Legislative Hearing on: H.R. 982, the Warriors to Workforce Act; H.R. 2878, the Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act; H.R. 4105, the VET Act of 2025; H.R. 5634, the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act of 2025; Discussion Draft: the CRUISE Act; Discussion Draft: the Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act; Discussion Draft: the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act; Discussion Draft: the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act; H.R. 3159, the Improving SCRA Benefit Utilization Act; H.R. 5436, To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit an educational institution from withholding a transcript from an individual who pursued a course or program of education at such institution using Post-9/11 educational assistance; Discussion Draft: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a quarterly report on housing loans insured, guaranteed, or under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes; Discussion Draft: the Veteran Housing Promise Act
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House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity U.S. House of Representatives
Follow its sittingsSpeaker 2
I'll also note that Miss McLean Delaney's bill on improvements to the Service Member Civil Relief Act, Mister Manion's bill prohibiting the withholding of student veterans' transcripts, and Mister Whiteside's bill to improve reporting from the VA home loan program are all expected to be cost neutral. So I hope to see them move through the subcommittee into the full committee markup quickly. As for other legislation before the committee today, I hope that the chairman will work with our staff to make improvements to bills that move forward to a future markup. While I think that the authors are all well-intentioned, the proposed changes to the transition assistance program, as well as modifications to grant employment and apprenticeship programs, may require some larger structural changes to achieve the desired effects and prevent unintended consequences. I support the intent of the Vet Tech program, now known as the high technology program, and it's critical that we first address the under 50% employment rate for graduates of the program before we add anything to it.
We can't keep throwing taxpayer dollars at well-intentioned but underperforming programs. Speaking specifically to the Cruz Act, I think it's unfortunate how late the VA's testimony was submitted, and I don't believe that the VA has a witness here that can directly speak to that problem. I understand that the status quo is untenable for the dealerships, and I have concerns that this bill fails to hit the mark, especially given that it doesn't provide additional staff or funding to help process the claims, which will only make delays worse. I'm committed to getting a bipartisan solution and coordination with stakeholders, but I have concerns in terms of how the bill has been drafted. After today's hearing, as we move forward to the markups and subcommittee and full committee at both levels, I ask the chairman to continue working with us to find and focus on areas where we agree.
This committee has a great tradition of bipartisan work, and we've got to reinforce it with action year in and year out. While the traditionally agreed upon ratio of majority to minority bills brought forward in legislative hearings for this Congress is still slightly out of balance. I trust that the chairman will remedy this in future hearings. So I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Speaker 1
Thank you, ranking member Papas. I ask unanimous consent that representative Valadao from California, representative from New Jersey, representative from Virginia, and representative from Iowa be permitted to participate in today's subcommittee hearing. That objection is so ordered. I recognize the representative for three minutes.
Speaker 3
Thank you, Chairman Barrett, and Ranking Member Papas, and all members of the subcommittee for your time today. After serving our nation, veterans deserve timely access to quality care, especially when they're facing homelessness and mental-health challenges. Too often, veterans slip through the cracks, not because help doesn't exist, but because the system isn't working the way it should. That's why I was proud to introduce the Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act. This bill is about accountability, coordination, and making sure vulnerable veterans are connected with every VA service created to help them readjust to civilian life.
A recent inspector general report uncovered the serious gaps in how the VA documents, assessments, and shares critical information across the programs. When assessments aren't completed or recorded properly, veterans miss out on services, housing options, and critical follow-up care that could mean the difference between life and death, and this is unacceptable. My bill requires the VA to conduct a comprehensive assessment within three days of identifying a veteran in need, evaluate immediate and long-term health needs, identify appropriate housing options, and ensure the information is included in the veteran's electronic health record so nothing gets lost. Roughly one in 10 veterans experience homelessness after serving and seek help from the VA, and we owe it to them to ensure the system works properly. They can access the service and that they can access the services they need.
This bill is a reasonable step to strengthen coordination and accountability, and I urge all members of the committee to support it. Thank you, and I yield back.
Speaker 4
Thank you, mister Valdeo Yields. Now recognize representative Whitesides for three minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today in support of my legislation to strengthen transparency and oversight of the VA home loan program. For generations, this program has been one of the most effective tools we have to help veterans achieve homeownership and stay housed during times of financial hardship.
It's a promise we make to those who served that their sacrifice will be met with opportunity and stability when they return home. But a promise only works if the system behind it is healthy. In recent years, changing market conditions and policy shifts have raised real concerns among veterans, service organizations, housing experts, and lawmakers about the long term stability of the VA home loan program. We've heard warnings about increased financial stress among veteran borrowers, and questions about whether the program is equipped to withstand future economic shocks. Right now, Congress and the public do not have consistent, detailed data to fully understand how the program is performing.
That makes it harder to spot problems early on, and harder to act before veterans are put at risk. My bill is a straightforward good governance solution. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to publish regular public reports on the health and performance of the VA home loan program. These reports would track how many loans are being issued, denied, and refinanced, and provide insight into staffing levels at the VA home loan office, so we can ensure the program has the capacity it needs to serve veterans effectively. This is about making sure government systems designed to support veterans actually work.
I firmly believe that good data leads to good policy. With better information, Congress can conduct stronger oversight, stakeholders can identify issues earlier, and the VA can respond more quickly when veterans begin to experience financial stress. Most importantly, this bill helps protect the long-term solvency of the program so that it remains available for future generations of veterans, not just those who served today. Preventing veteran housing insecurity should be a shared priority across the committee, as I know it is. Transparency is one of the most effective tools we have to do that.
I'm grateful to ranking member Tacano for his partnership and leadership on this issue, and I look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to ensure that this program remains strong, accountable, and worthy of the veterans it serves. Thank you, and I yield back.
Speaker 5
Recognized for three minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak before the Veterans Affairs Committee today in support of the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act, a bill that I introduced with Congressman McGarvey. I come from the state of New Jersey, proud home to over 400,000 veterans. Whether at Picatinny Arsenal in my district or military bases throughout this our state, America's armed forces serve faithfully throughout New Jersey and the world. Our veterans have given so much to serve our country.
And so I am dedicated to ensuring that they receive the benefits they deserve. Today, we have a chance to move forward a bill that will provide veterans with the flexibility to pursue education at their own pace. The Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act expedites the flight training process for veterans by removing the one-year requirement for accessing their GI bill benefits. Flight training timelines often look different from traditional education programs. This means costs are accrued at a different rate.
Our veterans' benefits should reflect this. The Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act ensures veterans can complete their flight training on a timeline that makes sense for their program without having to pay costly out-of-pocket tuition fees. I'm proud to stand with our veterans to ensure that they receive their education benefits on a timeline that supports their chosen course of study. This bill honors our veterans by helping them launch successful aviation careers after serving in the nation's military. I thank this committee for their consideration of my bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation.
Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Speaker 1
Thank you. I ask unanimous consent that Representative Mannion from New York be permitted to participate in today's subcommittee hearing without objection. So ordered. Represent Mannion, you're recognized for three minutes.
Speaker 6
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today in support of my bill, the End Transcript Withholding for Veterans Act. And I'd also like to thank my colleague, Representative Moylan, for co-leading this effort with me. This common sense legislation would close the gap in federal law that has unfairly denied veterans access to the educational benefits that they've earned. For too long, colleges and universities have been permitted to withhold transcripts from students as a debt-collection tactic.
For many students, this puts a hold on their careers or prevents them from furthering their education. What's also troubling is that in many cases, these debts are the result of billing errors or disputed balances, and yet student veterans are left in limbo for no fault of their own. Student veterans often pursue their education in nontraditional ways, balancing academic responsibilities alongside raising families and building careers. If you don't have access to your academic records, it's much harder to secure employment and pay back the debts that triggered the withholding in the first place. In 2024, the Department of Education took an important step in addressing this issue by prohibiting colleges from withholding academic transcripts for coursework paid for with Title IV financial aid.
However, title 48 is separate from the educational benefits provided under the post 09/11 GI bill, and as a result, current law allows veterans to be excluded from these protections. My bill would correct this inequity and provide parity. No veteran who has served this country should face these unnecessary barriers to opportunity. In the district I represent, Syracuse, Central New York, and the Mohawk Valley, our institutions of higher education serve our military-connected students and veterans exceptionally well, and I'm proud to stand behind that mission. I thank the members of this subcommittee for considering my bill and for having me here today.
I kindly ask for your support in passing this legislation and looking out for our student veterans. I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you, gentlemen. Yields, recognize representative Kiggins for three minutes. Go ahead.
Speaker 7
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the economic opportunity subcommittee for having me here today to discuss my bill, the Veterans Energy Transition Act, also known as the Vet Act. I introduced this bill to help our nation's service members transition into meaningful, sustainable careers in the fast-growing energy sector. It's very simple. We know that we need more energy and energy producers, and our veterans need jobs.
