovered, the use of the benefit should cease, but the dependent 
should not be held accountable for repayment, as they were not the 
party who failed to complete an obligation.

Discussion Draft, Filipino Education Fairness Act

    The VFW has a resolution and supports this bill to provide parity 
for beneficiaries of the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational 
Assistance program (Chapter 35) at institutions in the Philippines. We 
believe VA beneficiaries should have parity in as many cases as 
practical. Specifically, Chapter 35 recipients utilizing this benefit 
in the Philippines are provided only fifty percent of the rate compared 
to beneficiaries in the United States. This is not even equitable with 
other beneficiaries who utilize this program outside the continental 
United States. Recipients in other countries around the world receive 
the same benefit as everyone else. The inequitable delivery of this 
benefit to recipients in the Philippines should be corrected.

Discussion Draft, Get Rewarding Outdoor Work (GROW) for our Veterans 
Act

    The VFW supports this proposal that would require VA to report 
metrics of outcomes for the Warrior Training Advancement Course 
(WARTAC) and form recommendations for potential expansion to additional 
federal agencies. The VFW believes a proper and well-rounded transition 
from the military is one of the most important things our service 
members need in order to ease back into our society with minimal 
hardships.
    The DOD SkillBridge program is a highly valuable yet sorely 
underutilized and underpromoted program within the transition process. 
Oversight and reporting of WARTAC outcomes may provide key insights to 
inform recommendations for improvements to DOD SkillBridge, and may 
also provide information for recommendations on expansion to other 
federal agencies.

Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand 
eligibility for a certain program of job counseling, training, and 
placement service for veterans

    The VFW supports this proposal because we believe one of the most 
important aspects of a positive transition from active duty service to 
civilian life is the connection to the community to which the service 
member will relocate. By law, it is the role of the pre-separation 
counselor to make that connection to community resources, but we know 
that is not happening. This is a failure of the Department of Defense 
(DOD) to properly oversee the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). 
While we know it is not the role of this committee to ensure TAP is 
properly administered, we urge Congress as a whole to make sure it is 
being done.
    Recently, DOD amended the DD form 2648 to allow for service members 
to send their relevant information to State veteran agencies. However, 
there is no pathway for these agencies to communicate with these 
separating service members until they leave active duty. This proposal 
would hopefully ease the burden of transition by allowing for 
information sharing and two-way communication between the respective 
agencies and the service members. We still believe the responsibility 
lies with the pre-separation counselors to connect the service members 
with the appropriate resources in the communities to which they are 
transitioning, but this proposal would be beneficial.

Discussion Draft, VET TEC Authorization Act of 2023

    The VFW supports this legislation that would make permanent the 
Veterans Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) 
pilot program. VET TEC is an incredibly popular program that permits 
eligible veterans to receive valuable training in computer software and 
programming, data processing, information science, and media 
applications. Indeed, the program is so popular that all available 
seats for 2021 were filled within one month of the application opening 
for the new year. During the last Congress, additional resources were 
provided to the VET TEC program to allow more veterans to utilize this 
program.
    Chairman Van Orden, this concludes my testimony. Again, the VFW 
thanks you and Ranking Member Levin for the opportunity to testify on 
these important issues before this subcommittee. I am prepared to take 
any questions you or the subcommittee members may have.

Information Required by Rule XI2(g)(4) of the House of Representatives

    Pursuant to Rule XI2(g)(4) of the House of Representatives, the VFW 
has not received any federal grants in Fiscal Year 2023, nor has it 
received any federal grants in the two previous Fiscal Years.
    The VFW has not received payments or contracts from any foreign 
governments in the current year or preceding two calendar years.

                        Statement for the Record

                              ----------                              


            Prepared Statement of Disabled American Veterans

    Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin and Members of the 
Subcommittee:

    DAV (Disabled American Veterans) has a mission that includes the 
principle that this Nation's first duty to veterans is the 
rehabilitation and welfare of its wartime disabled. This principle 
envisions vocational rehabilitation and/or education to assist these 
veterans to prepare for and obtain gainful employment, enhanced 
opportunities for employment, job placement and self-employment, so 
that the full array of talents and abilities of disabled veterans are 
used productively and to their greatest levels.
    We are a resolution-based organization, which means we can support 
legislation if we have a resolution that is adopted by our membership 
body at our annual national convention. We are providing our views on 
the bills impacting service-disabled veterans, their families and the 
programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that 
are under consideration by the Subcommittee. Based on our resolutions, 
this statement highlights the bills that DAV supports.

