H.R. 6904

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6904 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6904

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected 
disabilities, to establish a new bar to certain benefits under laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 18, 2025

Mr. Van Orden 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 
rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected 
disabilities, to establish a new bar to certain benefits under laws 
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 and Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. BAR TO CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS: CONVICTION OF ASSAULTING, 
RESISTING, OR IMPEDING AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Establishment.--Section 5303(a) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The discharge''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2)(A) The Secretary may bar a person described in subparagraph 
(B) from benefits under chapter 30, 31, 33, 35, or 36 of this title.
``(B) A person described in this subparagraph is a person convicted 
under section 111 of title 18 for an offense against an officer or 
employee of the Department.''.
(b) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
to a conviction under section 111 of title 18 for an offense against an 
officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs that occurs 
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. PERIODS OF ELIGIBILITY: ADDITIONAL VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION 
PROGRAMS.

Section 3103(c)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``, or (B)'' and inserting ``, (B)''; and
(2) by striking ``; or'' and inserting ``, or (C) the 
veteran has not obtained employment (i) in the occupation for 
which such veteran had been so trained (ii) during the one-year 
period after the end of such training; or''.

SEC. 4. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE FOR A REHABILITATION PROGRAM: 
APPROVAL OF THE SECRETARY REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN PAYMENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 3104(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended, in paragraph (7), by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph:
``(C) A payment for equipment under subparagraph (A) that 
exceeds $5,000 shall require the approval of the Secretary.''.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report 
of payments approved under subparagraph (C) of such paragraph, as added 
by this section, during the year preceding the date of such report. In 
such a report, the Secretary shall identify, with regard to each such 
payment--
(1) the equipment purchased;
(2) the reason for the purchase; and
(3) the total equipment purchased for the rehabilitation 
program of the veteran.

SEC. 5. MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR A REHABILITATION PROGRAM; AUTOMATIC 
ADJUSTMENT.

Section 3104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in 
subsection (b)--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``A rehabilitation 
program'';
(2) by designating the second and third sentences, 
collectively, as paragraph (2) of such subsection and adjusting 
the margins accordingly; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the amount of Federal funds 
paid for a rehabilitation program may not exceed $250,000.
``(B) Effective October 1, 2026, and each year thereafter, the 
Secretary shall increase the dollar amount in effect under paragraph 
(A), by a percentage equal to the most recent percentage increase under 
section 3015(h) of this title.''.

SEC. 6. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SPECIALIST: AUTHORITY TO REDEVELOP 
INDIVIDUALIZED VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PLAN; 
DEFINITION.

(a) Authority.--Section 3106(f) of such title is amended by 
inserting ``(who may be a vocational rehabilitation specialist)'' after 
``employee''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3101 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(11) The term `vocational rehabilitation specialist' 
means--
``(A) a vocational rehabilitation specialist in the 
Veteran Readiness and Employment division of the 
Veterans Benefits Administration; or
``(B) a counseling psychologist of the Department 
performing the duties of a vocational rehabilitation 
specialist.''.

SEC. 7. SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE FOR A VETERAN ENTITLED TO A 
REHABILITATION PROGRAM AND POST-9/11 EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE: BASIS OF LOCATION.

Section 3108(b)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``the institution providing the 
rehabilitation program concerned.'' and inserting an em dash; 
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
``(A) the institution providing the rehabilitation program 
concerned; or
``(B) the residence of the veteran if such residence is 
more than 25 miles from such institution.''.

SEC. 8. EMPLOYMENT COUNSELORS.

Section 3117 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) To carry out this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent 
practicable, employ an employment counselor at each regional office of 
the Department.''.

SEC. 9. INELIGIBILITY OF A VETERAN IN A VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION 
PROGRAM FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION ON THE BASIS OF A 
DISABILITY RATED AS TOTAL ON THE BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL 
UNEMPLOYABILITY.

(a) In General.--Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3123. Ineligibility of a veteran in a vocational rehabilitation 
program for compensation for a disability rated as total 
on the basis of individual unemployability
``A veteran participating in a vocational rehabilitation program 
may not receive disability compensation under chapter 11 of this title 
for a disability rated as total on the basis of individual 
unemployability.''.
(b) Table of Sections.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``3123. Ineligibility of a veteran in a vocational rehabilitation 
program for compensation for a disability 
rated as total on the basis of individual 
unemployability.''.

SEC. 10. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

(a) Definitions.--Section 3101 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by redesignating the paragraph (10) relating to the term 
``emergency situation'' as paragraph (1).
(b) Periods of Eligibility.--Section 3103 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
(1) in the second subsection (h), by inserting ``in'' after 
``participating'';
(2) by redesignating such second subsection (h), as 
amended, as subsection (i); and
(3) in subsection (a), by striking ``or (h)'' and inserting 
``(h) or (i)''.
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