Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act

Bill: 119-hr-3579
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]
Introduced: 2025-05-23
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Employment and training programs

Government information and archives

Public contracts and procurement

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-16
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-05-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act</strong></p><p>This bill modifies the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&amp;E) program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VR&amp;E program provides job training and employment-related services to veterans with service-connected disabilities.</p><p>The bill requires veterans to submit an application to the VA in order to receive an initial evaluation to participate in the VR&amp;E program.</p><p>Further, a veteran may not receive employment assistance under the VR&amp;E program for more than 365 days.</p><p>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&amp;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&amp;E program and the date on which they first meet with a counselor as part of the program.</p><p>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&amp;E program.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3579 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 16, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act . 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 striking necessary (1) to determine and inserting necessary to determine ; (2) by striking and (2) in the case and inserting and, in the case ; (3) by inserting (1) before The Secretary ; and (4) 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 the substantive work record and educational transcripts of the veteran that the Secretary determines appropriate. . 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) Subject to subparagraph (B), a veteran may not receive assistance under this subsection for more than 365 days. (B) A veteran may receive an additional 180 days of such assistance if an individual who provides counseling under this chapter to such veteran certifies that the veteran is actively seeking employment. . 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: 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.

Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3579 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act . 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 striking necessary (1) to determine and inserting necessary to determine ; (2) by striking and (2) in the case and inserting and, in the case ; (3) by inserting (1) before The Secretary ; and (4) 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 the substantive work record and educational transcripts of the veteran that the Secretary determines appropriate. . 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) Subject to subparagraph (B), a veteran may not receive assistance under this subsection for more than 365 days. (B) A veteran may receive an additional 180 days of such assistance if an individual who provides counseling under this chapter to such veteran certifies that the veteran is actively seeking employment. . 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: 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.

Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 218 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3579 [Report No. 119–262] 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 September 9, 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 May 23, 2025 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act . 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 striking necessary (1) to determine and inserting necessary to determine ; (2) by striking and (2) in the case and inserting and, in the case ; (3) by inserting (1) before The Secretary ; and (4) 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 the substantive work record and educational transcripts of the veteran that the Secretary determines appropriate. . 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) Subject to subparagraph (B), a veteran may not receive assistance under this subsection for more than 365 days. (B) A veteran may receive an additional 180 days of such assistance if an individual who provides counseling under this chapter to such veteran certifies that the veteran is actively seeking employment. . 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: 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.

September 9, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3579 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act . 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. . 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. . 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: 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.