Legion to Congress: Education, employment programs must consolidate

Legion to Congress: Education, employment programs must consolidate

During a June 2 congressional hearing, Steve Gonzalez, assistant director of The America Legion's Veterans Employment and Education Division, testified before the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

During his testimony, Gonzalez conveyed the Legion's willingness to support several pieces of legislation with suggested recommendations to further improve the Veterans Employment and Training Service Longitudinal Study Act of 2015, the Jobs for Veterans Act of 2015 and the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act.

In regards to H.R. 832, the Veterans Employment and Training Service Longitudinal Study Act of 2015, the Legion proposed amending Title 38, U.S. Code, which directs the Secretary of Labor to enter into a contract for the conduct of a longitudinal study of the job counseling, training and placement services for veterans provided by the secretary. Due to the wide array of services and products offered, the Legion believes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is better suited to contract for this study.

"The American Legion wants to be clear in our message that the best way to improve the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service is to transfer the JVSG and Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program portions of the program to VA," said Gonzalez.

A similar proposal was made back in 2012 to study DoL employment services. At the time, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller said the additional study was not needed, stating, "We have had study after study over the years that say the program does not work."

"The American Legion agrees with the chairman," Gonzalez said. "A longitudinal assessment of DoL-VETS performance can already be read in the 16 Government Accountability Office and Office of Inspector General reports dating back to 1997. All reports revealed negative findings. Therefore, such a detailed study would be better implemented after JVSG and HVRP are moved to VA and set under the purview of the Secretary of Veteran Affairs."

Though there is a place for a veterans office within DOL, The American Legion, a long-time supporter of DOL-VETS, believes these two programs would be better served if they were located in a new administration consolidated under the Department of Veterans Affairs. "Unfortunately, the good faith veterans had in this program has been rewarded with ongoing program management problems; including a lack of accountability and an agency truculent to sensible policy changes," said Gonzalez. "DoL’s budget request makes it painfully clear the agency, with the monumental task of helping Americans to be gainfully employed, is unable to give the requisite attention to veterans’ employment issues that our constituents deserve."

Gonzalez also addressed the Legion's concerns with H.R. 2360, the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act. The legislation aims to improve the approval of certain programs of education for purposes of educational assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

As of right now, accreditation is typically done by regional and national accreditation bodies. Programmatic accreditation is for specific programs offered within an educational institution. Programs are typically accredited by specialty organizations.

By not having the program accredited by the appropriate body, the individual does not make effective use of GI Bill benefits if an individual uses the benefit to prepare for a licensed or certification occupation that does not meet licensure requirements.

The American Legion has two concerns. Does the proposed legislation only cover meeting the licensure or certification standards in the respective state where the institution is located, and if so, it is troubling for those veterans who do not plan to practice in the state where the school is located. The legislation should make clear who will determine the requirements for these programs in all states.

Second, if the intent of Congress is to add to the existing workload of the State Approving Agencies, which are already spread thin, then Congress should consider revaluation of the existing budget of the State Approving Agencies, to include increasing such budgets to ensure they are able to meet their current workload, as well as the possibility of this new add-on requirement, said Gonzalez.

In submitted written testimony, Gonzalez went on to note suggested improvements to the VA's vocational rehabilitation programs.

Since the 1940's, the VA has provided vocational rehabilitation assistance to veterans with disabilities incurred during military service. The Veterans Rehabilitation and Education Amendments of 1980, changed the emphasis of services from training, aimed at improving the employability of disabled veterans, to helping veterans obtain and maintain suitable employment and achieve maximum independence in daily living.

In that same spirit/intent, The American Legion believes H.R. 2344 would provide essential improvements to the VR&E program such as strengthening the ability for the Secretary to approve education/training courses that are helpful for disabled veterans, along with prioritizing veterans based upon need; having counselors focusing more on employment services than home adaptations issues; and streamlining payment methods through new information technology. If the legislation is enacted, these changes would ultimately help achieve the goal for those completing the program: gainful employment.

"As a nation at war, there continues to be an increasing need for VR&E services to assist returning veterans in reintegrating into independent living, achieving the highest possible quality of life, and securing meaningful employment," he said. "The American Legion strongly supports veterans education and employment programs and is committed to collaborate with VA and other federal agencies to ensure that all veterans are able to reintegrate into their communities and remain valued, contributing members of society."