Bill Summary
The "Veteran Technology Employment Success Act" is a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing the way the Secretary of Veterans Affairs calculates the employment rates of veterans who participate in the VET TEC high technology program.
Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Public Reporting**: The Secretary is required to publicly disclose the employment rates of veterans who have completed the program.
2. **Employment Rate Calculation**: The bill specifies that the employment rate should be calculated as a fraction, where the numerator is the number of veterans employed 180 days after program completion, and the denominator is the total number of veterans who completed the program in that year. Importantly, jobs with the program provider or its affiliates will not be included in the numerator.
3. **Employment Types**: The Secretary is encouraged to report not just overall employment rates but also specifics regarding full-time, part-time, and self-employment.
4. **Feedback Mechanism**: The bill mandates that the Secretary regularly solicit and analyze feedback from participants and from the GI Bill School Feedback Tool to assess and improve the program’s implementation.
Overall, the legislation seeks to provide more transparency and improve outcomes for veterans in technology training programs.
Possible Impacts
The "Veteran Technology Employment Success Act" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Improved Employment Outcomes for Veterans**: By mandating a more precise calculation of employment rates for veterans participating in the VET TEC high technology program, the legislation aims to ensure that more accurate data is available. This could lead to enhanced program evaluations and improvements, ultimately resulting in better job placement services and higher employment rates for veterans. Veterans may find it easier to secure jobs in high-demand technology fields as a result.
2. **Transparency and Accountability**: The requirement for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publicly report employment rates and other metrics enhances transparency regarding the effectiveness of the VET TEC program. This public availability of data may encourage accountability and prompt program administrators to make necessary adjustments based on feedback and outcomes, thus benefiting veterans seeking technology training and employment.
3. **Feedback-Driven Improvements**: The legislation emphasizes the importance of soliciting feedback from program participants. By actively collecting and analyzing this feedback, the Secretary can identify gaps and areas for improvement within the program. Veterans will have a voice in shaping the program, leading to a better-tailored educational experience that meets their needs and enhances their employability in the tech sector.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7643 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7643
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the manner in which
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs calculates the average employment
rate of veterans participating in the VET TEC high technology program,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 23, 2026
Mr. Walkinshaw (for himself and Mr. McGarvey) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the manner in which
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs calculates the average employment
rate of veterans participating in the VET TEC high technology program,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Technology Employment
Success Act''.
SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT RATE CALCULATION FOR VET-TEC HIGH TECHNOLOGY
PROGRAM.
Section 3699C of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (f)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by
inserting after ``House of Representatives'' the
following: ``, and make available to the public,''; and
(B) in paragraph (3) by adding at the end the
following: ``Such rate shall be calculated as a
fraction, the denominator of which is the number of
covered individuals who completed such a program during
such year and the numerator of which is the number of
individuals counted in the denominator who are employed
on the date that is 180 days after the date on which
the individual completed the program, and expressed as
a percentage. Notwithstanding the previous sentence,
the numerator shall not count a case in which the
individual is employed by the same organization that
was the provider of the individual's program of
education or a case in which the individual is
employed, by a parent or affiliate of such
organization, as an instructor for a substantially
similar program of education. To the maximum extent
practicable, the Secretary shall also report the rates
of full-time employment, part-time employment, and
self-employment.''; and
(2) in subsection (g) by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(3) The Secretary on an ongoing basis shall solicit, collect, and
analyze feedback about the program from covered individuals who
participate in the program and from the GI Bill School Feedback Tool.
The Secretary shall use such feedback to evaluate and improve the
implementation of the program.''.
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