So it's a great marriage for sure. When service members transition out of the military, it can be challenging to find a mission-driven career beyond the service, and that can make this period difficult for them. My district is home to thousands of these transitioning veterans, as well as a booming energy sector. Virginia has an all the above energy approach, which we embrace and encourage veterans to be an important part of. Energy companies continue to choose Virginia as their home base, and our nation's veterans are uniquely qualified for many of these jobs.
While our national energy demand continues to steadily increase around the country, we must maintain a reliable workforce that secures our energy dominance on the world stage. The vet act creates a hiring pathway for veterans through a grant program to assist separating members of the armed forces and their spouses in obtaining employment in the energy industry, an industry that's vital to our nation's future and economy. At its core, this legislation recognizes something many of us already know. When our service members complete their service to our nation, their dedication and skills don't end. They simply need a new pathway.
The vet act is a practical, targeted step towards helping those who have served our country find stable careers and contribute to our national energy goals. It bridges military experience with civilian opportunity, supports families, and strengthens our workforce. I urge thoughtful consideration and bipartisan support for this bill and its goal of honoring service with meaningful opportunity. Thank you, and I yield back.
Speaker 8
I wanna thank both the chair and the ranking member for the good bipartisan work we're all trying to do to help our veterans. I'm proud today to be joining and advocating for HR 2878, the Daniel J. Harvey and Adam Lambert Improving Service Members' Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act. The US is leading on a new era of foreign policy, one where our sons and daughters are called to serve and defend our great nation, where we have invested in their safety, in their families, and in their economic well-being with one of the greatest pay raises ever. We also must invest in their health when they return from the battlefield. Last month, I joined my fellow Iowans as well as President Trump at Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of two Iowa National Guardsmen who were killed defending this country in Syria. Staff sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and staff sergeant Edgar Bryan Torres Tovar, who's from my district.
And while I attended their funerals, I also saw other warriors who came home and bore scars not seen by the human eye. It is never easy to lose a warrior on the field, but it is equally devastating to lose a warrior on the home front. I'm here today not just as a US congressman, but like many of you, as a veteran. Twenty years of combat service. And as a commander, I watch my own airmen endure the struggles that come with post-service life.
I carry the message of those who cannot be here to speak on their behalf today, because veteran suicide rates still rank as some of the highest reasons for veteran death. Specifically, I speak today in honor of Corporal Adam Lambert, a proud Marine from Adel, Iowa. He loved his family. His family loved him. Adam put others before himself: his friends, family, and our country.
Adam bravely served our country and the Marines. He deployed to Tokinawa and in Afghanistan. And during boot camp, Adam met a fellow Marine named Daniel Harvey. He's from Rhode Island. They became friends, and they stayed connected throughout their entire career in the US Marine Corps.
But at just 22 years old, Daniel died by suicide. He had just left the Marines. Adam, his friend, followed him less than a month later. Adam was a friend. He was a beloved son, and he was a brother.
Unfortunately, their stories are all too common for our service members when they come home from duty. To address this, I'm proud to be working with this committee as we introduce HR 2778. The Daniel J. Harvey and Adam Lambert Improving Service Members' Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act will work with our transition assistance program to ensure transitioning vets are aware of both their mental health services that are available to them and help them provide access to the resources they deserve. With the help of this committee and advocates like all of you in this room, we can and should and will save others like Daniel and Adam. Thank you to all the witnesses who are here today, and thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this very important hearing.
Speaker 1
Thank you. Appreciate your testimony. I now recognize the representative for three minutes.
Speaker 9
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My bill, the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities Veterans Act, isn't just another workforce bill. It's a national security imperative with Arizona's fingerprints all over it. Since 2020, America has seen over $600,000,000,000 in private semiconductor investment announced across 28 states. That means more than 500,000 American jobs.
Artificial intelligence is a booming, emerging tech sector of the economy. But the problem is we don't have enough workers trained to fill them, but we do have enough veterans. In my own district, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, TSMC, is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in the local economy, which will amount to thousands of jobs. And it is a critical piece of President Trump's mission to end our reliance on foreign chips, especially from adversaries like communist China. In every meeting with TSMC, I've prioritized veterans, and they've assured me that they are in the process of creating a robust veterans program.
But right now, the VA could do more to connect veterans with these opportunities, and private industry should move faster to implement the veteran hiring and training programs they have promised. My bill fixes that. It requires the VA to partner with industry leaders, educational institutions, and nonprofits to identify high-demand emerging tech jobs like semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence. Then it mandates the VA put that information front and center during transition assistance and on the VA website. It also creates an expedited 90-day approval process for courses of education that train veterans for these positions because we can't afford bureaucratic delays when national security and veteran opportunities are on the line.
Now I serve as an army intelligence officer. I know the discipline, the technical aptitude, and the mission focus our service members bring to every task. These men and women are exactly the type of people the semiconductor industry needs. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Our veterans deserve a path to high-paying, high-impact careers that also serve our national security interests.
Thank you, and I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you, representative Hamidie. I'll now introduce our witness panel. Our first witness, mister Kenneth Smith, acting executive director of education services at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Mister Smith is accompanied by Miss Chantile Stovall, acting executive director of veteran readiness and employment services within the Veteran Affairs Administration at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Our final witness is Mister Jeremiah Workman as act assistant secretary of veterans employment and training service at the Department of Labor.
I ask witnesses on our first panel, please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to provide is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Thank you. Let the record reflect that the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. I ask the witness and members today to respect our five-minute rule due to the votes that we have pending on the floor.
Mister Smith, you are now recognized for five minutes to deliver your testimony on behalf of the Department of VA.
Speaker 10
Thank you. Chairman Barrett, ranking member Papas, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present our views on bills affecting VA's programs and benefits. Joining me today is Miss Shantile Stovall, acting executive director of veteran readiness and employment service. Before we begin, I'd like to apologize on behalf of VA for the delay in providing testimony to the committee. VA continues to work on process improvements internally and externally to prevent future delays.
Additionally, our VHA partners are not able to attend today's hearing, and, unfortunately, I will be unable to speak on the Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination of Homeless Veterans Act and the elimination of maximum authorizations of appropriations for certain benefits for homeless veterans, and making permanent the authority to carry out certain programs for homeless veterans. I will be taking those questions for the record. VA is happy to offer support for several bills. However, others, we support the bills but have concerns with the language as written. VA supports the intent of HR 982 Warriors to Workforce Act.
However, we are still assessing the budgetary impacts of the bill. The bill would increase the amount of monthly housing allowance paid to individuals pursuing a full-time apprenticeship or on-the-job training under chapter 33 from 80% to 90% during the second six-month period of the program. This change will make OJT and apprenticeship programs more desirable for our beneficiaries. VA supports the intent with amendments of the Improving Emergencies Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act, which would require VA to partner with critical stakeholders to identify specific types of industries and positions that, as a result of emerging technologies, are likely to have high employment and growth potential for individuals. We are especially supportive of the provision requiring collaboration with the Department of Labor, as VA already collaborates with DOL and believes this existing partnership can be leveraged to meet the bills' objectives.
VA could not offer its support for a few of the bills. For instance, VA opposes HR 5634, the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act of 2025, as this bill would establish a $100,000 maximum total amount payable under chapter 33 for flight training fees for individuals preferring pursuing flight training programs offered by a public institution of higher learning. VA supports expanding flight training opportunities at flight schools for veterans and their dependents, but this bill does the opposite by placing an arbitrary limit on the amounts payable. VA cites concerns with the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act to increase the maximum home loan guarantee amount because VA has no evidence that there is a market need for such a change. VA agrees to work with Congress to make housing more affordable, but has concerns with unintended risks to taxpayers, veterans, and VA through an increase in the guarantee amount.
VA also cites concerns with the home loan quarterly reports bill and commits to provide additional information to Congress and the public without statutory requirement. Finally, for other bills, we must defer to other organizations, as they fall outside VA's purview. We support all efforts to eliminate veteran suicide as intended by HR 2878, the Daniel J. Harvey and Adam Lambert improving service member transition to reduce veteran suicide act, but must defer to the Department of War on matters involving pre-separation counseling. VA specifically addresses mental health to include PTSD and suicide in its mandatory TAP module on VA benefits and services, and in military lifecycle modules.
VA will work with the committee on language to strengthen those services. VA also defers HR 3159, Improving SCRA Benefit Utilization Act, to the Department of War. Last, we defer to the Department of Education, HR 5436, which prohibits an educational institution from withholding the transcript of an individual who attended a course or program using post 9/11 GI Bill benefits solely because the individual owes a debt to the institution. This concludes my statement. We'd be happy to answer any questions you or the members of the subcommittee may have.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Mr. Smith. Written statement of Mister Smith will be entered into the hearing record. Miss Workhwin, you're now recognized for 5 minutes. So over your testimony, have the Department of Labor.
Speaker 11
Thank you. Chairman Barrett, ranking member Papas, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify at today's legislative hearing. The mission of the Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Service is to prepare America's service members, veterans, and military spouses for meaningful careers, provide them with employment resources and expertise, protect their employment rights, and promote their employment opportunities. As a retired staff sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, a combat veteran, Navy Cross recipient, and a tireless advocate for veterans, I am honored and humbled to serve as assistant secretary of veterans employment and training service. While I've only been in my agency for less than a month, I'm impressed by its dedication to the mission.
President Donald Trump has demonstrated his unrelenting support for our military, veterans, and military spouses, placing a renewed national focus on honoring their service and expanding their opportunities after they leave the uniform behind. We owe our internal thanks to those who have served our country. That is why I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with Congress to continuously improve our programs. The Warriors to Workforce Act would increase GI Bill monthly housing allowance benefits for apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs, which are administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department of Labor supports this bill.
Registered apprenticeships are a highly effective pathway to develop in-demand skills while also earning a paycheck from day one. Registered apprenticeships train workers for careers using a structured combination of paid on-the-job training and related instruction. In April 2025, President Trump signed an executive order on preparing Americans for high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future, which established that it is the policy of the United States to optimize and target federal investments and workforce development to align with our country's reindustrialization needs and equip American workers to fill the growing demand for skilled trades and other occupations. In the executive order, the president set the goal of at least 1,000,000 new active apprentices nationwide. This goal is closely aligned with current labour market demand.
Skilled trade jobs are facing a significant labour shortage, leading to increased demand for qualified workers. In alignment with the president's priorities and the growing demand for highly skilled trade jobs, it is my hope that we can continue to expand veteran participation in registered apprenticeship programs. Separately, a draft bill would, among other provisions, eliminate the maximum authorizations of appropriations for the Department of Labor-administered homeless veterans reintegration program. The Department of Labor supports this bill if amended. The homeless veterans reintegration program is the only federal grant to focus exclusively on competitive employment for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, so that they can reach their full employment potential and high-quality career outcomes.
The program fosters self-sufficiency through employment and also holds grantees to high standards of accountability and effectiveness, with proven results. The department strongly supports this program and shares Congress' commitment to improving outcomes for veterans experiencing homelessness. However, we do have some budget concerns, which are detailed in my written testimony. Finally, the Veterans Energy Transition Act would establish a new 60,000,000 per year grant program administered by the Department of Labor to assist members of the armed forces who are transitioning to civilian employment, veterans, and their spouses to obtain employment in the energy industry. We have concerns with how the program is structured, as detailed in my written testimony.
We look forward to working with the committee on alternative approaches that advance our shared goal of helping transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses connect to jobs in the energy sector. Mister chairman, ranking member, distinguished members of the subcommittee, this concludes my statement. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this hearing, and I welcome your questions. Thank you.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Mr. Workman. Written statement of Mister Workman will be entered into the hearing record, and we'll now proceed to questioning. I ask members and witnesses again to respect the five-minute rule as we have votes on the floor coming up. I can ask myself for five minutes. Mister Smith, beginning with you, obviously, you can surmise I've taken a bit of an interest in my bill about centralizing payments for these adaptive equipment vehicles.
Can you tell me, in your own estimation, what is the appropriate amount of time that should be allowed for a vendor to receive payment under this program?
Speaker 10
Thank you for the question. And I would like to say, first off, I'm not sure. One of our concerns is whether this applies to the auto grant, which is a new purchase of a new vehicle, a one-time grant for $27,000, or whether it is the continuous benefit and eligibility for modifying an existing vehicle for adaptive equipment. I do agree that prompt payment act requirements for 30 days is reasonable from the time that we know that there is eligibility to issue payment. And I do understand that we are working hard on that auto and adaptive equipment side.
On the automobile grant, so the onetime grant, there could be a potential eligibility cycle involving a disability claims decision if the veteran has not already been adjudicated eligible, based on loss or loss of use of extremities or central visual acuity.
Speaker 1
And so I appreciate some of the detail there, but the thirty days prompt payment requirement is the standard that we're going for, that we're trying to achieve. And I think you would agree with me that we've fallen short of that expectation, and we have instances. We have one provider with over 9,000,000 in overdue payments that haven't come through. We've recently heard that some providers are withholding adaptive automobiles. They're literally withdrawing from the program because they don't have confidence that they're going to get a timely payment from the VA.
You heard in my opening remarks that we've heard of instances literally, you know, more than two years in arrears for a particular provider. Now I will fully grant that there's going to be truly exceptional circumstances where maybe a claim was filed and it hasn't been adjudicated, or it's under appeal. And, you know, there are going to be instances of that happening, but not in the numbers that we are seeing from these providers. And my severe concern with that is that we are going to enter a situation where veterans aren't able to find a provider that will do this work because they don't see the VA as a good partner in that. And if the end result is that fewer veterans are able to access adaptive equipment, then we aren't making good on the effort we have in our country through the work that you do in the VA to make sure that they are made whole to the extent that we can for the sacrifices they've made.
I mean, these are people that have substantial injury that they've sustained to even qualify for this benefit to begin with. I know that we have payments that are more than two hundred days late, 42 claims we are aware of. They're over 500 days late. You know, that's well over a year in time. The length of time for providers to receive payments seems excessively long and seems to be a chronic issue, especially considering that they must front the cost when supplying these vehicles to veterans.
So they're not only out the money, but they're also out the equipment that they could have sold to another customer if they had them still available. So assuming we can work through some of your concerns, and I'd like to get a little bit more color to the, I know you gave some, you know, asked for some consideration of amendments. I'd be curious to know kind of what you would like those to be, and how we can work together to get there. But to me, we've got different VA facilities remitting payment at vastly different times, and it can't just be a situation where, you know, there's a unique circumstance. That wouldn't be the case in the chronically overdue payments in certain areas.
So if you can walk us through some of what your considerations of amendments are, we'd love to take them under advisement.
Speaker 10
Thank you. I won't try to give you everything, and would certainly like to enlist support from my compensation colleagues for policies and procedures. I can say that, I did look to see how many pending auto allowance grants are sitting with our team right now, and it's approximately 195. Now this is just that, decision for an initial automobile one-time grant that's equal to 27,074 dollars and ninety-nine cents. Our average days to complete last month was 75 days.
Now there are going to be outliers. That's an average. We recognize that, and would certainly work to make that better. But that's also, in a bucket of work, that is assigned to our benefits eligibility support teams, who are working right now through an inventory of about 900,000 adjustments to dependency and other miscellaneous adjustments, such as drill pay adjustments and other things. So there's a good bit of work.
Specifically, if we would pull this out for specific prioritization, we would need resource identification for that specific assignment of work, and then we can certainly work to assign that workforce to achieve the outcomes.
Speaker 1
Okay. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you more on that. I would just further stipulate that seventy-some days is more than twice the intended target of thirty days. But I appreciate some of that background. I recognize our rank member, Papas, for 5 minutes.
Speaker 2
Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Mister Smith, if I can start with you. I know we don't have a representative here, specifically from the homelessness program office today, but I just want to start with a question related to HR 7149. That's the Veteran Housing Promise Act. I saw that VA's legislative proposals for the fiscal year included making the health care for homeless veterans program permanent.
And I think we should all agree that the other housing insecurity programs like SSVF and grant per diem are just as important as the health care for homeless veterans. So as noted in your written testimony, it's hard for providers in SSVF and GPD to plan with the funding and authorizations in the air every year. So, should Congress permanently authorize those programs like the proposal for the health care for homeless veterans?
Speaker 10
Thank you for the question. As I said in my opening, I'll have to take all of those questions for the record. However, I will add that, you know, VA certainly supports efforts to ensure veterans experiencing homelessness are properly assessed and cared for.
Speaker 2
Well, thanks for taking that on the record. We look forward to the response. Also for you, Mr. Smith. And in the written testimony, VA deferred to the Department of Education regarding HR 5436 and transcript withholding. So I wanted to ask you directly, should student veterans receive the same protections against schools withholding transcripts as their peers receiving Title IV funds through the Department of Education as proposed in Mister Manion's bill?
Speaker 10
We are certainly interested in protections for our GI Bill veteran students, but we have to defer to the Department of Education because transcript provisioning is in their purview.
Speaker 2
So VA won't provide any additional comments on that? No, sir. Okay. I wanna move to another bill. HR 28 78.
I saw that you didn't address the department's stance on tasking the Solid Start program with assisting eligible veterans in enrolling with VHA, and I could see that being a difficult process over the phone. So would it make more sense just to automate the process and enroll all eligible service members during their transition process, as outlined in the eVest act? That way, we're not playing catch-up, but it's systematized and streamlined.
Speaker 10
Thank you for the question. My understanding is that in the TEPS benefits module, there is an interactive discussion with service members, and they're offered the opportunity to complete that 1010ez form. If they defer, they're provided with information for a liaison to assist them at a later time.
Speaker 2
Well, thanks for that. I mean, you know, making things as easy as possible for the end user, for the veteran, for the transitioning service member should be everyone's goal. In written testimony, the discussion draft regarding the VA home loan program reporting requirements, which is now HR 7150. I'm just having a hard time sympathizing with the idea that the reporting would be too burdensome in that case. I compare the proposed requirements to other government home loan programs, and this proposal is nowhere near as detailed or as burdensome.
