H.R. 980 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Feb 2, 2026. Received Feb 3, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryAllows non-VA counselors to advise veterans in college
Right now, the VA requires that counselors who help veterans with educational and career planning on college campuses must be VA employees. This bill would remove that requirement, allowing colleges and other organizations to provide those counseling services instead.
How it affects you
If you're a veteran using educational or career counseling services on a college campus, you might get help from counselors who aren't VA employees. This could potentially expand who's available to advise you, though the exact impact depends on how schools choose to use this flexibility.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 5, 2025)
Modernizing the Veterans On-Campus Experience Act of 2025
This bill removes the requirement that educational and vocational counseling services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on campus at institutions of higher learning must be provided by VA counselors.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 980
AN ACT
Veterans Readiness and Employment Improvement Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3) · Introduced Feb 5, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 3, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Feb 2, 2026
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended Passed 402–2
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 201 | 1 | 11 |
| Republicans | 201 | 1 | 16 |
2 members voted against most of their party: 1 Democrats voted No and 1 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.
Numbers that changed
Dollar amounts, dates and percentages, taken word for word from the text- Sec. 3 · Date · Committee version → Passed the HouseAuthority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve non-degree flight training courses as part of vocational rehabilitation programs for certain veterans with service-connected disabilitiesAugust 1, 2025→August 1, 2026…to a rehabilitation program approved on or after August 1, 2026.…
- Sec. 5 · Date · Committee version → Passed the HouseExtension of certain limits on payments of pensionNovember 30, 2031→January 31, 2033…38, United States Code, is amended by striking January 31, 2033 and inserting July 31, 2033.…
| Section | Where | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sec. 3Date | Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve non-degree flight training courses as part of vocational rehabilitation programs for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities…to a rehabilitation program approved on or after August 1, 2026.…Committee version → Passed the House | August 1, 2025 | August 1, 2026 |
| Sec. 5Date | Extension of certain limits on payments of pension…38, United States Code, is amended by striking January 31, 2033 and inserting July 31, 2033.…Committee version → Passed the House | November 30, 2031 | January 31, 2033 |
Listed only when one value replaced another and the surrounding words stayed the same. Open a section to read the full wording.
Sections
Opens on the most recent version where something changedSections · 3
- Sec. 3Authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve non-degree flight training courses as part of vocational rehabilitation programs for certain veterans with service-connected disabilitiesChanged
- Sec. 4Department of Veterans Affairs training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities: outreach requirement; extensionsChanged
- Sec. 5Extension of certain limits on payments of pensionChanged