[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 980 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 980

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
the provision of on-campus educational and vocational counseling by the 
        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 
Improvement Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT THAT ON-CAMPUS EDUCATIONAL AND 
              VOCATIONAL COUNSELING IS PROVIDED BY CERTAIN DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES.

    Section 3697B(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking the second sentence.

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO APPROVE NON-
              DEGREE FLIGHT TRAINING COURSES AS PART OF VOCATIONAL 
              REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WITH 
              SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 3104(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``A rehabilitation 
        program'';
            (2) by striking ``To the maximum extent practicable'' and 
        inserting ``Except as provided under paragraph (2), to the 
        maximum extent practicable''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) Notwithstanding section 3680A(b) of this title, the Secretary 
may approve a rehabilitation program for a veteran under this chapter 
that includes the pursuit of a course of flight training other than one 
given by an educational institution of higher learning for credit 
toward a standard college degree the veteran is seeking.''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to a rehabilitation program approved on or after 
August 1, 2026.

SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TRAINING AND REHABILITATION 
              PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED 
              DISABILITIES: OUTREACH REQUIREMENT; EXTENSIONS.

    (a) VRE Contact Information.--Section 3104 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(f) The Secretary shall establish a dedicated telephone number 
within the Education Call Center of the Department for calls about 
services provided under this chapter. Each regional office of the 
Department shall include, on the website of the regional office, a 
name, telephone number, and email address, through which veterans may 
receive information about services provided under this chapter.''.
    (b) Requests for Extensions of Programs: Timely Consideration; 
Report.--
            (1) In general.--Section 3105 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is amended, in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
                    (B) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) The Secretary shall approve or deny a request for an 
extension under paragraph (1) not later than 30 days after the date on 
which the veteran submits such request.''.
            (2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the 
        Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
        Representatives an annual report on requests for extensions 
        under such subsection (c). Each such report shall include, for 
        the year preceding the date of the report--
                    (A) the number of veterans who requested such an 
                extension;
                    (B) the number of such requests that were approved; 
                and
                    (C) the number of such requests that were denied.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

    Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``January 31, 2033'' and inserting ``July 31, 2033''.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 2, 2026.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
119th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 980

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
the provision of on-campus educational and vocational counseling by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.