VA has all that data already. It would just be to publish it quarterly, rather than annually. So am I missing something here? Is there a reason that the department feels differently about this, as opposed to other reporting requirements?
Speaker 10
We believe that we can provide that information to Congress, without a statutory requirement, and look forward to working with you on the definitions and the specific data points that you'd like to see. As you mentioned, we already publish a lot of data annually. In addition, we provide quarterly reporting on lender data under PL 115, 174. And note that the Federal Financial Institution Examination Council publishes data and reports on institutions under the Home and Mortgage Disclosure Act.
Speaker 2
Well, thanks for that. I know there are a number of data reporting requirements for schools, for the home loan program office. We ask for a significant amount of data from lenders, and they often complain about the amount of requirements, but they comply. And I think that we're not asking for too much here. Maybe I could just ask you one more question.
This is around adding the emerging technology to the high-technology VetTech program. And the current statute defines high technology as computer programming, computer software, media application, data processing, and information sciences. So is there anything in the current statute that would prevent artificial intelligence or semiconductor programs from participating in the high-technology program? Is this just to give it extra emphasis, or is there any sort of change that this would actually allow new programs in?
Speaker 10
My understanding is that artificial intelligence would be covered as a software product under the existing authority. However, the addition of semiconductor manufacturing would be an addition that would be new as authorized by this act. Okay.
Speaker 1
Thank you. The ranking member yields, Representative Hamdi, you were recognized for five minutes.
Speaker 9
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mister Smith, thank you for being here today, and thank you for the VA support of my bill, the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act. I appreciate the department's commitment to getting this right. I look forward to working with you. In your testimony, you note that the VA already collaborates with the Department of Labor on identifying high-demand occupations.
Can you walk the subcommittee through, step by step, how this bill would strengthen and formalize that partnership?
Speaker 10
I would like to say that, we would continue to leverage our meetings with the Department of Labor, to discuss industry specific needs, and then provide targeted outreach for use of GI Bill benefits programs. Under the Vet Tech program, we would then also partner with the Department of Labor, to ensure that we are reaching providers of this training and, you know, ensure that they apply for and can begin training those students or veterans under that program.
Speaker 10
Industry leaders who would be offering certificates under the vet tech program. Correct?
Speaker 9
What relationship with the, you know, there's already existing relationships right now with industry leaders in the VA. Correct? But what would be a good model for this new bill?
Speaker 9
Now my bill establishes a 90-day expedited approval process for courses that train veterans for emerging tech jobs. Now your testimony states the VA has no concerns with meeting that timeline. Is that right?
Speaker 10
We understood that as ninety days to identify and then solicit for providers, and we do believe we could meet that, with enough lead time to, you know, if the enactment or effective date for the bill were a little bit in the future.
Speaker 9
Right. We all know how important it is to make things move quickly, especially for our veterans who are looking for jobs. What type of message does this send to veterans and to industry leaders when the VA moves quickly to prove these high demand jobs? Does that encourage more industries and businesses to want to partner with the VA?
Speaker 9
Now the Semiconductor Industry Association reports over 500,000 jobs tied to recent investments across 28 states, including Arizona. Now, from the VA's perspective, why are veterans uniquely positioned to fill this workforce need?
Speaker 10
We believe that they have the right skills and, you know, the propensity to succeed given new tasks, and we would look forward to helping them achieve that target.
Speaker 9
Yeah. As a veteran myself and, you know, talking to fellow veterans, we know that we're used to long hours. I think the biggest challenge has been these foreign companies moving into the United States. You know, they work their people to death nearly over there. So they're not used to the work requirements here in the United States.
And, veterans, we know, you know, it takes a lot of work, they're dedicated. They're motivated. They're very disciplined. I think that's a huge benefit to the semiconductor in this AI industry that I know we're gonna help out with. And so, mister Smith, I appreciate the VA's partnership on this, and together we can make sure our veterans are prioritized for these high-paying jobs and high-impact careers.
Thank you for your time. I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Mr. Ramde. Representative, you're recognized for five minutes.
Speaker 12
Thank you, mister chairman, and thank you for having this hearing today. You know, I hear from veterans all the time back home, people who are trying to build a stable life when they take off the uniform. This is trying to get a job. This is finished school. This is buy a home or simply even stay housed.
And every single one of the bills we are discussing today touches one of those foundational pieces. So what I keep hearing from people, though, is like, keep it simple. Make the system work the way it's supposed to. Basically, veterans shouldn't have to fight all over again just to get a wheelchair-accessible van. They shouldn't have to lose out on a job opportunity because the school won't release their transcript.
They shouldn't be pushed into programs that sound good on paper, but don't actually lead to real jobs. They shouldn't be fighting again for the things we promised to provide them. So one thing we do on this committee, and I think we do it well despite everything you see in Washington right now, is we have a central mission, and that is to keep the promise we made to the men and women who put on a uniform willing to serve us and sacrifice everything for our safety and freedom. I'm happy to see that the legislation that we are talking about today is promoting programs that actually work, programs that keep that promise. Mister Workman, I want to start with you.
First of all, thank you for your service. Thank you for the heroism and bravery you showed because of your actions. A lot of people came home to their families, and we're grateful for that. We've heard concerns that Veterans Energy Transition or vet, the vet act, sets up another stand-alone jobs program instead of fixing and strengthening programs that already work like SkillBridge. So how is DOL gonna make sure that this doesn't turn into just one more confusing program that veterans have to navigate when they're transitioning out of the military?
Speaker 11
Thank you for the question, Congressman. I would like to sit down with my counterparts at the DOD and also at the VA, to ensure that we are doing the right thing by our veterans and by those that are leaving the military every year. As of my testimony that was submitted, you know, there are some concerns from the Department of Labor with this bill, and I would look forward to working with your office to try to find a way forward with this bill so we can get more veterans employed and gainful jobs where they can wake up in the morning, feel that sense of pride, and feel good about taking care of their families.
Speaker 12
Thank you. No. We look forward to working with you on that. And, you know, look, in this committee, sometimes we might not agree about the way to get there. I don't think we disagree on the mission, and so look forward to working with you on that because, you know, again, this is just something.
Go to the VFW in Louisville and talk to people. Just walk around, talk to some of our veterans. They want a straight path to a good job. Right? Not some of the more bureaucracy things they have to fight to do to get things that don't actually work.
They don't want just another incentive for companies. So,
Speaker 12
I know you're new at DOL, but while you're there, you know, how can you guys make sure that this grant money from the vet act actually leads to real training and credentials, long term employment instead of just giving out sort of hiring bonuses to businesses?
Speaker 11
Thank you for the question, Congressman. Like I said, in my submitted testimony, I think there are some issues with the bill that need to be addressed before we can find a way forward. But I definitely look forward to working with you and the rest of the members of this committee to find a way forward, because I agree our veterans deserve the best, and we need to do what we can to ensure that they are set up for success once they take the uniform off.
Speaker 12
Yeah. Appreciate that commitment and definitely wanna work with you on it because this is something, you know, we don't want it to get lost. We want this to be just another hearing where there's.
Speaker 12
Know, again, reassurances or things said or things, oh, we'll get back to it. Like, no. Let's actually make sure these programs are working for our veterans. Mister Smith, I'll switch to you about the transcript withholding. There's a real risk that veterans in my district, in Louisville, and places all over the country, could lose job offers because their school may not release their transcript over disputed debt.
So my first question to you is a simple yes or no. Do you agree that veterans who are using the GI Bill should never be blocked from getting their own academic record?
Speaker 10
Unfortunately, I have to defer to the Department of Education on that. It's their policy.
Speaker 12
Okay. Well, I can go ahead and state my opinion on that. We should never have a veteran blocked from getting their own academic record, particularly when they are on the GI Bill. Again, a benefit not given to them, a benefit they earned through their service. And would love your help in making sure we can get that to happen even with the Department of Education.
The vet tech program has had some mixed results, with job placement dropping below 50% in some years. If we expand on vet tech to focus more on emerging tech fields, what protections should VA put in place to make sure that veterans aren't encouraged to participate in programs that sound good but don't lead to jobs after they're over?
Speaker 10
Thank you for the question. And, that’s a very interesting area to go to, because it really speaks to the efficiency and effectiveness of the program. And we'd be happy to sit down with you, staff, and others to identify some protections for that. As of right now, I'm not sure that I have any great ideas.
Speaker 12
Well, definitely wanna sit down with both of you all this. Let's keep this on the radar. Let's make sure this is working. We can't just get caught in more bureaucracy. We gotta have programs that work for our veterans.
Mister chairman, I yield back.
Speaker 14
Thank you, chairman, and ranking member Papas, for holding this hearing with the witnesses that are here with us today. One of the many factors this committee has identified as critical to a veteran's successful transition that stand out for me are medical care, and the second is employment. So I wanna start with discussing the importance of medical and mental health care post-service. As you know, some of you are service members yourself, wearing the uniform and serving our nation. Oftentimes, veterans deal in silence with the pain of PTSD, of depression, of substance abuse, and the risk of self-harm.
