[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3579 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 218
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3579
[Report No. 119-262]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to
the Veterans Readiness and Employment program of Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2025
Mr. Ciscomani (for himself, Mr. Van Orden, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick,
and Mr. Murphy) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
September 9, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 23,
2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to
the Veterans Readiness and Employment program of Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Readiness and Employment
Program Integrity Act''.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION REQUIREMENT UNDER VETERANS READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 3106(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``necessary (1) to determine'' and
inserting ``necessary to determine'';
(2) by striking ``and (2) in the case'' and inserting
``and, in the case'';
(3) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) The Secretary may not provide an initial evaluation of a
veteran under paragraph (1) before the veteran submits to the Secretary
an application containing the substantive work record and educational
transcripts of the veteran that the Secretary determines
appropriate.''.
SEC. 3. MAXIMUM DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE UNDER VETERANS
READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 3117(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a veteran may not receive
assistance under this subsection for more than 365 days.
``(B) A veteran may receive an additional 180 days of such
assistance if an individual who provides counseling under this chapter
to such veteran certifies that the veteran is actively seeking
employment.''.
SEC. 4. REPORTING AND DATA COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS UNDER VETERANS
READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3123. Requirements for data collection and reporting
``(a) Data Collection.--The Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of
Representatives a report regarding the employment of veterans who
participate in a vocational rehabilitation program under this chapter.
Such information shall include, for each such veteran--
``(1) the regional office responsible for the provision of
the program; and
``(2) the annual wages of the veteran before and after the
completion of the program.
``(b) Publication of Wait Times.--On an annual basis, the Secretary
shall make publicly available, on an appropriate website of the
Department, the average time between the date on which a veteran
requests a vocational rehabilitation program under this chapter and the
date on which the veteran first meets with a counselor as part of the
veteran's program.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
``3123. Requirements for data collection and reporting.''.
(c) Independent Review of Program.--
(1) Review required.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall seek to enter into a contract, with a non-
Department entity that has expertise in vocational
rehabilitation, pursuant to which the entity shall conduct a
review of rehabilitation programs (as such term is defined in
section 3101 of such title) under such chapter.
(2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of such
a contract, the entity shall submit to the Secretary a report
containing recommendations regarding how to improve and
modernize such rehabilitation programs.
Union Calendar No. 218
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3579
[Report No. 119-262]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to
the Veterans Readiness and Employment program of Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 9, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed