IB 
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] 
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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. 
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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 Readiness and 
Employment Improvement Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT THAT ON-CAMPUS 
EDUCATIONAL 
AND 
VOCATIONAL 
COUN-
SELING IS PROVIDED BY CERTAIN DEPART-
MENT 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 REHA-
BILITATION PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN VET-
ERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABIL-
ITIES. 
(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 prac-
ticable’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided under 
paragraph (2), to the maximum extent practicable’’; 
and 
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(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding section 3680A(b) of this title, the 
Secretary may approve a rehabilitation program for a vet-
eran 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 sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to a rehabilitation pro-
gram approved on or after August 1, 2025. 
SEC. 4. OUTREACH REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS TRAINING AND REHA-
BILITATION 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 Depart-
ment 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 in-
formation about services provided under this chapter.’’. 
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(b) OUTREACH REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 31 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 3123. Outreach requirements 
‘‘(a) QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide monthly question and answer sessions 
for appropriate school certifying officials during which such 
officials shall have the opportunity to ask questions of De-
partment employees who are veteran readiness and employ-
ment counselors or trained outreach specialists. 
‘‘(b) INFORMATIONAL BRIEFINGS.—(1) The Secretary 
shall ensure that veteran readiness and employment coun-
selors or trained outreach specialists employed by a Re-
gional 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 head-
quarters 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 
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Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives a report on the extension of periods of vocational reha-
bilitation 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 ap-
proved; and 
‘‘(3) the number of such requests that were re-
jected.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions 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 para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) If a veteran applies for an extension under para-
graph (1), the Secretary shall approve or reject the exten-
sion by not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
veteran submits a request for the extension.’’. 
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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’’. 
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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-cam-
pus educational and vocational counseling by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes. 
AUGUST 15, 2025 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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