,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cchg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #ad1 #bjbe,mr4  
,van ,orden introduced the following    
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,armed ,services1 and in  
addition to the ,committee on ,veterans'
 ,affairs1 for a period to be           
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend titles #aj and #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code1 to make         
improvements to certain programs for a  
member nearing separation1 or for a     
veteran who recently separated1 from the
 ,armed ,forces1 and for other purposes4
  #a4 ,short title  ,this ,act may be   
cited as the ,enhancing the             
,transitioning ,servicemember's         
,experience ,act or the ,,ets ,act4  #b4
 ,transition ,assistance ,program3      
amendments2 pilot program2 reports  7a7 
,special operations forces ,subsection  

7a7 of section #aadb of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code1 is amended1 in   
paragraph 7#a71 by inserting 7including 
each member of the special operations   
forces7 after armed forces4  7b7        
,requirement of preseparation           
counseling3 number of days ,such        
subsection is further amended1 in       
paragraph 7#a7--  7#a7 by inserting 7,a7
 before ,within2 and  7#b7 by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph3 
7,b7 ,the ,secretary concerned shall    
ensure that a member described in       
subparagraph 7,a7 receives preseparation
 counseling in the following amounts3   
7i7 ,in the case of a member who has    
accepted an offer of full-time          
employment1 or has enrolled in a program
 of education or vocational training1   
that shall commence after the member    
separates1 retires1 or is discharged1   
not fewer than three days4  7ii7 ,in the
 case of a member other than a member   
described in clause 7i71 not fewer than 
five days4  4  7c7 ,provision of        

preseparation counseling3 third party   
counselors2 in-,person to the extent    
practicable ,such subsection is further 
amended1 in paragraph 7#b7--  7#a7 by   
inserting 7,a7 before ,in carrying2 and 
7#b7 by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraphs3  7,b7 ,preseparation 
counseling may not be provided by an    
individual responsible for the retention
 of members in the armed force          
concerned4  7,c7 ,preseparation         
counseling shall be provided in person  
to the extent practicable4 ,if the      
,secretary concerned determines that a  
member cannot attend such counseling in 
person1 such member may receive such    
counseling remotely4  4  7d7 ,period of 
eligibility3 expansion ,such subsection 
is further amended1 in paragraph 7#c7-- 
7#a7 by striking #cfe each place it     
appears and inserting #edj2 and  7#b7 by
 striking #cfe-;day and inserting       
#edj-;day4  7e7 ,waiver for certain     
members of the reserve components ,such 
subsection is further amended1 in       

paragraph 7#d71 by adding at the end the
 following new subparagraph3  7,d7 ,the 
,secretary concerned may waive the      
requirement for preseparation counseling
 under paragraph 7#a7 in the case of a  
member of the reserve components if--   
7i7 the member requests such a waiver2  
7ii7 the member received preseparation  
counseling during the period of three   
years preceding the date of such        
request2 and  7iii7 matters covered by  
such counseling1 specified in subsection
 7b71 have not changed since the member 
last received such counseling4  4  7f7  
,eligibility of a member who reenlists  
,to receive preseparation counseling    
,such subsection is further amended by  
adding at the end the following new     
paragraph3  7#e7 ,the commanding officer
 of a member described in this          
subsection may1 on a space available    
basis1 authorize such member to receive 
preseparation counseling1 regardless of 
whether such member reenlists or agrees 
to a new period of obligated service4  4

  7g7 ,repeat attendance ,such          
subsection is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph3 
7#f7 ,a member who received             
preseparation counseling under this     
section may1 before separation1         
retirement1 or discharge1 request to    
receive1 on a space-available basis1    
such preseparation counseling a second  
time4  4  7h7 ,elective inclusion of the
 spouse of a member ,such section is    
further amended1 in subsection 7b71 in  
paragraph 7#e71 by striking regarding   
the matters covered by paragraphs 7#i71 
7#aj71 and 7#af74  7i7 ,minimum amount  
of counseling regarding financial       
planning ,such subsection is further    
amended1 in paragraph 7#i7--  7#a7 by   
striking ,financial and inserting 7,a7  
,general financial2  7#b7 by striking   
loans and inserting loans and other     
debt1 investing2 and  7#c7 by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraphs3
  7,b7 ,individualized assistance       
regarding matters described in          

subparagraph 7,a74  7,c7 ,counseling    
under subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 shall be
 provided by an individual who has      
significant experience in financial     
planning and may not be shorter than one
 hour4  4  7j7 ,pathways3               
standardization2 establishment of       
pathway for members of the reserve      
components ,such section is further     
amended1 in paragraph 7#a7 of subsection
 7c71 in the matter preceding           
subparagraph 7,a7--  7#a7 by striking   
,each ,secretary concerned and inserting
 ,the ,secretaries of ,defense and      
,homeland ,security2 and  7#b7 by       
striking pathways for members of the    
military department concerned and       
inserting pathways1 standardized across 
the armed forces and including one      
pathway for members of the reserve      
components1 for members4  7k7 ,pathways3
 record of pathway assignment ,such     
subsection is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph3 
7#d7 ,the ,secretary concerned shall    