      H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act

    The Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act would make 
permanent the temporary flexibilities granted to VA to address 
veterans' homelessness by providing shelter, transportation, and 
communication devices to veterans in need. Specifically, H.R. 645 would 
grant the VA the authority to use funds to provide homeless veterans 
and at-risk veterans with:

      Assistance required for the safety and survival of the 
veteran, such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets and hygiene items;

      Transportation required to support the stability and 
health of the veteran, such as transportation for appointments with 
service providers, the handling of housing searches and the obtainment 
of food and supplies; and

      Communications equipment and services, such as tablets, 
smartphones, disposable phones, and related service plans) required to 
support the stability and health of the veteran (such as through the 
maintenance of contact with service providers, prospective landlords, 
and family members).

    Additionally, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act 
would allow the VA to collaborate with organizations to manage the use 
of VA land for homeless veterans, specifically for living and sleeping.
    In 2022, the VA housed over 40,000 homeless veterans surpassing its 
goal of 38,000. Much of this was accomplished by the authorities 
Congress put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. We must continue 
using these authorities to ensure that our Nation's veterans have the 
basic necessities.
    It is estimated that H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless 
Veterans Act, would positively impact housing for an estimated 33,000 
veterans experiencing homelessness or those who are at-risk of 
homelessness. DAV proudly supports this effort in accord with DAV 
Resolution No. 060, which calls on Congress to fund the Supportive 
Services for Veterans Families program to ensure prevention of 
homelessness among veterans and their families.

  H.R. 728, to Direct the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' 
  Employment and Training to carry out a pilot program on short-term 
                         programs for veterans

    H.R. 728 would require the Veterans' Employment and Training 
Service within the Department of Labor to implement a pilot program 
under which it may use grants or contracts to carry out a short-term 
fellowship program. This would allow up to five states to participate 
in the program and be in a contract with a non-profit organization. 
Each fellowship program must run for 20 weeks, provide a monthly 
stipend, and provide veterans an opportunity to be employed on a long-
term basis following the fellowship. For fiscal years 2023 through 
2027, $10 million has been appropriated to carry out the program.
    These fellowship programs would help to reduce the number of 
unemployed veterans in this country and would greatly assist service-
disabled veterans with obtaining meaningful employment. In accordance 
with DAV Resolution 187, DAV supports H.R. 728.

     H.R. 746, the Streamlining Aviation for Eligible Veterans Act

    The Streamlining Aviation for Eligible (SAFE) Veterans Act would 
amend the VA program, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (formerly 
known as the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program). VR&E 
provides comprehensive services to include vocational assessment, 
rehabilitation planning and employment services.
    H.R. 746 would provide, ``[a] rehabilitation program may include a 
program that includes flight training and does not lead to a degree.'' 
Many disabled veterans want to pursue flight raining via VR&E however, 
they have been faced with the fact that flight training would not lead 
to a degree. The SAFE Veterans Act would remove that barrier. DAV 
supports the SAFE Veterans Act in accord with DAV Resolution No. 187.

            H.R. 1169, the VA E-Notification Enhancement Act

    This legislation would allow VA to send certificates of eligibility 
and award letters to veterans for authorized educational assistance via 
email or other electronic means. The veteran has the option to opt out 
of receiving notifications via electronic means and have their notices 
come by mail. The veteran can revoke this election at any time.
    This would be a better way of informing veterans that they are 
eligible for educational benefits or advising them of their monthly 
benefits while enrolled in school.
    In accordance with DAV Resolution 095, DAV supports H.R. 1169, the 
VA E-Notification Enhancement Act, as it would provide veterans with 
timely information to help them make more informed decisions about 
their educational goals.

