119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1543

1. Short title
2. Establishment of Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration
3. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition
4. Transfer of services

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the "Veterans Opportunity Act of 2025".

2. Establishment of Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration

(a) Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration

(1) In general - Part V of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

(2) Clerical amendments - The tables of chapters at the beginning of title 38, United States Code, and of part V of title 38, United States Code, are each amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 79 the following new item:

(b) Effective date - Chapter 80 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on October 1 of the first fiscal year commencing after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Labor rights - Any labor rights, inclusion in the bargaining unit, and collective bargaining agreement that affects an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is transferred to the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, as established under chapter 80 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply in the same manner to such employee after such transfer.

(d) Sense of Congress - It is the sense of Congress that the creation of the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration and the transfer of functions to such Administration from the Veterans Benefits Administration should not, directly or indirectly—

(1) - cause the budget or spending of the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase or decrease relative to the budget or level of spending of the Department in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act; or

(2) - serve as a basis or justification for any increase or decrease in the number of full-time equivalent employees of the Department.

3. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition

(a) Under Secretary

(1) In general - Chapter 3 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 306 the following new section:

306A. Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition

(a) Under Secretary

(1) - There is in the Department an Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition, who is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) - The Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation or activity and solely on the basis of demonstrated ability in—

(A) - the administration of programs within the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration or programs of similar content and scope; and

(B) - information technology.

(b) Responsibilities - The Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition is the head of, and is directly responsible to the Secretary for the operations of, the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration.

(1) - Whenever a vacancy in the position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition occurs or is anticipated, the Secretary shall establish a commission to recommend individuals to the President for appointment to the position.

(2) - A commission established under this subsection shall be composed of the following members appointed by the Secretary:

(A) - Three persons representing education and training, vocational rehabilitation, employment, real estate, mortgage finance and related industries, and survivor benefits activities affected by the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration.

(B) - Two persons representing veterans served by the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration.

(C) - Two persons who have experience in the management of private sector benefits programs of similar content and scope to the economic opportunity and transition programs of the Department.

(D) - The Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

(E) - The chairman of the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education formed under section 3692 of this title.

(F) - One person who has held the position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition, if the Secretary determines that it is desirable for such person to be a member of the commission.

(3) - A commission established under this subsection shall recommend at least three individuals for appointment to the position of Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition. The commission shall submit all recommendations to the Secretary. The Secretary shall forward the recommendations to the President and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives with any comments the Secretary considers appropriate. Thereafter, the President may request the commission to recommend additional individuals for appointment.

(4) - The Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs who performs personnel management and labor relations functions shall serve as the executive secretary of a commission established under this subsection.

(2) Clerical amendment - The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 306 the following new item:

(b) Conforming amendments - Title 38, United States Code, is further amended—

(1) - in section 306(c)(2), by striking subparagraphs (A) and (E) and redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (F), as subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively;

(2) - in section 317(d)(2), by inserting after "Under Secretary for Benefits," the following: "the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition,";

(3) - in section 318(d)(2), by inserting after "Under Secretary for Benefits," the following: "the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition,";

(4) - in section 516(e)(2)(C), by striking "Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits" and inserting "Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition";

(5) - in section 541(a)(2)(B), by striking "Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits" and inserting "Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition";

(6) - in section 542(a)(2)(B)(iii), by striking "Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits" and inserting "Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition";

(7) - in section 544(a)(2)(B)(vi), by striking "Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits" and inserting "Health, the Under Secretary for Benefits, and the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition";

(8) - in section 709(c)(2)(A), by inserting after "Under Secretary for Benefits," the following: "the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition,";

(9) - in section 7701(a), by inserting after "assistance" the following: ", other than assistance related to Economic Opportunity and Transition,"; and

(10) - in section 7703, by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively.

(c) Effective date - Section 306A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), and the amendments made by this section, shall take effect on October 1, 2025.

4. Transfer of services

(a) Report to Congress - Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the progress toward establishing the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, as established under section 8001 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2, and the transition of the provision of services to veterans by such Administration.

(b) Certification - The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not transfer the function of providing any services to veterans to the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, as established under section 8001 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2, until the Secretary submits to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives certification that—

(1) - the transition of the provision of services to such Administration will not negatively affect the provision of such services to veterans; and

(2) - such services are ready to be transferred.

(c) Deadline for certification - The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives the certification required by subsection (b)—

(1) - no earlier than April 1 of the first fiscal year commencing after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2) - no later than September 1 of the first fiscal year commencing after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(d) Failure To certify - If the Secretary fails to submit the certification required by subsection (b) by the date specified in subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report that includes—

(1) - the reason why the certification was not made by such date; and

(2) - the estimated date when the certification will be made.

119-S1543

Veterans Opportunity Act of 2025