So we know it's essential that we do everything we can to ensure that no veteran has to confront their challenges alone by providing them with the information and the access necessary to medical and mental health services. I understand there are some pieces of legislation today that we're considering that make an attempt to help our veterans with that. So I have a couple of questions. I know a core program that assists veterans transition to civilian life is a TAP program. Here, veterans take classes to learn all that is available to them.
And we know that veterans often do not retain what they learn, and can be overwhelmed by the volume of information all coming at the same time. But I understand that HR 2878 attempts to address the current mental health gaps veterans face by adding information to TAPs on mental health. So the question I have, mister Smith, given that DOD has expressed it would not provide more time for veterans to attend TAP classes, from your perspective, what content, if any, would realistically have to be removed to make room for some of the new mandates that are coming through HR 2878?
Speaker 10
I'm not sure what should be or what could be removed from that program. I realize it's a very full agenda, and I know VA's benefits and services are an entire day.
Speaker 14
Yeah. So let me ask you a follow-up question. Do you have any data that veterans retain or act on information delivered in an already overstuffed format months before separation? And if so, what does the data show you?
Speaker 10
I don't have any information about retention of information, which is why VA law in 2019 launched the VA Solid Start program where we've reached out to Mhmm. A 115,000 veterans to date, by telephone, approximately every ninety days, post service to communicate with them.
Speaker 14
Well, thank you, Mr. Smith. I know that my clock is ticking, so I'm gonna just shift gears for a second. And I wanna talk about employment. I have a question on where is the workforce act. We know that employment is critical for a successful transition post service, and I am worried that some of the bills discussed today do not address the larger issues at hand, including the scarcity of apprenticeship programs and that many programs aren't widely known to our veterans.
So given that when the GI bill apprenticeship and on the job training structure was created, the core assumption was the employer would pay a meaningful share of the veteran's income, and then VA would then supplement it with what would be necessary. The question that I have is, for Mister Workman, is that assumption still holding today, that the employer would pay a meaningful share? Specifically, what data does DOL or VA have, and how many approved apprenticeship or OJT programs are paying veterans wages that are sufficient to offset the declining GI Bill housing allowance?
Speaker 11
Thank you for the question, Congresswoman. I don't have the data in front of me. I'm more than willing to go back and get that data and provide it to you.
Speaker 14
It would be really helpful for me because as we're looking at declining housing allowance, I wanna make sure that, you know, our veterans are not put in a position where they're barely making it with whatever we're getting offset from the private market. And let me ask you just one last follow-up question. I do have 58 seconds. What happens when the apprenticeship or AGT or OJT programs are not paying sufficient wages? I know you're gonna get me some data, but in your own perspective or your own experience, what do you think happens to them when they're not getting sufficient wages?
Speaker 11
Thank you for the question. I, you know, I don't wanna speak to something that I don't know about. What I can tell you is, the president has made it clear that he wants 1 million new apprenticeships. And.
Speaker 14
So, mister Workman, when you go back, I just wanna really reiterate. These apprenticeships are incredibly important. Also don't wanna add more financial stress to our service members, and we wanna make sure that they're getting the wages necessary to be able to participate in the program and be successful. So I do look forward to getting this information from you. Thank you.
With that, I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you. Appreciate it. And the witnesses are now excusing no further questions. I hope you'll all stick around for the second panel. And on our second panel today, we'll hear from the following witnesses.
Speaker 1
Yeah. If you're on the second panel, please come forward, and I'll introduce you as you arrive. We are doing a quick shift change. Alright. Thank you.
Going from my right, your left, we have Mr. Sam Cook, president of the Superior Van and Mobility Company. Mister Larry Smith, a semiconductor industry expert. Miss Julie Howell, associate legislative director for government relations, testifying on behalf of Paralyzed Veterans of America. Miss Catherine Monet or Monet? How do I say it?
Which Monet? Alright. CEO of the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans. I would now like to welcome the witnesses to our second panel, and I ask you to please stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to provide is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Thank you. Let the record reflect that all witnesses have answered in the affirmative. Mister Cook, you're now recognized for five minutes to deliver your testimony.
Speaker 15
Equipment Dealers Association, known as NEDA. I would like to thank Chairman Barrett, Chairman Ben Norton, whose family is in our prayers, Ranking Member Papas, and all the members of the House Veterans Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity for the chance to testify today. My name is Sam Cook. I'm the president of Superior Vander Mobility, the nation's largest family-owned adapted vehicle dealer. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, my family owns and operates 18 dealer locations across the South and Midwest.
For over 25 years, we have served disabled veterans through the automotive adaptive equipment program, which provides disabled veterans with accessible vehicles. NVIDIA members across the country are driven by one noble principle: to provide mobility to disabled veterans who have given so much to our country. Further, I'd like to clarify that my testimony and support for changes to the AAE is in no way an indictment on the many hardworking frontline employees of the VA who serve our veterans every day. Our issue is with the system itself. The old joke is you've been to one VA location, then you've been to all VA locations.
Unfortunately, this is not my first time testifying before Congress about VA shortcomings. I testified in 2015, along with many others, about the VA policy relating to the quality of modifications made to vehicles to accommodate each veteran's disability. That effort resulted in the passage of the Veterans Mobility Safety Act, a bill signed into law in 2016, intended to ensure the modifications made for veterans were properly performed and appropriate for their disability. Sadly, and for unexplained reasons, the law still has not been implemented due to the VA not issuing the mandated interpretive regulations. Consistent with this theme, VA payment policy can vary dramatically from location to location.
Despite the existence of the prompt payment act, which requires federal agencies, including the VA, to pay their contractors usually within thirty days, at the 2025, my company alone had over $2,100,000 in past due invoices. This makes it difficult for businesses to serve disabled veterans in our country, as they're essentially being asked to be a subprime lender to the VA. There are good credible dealers who have or are considering ceasing to do business with the VA altogether due to the payment issues. Without proper standards, this will likely cause veterans to travel hundreds of miles for service. In addition to the uncertainty of when you might get paid, another change the VA made has drastically affected the amount the VA reimburses dealers for adaptive equipment.
As a taxpayer, I want the government to get the best price possible. That being said, the price the government pays should be based on current market conditions and data. The VA's own regulations instructed it to establish a fee schedule on 07/17/24 based on the most recent data to update it annually. Despite this requirement, the schedule was created using not the most available data. The published schedule was based on prices from 2021.
We all know that costs are considerably higher now than they were in 2021. Further, at this time, the VA published its schedule, Numeda's 2024 survey was available, then that will be updated every year moving forward. Absent congressional intervention, industry has no confidence the schedule will be brought in line with current pricing. The failure to follow very clear direct regulations regarding publishing a current payment schedule, identified ongoing challenges with vendors and getting paid on time, and now a decade-long wait for professional standards for modification of vehicles suggest the VA feels it is unrestricted discretion in interpretation of application of law, making it extremely difficult to serve our veterans. One piece of the solution is the Bipartisan Assist Act sponsored by Congressman Barrett, which passed the House unanimously last year.
I, as well as Nomeda, believe that the cruise act recently introduced by Chairman Barrett is another important part of the solution. I and Nomeda support Chairman Barrett's cruise act. The cruise act will centralize the process for reimbursing dealers at the department central office and require the VA to accurately track payments for dealers that are more than ninety days overdue. I hope the cruise act is passed and properly implemented. Many of these issues facing the mobility equipment dealers and disabled veterans will be resolved.
I'd like to thank the committee for listening today, and thank each of you for serving our country.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Mister Cook, and the written statement of Mister Cook will be entered into the record. Mister Smith, welcome to Washington. You're now recognized for 5 minutes to deliver your testimony.
Speaker 16
Thank you, Chairman Barrett and Ranking Member Papas and distinguished subcommittee members for this opportunity. As a veteran committed to helping others enter the semiconductor industry, I believe these proposals will better connect veterans to rewarding careers. My name is Larry Smith. After a decade in the army, including time on active duty and in the reserves, after graduating from West Point, I worked 35 years in the semiconductor industry, serving as president and chairman of the board of Tokyo Electron US for 14 years. Now retired, I have pivoted the purpose, focused on hiring and housing veterans, and serve as vice chair of the governor's executive committee for the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, and chairman of the board of Mobile Loaves and Fishes.
More than ten years ago, I chose to recruit field engineers from three groups, including the veterans. During this period, I was lucky enough to collaborate with my close friend, Paul Funk, who later became a four-star general and led trade-off or training in doctorate command. Paul and I began our military careers as young lieutenants together at Fort Hood, and our friendship has lasted ever since. He helped me and my team connect with key leaders at the transition assistance program and take part in job fairs. After years of recruiting veterans, I saw that our industry, spanning thousands of companies, could reach far more people than we had so far.
