Department of Veterans Affairs training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities: outreach requirement; extensions

(a) VRE contact information Section 3104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f) The Secretary shall establish a dedicated telephone number within the Education Call Center of the Department for calls about services provided under this chapter. Each regional office of the Department shall include, on the website of the regional office, a name, telephone number, and email address, through which veterans may receive information about services provided under this chapter.. (b) Outreach requirement (1) In general Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 3123. Outreach requirements (a) Question and answer sessions The Secretary shall provide monthly question and answer sessions for appropriate school certifying officials during which such officials shall have the opportunity to ask questions of Department employees who are veteran readiness and employment counselors or trained outreach specialists. (b) Informational briefings (1) The Secretary shall ensure that veteran readiness and employment counselors or trained outreach specialists employed by a Regional Office of the Department provide in-person briefings for veterans about services provided under this chapter at each educational institution located in the geographic area served by the Regional Office. (2) The Secretary may provide a briefing required under paragraph (1) virtually in the case of an educational institution located more than 50 miles away from the headquarters of the Regional Office. (c) Annual report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the extension of periods of vocational rehabilitation programs under section 3105(c) of this title. Such report shall include, for the year covered by the report— (1) the number of veterans who requested such an extension; (2) the number of such requests that were approved; and (3) the number of such requests that were rejected.. (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 3123. Outreach requirements.. (d) Extension of entitlements Section 3105(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; (2) by inserting (1) before The Secretary; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) If a veteran applies for an extension under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall approve or reject the extension by not later than 30 days after the date on which the veteran submits a request for the extension..

(a) VRE contact information Section 3104 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (f) The Secretary shall establish a dedicated telephone number within the Education Call Center of the Department for calls about services provided under this chapter. Each regional office of the Department shall include, on the website of the regional office, a name, telephone number, and email address, through which veterans may receive information about services provided under this chapter.. (b) Requests for extensions of programs: timely consideration; report (1) In general Section 3105 of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in subsection (c)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; (B) by inserting (1) before The Secretary; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) The Secretary shall approve or deny a request for an extension under paragraph (1) not later than 30 days after the date on which the veteran submits such request.. (2) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report on requests for extensions under such subsection (c). Each such report shall include, for the year preceding the date of the report— (A) the number of veterans who requested such an extension; (B) the number of such requests that were approved; and (C) the number of such requests that were denied.