,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ejcb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,july #i1 #bjad ,mr4  
,sean ,patrick ,maloney ( ,new ,york 7= 
himself1 ,mr4 ,mull91 & ,mr4 ,takano7   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to develop & publi% an
 action plan = improv+ ! vocational     
rehabilitation s]vices & assi/ance      
provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,w\nd$ ,w>rior ,employm5t  
,improvem5t ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress 
makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3  7#a7 ,despite an 
improv+ economy1 a rec5t /udy indicates 
t among vet]ans ) s]vice-connect$       
disabilities :o s]v$ 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces    
aft] ,septemb] #aa1 #bjja 7h]e9aft]     
ref]r$ to z w\nd$ w>riors71 !           
unemploym5t rate is ne>ly #ag4h p]c5t4  
7#b7 ,w\nd$ w>riors %\ld receive !      
tools1 skills1 education1 res\rces1 &   
support ne$$ to f9d "w & ?rive          

economically4  7#c7 ,design$ to provide 
! exp]t c\nsel+ & o!r s]vices & supports
 vital to a*iev+ economic emp[]m5t1 !   
vocational rehabilitation & employm5t   
program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs %\ld be ! premi] program assi/+
 w\nd$ w>riors to realize _! economic   
goals4  7#d7 ,only #bj p]c5t ( w\nd$    
w>riors pursu+ an education 9 #bjac *ose
 to pursue vocational rehabilitation1   
:ile #ed p]c5t *ose to use _! entitlem5t
 to educational assi/ance "u !          
,po/-#i_/aa ,educational ,assi/ance     
,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs1 !reby =ego+ c\nsel+ & o!r     
supports4  7#e7 ,w\nd$ w>riors :o elect 
to pursue an education ?r\gh !          
,po/-#i_/aa ,educational ,assi/ance     
,program r ?an vocational rehabilitation
 & education report *oos+ ! su* program 
because ( its relatively easi]1 m       
exp$iti\s application process1 & ! f>   
great] fre$om x af=ds ! vet]an to pursue
 8 or h] c>e] or educational goals4     
7#f7 ,! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   

cont9ues to face *all5ges ) ! program's 
workload managem5t1 p>ticul>ly ) /aff & 
res\rce allocation models1 dec5traliz$  
program adm9i/ration1 & /aff tra9+1     
result+ 9 "s regional (fices /ruggl+ )  
av]age caseloads z high z #age p]       
c\nselor1 all ( :i* are affect+ !       
deliv]y & quality ( s]vices to vet]ans1 
accord+ to ! ,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability   
,(fice4  #c4 ,vocational rehabilitation 
& education action plan ,n lat] ?an #bgj
 days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all develop & publi% an action plan =  
improv+ ! s]vices & assi/ance provid$ "u
 *apt] #ca ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates   
,code4 ,su* plan %all include ea* ( !   
foll[+3  7#a7 ,a compreh5sive analysis  
(1 & recomm5dations & a propos$         
implem5tation plan = rem$y+ workload    
managem5t *all5ges at regional (fices ( 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+
 /eps to r$uce c\nselor caseloads (     
vet]ans p>ticipat+ 9 a rehabilitation   
program "u su* *apt]1 p>ticul>ly =      

c\nselors :o are assi/+ vet]ans )       
traumatic bra9 injury & po/-traumatic   
/ress disord] & c\nselors ) educational 
& vocational c\nsel+ workloads4  7#b7 ,a
 compreh5sive analysis ( ! reasons = !  
disproportionately l[ p]c5tage ( vet]ans
 ) s]vice-connect$ disabilities :o s]v$ 
9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces aft] ,septemb] #aa1     
#bjja1 :o opt to p>ticipate 9 a         
rehabilitation program "u su* *apt]     
relative to ! p]c5tage ( su* vet]ans :o 
use _! entitlem5t to educational        
assi/ance "u *apt] #cc ( title #ch1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 includ+ an analysis
 ( b>ri]s to timely enrollm5t 9         
rehabilitation programs "u *apt] #ca (  
su* title & ( any b>ri]s to a vet]an    
enroll+ 9 ! program ( t vet]an's *oice4 
7#c7 ,recomm5dations & a propos$        
implem5tation plan = enc\rag+ m vet]ans 
) s]vice-connect$ disabilities :o s]v$ 9
 ! ,arm$ ,=ces aft] ,septemb] #aa1      
#bjja1 to p>ticipate 9 rehabilitation   
programs "u *apt] #ca ( su* title4  7#d7
 ,a national /aff tra9+ program =       

vocational rehabilitation c\nselors ( ! 
,dep>tm5t t includes ! provision (--    
7,a7 tra9+ to assi/ c\nselors 9 und]/&+ 
! v pr(\nd disori5tation exp]i5c$ by    
w>riors ^: lives & life-plans h be5     
up5d$ & out ( _! control because ( _!   
injury2  7,b7 tra9+ to assi/ c\nselors 9
 work+ 9 p>tn]%ip ) vet]ans on          
individual rehabilitation plans2 &  7,c7
 tra9+ on po/-traumatic /ress disord] & 
o!r m5tal heal? conditions & on mod]ate 
to sev]e traumatic bra9 injury t is     
design$ to improve ! ability ( su*      
c\nselors to assi/ vet]ans ) ^!         
conditions1 includ+ by provid+ in=mation
 on ! broad spectrum ( su* conditions & 
! effect ( su* conditions on an         
individual's abilities & functional     
limitations4