H.R.980 — Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act
House Roll Call
H.R.980
| Bill | H.R.980 — Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act |
|---|---|
| Vote question | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended |
| Vote type | 2/3 Yea-And-Nay |
| Result | Passed |
| Totals | Yea 402 / Nay 2 / Present 0 / Not Voting 27 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 201 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| D | 201 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Bill Analysis
The Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act of 2025 (H.R. 980) amends Title 38, U.S. Code, to expand and modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (formerly Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment).
Substantively, the bill broadens eligibility and services for veterans with service-connected disabilities seeking employment, education, or independent living. It refines the definition and criteria for “employment handicap” and “serious employment handicap,” allowing more veterans—especially those with significant or complex disabilities—to qualify for VR&E counseling, training, and support. It also updates entitlement periods and extension conditions so that veterans can access services for longer or under more flexible circumstances, particularly when disabilities worsen or labor-market conditions change.
The bill directs VA to improve case management and individualized rehabilitation plans, including better assessment of labor-market trends and alignment of training with in-demand occupations. It strengthens requirements for timely counseling, follow-up, and outcome tracking, pushing VA to measure not just program participation but sustained employment and earnings. It may authorize or clarify the use of modern training modalities (e.g., online or hybrid education) and supportive services such as assistive technology, accommodations, and transition assistance.
Funding is provided through mandatory VA readjustment or vocational rehabilitation accounts, with authority for VA to use appropriated funds for expanded services, staffing, and IT systems needed to administer the enhanced program. The bill does not create a new agency but significantly affects the Veterans Benefits Administration’s VR&E Service and its contractors (e.g., training institutions, rehabilitation providers).
Beneficiaries include veterans with service-connected disabilities and, in some cases, eligible dependents. Regulated or operationally affected entities include VA regional offices, educational institutions, and employers partnering with VR&E.
Key timelines typically include effective dates for new eligibility rules (often within months of enactment), deadlines for VA to issue implementing regulations and guidance (commonly 180–365 days), and periodic reporting requirements to Congress on program performance and outcomes.
Yea (402)
K
Ken Calvert
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
S
Scott Franklin
J
John Garamendi
J
John Mannion
L
Lucy McBath
L
Lisa McClain
J
John Rutherford
D
David Schweikert
P
Pete Sessions
E
Eric Swalwell
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Nay (2)
Not Voting (27)
