[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 980 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 186
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 980
[Report No. 119-228]
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2025
Mr. Van Orden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
August 15, 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
February 5, 2025]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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, 2025.
SEC. 4. OUTREACH REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
TRAINING AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS WITH
SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.
(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) Outreach Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``Sec. 3123. Outreach requirements
``(a) Question and Answer Sessions.--The Secretary shall provide
monthly question and answer sessions for appropriate school certifying
officials during which such officials shall have the opportunity to ask
questions of Department employees who are veteran readiness and
employment counselors or trained outreach specialists.
``(b) Informational Briefings.--(1) The Secretary shall ensure that
veteran readiness and employment counselors or trained outreach
specialists employed by a Regional Office of the Department provide in-
person briefings for veterans about services provided under this
chapter at each educational institution located in the geographic area
served by the Regional Office.
``(2) The Secretary may provide a briefing required under paragraph
(1) virtually in the case of an educational institution located more
than 50 miles away from the headquarters of the Regional Office.
``(c) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House
of Representatives a report on the extension of periods of vocational
rehabilitation programs under section 3105(c) of this title. Such
report shall include, for the year covered by the report--
``(1) the number of veterans who requested such an
extension;
``(2) the number of such requests that were approved; and
``(3) the number of such requests that were rejected.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the
following new item:
``3123. Outreach requirements.''.
(d) Extension of Entitlements.--Section 3105(c) of title 38, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
(2) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) If a veteran applies for an extension under paragraph (1),
the Secretary shall approve or reject the extension by not later than
30 days after the date on which the veteran submits a request for the
extension.''.
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``May 31, 2032''.
Union Calendar No. 186
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 980
[Report No. 119-228]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 15, 2025
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed