Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act
This bill modifies the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VR&E program provides job training and employment-related services to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
The bill requires veterans to submit an application to the VA in order to receive an initial evaluation to participate in the VR&E program.
Further, a veteran may not receive employment assistance under the VR&E program for more than 365 days.
The bill also requires the VA to report to Congress regarding the employment of veterans who participate in a vocational rehabilitation program under the VR&E program, including the annual wages of veterans before and after completion of a program. Additionally, the VA must annually publish the average time between the date on which a veteran requests a vocational rehabilitation program under the VR&E program and the date on which they first meet with a counselor as part of the program.
Finally, the VA must seek to enter into a contract with a non-VA entity that has expertise in vocational rehabilitation to review, report, and provide recommendations on rehabilitation programs under the VR&E program.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3579 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3579
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
_______________________________________________________________________
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 inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
(2) 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 such information as 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 veteran may not receive assistance under this subsection
for more than 365 days.''.
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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-262.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-262.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 218.
Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4288)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3579.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4288: 1)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4288)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.