ensure that the pathway in which a      
member is placed1 and the reasons for   
such placement1 are noted in the service
 record of such member4  4  7l7         
,coordination between ,departments of   
,defense1 ,veterans ,affairs1 and ,labor
 ,such section is further amended1 in   
subsection 7d7-- 7#a7 by striking the   
heading and inserting ,transmission of  
certain information to other            
departments2  7#b7 by inserting 7#a7    
before ,in the case2 and  7#c7 by adding
 at the end the following new           
paragraphs3  7#b7 ,before a member      
described in subsection 7a7 separates1  
retires1 or is discharged1 the          
,secretary concerned shall transmit to  
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs the
 following information3 7,a7 ,the       
contact information of such member4     
7,b7 ,the ,department of ,defense ,form 
,,dd-#bfdh regarding such member4  7#c7 
7,a7 ,in the case of a member described 
in subsection 7a7 whom the ,secretary   
concerned determines is at risk for a   

difficult transition to civilian life1  
the ,secretary concerned shall1 before  
the member separates1 retires1 or is    
discharged1 provide-- 7i7 such member   
with the contact information of an      
employee of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs and an employee of the        
,department of ,labor2 and  7ii7 such   
employees with the contact information  
of such member4  7,b7 ,each employee    
described in subparagraph 7,a7 shall    
contact the member described in such    
subparagraph not later than #fj days    
after such member separates1 retires1 or
 is discharged4  7,c7 ,the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs and the ,secretary  
of ,labor shall each submit to the      
,committees on ,armed ,services and on  
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and  
,house of ,representatives an annual    
report that identifies the number of    
times1 and reasons why1 an employee of  
the department under the jurisdiction of
 such ,secretary failed to carry out    
subparagraph 7,b7 in the year preceding 

the date of the report4  7,d7 ,the      
,secretary of ,defense and ,secretary of
 ,homeland ,security shall prescribe    
regulations to ensure that1 for purposes
 of this paragraph1 each ,secretary     
concerned uses the same definition of   
the term at risk for a difficult        
transition to civilian life4  4  7m7    
,contracting3 standardization ,such     
section is further amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection3   
7f7 ,contracting ,a ,secretary concerned
 may enter into an agreement with an    
entity under which such entity shall    
provide preseparation counseling under  
this section4 ,if more than one         
,secretary seeks to enter into such an  
agreement1 such ,secretaries concerned  
shall1 to the extent practicable1 seek  
to enter into such agreements with the  
same entity4  4  7n7 ,yearly surprise   
audits ,such section is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new  
subsection3  7g7 ,audits  7#a7 ,not less
 than once each year1 an employee or    

contractor of the ,department of        
,veterans ,affairs1 and an employee or  
contractor of the ,department of ,labor1
 shall make unannounced visits to       
preseparation counseling under this     
section in order to audit such          
counseling4  7#b7 ,not later than #ij   
days after such a visit1 the employee or
 contractor shall submit to the         
,committees on ,armed ,services and on  
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and  
,house of ,representatives a report     
regarding such audit4  7#c7 ,such       
employees or contractors shall have     
expertise regarding matters described in
 subsection 7b74  4  7o7 ,information   
provided to ,state veterans agencies    
regarding members separating from the   
,armed ,forces  7#a7 ,expansion ,section
 #egj;,f of the ,national ,defense      
,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year   
#bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-ib2 #aj        
,u4,s4,c4 #aadb note7 is amended1 in    
subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by redesignating  
paragraph 7#h7 as paragraph 7#i72 and   

7,b7 by inserting1 after paragraph 7#g71
 the following new paragraph 7#h73  7#h7
 ,benefits for low-income households1   
including the supplemental nutrition    
assistance program 7as such term is     
defined in section #c of the ,food and  
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7,public ,law  
#hh-ebe2 #g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjab774  4  7#b7 
,limitation of voluntary participation  
,such section is further amended1 in    
subsection 7d71 by striking ,information
 and inserting ,except for information  
related to whether an individual is     
eligible for benefits described in      
paragraph 7#h7 of subsection 7a71       
information4  7p7 ,pilot program for    
military spouses  7#a7 ,establishment   
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,defense shall establish a
 pilot program for spouses of members of
 the covered ,armed ,forces who are     
eligible to receive preseparation       
counseling under ,,tap4  7#b7 ,voluntary
 basis ,participation in the pilot      

program shall be on a voluntary basis4  
7#c7 ,curriculum ,the ,secretary of     
,defense1 in coordination with the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and the
 ,secretary of ,labor1 shall establish a
 curriculum based on ,,tap for the pilot
 program4  7#d7 ,counseling ,counseling 
under the pilot program shall-- 7,a7 be 
tailored to the military spouse and     
family2  7,b7 be offered at least once  
per calendar quarter at each location   
selected under paragraph 7#e72  7,c7 be 
offered at times including nights and   
weekends2 and  7,d7 include at least one
 hour regarding benefits and assistance 
available to military families and      
veterans from each department under the 
jurisdiction of the ,secretaries        
specified in subparagraph 7,c74  7#e7   
,locations ,the ,secretary of ,defense  
shall carry out the pilot program at not
 fewer than five military installations 
of each of the covered ,armed ,forces4  
,one such location shall be located     
outside the continental ,united ,states4

  7#f7 ,report ,not later than one year 
before the pilot program terminates1 the
 ,secretary of ,defense shall submit to 
the ,committees on ,armed ,services of  
the ,senate and ,house of               
,representatives a report to the        
regarding the pilot program4 ,such      
report shall include elements the       
,secretary determines appropriate1      
including whether the pilot program     
should be made permanent4  7#g7         
,termination ,the pilot program shall   
terminate three years after the         
,secretary of ,defense establishes the  
pilot program4  7#h7 ,definitions ,in   
this subsection3 7,a7 ,the term covered 
,armed ,force means the ,army1 ,navy1   
,marine ,corps1 ,air ,force1 or ,space  
,force4  7,b7 ,the term ,,tap means the 
,transition ,assistance ,program under  
sections #aadb and #aadd of title #aj1  
,united ,states ,code4  7q7 ,reports2   
tracking system  7#a7 ,annual report on 
,,tap participation ,not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of 

this ,act1 and annually thereafter for  
four years1 the ,secretary of ,defense  
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,armed ,services and on ,veterans'      
,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of   
,representatives a report on the        
,transition ,assistance ,program at     
military installations where at least   
#bej members per year receive           
preseparation counseling under section  
#aadb of title #aj1 ,united ,states     
,code4 ,such report shall include the   
following elements with regards to the  
year preceding the date of such report1 
disaggregated by military installation3 
7,a7 ,the number of members described in
 subsection 7a77#a77;,b77ii7 of such    
section #aadb1 as added by subsection   
7a71 who received fewer than five days  
of preseparation counseling under such  
section4  7,b7 ,the average period of   
time between when a member begins to    
receive preseparation counseling and the
 day the member separates1 retires1 or  
is discharged4  7,c7 ,the number of     

members who began to receive            
preseparation counseling and then       
re-enlisted or agreed to a new period of
 obligated service4  7,d7 ,the number of
 members who began to receive           
preseparation counseling and then were  
deployed4  7,e7 ,the number of members  
assigned to each pathway under          
subsection 7c7 of such section4  7,f7   
,the number of members who1 in the      
course of such preseparation counseling1
 were referred to another ,federal      
agency or department4  7,g7 ,the        
,federal agencies or departments to     
which members were so referred4  7,h7   
,the number of members who should have  
been1 but were not1 so referred1 and    
reasons why such referrals did not      
occur4  7,i7 ,the number of members who 
receive such preseparation counseling   
and apply for unemployment compensation 
under subchapter ,,ii of chapter #he of 
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7,j7  
,the total amount of such unemployment  
compensation paid to members separating 

from the ,armed ,forces4  7,k7 ,the     
frequency with which the commander of   
the military installation received a    
briefing regarding attendance of members
 in accordance with statutory           
requirements of the ,transition         
,assistance ,program4  7#b7 ,annual     
report on ,,tap curricula ,not less than
 once each year after the date of the   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretaries
 of ,defense1 ,veterans ,affairs1 and   
,labor shall--  7,a7 review and update  
curricula under the ,transition         
,assistance ,program2 and  7,b7 submit  
to ,congress copies of such curricula4  
7#c7 ,tracking of timeliness  7,a7      
,implementation ,not later than one year
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall 
implement a system to track how many1   
and what percentage of1 members of the  
,armed ,forces begin to receive         
preseparation counseling within the time
 periods established in section #aadb of
 title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4  7,b7

 ,annual report ,not later than two     
years after the date of the enactment of
 this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the
 ,secretary of ,defense shall submit to 
the ,committees on ,armed ,services1 and
 the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs1
 of the ,senate and ,house of           
,representatives1 a report on data      
recorded with such tracking system      
during the year preceding the date of   
such report4 ,such report shall include 
a list of the seven military            
installations located inside the        
continental ,united ,states1 and three  
military installations located outside  
the continental ,united ,states1 where  
members are least likely to receive     
,,tap preseparation counseling in       
accordance with such time periods4  #c4 
,transitional health care for members   
being separated or recently separated3  
extension of availability ,section      
#aade7;a7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph   
7#d7--  7,a7 by striking #ahj days and  

inserting #bgj days2 and  7,b7 by       
striking #ahj-;day period and inserting 
#bgj-;day period2 and  7#b7 in paragraph
 7#g7-- 7,a7 by striking #ahj-;day      
transition period and inserting         
#bgj-;day transition period2 and  7,b7  
by striking #ahj days both places it    
appears and inserting #bgj days4  #d4   
,skillbridge3 ,,gao study  7a7 ,study   
required ,the ,comptroller ,general of  
the ,united ,states shall conduct a     
study of the ,skillbridge programs under
 section #aadc7;e7 of title #aj1 ,united
 ,states ,code4  7b7 ,report ,not later 
than two years after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller
 ,general shall submit to the           
,committees on ,armed ,services1 and the
 ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs1 of 
the ,senate and ,house of               
,representatives1 a report regarding    
such study4 ,such report shall include  
observations and recommendations of the 
,comptroller regarding1 with respect to 
members and employers who participate in

 ,skillbridge-- 7#a7 differences in     
criteria for participation between the  
,armed ,forces2  7#b7 other differences 
in ,skillbridge programs between the    
,armed ,forces2  7#c7 best practices in 
,skillbridge programs across the ,armed 
,forces1 including--  7,a7 the selection
 of employers2 and  7,b7 the development
 of contracts2 and  7#d7 the feasibility
 of making ,skillbridge programs uniform
 across the ,armed ,forces4  #e4        
,website of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs regarding programs for new    
veterans ,section #ebc of title #ch1    
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7c7 ,the ,secretary shall  
maintain a publicly available website of
 the ,department through which a veteran
 or dependent of a veteran may search by
 ,,zip code for programs for veterans   
who recently separated from active      
military1 naval1 air1 or space service1 
or dependents of such veterans4  4  #f4 
,expansion of eligibility for a certain 

program of job counseling1 training1 and
 placement service for veterans  7a7    
,definition ,section #daja of title #ch1
 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended in   
paragraph 7#e7--  7#a7 in subparagraph  
7,a71 by striking the comma at the end  
and inserting a semicolon2  7#b7 in     
subparagraph 7,b71 by striking power1 or
 and inserting power22  7#c7 in         
subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the      
period at the end and inserting 2 or2   
and  7#d7 by adding at the end the      
following new subparagraph3  7,d7 a     
member of the ,armed ,forces eligible   
for the ,transition ,assistance ,program
 under sections #aadb and #aadd of title
 #aj4  4  7b7 ,outreach ,section        
#dajc;,a7a77#a7 of such title is        
amended--  7#a7 in the matter preceding 
subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting and     
certain eligible persons after eligible 
veterans2  7#b7 by redesignating        
subparagraph 7,c7 as subparagraph 7,d72 
and  7#c7 by inserting after            
subparagraph 7,b7 the following new     

subparagraph 7,c73  7,c7 ,eligible      
persons described in paragraph 7#e77;,d7
 of section #daja of this title4  4  #g4
 ,solid ,start program3 interaction with
 ,transition ,assistance ,program  7a7  
,clarification of reference to ,,tap    
,subsection 7b7 of section #fcbj of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended1 in of paragraph 7#a71 by       
striking transition classes or          
separation and inserting ,,tap classes  
or preseparation counseling4  7b7       
,provision of ,,tap materials ,such     
paragraph is further amended--  7#a7 by 
redesignating subparagraphs 7,d7 through
 7,h7 as subparagraphs 7,e7 through     
7,i71 respectively2 and  7#b7 by        
inserting after subparagraph 7,c7 the   
following new subparagraph 7,d73  7,d7  
furnishing ,,tap materials to veterans2 
4  7c7 ,assessment of ,,tap ,such       
paragraph is further amended1 in        
subparagraph 7,i71 as redesignated1 by  
inserting and of ,,tap before the       
period4  7d7 ,definitions ,such section 

is further amended-- 7#a7 by striking   
paragraph 7#c7 of subsection 7b72 and   
7#b7 by adding at the end the following 
new subsection3  7c7 ,definitions ,in   
this section3  7#a7 ,the term ,,tap     
means the ,transition ,assistance       
,program under sections #aadb and #aadd 
of title #aj4  7#b7 ,the term ,vet      
,center has the meaning given such term 
in section #agab;,a7h7 of this title4   
7#c7 ,the term veterans service         
organization means an organization      
recognized by the ,secretary for the    
representation of veterans under section
 #eijb of this title4  4