FAST VETS Act

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4446, the Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans' Employment and Transition Success, or FAST VETS Act. Introduced by Veterans' Affairs Committee member Representative Dexter, the VA Veterans Readiness and Employment, or VR&E program, is perhaps the greatest resource disabled veterans have to seek a new career path, but veterans are dealing with historic wait times due to program popularity and expanded eligibility under the PACT Act.

I respectfully disagree with how the chairman has framed the VR&E program and its shortcomings, but let me just proceed to the virtues of this bill.

The program is incredibly important for disabled veterans because it provides a comprehensive, individualized pathway to overcome employment barriers caused by service-connected disabilities, but with wait times weeks, or even months in some areas of the country, veterans risk missing out on the program's benefits.

Representative Dexter's bill would make it easier for veterans to find employment while in the program and to graduate faster from the program, freeing up counselors at VA to assist the next class of disabled veterans seeking a new career.

One of the primary goals of the PACT Act was to recognize the sacrifice of so many more veterans who were injured during their time serving our Nation and to make them eligible for many of the programs offered to help them find meaningful employment such as VR&E. Now the VR&E program must keep pace with this new influx of veterans and ensure that it is meeting their needs.

I thank Representative Dexter for her work on this bill, and I know she is already at work on additional solutions for the program, such as measures to maintain and support the staff at VA tasked with carrying out the program.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate as well to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Dexter), who is the author of H.R. 4446 and who serves on our Health Subcommittee and our Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend from the State of Oregon on what will become the passage of her first bill.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. In closing, I ask my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4446, the FAST VETS Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their words of support today for the FAST VETS Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in strong support of the FAST VETS Act, Focused Assistance and Skills Training for Veterans' Employment and Transition Success, or FAST VETS Act.

I am grateful to Representatives Messmer, McGarvey, and Van Orden for joining me in this bipartisan effort to better serve our Nation's veterans.

Like many physicians, I trained at the VA where the sign on the door said: The price of freedom is visible here. Our veterans gave everything for this country. Our promise in return is that they will not just get by in civilian life, they will thrive.

Congress must ensure employment readiness programs truly work for veterans, and that is exactly what the

FAST VETS Act does. I am heartened that my first bill to come to the floor of the House advances our commitment to those who served.

The FAST VETS Act is about delivering on our promise to those who have served. Veterans who live with service-connected disabilities deserve every opportunity to succeed in civilian life. That includes access to the Veterans Readiness and Employment, VR&E, program, which provides job training, education, employment accommodations, and the resources to build a meaningful career. However, too often, that support comes too late. In Portland, it currently takes more than 65 days for a veteran to be connected with a vocational rehabilitation counselor. That is at least 2 months of missed income, missed classes, and missed opportunity. That is unacceptable.

The FAST VETS Act is a critical first step to addressing the backlog. It establishes clearer standards and prioritizes outcome-focused planning to support more veterans successfully and efficiently moving through the program and into the workforce.

Ensuring every veteran gets the support they deserve helps prevent housing instability, reduces food insecurity, and strengthens mental health. We owe it to them to act with urgency and purpose.

I am committed to continuing this work until every veteran has a clear, supported path to meaningful and gainful employment. The FAST VETS Act moves us closer to that goal, and I am proud to have led this effort.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4446) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the conditions under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to redevelop the individualized vocational rehabilitation plan for a veteran, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4446 offered by my colleague, Representative Maxine Dexter, from Oregon.

H.R. 4446 would allow a veteran who has changed in their disability rating to apply for changes in their Veterans Readiness and Employment, or the VR&E plan, instead of being forced to complete their current rehabilitation plan first.

This bill is a simple fix that would remove the outdated practice that requires disabled veterans to complete their current plan before switching to a plan that may better fit the changes in their disability.

During the Biden Administration, VA damaged their relationship with veterans in the VR&E program. Under President Trump's Secretary Collins' leadership, VA is rebuilding that trust and is working to fix the program.

This Congress, the Republican majority has worked hard to improve VR&E by modernizing the program, increasing transparency, and introducing accountability to both the VA and the veterans. While this bill is a step in the right direction, I hope my colleagues recognize that there is much more work to be done to get VA to work for the veterans first.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4446, and I reserve the balance of my time.

In closing, Madam Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support the legislation. I want to congratulate the gentlewoman for passing her first piece of legislation in the House, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4446 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.