I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2045 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Veterans Economic 
Opportunity and Transition Administration and the Under Secretary 
for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2019 
Mr. WENSTRUP (for himself, Mr. LEVIN of California, Mr. DAVID P. ROE of 
Tennessee, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the 
Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Adminis-
tration and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic 
Opportunity and Transition of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Education, 
Transition, and Opportunity Prioritization Plan Act of 
2019’’ or the ‘‘VET OPP Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPOR-
TUNITY AND TRANSITION ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) VETERANS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND TRAN-
SITION ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Part V of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 80—VETERANS ECONOMIC OP-
PORTUNITY AND TRANSITION ADMIN-
ISTRATION 
‘‘8001. Organization of Administration. 
‘‘8002. Functions of Administration. 
‘‘8003. Annual report to Congress. 
‘‘§ 8001. Organization of Administration 
‘‘(a) VETERANS
ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY
AND 
TRANSITION ADMINISTRATION.—There is in the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity and Transition Administration. The primary func-
tion of the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transi-
tion Administration is the administration of the programs 
of the Department that provide assistance related to eco-
nomic opportunity to veterans and their dependents and 
survivors. 
‘‘(b) UNDER SECRETARY
FOR ECONOMIC OPPOR-
TUNITY AND TRANSITION.—The Veterans Economic Op-
portunity and Transition Administration is under the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and 
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Transition, who is directly responsible to the Secretary for 
the operations of the Administration. 
‘‘§ 8002. Functions of Administration 
‘‘The Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition 
Administration is responsible for the administration of the 
following programs of the Department: 
‘‘(1) Vocational rehabilitation and employment 
programs. 
‘‘(2) Educational assistance programs. 
‘‘(3) Veterans’ housing loan and related pro-
grams. 
‘‘(4) The verification of small businesses owned 
and controlled by veterans pursuant to subsection (f) 
of section 8127 of this title, including the adminis-
tration of the database of veteran-owned businesses 
described in such subsection. 
‘‘(5) The Transition Assistance Program under 
section 1144 of title 10. 
‘‘(6) Any other program of the Department 
that the Secretary determines appropriate. 
‘‘§ 8003. Annual report to Congress 
‘‘The Secretary shall include in the annual report to 
the Congress required by section 529 of this title a report 
on the programs administered by the Under Secretary for 
Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition. Each 
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such report shall include the following with respect to each 
such program during the fiscal year covered by that re-
port: 
‘‘(1) The number of claims received. 
‘‘(2) The number of claims decided. 
‘‘(3) The average processing time for a claim. 
‘‘(4) The number of successful outcomes (as de-
termined by the Secretary). 
‘‘(5) The number of full-time equivalent em-
ployees. 
‘‘(6) The amounts expended for information 
technology.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL
AMENDMENTS.—The tables of 
chapters at the beginning of title 38, United States 
Code, and of part V of title 38, United States Code, 
are each amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to chapter 79 the following new item: 
‘‘80. Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Ad-
ministration ............................................................. 8001’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Chapter 80 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take 
effect on October 1, 2020. 
(c) FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.—For fiscal years 2019 
and 2020, the total number of full-time equivalent employ-
ees authorized for the Veterans Benefits Administration 
and the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition 
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Administration, as established under chapter 80 of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), may 
not exceed 23,899. 
SEC. 3. UNDER SECRETARY FOR VETERANS ECONOMIC OP-
PORTUNITY AND TRANSITION. 
(a) UNDER SECRETARY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
306 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity and Transition 
‘‘(a) UNDER SECRETARY.—There is in the Depart-
ment an Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Oppor-
tunity and Transition, who is appointed by the President, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and 
Transition shall be appointed without regard to political 
affiliation or activity and solely on the basis of dem-
onstrated ability in— 
‘‘(1) information technology; and 
‘‘(2) the administration of programs within the 
Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Ad-
ministration or programs of similar content and 
scope. 
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(5) in section 541(a)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘Health 
and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and inserting 
‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity 
and Transition’’; 
(6) in section 542(a)(2)(B)(iii), by striking 
‘‘Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, 
and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity and Transition’’; 
(7) in section 544(a)(2)(B)(vi), by striking 
‘‘Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, 
and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Op-
portunity and Transition’’; 
(8) in section 709(c)(2)(A), by inserting after 
‘‘Under Secretary for Benefits,’’ the following: ‘‘the 
Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity 
and Transition,’’; 
(9) in section 7701(a), by inserting after ‘‘as-
sistance’’ the following: ‘‘, other than assistance re-
lated to Economic Opportunity and Transition,’’; 
and 
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(10) in section 7703, by striking paragraphs (2) 
and (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 306A of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), and the 
amendments made by this section, shall take effect on Oc-
tober 1, 2020. 
Æ 
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