I propose recruiting veterans as a talent pipeline to Semi's CEO and presented this idea as a keynote speaker at two major trade shows attended by over 35,000 people this last year. My talks addressed why and how to recruit veterans into the semiconductor industry, highlighting their valuable attributes and technical skills. As mentioned already, the semiconductor industry released a report updated on 12/02/2025 detailing both ongoing and anticipated investments in the semiconductor manufacturing facilities. These initiatives are projected to create and support over 500,000 jobs, including 70,000 facility positions and 122,000 construction roles. This projected growth is anticipated to create significant demand for technicians, rendering these positions well suited for transitioning service members who are seeking impactful careers that support national security.
Currently, semiconductors are integral to geopolitical competition and underpin advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space exploration, and defense technologies. Collaborative job training programs and efforts to expand the pool of STEM educators can address the talent shortage, with veterans serving as an excellent resource to meet this demand. Let me share some details on a project in Killeen, Texas, that can be a model to consider. The military talent pipeline near Fort Hood helps service members and their spouses transition to jobs in fields like semiconductor technology and design, STEM education, cybersecurity, data analytics, and law enforcement. It's funded by federal, state, industry, and local partners.
With the Clean Economic Development Corporation donating a 25,000 square foot facility, the project also received a 2.5 million dollar federal grant for renovating that donated building. Additional support for projects include workforce development funds from the Texas Chips Act, upcoming appropriations pending senate review, a $2,000,000 fab tool donation from Tokyo Electron, and a $2,000,000 allocation from the Texas legislature. Collaborate partners include the Texas University system and local community colleges. Texas A and M Central Texas, led by doctor Richard Rose, donated $2,000,000 to Temple College to help establish a semiconductor lab near the Samsung site. Project leaders are creating the playbook and sharing it with other US regions, including Arizona and New York.
Additionally, I'm proud of our team's work at Tokyo Electron US. Our goal is to be a trusted global partner providing technology that enables life. We've invested billions of dollars in US semiconductor manufacturing and research and development. We participate in the PACE program and earned several military-friendly awards from the DOL and DOW. To include today, I saw posting on LinkedIn that we were recognized again with both a platinum and gold level recognition.
As a member of SemiWorks, this team has reached over 150,000 military members through outreach over the last three years, and in a chip career site, lists job opportunities to the thousand Semi members and supports military personnel with resources, tools, and career coaching. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of these initiatives before the subcommittee today. I'm happy to answer your questions.
Speaker 1
Thank you, mister Smith, and go Army. The written statement of mister Smith will be entered into the hearing record. Miss Holly, you're now recognized for five minutes for your testimony.
Speaker 17
Chairman Barrett, ranking member Papas, and members of the subcommittee. Paralyzed Veterans of America appreciates the opportunity to share our views on some of the legislation before the subcommittee today. PVA members are veterans who have incurred a spinal cord injury or disorder, and they experience the breadth of VA care and benefits in unique ways due to their injuries and illnesses. Most of the legislation has been addressed in our written testimony, so I'll limit my comments to three bills that we believe would have a positive impact on our membership. Just like every American, access to safe and reliable transportation is essential to the mobility, health, and independence of catastrophically disabled veterans.
Thus, addressing transportation concerns is a top priority for PVA, and we've been honored to work with this committee to pass several bills in recent years to improve access to adapted vehicles. The automobile adaptive equipment or AAE program prescribes and pays for adaptive equipment, which allows eligible veterans to safely operate and enter and exit their vehicles. Most adaptations are done by dealers outside of the VA, and the work is reimbursed by payment processors at the local VA medical center. Unfortunately, we often hear from PVA members as well as industry professionals that millions of dollars in unpaid reimbursements remain outstanding. HR 7083, the CRUISE Act, seeks to address this problem by changing the way VA reimburses businesses that make the necessary modifications to the vehicles that veterans need.
The bill requires the VA to implement a process to track invoices and issue payments in a timely manner. If the latter takes more than 30 days, the department must notify the business of delays and provide them with an anticipated date of payment. While PVA supports the intent of this legislation, we are concerned that without careful oversight, an already difficult reimbursement process could become even more complicated. Disabled veterans have earned these benefits, and it is the obligation of the VA and Congress to ensure their delivery, which includes paying vendors that partner in achieving veteran independence. Next, I'd like to discuss HR 982, the Warriors to Workforce Act.
While PVA supports the intent of increasing the monthly housing allowance rate for veterans using their post nine eleven GI bill for apprenticeships, we do not think that the bill goes far enough in supporting veterans deciding on nontraditional education paths like apprenticeships or other on-the-job training programs. If congress increases the second six months of an apprenticeship program from 80% to 90%, that would mean that for veterans in a two-year apprenticeship, the first six months of the second year of their program would see a drop from 90% to 60% of a veteran's MAH payment. That would most likely result in increased numbers of veterans choosing to discontinue this apprenticeship. With the increasing need for skilled trades and other nondegree holding professionals, and significant barriers to employment that still exist for veterans with serious disabilities, we should ensure that any veteran who decides to enter the trades is fully supported by their earned education benefits. Lastly, I'd like to briefly mention HR 2878, the Daniel J. Harvey Junior and Adam Lambert Improving Service Member Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act.
Ensuring transitioning service members and veterans are aware of services and supports offered by the VA is critical in the health and well-being of our nation's veterans, and we should do everything we can to improve awareness of these life-saving supports and services. I wanna remind the subcommittee that not all transitioning service members get the traditional TAP experience. Those who separate due to illness or injury may not get to attend a TAP class due to medical appointments and other requirements. The Department of Defense and the VA should do everything possible to ensure that all service members and veterans know about the mental health support and suicide prevention programs made available to them. Mister chairman, if I may, I'd like to take the last few minutes of my testimony to share a profound lost experience at Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Last week, Len Sulphan unexpectedly passed away. Len was PVA's general counsel, and he worked for more than 30 years in veterans law. Not only did Len work for PVA, the United Spinal Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America, but he also served as a consultant to the Veterans Consortium pro bono program and was a senior appellate attorney in the US Department of Veteran Affairs Office of General Counsel. Lens professionalism, wisdom, and experience with nuances in veteran case law will be missed by more than just PVA members. Thank you again for the opportunity to share our views on some of the bills being considered today, and I'd be happy to answer any of your questions.
Speaker 1
Thank you, and thank you for that tribute, and our condolences to the entire organization on that loss and the loss of our veteran community as well. So, thank you. And, your testimony will be entered into the record as well. And, Miss Monet, you're now recognized for five minutes.
Speaker 13
Chairman Barrett, ranking member, and distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to offer views on legislation before you. While there are several great bills today, we are providing statements on behalf of legislation that would directly affect efforts to prevent and/or end homelessness among veterans and their families. NCHV supports HR 7149, the Veteran Housing Promise Act, which amends title 38 to eliminate maximum authorizations of appropriations and make permanent the authority for several programs supporting homeless veterans. For decades, VA's
Speaker 1
Can you move your microphone a little closer? I'm having a hard time hearing you.
Speaker 13
Thank you. For decades, VA's homelessness programs have been instrumental in reducing veteran homelessness. These efforts provide essential services such as outreach, housing assistance, employment reintegration, and supportive services for vulnerable populations, including women veterans and those with children. Yet the current patchwork of time limited authorizations and funding caps poses significant challenges for program continuity, planning, and the ability of community providers to sustain the life changing services veterans rely on. By removing funding caps and time-limited authorizations, this legislation provides long-term stability and predictability for these proven programs.
Such stability allows both VA and community-based partners to better coordinate care, invest in workforce development, and ensure that no veteran who has served our nation has to face homelessness or housing insecurity due to administrative challenges. Key provisions of this bill, such as the permanent authority for the domiciliary care and supportive services for very low-income veteran families program and long-term authorization for grants benefiting homeless veterans with special needs, will strengthen the federal response and allow for continued progress toward the shared goal of ending veteran homelessness. NCHV supports HR 749, the Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act. It seeks to address deficiencies in the referral process to homeless programs for veterans with positive screenings for housing instability in other clinical settings. VHA's homeless clinical screening tool is an important way that clinicians are able to identify veterans facing housing challenges, especially those who may not know help is available, or those who may not want to disclose their housing status due to stigma or other issues.
However, last month, the VAOIG found that in many instances, unclear referral procedures and staff inconsistency in following them resulted in veteran screening positive but never receiving the housing referrals they requested or not receiving them within the prescribed thirty-day timeline. It is unacceptable that bureaucratic processes or the lack thereof prevented veterans from accessing housing support, and NCHV thanks Rep. Valadao and the bill's cosponsors for moving quickly to address this issue. The focus on timely assessment and intake planning will help VA house more veterans. Further, we appreciate the bill's focus on ensuring VA identifies appropriate permanent housing options for veterans quickly, in addition to addressing long-term health and mental health needs. As the committee considers this provision, we encourage frank discussions with VA to ensure that VA medical centers are being allowed to hire sufficient staff and backfill vacancies to support these processes.
