[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4298-H4299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1750
FOCUSED ASSISTANCE AND SKILLS TRAINING FOR VETERANS' EMPLOYMENT AND
TRANSITION SUCCESS ACT
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4446) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the
conditions under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to
redevelop the individualized vocational rehabilitation plan for a
veteran, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4446
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Focused Assistance and
Skills Training for Veterans' Employment and Transition
Success Act'' or the ``FAST VETS Act''.
SEC. 2. CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
SHALL REDEVELOP INDIVIDUALIZED VOCATIONAL
REHABILITATION PLAN.
Section 3107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended in
subsection (b)--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary shall review'' and
inserting ``(1) The Secretary shall review'';
(2) by striking the second sentence; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) On the basis of such review, the Secretary shall--
``(A) redevelop such plan with such veteran if the
Secretary determines the achievement of the long-range
rehabilitation goals for such veteran is--
``(i) no longer feasible due to changes in the employment
handicap of the veteran; and
``(ii) likelier under a different plan formulated under
subsection (a); or
``(B) disapprove redevelopment of such plan if the
Secretary determines such redevelopment is not
appropriate.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 4446.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4446 offered by my
colleague, Representative Maxine Dexter, from Oregon.
H.R. 4446 would allow a veteran who has changed in their disability
rating to apply for changes in their Veterans Readiness and Employment,
or the VR&E plan, instead of being forced to complete their current
rehabilitation plan first.
This bill is a simple fix that would remove the outdated practice
that requires disabled veterans to complete their current plan before
switching to a plan that may better fit the changes in their
disability.
During the Biden Administration, VA damaged their relationship with
veterans in the VR&E program. Under President Trump's Secretary
Collins' leadership, VA is rebuilding that trust and is working to fix
the program.
This Congress, the Republican majority has worked hard to improve
VR&E by modernizing the program, increasing transparency, and
introducing accountability to both the VA and the veterans. While this
bill is a step in the right direction, I hope my colleagues recognize
that there is much more work to be done to get VA to work for the
veterans first.
Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4446, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4446, the
Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans' Employment and
Transition Success, or FAST VETS Act. Introduced by Veterans' Affairs
Committee member Representative Dexter, the VA Veterans Readiness and
Employment, or VR&E program, is perhaps the greatest resource disabled
veterans have to seek a new career path, but veterans are dealing with
historic wait times due to program popularity and expanded eligibility
under the PACT Act.
I respectfully disagree with how the chairman has framed the VR&E
program and its shortcomings, but let me just proceed to the virtues of
this bill.
The program is incredibly important for disabled veterans because it
provides a comprehensive, individualized pathway to overcome employment
barriers caused by service-connected disabilities, but with wait times
weeks, or even months in some areas of the country, veterans risk
missing out on the program's benefits.
Representative Dexter's bill would make it easier for veterans to
find employment while in the program and to graduate faster from the
program, freeing up counselors at VA to assist the next class of
disabled veterans seeking a new career.
One of the primary goals of the PACT Act was to recognize the
sacrifice of so many more veterans who were injured during their time
serving our Nation and to make them eligible for many of the programs
offered to help them find meaningful employment such as VR&E. Now the
VR&E program must keep pace with this new influx of veterans and ensure
that it is meeting their needs.
I thank Representative Dexter for her work on this bill, and I know
she is already at work on additional solutions for the program, such as
measures to maintain and support the staff at VA tasked with carrying
out the program.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate as well
to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms.
Dexter), who is the author of H.R. 4446 and who serves on our Health
Subcommittee and our Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Subcommittee.
Ms. DEXTER. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their words of
support today for the FAST VETS Act.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in strong support of the FAST
VETS Act, Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans'
Employment and Transition Success, or FAST VETS Act.
I am grateful to Representatives Messmer, McGarvey, and Van Orden for
joining me in this bipartisan effort to better serve our Nation's
veterans.
Like many physicians, I trained at the VA where the sign on the door
said: The price of freedom is visible here. Our veterans gave
everything for this country. Our promise in return is that they will
not just get by in civilian life, they will thrive.
Congress must ensure employment readiness programs truly work for
veterans, and that is exactly what the
[[Page H4299]]
FAST VETS Act does. I am heartened that my first bill to come to the
floor of the House advances our commitment to those who served.
The FAST VETS Act is about delivering on our promise to those who
have served. Veterans who live with service-connected disabilities
deserve every opportunity to succeed in civilian life. That includes
access to the Veterans Readiness and Employment, VR&E, program, which
provides job training, education, employment accommodations, and the
resources to build a meaningful career. However, too often, that
support comes too late. In Portland, it currently takes more than 65
days for a veteran to be connected with a vocational rehabilitation
counselor. That is at least 2 months of missed income, missed classes,
and missed opportunity. That is unacceptable.
The FAST VETS Act is a critical first step to addressing the backlog.
It establishes clearer standards and prioritizes outcome-focused
planning to support more veterans successfully and efficiently moving
through the program and into the workforce.
Ensuring every veteran gets the support they deserve helps prevent
housing instability, reduces food insecurity, and strengthens mental
health. We owe it to them to act with urgency and purpose.
I am committed to continuing this work until every veteran has a
clear, supported path to meaningful and gainful employment. The FAST
VETS Act moves us closer to that goal, and I am proud to have led this
effort.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this
bill.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend from
the State of Oregon on what will become the passage of her first bill.
Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. In closing, I ask my
colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4446, the FAST VETS Act, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. In closing, Madam Speaker, once again, I encourage all
Members to support the legislation. I want to congratulate the
gentlewoman for passing her first piece of legislation in the House,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4446.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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