[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7932-S7933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2801. Mr. TESTER (for Mr. Brown (for himself and Mr. Tillis)) 
proposed an amendment to amendment SA 2763 proposed by Mr. Kirk (for 
himself, Mr. Tester, and Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2029, making 
appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
2016, and for other purposes; as follows:

       At the end of title II, add the following:

     SEC. 247. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ACTION PLAN TO 
                   IMPROVE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND 
                   EDUCATION.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall develop and publish an action plan for improving the 
     services and assistance provided under chapter 31 of title 
     38, United States Code.
       (b) Elements.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall 
     include each of the following:

[[Page S7933]]

       (1) A comprehensive analysis of, and recommendations and a 
     proposed implementation plan for remedying workload 
     management challenges at regional offices of the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs, including steps to reduce counselor 
     caseloads of veterans participating in a rehabilitation 
     program under such chapter, particularly for counselors who 
     are assisting veterans with traumatic brain injury and post-
     traumatic stress disorder and counselors with educational and 
     vocational counseling workloads.
       (2) A comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the 
     disproportionately low percentage of veterans with service-
     connected disabilities who served in the Armed Forces after 
     September 11, 2001, who opt to participate in a 
     rehabilitation program under such chapter relative to the 
     percentage of such veterans who use their entitlement to 
     educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United 
     States Code, including an analysis of barriers to timely 
     enrollment in rehabilitation programs under chapter 31 of 
     such title and of any barriers to a veteran enrolling in the 
     program of that veteran's choice.
       (3) Recommendations and a proposed implementation plan for 
     encouraging more veterans with service-connected disabilities 
     who served in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001, to 
     participate in rehabilitation programs under chapter 31 of 
     such title.
       (4) A national staff training program for vocational 
     rehabilitation counselors of the Department that includes the 
     provision of--
       (A) training to assist counselors in understanding the very 
     profound disorientation experienced by veterans with service-
     connected disabilities whose lives and life-plans have been 
     upended and out of their control because of such 
     disabilities;
       (B) training to assist counselors in working in partnership 
     with veterans on individual rehabilitation plans; and
       (C) training on post-traumatic stress disorder and other 
     mental health conditions and on moderate to severe traumatic 
     brain injury that is designed to improve the ability of such 
     counselors to assist veterans with these conditions, 
     including by providing information on the broad spectrum of 
     such conditions and the effect of such conditions on an 
     individual's abilities and functional limitations.
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