#aadth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #ebbi  ,,an ,,act  ,to direct the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to     
carry out a study to evaluate the       
effectiveness of programs1 especially in
 regards to women veterans and minority 
veterans1 in transitioning to civilian  
life1 and for other purposes4  #a4      
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,improving ,transition ,programs for
 ,all ,veterans ,act4  #b4 ,findings    
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,the rate of unemployment for women     
veterans is higher than the rate for    
male veterans4 ,in #bjae1 the           
unemployment rate for women veterans    
remained relatively unchanged at #e4d   
percent1 while the rate for male        
veterans declined to #d4e percent4  7#b7
 ,women veterans1 on average1 earn less 
than male veterans4 ,in #bjac1 the      
median income for women veterans was    
#ce1bfd1 while the median income for    
male veterans was #da1caj4  7#c7 ,women 
veterans and veterans with disabilities 

are more likely to become homeless4     
7#d7 ,service-connected disabled        
veterans with relatively high disability
 ratings have a higher unemployment rate
 than those with relatively low         
disability ratings4 ,in #bjae1 the      
unemployment rate for veterans with a   
service-connected disability rating of  
#fj percent or higher was #i4f percent1 
much higher than the #d4j percent rate  
for veterans with a service-connected   
disability rating of #cj percent or     
lower4  7#e7 ,in #bjac1 ,american       
,indian and ,alaska ,native veterans had
 the lowest median personal incomes of  
any group of minority veterans4  7#f7   
,in #bjac1 ,american ,indian and ,alaska
 ,native veterans were less likely to   
have finished an advanced degree than   
other veterans4  7#g7 ,american ,indian 
and ,alaska ,native veterans were more  
likely to have a service-connected      
disability rating compared to all other 
veterans4 ,in #bjac1 the rate of        
,american ,indian and ,alaska ,native   

veterans with a service-connected       
disability rating was about #bf percent 
compared to #ah4b percent for all other 
veterans4  7#h7 ,there is a lack of data
 on1 and an understanding of1 the       
challenges and needs of veterans who are
 residents of a territory of the ,united
 ,states and veterans who are part of   
the indigenous population of a territory
 of the ,united ,states4  #c4 ,study on 
the effectiveness of veterans transition
 efforts  7a7 ,study ,the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs1 in coordination with
 the ,secretaries of ,labor and         
,defense1 shall carry out a study to    
evaluate programs to assist veterans of 
the ,armed ,forces in their transition  
to civilian life4 ,such study shall be  
designed to determine the effectiveness 
of current programs1 especially in      
regards to the unique challenges faced  
by women veterans1 veterans with        
disabilities1 ,native ,american         
veterans1 veterans who are residents of 
a territory of the ,united ,states1     

veterans who are part of the indigenous 
population of a territory of the ,united
 ,states1 and other groups of minority  
veterans identified by the ,secretaries1
 including whether such programs-- 7#a7 
effectively address the challenges      
veterans face in pursuing higher        
education1 especially the challenges    
faced by women veterans1 veterans with  
disabilities1 ,native ,american         
veterans1 veterans who are residents of 
a territory of the ,united ,states1     
veterans who are part of the indigenous 
population of a territory of the ,united
 ,states1 and other groups of minority  
veterans identified by the ,secretaries2
  7#b7 effectively address the          
challenges such veterans face entering  
the civilian workforce and in           
translating experience and skills from  
military service to the job market2 and 
7#c7 effectively address the challenges 
faced by the families of such veterans  
transitioning to civilian life4  7b7    
,report ,eighteen months after the      

enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall submit a    
report to the ,committees on ,veterans' 
,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of   
,representatives regarding the findings 
and recommendations of the study        
required under subsection 7a7 of this   
section4  #d4 ,prohibition on           
authorization of appropriations ,no     
additional funds are authorized to carry
 out the requirements of this ,act4     
,such requirements shall be carried out 
using amounts otherwise authorized4     
,passed the ,house of ,representatives  
,may #bc1 #bjaf4;,clerk4