ETS Act
Sponsored By: Representative Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
In Committee
Summary
Standardizes and expands transition support for servicemembers and new veterans. It tightens and broadens the Transition Assistance Program, boosts interagency data sharing and oversight, extends transitional health care, and improves VA employment supports and public resources.
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- Transitioning servicemembers get a more consistent TAP experience with longer preseparation counseling, an in-person emphasis, standardized "pathways" recorded in service records, mandatory cross-agency information sharing, and annual audits. Agencies must identify at-risk members and begin outreach within 60 days.
- Military spouses gain a voluntary pilot integrated with TAP that offers at least quarterly counseling, flexible scheduling, and participation at a minimum of five installations per service including one overseas. The pilot can run up to three years and requires a year-out report on whether it should become permanent.
- Members separating from service receive extended transitional health care from 180 days to 270 days. The VA must publish a ZIP-code searchable website for new veterans and dependents, expand eligibility for VA job counseling to those eligible for TAP, and the GAO will study SkillBridge and report within two years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Earlier, stronger transition counseling
If enacted, you could start transition counseling up to 540 days before leaving service (up from 365). Special operations units would be explicitly covered. Commanders could allow counseling if you reenlist, and you could request a second session, both space-available. Reserve members could ask to waive counseling if they had it in the past three years and nothing has changed; spouses could attend more topics. Counseling would be in person when possible, with remote allowed only if your Secretary decides you cannot attend in person. It would last at least three days if you already have a job or school lined up, and at least five days otherwise. Money counseling would last at least one hour with an experienced planner and cover loans, debt, and investing; retention staff could not teach it. Your pathway and reasons would be recorded, your contact info and DD-2648 would go to VA before separation, and pathways would be standardized across services, including one for reservists.
More oversight and follow-up in transition counseling
The Defense Department would send yearly, installation-level transition reports for four years at sites with 250 or more counseling cases. Reports would cover days of counseling, time to separation, re-enlistments, referrals, unemployment claims, and commander briefings. Defense, VA, and Labor would update curricula each year. VA and Labor would run unannounced audits yearly and report to Congress within 90 days. Defense would build a timeliness tracker within one year and report data within two years and yearly after. For members flagged as at risk, staff would get contact info before separation and reach out within 60 days; agencies would use a common definition of “at risk.”
More SNAP info for separating servicemembers
The bill would let the Department share information with state veterans agencies about low-income benefits like SNAP. Details about whether you may be eligible for SNAP would not be limited by prior voluntary rules. If passed, this could help low-income veterans and families learn about benefits they qualify for.
Pilot counseling for military spouses
The bill would start a voluntary pilot for military spouses within one year. Sessions would be offered at least once each quarter at selected bases, including nights and weekends. Each session would include at least one hour on benefits from Defense, VA, and Labor. The pilot would run at no fewer than five installations per service, with one outside the continental U.S. It would end three years after it starts, with a report due one year before it ends.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
WI • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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