Further, as team-based case management becomes more common, we encourage discussions around ensuring that the homeless program staff has appropriate skill sets to identify housing placements and support housing navigation rather than the usual clinical skills VA tends to prioritize. In conclusion, we commend the committee's leadership for advancing policies that recognize homelessness among veterans is not just a matter of housing, but of dignity, stability, and national responsibility. We stand ready to support the implementation and continued oversight of all of these essential programs. Thank you.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Miss Monet. The written statement of Miss Monet will be entered into the hearing record, and we'll now proceed to questioning. I'm gonna recognize myself for five minutes. Starting with Mister Cook. Thank you again for being here today.
Really appreciate your testimony. Can you walk our committee through the process for a veteran receiving a vehicle for the first time, how that approval works, where you enter the process, and then where the payment ultimately gets remitted, so that we can kinda get an understanding of that?
Speaker 15
Sure. There are two programs. The 4502 program that was mentioned in the VA's testimony is an auto grant that you can get, and it's basically a check. So the grant is signed by the VA, and you can take it to an automobile dealer. You can take it to somebody like us.
If you don't need a full conversion and you just wanna be able to get a vehicle that needs hand controls, you wanna buy, you know, a Ford Expedition. You can go to the Ford dealer, buy that, and this grant is the 27,000 figure that he referred to. And then that is paid, to either the dealer or the check comes directly to them from the VA. That is that check that grant is mailed directly to the regional office. So you don't have a lot of hands touching it.
So when he said seventy-five days of that one, yeah, because it just goes from here to here. Where the $13.94 program goes through the prosthetics department. So the veteran goes into the prosthetics department at the VA, and they're prescribed a wheelchair. And then they were determined that they need a van to be able to transport back and forth either or to drive. So, there's a prescription written.
It comes to the dealer, and the dealer basically fills the prescription from there on what the requirements are that that person needs, what the veteran is. Every veteran is different. Some drive, some don't drive, some need specialty steering, and whatever the whatever those things are. And then once the work is complete, the vehicle goes to the VA for inspection, either virtually or in person. The VA checks and says yes.
All of these are on there, and we submit the paperwork to the prosthetics department. Prosthetics department then signs off, sends everything to the regional office at the VBA. That's where things, there's not those two departments don't talk back and forth. We can't call one and say, we call prosthetics, and they say yes. Everything's submitted.
And then you try to figure out, well, is it the regional office delaying it? And the regional office might say, hey. We're missing this. But you don't get a notification to say you're missing us. You have to follow up and continue to do so.
Today, I got an email while I was here. We got paid on a claim from 2023. We also got paid on one from 2024 today. So this is not a seventy-five day issue. It's much greater than that.
Speaker 1
Well, hopefully, when you're here testifying in 10 more years, it won't be on claims from today. So we appreciate your repeat performance in committee, but we're hoping to fix some of these problems nonetheless. And so if a veteran gets a prescription for a mobility van, perhaps their spouse is going to be driving it, but they will be riding as a passenger and need a ramp or some other, you know, accommodation, or maybe they're going to be driving it and need other further accommodations. The veteran would not be, it's not designed for them to be paying out of pocket for that mobility vehicle. Is that correct?
That is correct. So that 20 some thousand dollar stipend is for modifications to a traditional vehicle, whereas the prosthetic assessment is for you need a specifically designed vehicle for this purpose. But I think as you shared with me before, some of the cost reimbursements are based on data from now going on five years ago, and certainly, you know, hasn't kept up with cost of living since then. And so we're now becoming to grow out of sync with what the actual cost of some of these products and devices are. Is that also true?
Speaker 15
That's accurate. And so right now, the veteran either pays out of pocket the difference or the dealership eats the cost of that. So, you know, you have to make that decision as a business owner. You know, it's to me, it's you know, the reason why the veteran needs this vehicle is for an injury sustained during their service to this country. So, you know, that's a promise that the country made to the veteran, and it should be fulfilled.
Speaker 1
Great. Well, thank you. We appreciate that. We wanna make sure that you're reimbursed and made whole for, you know, the work that you do and for a fair price. Do you believe that HR 7083, the cruise act that you spoke about, would help adaptive automotive equipment dealers like yourself provide better service for veterans and receive timely payment that you rely on?
Speaker 15
Sure. Definitely would have a central source, that we could go in a clearinghouse, if you will, to be able to know what's going on. Because right now, there are so many things that can be interpreted different ways, and there are so many hands that touch it.
Speaker 1
Thank you. Appreciate your testimony. Now yield to ranking member Papas for five minutes.
Speaker 2
Well, thank you very much. Miss Howell, thanks for being with us. I want to start with you, and thanks for relating the experience and the dedication that your colleagues showed to the veteran community and his service. We express our condolences to you and your organization on the passing. I wanted to ask you a question about HR 5436.
VA couldn't answer this one, but maybe you can. This is about schools withholding student veteran transcripts. I'm wondering if you think that student veterans should receive the same protections against schools withholding transcripts as their peers who receive Title IV Department of Education funds.
Speaker 17
Thank you for the question, sir, and thank you for the condolences, everybody. PVA fully supports HR 5436. We believe that passing this bill will provide parity for a post-9/11 or any student veteran using VA education benefits. It will provide them parity with any title for student. We often see that transcript withholding is used as a means of debt collection, and rarely is it successful.
So we think passing this bill will just provide parity to other students, particularly in the event if a student veteran is in some kind of appeal or dispute with the VA who has outstanding payments to the school, the veteran shouldn't be on the hook for that.
Speaker 2
Thanks for being clear on that response. I'm wondering, you also touched on this in your testimony, but just to pull this out again, you talked about this cliff that potentially is gonna be created here, if Congress raises the MHA payment rate to veterans using GI Bill to attend apprenticeship to 90% for months seven through 12, that this creates a drop off in month 13. And I'm wondering if you can just talk about why that's the case and how this would potentially impact veterans.
Speaker 17
Yes, sir. Absolutely. And thank you again. In the one pager for the bill circulated last congress, data in the one pager showed that, from step, we'll say tier two to three, on the job training or OJT program saw a 56% dropout rate, and apprenticeship saw a 44% dropout rate. That's without an increased 10% loss on their earnings that they take home for MHA.
As we expressed in our written testimony and in our oral, we think that there's an opportunity here to go even farther, understanding the market demands, and in light of the hearing we had a couple weeks ago about underused apprenticeship and success after service. We think that we can dread the needle on this and increase the MAH rate for all veterans using on the job training or apprenticeship programs because there is a demand in the market. There is a high need for these very skilled workers, and I just don't PVA doesn't think that 30% drop in the payment is gonna be any kind of solution. We're almost guaranteed to see more people drop.
Speaker 17
And increased oversight of the apprenticeship program might be helpful. We have heard anecdotally at least that there's an employer obligation to supplement that drop. That's why it tears off the way it does. So if employers are not contributing their fair share, then that's something that needs to be examined.
Speaker 2
Thank you very much. Miss Monet, HR 7049 regarding mental health care and coordination for homeless veterans. From your testimony, in VA's testimony and hearing from current grant recipients, sounds like VA employees working within the homelessness program office are already required to do what's outlined in the bill. So should the focus of the legislation be requiring other parts of VA or community partners that come into contact with a homeless veteran to conduct the reporting and ensure that a warm handoff for that veteran is needed, who is needing resources?
Speaker 13
So I think anything that we can do to connect veterans to resources quickly is a very good thing. What I will say is that intake processes do vary by the community. Some of them have a single door of entry. One of some of them have, you know, no wrong door options. But I do think, from what I understand, the bill was designed to address really this low hanging fruit, right, of veterans coming into VA and screening positive for homelessness or housing instability, but never getting connected to any services.
And to me, I think that is probably the right starting point, and then we expand out to other providers and resources from there.
Speaker 2
Well, thank you. Mister Cook, thanks very much for your testimony as well. I come from a small business background, and if my business was owed $2,100,000 from our customers, we wouldn't have been open as long as we have been. So I thank you for your perseverance. I know that, you know, it's focused on how you can meet the needs of veterans.
But, frankly, you shouldn't have to put up with this. And what we don't wanna see is, for businesses that are providing important services for disabled veterans to just walk away because of their frustration with VA's processes. So you talked about this being an issue with the system itself. And I hope that there is room here for a modern IT system where you can quickly fill out forms, have those updated, track the process of, in progress of claims approvals and payments. Is that something that you think would help, provide some clarity to your business?
Speaker 15
You know, it would. There's but in the cruise act, you know, it leaves it open enough where we can work within this current system because, you know, an IT upgrade is gonna take years. And right now with the cruise act, if we can get that passed and implemented, that at least will give us a faster way to our end goal.
Speaker 2
I appreciate that. We are really committed to working on this and finding a solution. So thanks very much for your testimony. Thank you. I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you. The ranking member yields. Mister McGarvey, you're recognized for five minutes.
Speaker 12
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for being here today, Mr. Cook. Am I gonna start with you coming up here from Louisville, Kentucky? First of all, we appreciate what you do for our veterans, what you do in our community. And you'd mentioned while you're sitting there that today you found out that a claim has been paid, you submitted in 2023.
