H.R. 3579

119 HR 3579 EH: Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
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 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 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.