HR 119hr3387ih: Enhancing Veterans’ Benefits and Services

Enhancing Veterans’ Benefits and Services

This post is based on the text of HR 119hr3387ih, a bill introduced in the United States Congress.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the ‘Veterans’ Benefits and Services Improvements Act of [year]’

Section 2. Transition Assistance Program

The Secretary shall use transition assistance programs to provide training, employment services, and other support for members of the armed forces transitioning to civilian life.

Section 3. Transitional health care for members being separated or recently separated

(a) Section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (4)—by striking ‘180 days’ and inserting ‘270 days’;
(2) in paragraph (7)—by striking ‘180-day transition period’ and inserting ‘270-day transition period.’

Section 4. Skillbridge: GAO study

(a) Study required.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the Skillbridge programs under section 1143(e) of title 10, United States Code.

Section 5. Website of the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding programs for new veterans

(c) The Secretary shall maintain a publicly available website of the Department through which a veteran or dependent of a veteran may search by ZIP code for programs for veterans who recently separated from active military, naval, air, or space service, or dependents of such veterans.

Section 6. Expansion of eligibility for certain program of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans

(a) Definition.—Section 4101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended in paragraph (5)—
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking the comma at the end and inserting a semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘power, or’ and inserting ‘power;’
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; or’;
(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(d) Definitions.—In this section:

Section 7. Solid Start Program: Interaction with Transition Assistance Program

(a) Clarification of reference to TAP.—Subsection (b) of section 6320 of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in paragraph (1), by striking ‘transition classes or separation’ and inserting ‘TAP classes or preseparation counseling.’;