Consolidating Veteran Employment Services for Improved Performance Act
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This bill would transfer veteran employment, training, and reintegration programs from the Department of Labor to the VA.
What it does
This bill would transfer several veteran-focused employment and training programs from the Department of Labor to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including job counseling, placement services, and homeless veteran reintegration initiatives. To manage these programs, the bill proposes establishing the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition within the VA. Additionally, the legislation would modify the responsibilities of state-level veterans’ employment specialists and require a joint study by both departments to evaluate the implementation of these transfers.
Who is affected
This bill directly affects veterans seeking job counseling, training, placement, and reintegration services for those experiencing homelessness, as well as members of the uniformed services seeking to exercise employment and reemployment rights. It impacts federal agencies by transferring program jurisdiction from the Department of Labor to the Department of Veterans Affairs and involves the Office of Management and Budget in personnel and asset transitions. Additionally, the legislation affects state governments by modifying their responsibilities regarding the employment and duties of veterans’ employment specialists.
Key provisions
- Transfer of Veteran Employment Programs. Transfers jurisdiction of veteran job counseling, training, placement services, and federal employment services from the Department of Labor to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Establishment of the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary. Creates the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition within the VA to implement the transferred programs.
- Consolidation of Rights Administration and Reintegration Programs. Moves the administration of uniformed services employment and reemployment rights, as well as homeless veterans reintegration programs, to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Modification of State Veterans' Employment Specialists. Adjusts state responsibilities concerning full or part-time veterans' employment specialists and expands the scope of their duties.
- Implementation Oversight and Reporting. Authorizes the Office of Management and Budget to determine specific function transfers and requires a joint study by the VA and Department of Labor on the implementation of these changes.
Fiscal impact
Not applicable: No CBO cost estimate available
Effective dates
The Department of Veterans Affairs is required to include funding requests for the transferred programs starting in its budget request for fiscal year 2028. The bill specifies that the transfer of programs does not affect suits, proceedings, or applications pending on the date of the bill's enactment.
Relationship to existing law
This bill transfers jurisdiction of several existing veteran employment and reintegration programs from the Department of Labor to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It also modifies current state responsibilities regarding veterans’ employment specialists and expands the scope of those existing roles.
Stated purpose
The bill seeks to consolidate veteran employment and reintegration services by transferring specific programs from the Department of Labor to a newly established office within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The intent is to improve performance and coordination of job counseling, training, placement, and reemployment rights services for veterans and service members.