“To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish new, and terminate certain, advisory committees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes two new advisory committees in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) the Veterans Health Advisory Committee, to advise the Under Secretary for Health on policies and programs for veterans' specialized health care needs—including prosthetics, rehabilitative services, long-term care for elderly veterans, mental health readjustment, and environmental or toxic exposures—and to assess program efficacy, research coordination, and care gaps; and (2) the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Advisory Committee, to advise the Under Secretary for Benefits on the effectiveness of educational benefits, vocational rehabilitation, employment assistance, and transition services for veterans. Both committees consist of members appointed by the VA Secretary—including specified experts, veterans, and representatives—for staggered two-year terms (reappointable), with a designated chair; they receive VA administrative support, meet at least quarterly, and serve without compensation but with authorized travel expenses. The health committee submits annual reports by July 1 on VA health care assessments and recommendations, which the Under Secretary for Health transmits with comments to the Secretary within 90 days for submission to the congressional Committees on Veterans' Affairs; both committees terminate on September 30, 2028 (unless renewed under the Federal Advisory Committee Act), or earlier at the Secretary's discretion.
This section terminates multiple advisory committees of the Department of Veterans Affairs on September 30, 2026, as follows: (1) Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War; (2) Advisory Committee on Women Veterans; (3) Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special-Disabilities Programs; (4) Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans; (5) Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation; (6) Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs; (7) Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States (from 10 years after enactment of the underlying provision); (8) Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials; (9) Veterans' Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation; (10) Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education (from December 31, 2026); (11) Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (from continuing until terminated by law); (12) Advisory Committee on Academic Affiliations; (13) Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; (14) Parent Advisory Committee for Child Care Centers; (15) Advisory Committee on Structural Safety of Department Facilities; and (16) Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards.
This section (1) repeals the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee by striking subsection (e) of 38 U.S.C. 3689 (which provided advice to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on approving licensing and certification tests reimbursable under VA education benefit programs in chapters 30, 32, 33, 34, and 35); and (2) directs the Secretary to submit a report to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs, not later than 30 days after enactment, listing Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committees that are authorized but inactive or whose authorization has lapsed.