Speaker 12
Sir. We're gonna let the record explicitly show it's 2026, and it is unbelievable to me. And quite frankly, it's completely unacceptable that that's happening. Because that doesn't just impact you, that goes to the heart of what we do here on this committee. That impacts our veterans. As Mister Papas said, when you run a small business and people aren't paying you for the services you provide, it's hard to stay open.
And when the service you provide is getting our veterans where they need to go, that is not a real problem. So not only have you is it 2026, and you're talking about payments from 2023. It's my understanding the VA is supposed to process and pay these claims within thirty days. Correct?
Speaker 12
Okay. Thirty days. Again, 2023, 2026. I'm not the best at math, but it's my understanding that it is more than 30 days. And so appreciate you being here and sharing these stories, because we need to hear how this is actually happening out there for our veterans and for the people who provide those services.
There's some VA locations that process claims even more slowly, and you hinted at this as well. There might be some issues with the invoices. There might be dealers who aren't notified. Can you talk just a little bit more about what this system looks like? Maybe even give an example of how these problems hurt our veterans or could slow down their access to the mobility equipment they need.
Speaker 15
Well, it is right now, as I said in my testimony, there are dealers that are having to make the decision. Can I afford to do business with the VA? And a lot of our veterans come from rural areas. And, again, if you don't have transportation, you know, all of these other things that we're, that these folks are talking about today with employment, you can't get there if you don't have a vehicle. And, you know, again, if something happens to one of our vehicles today, you know, we can hop in an Uber.
We can borrow a family member's car. Well, if you're a disabled veteran and you have a vehicle customized for you, you don't know when it's down, you're down. And so we have, the impact is also, you know, of a start-up. If you're a start up, you're trying to get into this industry, and you're like, hey. This is great.
We can, you know, sell to the VA and serve veterans, but you've got a brand new business, and you're not getting paid. You're not gonna be in business very long. So, you know, it affects it, doesn't just affect the business side of it, but the whole key is the veteran. If a veteran doesn't have a choice where to go and a veteran doesn't have a close dealer to get their vehicle worked on, then, you know, then they're at home.
Speaker 12
Yeah. And it's so important. And you bring up a point that I think you brought up to me in the airport just a few days ago as both of us were flying up here. When veterans are getting in these vehicles, they're getting in these vehicles because of their disability or their wheelchair. This is not something that just happened randomly.
This is connected to their service. This is connected to what they did for us, and I appreciate you being here. Miss Howe, just wanna go to you really quickly. Your written testimony makes it clear that PVA supports ending transcript withholding. Can you tell me how this policy affects veterans with disabilities who already face barriers to getting hired?
Speaker 17
Thank you for the question, sir. Well, this is not my area of expertise as far as the transcripts to justify employment. We have heard stories of, not from our membership per se, but we've heard stories of veterans who are in a long hiring pipeline, and they thought they did the work. And there's a small outstanding debt. And next thing you know, the job is gone because they can't get the transcript.
Now I don't wanna give a pass to people who have legitimate costs that they have incurred on a campus. I used to work for a college at a university. There is an obligation for veterans to be on the ball for some of this stuff, but ultimately, using transcript withholding as a means of debt collection is not an effective practice. And who knows? Maybe the veteran gets a job and then has the money to pay an outstanding debt.
Speaker 12
Seems like it might be a logical next step. Your testimony also raised concerns about how many veterans drop out of apprenticeship programs, about 44 percent. What changes should these programs make, to be more accessible and sustainable for long term for veterans with significant disabilities?
Speaker 17
I feel like that's enough content to probably be its own hearing, sir. I do think that continuing to make better connections between VA, DOL, vets, and the industry professionals. I think if we lean in on the programs that exist, we have an opportunity to sort of be better all around. That's not to say that necessarily transition or skill bridge or any of the existing pipelines that serve a very small number of veterans. Like, they do great work.
But in making sure that the apprenticeships that veterans are connected to are with honorable and legitimate employers who are going to hold up their end of the bargain, I think that's critical.
Speaker 1
Thank you. Appreciate it out of a sense of urgency. The floor just opened for votes, but I want to recognize Miss Ramirez. I imagine you probably have a couple of questions.
Speaker 14
Try to get through them so we can make it to votes as quickly as possible. Thank you again to the witnesses for being here. As a former nonprofit executive director that served on house neighbors, including many veterans, I understand that oftentimes the gap between our ability to fulfill our mission and the realities on the ground really comes back to resources. For many housing and homeless service providers, timely federal grants are an essential part of the resources layered together to meet the needs of our neighbors. So I'm clear that to ensure every veteran has full access to the full spectrum of benefits that they've earned and deserved, we have to ensure the programs and services that the VA offers are consistently fully funded.
Just over the past few years, there's been consistent investment on veteran homelessness. And as a result of that, national point in time count data shows that not only have we made progress in reducing veteran homelessness, but veterans are actually the only population who have seen a decline in rates of homelessness according to the point in time count. From the provider perspective, one of the biggest drivers of instability isn't funding cuts. It's congress allowing authorizations and statutory caps to lapse or fall out of sync with appropriations. So, Miss Monet, can you describe the real-world impact of this instability on providers and veterans?
Can you explain why permanent authorization matters?
Speaker 13
Yeah. Absolutely. I think there are a lot of factors when you think about community planning and how systems work together, and knowing what you've got in your community and being able to project out how programs will work together to meet the needs of veterans. But from a provider perspective, I mean, I think being a nonprofit executive. So we all manage the budget.
It's not very different than, you know, being a small business. Right? And when you lose out on that funding, you are thinking about making staffing changes, how you're gonna reduce services to pay the people you've got, and pay the bills. You're delaying enrollments to make sure that you can manage with what you've got, and you're delaying subsidy payments to the veterans. So what that looks like in practice for veterans, right, is, you know, longer delays to accessing their case management with their local case manager.
It might look like starting over with a new case manager and a new treatment plan from what you had before. It could look like a longer time outside if your local shelter is not able to admit new veterans. If you're on SSVF, that might mean that they're not able to pay for your rent anymore. And in a normal environment, we might look to HUD-funded programs to help. But right now, the HUD COC program is in a bit of a precarious position.
And so there is not a lot of safety net out there to catch these veterans right now. And if you're in a community where they're criminalizing or looking at finding ticketing in jails as the predominant solution to homelessness, it gets even worse.
Speaker 14
Yeah. Thank you, Miss Monet. So, instability. That's really what it boils down to, and it means that many of our veterans are either at risk of homelessness or unable to move into permanent affordable housing. So I wanna pivot really quickly, in the last two minutes I have here, to talk about the truth of the so-called Affordable Housing Guarantee Act.
And let me be clear. As a former housing provider, as someone that's worked on housing for many years, I'm supportive of making every investment we need to prioritize ending veteran homelessness. Unfortunately, I know that it's not the orientation of every member of the committee because I've listened to colleagues previously discuss drastic cuts to funding for programs that are dedicated to our most vulnerable veterans. It seems like sometimes Republicans champion socialism when it benefits the rich and powerful who they think deserve it most. However, keeping disabled veterans stably housed has to be the priority of this committee, especially for those on fixed incomes or one mortgage payment away from a crisis or from losing their home.
Yet, as written, the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act proposes doubling the VA loan guarantee on the theory that lenders will lower rates because their risk is reduced. So this question is for you, Miss Howell. What confidence does your organization have that those savings will actually reach disabled veterans? And the follow-up to that is what protections would you need to ensure that this policy strengthens housing stability rather than just increasing lender profits?
Speaker 17
Thank you for that question, ma'am. I'm gonna start by saying I am in no way a mortgage expert. PVA is not, we have concerns with this legislation because we don't understand how just increasing the amount of the guarantee is guaranteed to reduce any kind of rates. I think rightly or wrongly, and I'm not trying to throw any accusations here, but industry is gonna look out for industry.
Speaker 17
Regardless of what it is. And so, because of that, we don't necessarily agree with just raising the guarantee amount for the sake of raising it in the hopes that industry might be benevolent in that regard.
Speaker 14
Any protections that you think need to be on it in the last seven seconds we have?
Speaker 17
Honestly, when it comes to the home loan, I'm not entirely sure I'm prepared to say anything about that, particularly as we wait to see the partial claim program rolled out and see if that was affected.
Speaker 14
Well, thank you, Miss Howe. My time is up, but I appreciate it. With that, I yield back.
Speaker 1
Thank you, Mr. Mears. Yields, and with that, thank you to the panelists for being here. I know, Miss Smith, I'm not sure if you got a question on the panel, but I appreciate you being here nonetheless in your testimony. In the interest of expediting our departure to go vote, I will yield to the ranking member for any closing remarks you have. Thank you.
And thank you all again for participating in today's hearing. I have received a number of statements for the record, which will be submitted into the record as long as they meet submission requirements. I ask you, I'm just consent that all members have five legislative days, provide and extend remarks, and include extraneous material without objection. Sure. This hearing is adjourned.
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