            H.R. 1669, the VET-TEC Authorization Act of 2023

    On August 16, 2017, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational 
Assistance Act of 2017 (commonly known as the ``Forever GI Bill'') was 
signed into law. The law authorized the Veteran Employment through 
Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) Pilot Program.
    The VET-TEC Pilot Program's goal is to offer veterans an 
opportunity to study in high technology programs of education that are 
approved and paid for by VA. VET-TEC provides training in high-demand 
employment arenas such as computer software, computer programming, data 
processing, information science and media applications.
    On January 5, 2021, the president signed Public Law 116-315, which 
amended a number of VA benefits, including the VET-TEC program; 
however, it remains a pilot program and is not permanent. H.R. 1669 
would make this program permanent.
    VET-TEC has trained thousands of veterans for jobs in the tech 
industry with an 84 percent graduation rate. DAV knows that a veteran's 
transition to civilian life is not complete until they are able to 
secure meaningful employment that allows them to live their life with 
respect and dignity.
    DAV strongly supports the VET-TEC Authorization Act in accord with 
DAV Resolution No. 183. Every veteran travels their own unique path in 
pursing their new career after service, which is why the VET TEC 
program remains such a valuable option for many of our Nation's 
veterans and needs to be made permanent.

         H.R. 1767, the Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act

    The Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act would determine if an 
action by an institution of higher learning would affect the 
educational benefits of a veteran if evidence has been discovered that 
the school committed an offense that would cause an interruption in the 
veteran's education program.
    If an institution of higher learning closes, a course of study or 
program is discontinued due to no fault of the veteran, then the amount 
of entitlement the veteran has should not be reduced due to the 
circumstances of the school.
    H.R. 1767 would also would allow repayment of educational 
assistance received during a period of recognized fraud for a course if 
it has been determined that the course or program was suspended or 
terminated by that school.
    In accordance with DAV Resolution 187, DAV supports H.R. 1767, the 
Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act, which will help student 
veterans maintain their benefits if an institution of higher learning 
closes or discontinues a program due to no fault of the veteran.

     H.R. 1786, the Get Rewarding Outdoor Work for our Veterans Act

    The Get Rewarding Outdoor Work (GROW) for our Veterans Act would 
require VA to submit to Congress a report on the Warrior Training 
Advancement Course (WARTAC). It is a skill-bridge education and 
employment opportunity for transitioning service members to complete a 
national-level Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) training program 
while still on active duty. Successful completion of the program leads 
to an employment opportunity at one of 55 VBA Regional Offices (ROs) 
around the country.
    Participants learn the skill set of a rating veteran service 
representative (RVSR) or veteran service representative (VSR). The 
duration of the VSR class is 6 weeks and the duration of the RVSR class 
is 11 weeks. WARTAC is open to transitioning service members who have 
180 days or less left in service.
    DAV supports the WARTAC program. It provides veterans meaningful 
employment opportunities and fills the need of VBA to add employees to 
help address the backlog of claims. The reporting requirement will help 
to determine the impact and effectiveness of the program.
    Additionally, the GROW for our Veterans Act would require the 
Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary 
of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program under which veterans are 
employed by the Federal Government in positions that relate to the 
conservation and resource management activities of the Department of 
the Interior.
    In accordance with DAV Resolution No. 185, DAV supports the GROW 
for our Veterans Act, as it provides the pilot program that is similar 
to a federal works program, that directly provides Federal employment 
for disabled veterans.

                     H.R. 1799, the EMPLOY VETS Act

    The EMPLOY VETS Act would expand the definition of eligible 
veterans for
    VA job counseling, training and placement services for veterans by 
adding those service members who are eligible for the Transition 
Assistance Program (TAP).
    The transition from military service to civilian life is very 
difficult for many veterans who must overcome obstacles to successful 
employment. By including those who are eligible for TAP in the programs 
within Title 38, United States Code, 4100, it fulfills the intent and 
purpose of Congress to provide:

      job and job training intensive services program;

      employment placement service program; and

      job training placement service program for eligible 
veterans and eligible persons.

    For many separating from service, the immediate focus is seeking 
gainful employment to support themselves and their families. We agree 
that those eligible for TAP should have the same benefits available to 
them. In accord with DAV Resolution No. 187, we strongly support the 
EMPLOY VETS Act.
    Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement.

                                 [all]