House of Representatives, Washington D. C. (Photo: Andreas Praefcke)
The American Legion recently provided testimony on a wide range of legislation that seeks to strengthen services and protections for Veterans. These measures include improving access to care, expanding education opportunities for those transitioning out of military service, and ensuring fallen Service Members are properly honored. Last week, the House of Representatives passed 14 Veteran-related bills. Many of these align with priorities that The American Legion has consistently supported.
A key measure among them is H.R. 3579, the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act. The American Legion played an important role in shaping the final language of this bill. Its purpose is to amend existing law regarding the length of time Veterans can participate in the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment Program. The revised text establishes a maximum enrollment period of 96 months, or eight years. In extraordinary cases, extensions would require formal requests submitted to both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs.
Initially, The American Legion opposed the draft version of the legislation, raising strong concerns:
“A major cause for concern within this legislation is the lack of exemptions or protections relating to delays stemming from aggravation of a current disability or onset of a new disability. Furthermore, many programs, specifically in STEM fields, require completion of pre-requisite coursework before applying for acceptance into the program. Acceptance may be determined by randomized selection processes and constrained by program availability and staffing, adding further delay beyond the Veteran’s control.”
“The American Legion strongly opposes penalizing Veterans for circumstances that are outside their control. Any arbitrary limit on program participation that fails to consider medical, academic, or administrative barriers not only undermines the spirit of the VR&E program but also risks excluding the very Veterans it was designed to support.”
As a result of this feedback, lawmakers revised the text so that the time allotted for employment assistance now matches the current standard of 18 months. The original draft limited that period to 12 months. The American Legion expressed appreciation to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for adopting the recommendation.
Of the 14 bills considered last week, The American Legion has testified on 10. Examples include H.R. 3400, the TRAVEL Act, which supports overseas assignments as a tool for recruitment and retention. Another is H.R. 3767, the Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act, which addresses the longstanding challenge of bringing medical providers into the VA system.
Other bills backed by The American Legion include H.R. 3854, which seeks to modernize claims processing using artificial intelligence, and H.R. 2034, which strengthens the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship. The organization also expressed support for H.R. 2334, the Service Member Residence Protection Act, while recommending amendments to clarify enforcement procedures. Additional legislation covers areas such as digital delivery of information for student Veterans, rural access to benefits, inventory management in VA hospitals, religious heritage restoration for fallen Service Members, and expanded cancer care coordination for Women Veterans.
This collection of bills is only a portion of the more than 255 proposals that The American Legion has reviewed during the 119th Congress. The Legion’s Washington, D.C. team continues to analyze legislation, meet with congressional staff, and provide expertise to ensure that policies benefit Service Members, Veterans, Military Families, and survivors.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
