House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and several House Republicans have introduced a third series of bills aimed at reforming education and workforce programs for veterans. The legislative package is part of a broader reauthorization strategy targeting Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits that have not been comprehensively reviewed in decades.
The proposed legislation seeks to increase accountability within the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, improve acquisition practices through better cost evaluation, establish a new Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, and transfer the Department of Labor’s Veterans Education and Training Service (DOL-VETS) program to the VA.
Chairman Bost stated, “The bills that were introduced today as part of our larger VA reauthorization strategy would bring needed education and workforce benefits reform to programs that hundreds of thousands of veterans have used, and will use in the future. Enhancing these multibillion-dollar VA programs to make them better – and create lasting change – would provide more economic opportunity for the veterans, transitioning active-duty servicemembers, and the veteran families they were created to serve. As Chairman, I look forward to leading the discussion on improving these VA benefits’ programs at a time when House Republicans are working – alongside President Trump – every day to bring down costs and expand affordability for families nationwide.”
The four new bills focus on creating reporting measures in VR&E for disabled veterans, centralizing acquisition with consistent cost evaluations at the VA, forming an administration dedicated to economic opportunity within the Veterans Benefits Administration, and consolidating DOL-VETS into the VA.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (Wis.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, commented: “As Chairman of the VA Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I have seen firsthand the need for stronger accountability and clearer outcomes in the Veterans Readiness and Employment program. As a veteran who has personally relied on this program, I understand how critical it is that this program is readily available to those who have earned them. This legislation modernizes VR&E by improving oversight, ensuring responsible use of resources, and reinforcing the program’s focus on helping disabled veterans achieve meaningful employment. With participation expected to grow, these reforms will better serve veterans while safeguarding taxpayer dollars and strengthening the program for the future.”
Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), Chair of Technology Modernization Subcommittee said: “Inefficiency at the VA directly — and too often negatively — affects the level of services and standard of care veterans receive. Every dollar wasted on overpriced and inefficient technology is a dollar not spent helping the men and women who defended our nation,” he said. “Meanwhile, delayed projects and failing IT systems are compromising the benefits and health care America promised them. The ARCA Act is long overdue legislation to streamline purchasing and strengthen accountability so the VA can achieve its mission of putting veterans first while preserving taxpayer dollars.”
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) added: “Our veterans deserve a system that truly works for them — not one that buries critical education and transition programs under layers of bureaucracy. In Arizona’s Sixth District, we are home to nearly 80,000 veterans, and many of them rely on the GI Bill, VR&E, home loan benefits, and the Transition Assistance Program as they build their next chapter. These programs must receive the focus and accountability they deserve,” he said. “Creating the Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration is a practical commonsense step to modernize the VA and strengthen oversight. By streamlining how these programs are managed we can deliver more timely effective support and ensure veterans across AZ-06 — and across the country — get the opportunities they have earned through their service.”
Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-Ariz.) also voiced his support: "I am proud to introduce this bill which addresses lack of accountability and oversight of past," he said."Maintaining status quo means DOL-VETS program and its services will continue underperforming and will be underutilized by veterans.That is not acceptable,and Government Accountability Office reports make case for change clear.This realigning employment programs from Department Labor to VA—an agency solely focused on veterans—only makes sense."
This latest legislative effort comes as lawmakers seek comprehensive updates in veteran-related policies amid calls for improved efficiency within federal agencies serving former servicemembers.
