Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act of 2025

H.R. 980 would make several improvements to veterans' education and employment support services. First, the bill would expand the types of flight training available to veterans with service-connected disabilities under the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. Currently, veterans can only use this benefit for flight training that leads to a college degree, but the bill would allow them to pursue non-degree flight training programs as well. This change would enable approximately 120 additional veterans per year to access flight training at an average cost of $18,300 per person.

Second, the bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve outreach and communication about the VR&E program. This includes establishing a dedicated telephone number for veterans seeking rehabilitation services and requiring the VA to process requests for program extensions within 30 days. The bill also mandates that the VA submit annual reports to Congress detailing how many extension requests were approved or rejected.