I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5229 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study to evaluate 

the effectiveness of programs, especially in regards to women veterans 

and minority veterans, in transitioning to civilian life, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 13, 2016 

Mr. TAKANO (for himself and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a study to evaluate the effectiveness of programs, especially in regards to women veterans and minority veterans, in transitioning to civilian life, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Transition 

5 Programs for All Veterans Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The rate of unemployment for women vet2 erans is higher than the rate for male veterans. In 

3 2015, the unemployment rate for women veterans 

4 remained relatively unchanged at 5.4 percent, while 

5 the rate for male veterans declined to 4.5 percent. 

6 (2) Women veterans, on average, earn less than 

7 male veterans. In 2013, the median income for 

8 women veterans was $35,264, while the median in9 come for male veterans was $41,310. 

10 (3) Women veterans and veterans with disabil11 ities are more likely to become homeless. 

12 (4) Service-connected disabled veterans with rel13 atively high disability ratings have a higher unem14 ployment rate than those with relatively low dis15 ability ratings. In 2015, the unemployment rate for 

16 veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 

17 60 percent or higher was 9.6 percent, much higher 

18 than the 4.0 percent rate for veterans with a service19 connected disability rating of 30 percent or lower. 

20 (5) In 2013, American Indian and Alaska Na21 tive veterans had the lowest median personal in22 comes of any group of minority veterans. 

23 (6) In 2013, American Indian and Alaska Na24 tive veterans were less likely to have finished an ad25 vanced degree than other veterans. 


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1 (7) American Indian and Alaska Native vet2 erans were more likely to have a service-connected 

3 disability rating compared to all other veterans. In 

4 2013, the rate of American Indian and Alaska Na5 tive veterans with a service-connected disability rat6 ing was about 26 percent compared to 18.2 percent 

7 for all other veterans. 

8 (8) There is a lack of data on, and an under9 standing of, the challenges and needs of veterans 

10 who are residents of a territory of the United States 

11 and veterans who are part of the indigenous popu12 lation of a territory of the United States. 

13 SEC. 3. STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VETERANS 

14 TRANSITION EFFORTS. 

15 (a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 

16 coordination with the Secretaries of Labor and Defense, 

17 shall carry out a study to evaluate programs to assist vet18 erans of the Armed Forces in their transition to civilian 

19 life. Such study shall be designed to determine the effec20 tiveness of current programs, especially in regards to the 

21 unique challenges faced by women veterans and minority 

22 veterans including whether such programs— 

23 (1) effectively address the challenges veterans 

24 face in pursuing higher education, especially the 

25 challenge faced by women and minority veterans; 


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1 (2) effectively address the challenges veterans 

2 face entering the civilian workforce and in trans3 lating experience and skills from military service to 

4 the job market; and 

5 (3) effectively address the challenges faced by 

6 the families of veterans transitioning to civilian life. 

7 (b) REPORT.—Eighteen months after the enactment 

8 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 

9 a report to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

10 Senate and House of Representatives regarding the find11 ings and recommendations of the study required under 

12 subsection (a) of this section. 

Æ 


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