ETS Act

Bill Number

H.R. 3387

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-11: Subcommittee Hearings Held

Last Updated

2026-05-15T20:51:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember's Experience Act (ETS Act), H.R. 3387, aims to improve support programs for U.S. Armed Forces members approaching separation (leaving service) and recently separated veterans. It focuses on enhancing the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), extending health care access, standardizing training opportunities, and improving coordination between federal agencies to ease the shift to civilian life.

Key Provisions

• Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Enhancements (Section 2):
• Explicitly includes special operations forces in TAP eligibility.
• Requires minimum counseling durations: at least 3 days for members with confirmed post-service jobs or education plans; at least 5 days for others.
• Prohibits counseling by personnel focused on retaining members in service; prioritizes in-person sessions but allows remote options if needed.
• Expands the pre-separation counseling eligibility window from 365 to 540 days before separation.
• Allows waivers for reserve component members who recently received counseling and whose circumstances haven't changed.
• Permits reenlisting members and those requesting repeat counseling to access sessions on a space-available basis.
• Broadens spouse inclusion in counseling topics, such as benefits and employment.
• Mandates at least 1 hour of individualized financial planning counseling by experienced professionals, covering debt, loans, and investing.
• Standardizes TAP "pathways" (tracks for employment, education, etc.) across all armed forces, including a dedicated reserve component pathway; requires recording pathway assignments in service records.
• Improves inter-agency coordination: DoD must share member contact info and TAP forms with VA before separation; provides contact details for at-risk members (those likely to face transition challenges) to VA and DOL employees, who must follow up within 60 days post-separation.
• Standardizes contracting for counseling providers across agencies; requires yearly unannounced audits by VA and DOL experts, with reports to Congress.
• Expands information shared with state veterans agencies to include low-income benefits like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food aid to eligible low-income households).
• Establishes a 3-year pilot program for military spouses at 5+ installations per armed force branch (including one overseas), offering voluntary TAP-based counseling quarterly, including evenings/weekends, tailored to families.
• Requires annual reports on TAP participation (e.g., counseling durations, referrals, unemployment claims), curriculum updates, and a tracking system for counseling timeliness; identifies underperforming installations.

• Extended Transitional Health Care (Section 3):
• Increases temporary health care eligibility under TRICARE (military health system) from 180 to 270 days for separating members and certain family members.

• Skillbridge Program Study (Section 4):
• Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO, an independent agency that audits federal programs) to study Skillbridge (a DoD program allowing late-career training with civilian employers); report due in 2 years, covering participation differences, best practices, and uniform implementation feasibility.

• VA Website for New Veterans (Section 5):
• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to maintain a public website allowing searches by ZIP code for local programs aiding recently separated veterans and their dependents.

• Expanded Job Services Eligibility (Section 6):
• Broadens access to VA's job counseling, training, and placement services to include active-duty members eligible for TAP (previously limited to veterans and some others); enhances outreach to these groups.

• Solid Start Program Integration (Section 7):
• Clarifies and strengthens the VA's Solid Start program (outreach to new veterans within 1 year of separation) by linking it to TAP; requires providing TAP materials, assessing TAP participation, and defining key terms like "TAP" and "veterans service organization" (groups recognized by VA to represent veterans' interests).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends Title 10 (Armed Forces) and Title 38 (Veterans' Benefits) of the U.S. Code to extend TAP timelines, standardize processes across military branches, and integrate services more seamlessly—previously, programs varied by branch and had shorter eligibility periods (e.g., 365 days vs. 540 days for counseling).
• Shifts from optional to mandatory elements, like minimum counseling hours, audits, and follow-up contacts for at-risk members; removes limits on spouse involvement in certain topics.
• Introduces new requirements for data sharing, reporting, and pilots, building on laws like the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020; expands job services to pre-separation members, who were previously ineligible.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Increases workload for the Departments of Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Labor (DOL) through enhanced coordination, reporting (annual for 4+ years), audits, and a new tracking system; may raise costs for pilots, website maintenance, and standardized contracting but could improve efficiency via uniformity.
• On Citizens (Servicemembers, Veterans, and Families): Eases transitions by providing more time for preparation, extended health coverage, tailored spouse support, and better access to jobs/benefits; could reduce post-service unemployment and financial stress, with follow-ups aiding at-risk individuals (e.g., via unemployment data tracking).
• On International Relations: No direct impact; focuses on domestic military and veteran support.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Servicemembers and Recent Veterans: Primary beneficiaries, gaining extended counseling, health care, and job services.
• Military Spouses and Families: Benefit from pilot programs, spouse-inclusive counseling, and family-focused resources.
• Reserve Component Members: Receive standardized pathways and waiver options.
• Federal Agencies: DoD, VA, DOL (for coordination and reporting); GAO (for Skillbridge study).
• State Agencies and Organizations: State veterans agencies (more data sharing); veterans service organizations (integration with Solid Start).
• Congress: Receives multiple reports for oversight.
• Employers and Contractors: Involved in Skillbridge and TAP counseling contracts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens compliance with existing veteran support laws by mandating audits, uniform definitions (e.g., "at-risk" transitions), and data transmission, potentially reducing gaps in service delivery; introduces voluntary elements (e.g., spouse pilots, waivers) to respect individual choice while ensuring core requirements.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under Article I, Section 8 to "provide for the common defense" and support military welfare; no apparent conflicts with due process or privacy, as data sharing is limited to relevant agencies and requires member consent where applicable.
• Political: Promotes bipartisan priorities like veteran care and military readiness by addressing transition challenges (e.g., unemployment, health gaps); requires congressional reporting, enabling oversight without mandating new funding, which could influence future budgets.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-11: Subcommittee Hearings Held
• 2025-06-06: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
• 2025-05-14: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-14: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-14: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-14: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act — issued 2025-05-14 — PDF (20 pages)