“To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under an Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition who reports directly to the Secretary, effective October 1, 2027. The Administration administers VA programs related to veterans' economic opportunity, including (1) vocational rehabilitation and employment programs (i.e., services for service-connected disabled veterans), (2) educational assistance programs (e.g., Post-9/11 GI Bill), (3) veterans' housing loan programs, (4) the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) under 10 U.S.C. §1144 (i.e., employment and benefits counseling for separating service members), and (5) other programs designated by the Secretary. The Secretary must include in VA's annual report to Congress specified data for each program, such as claims received and decided, average processing time, successful outcomes, full-time equivalent employees, and information technology expenditures. For FY2028 and FY2029, the combined full-time equivalent employees for the Veterans Benefits Administration and the new Administration may not exceed 31,401 each year.
This section establishes, effective October 1, 2027, an Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Under Secretary, appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent based on demonstrated ability in information technology and administration of veterans economic opportunity and transition programs (i.e., education and training, vocational rehabilitation, employment, home loans, and survivor benefits), heads and is directly responsible to the Secretary for the operations of the new Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration. It requires the Secretary to establish a commission upon a vacancy (or anticipated vacancy) to recommend at least three qualified individuals to the President, with the commission comprising (1) three representatives from relevant industries and activities; (2) two veterans served by the administration; (3) two private-sector benefits managers; (4) the Deputy Secretary; (5) the chairman of the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education; and (6), if desirable, a prior holder of the position. The section makes conforming amendments to multiple sections of title 38, United States Code, to (1) include the new Under Secretary in various lists of senior VA officials responsible for advisory committees, performance reviews, personnel actions, and other functions; and (2) exclude economic opportunity and transition assistance from certain general assistance authorities while striking or redesignating related subparagraphs and paragraphs.
This section requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to the congressional Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, not later than 180 days after enactment, a report on progress toward establishing the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration (VEOTA)—a new VA entity for veterans' economic opportunity and transition services—and transitioning services to it. The section prohibits transferring any veteran services to VEOTA until the Secretary submits a certification to the committees that (1) the transition will not negatively affect service provision to veterans and (2) the services are ready for transfer, due no earlier than April 1, 2027, and no later than September 1, 2027. If the certification is not submitted by September 1, 2027, the Secretary must submit a report to the committees explaining the reason and providing an estimated certification date.