Key Takeaways
- •The subcommittee favorably reported H.R. 982 and five other bills to the full committee, seeking to expand veteran benefits for apprenticeships, flight training, and home loan guarantees.
- •Rep. Chris Pappas (D, NH-1) cited feedback from the Paralyzed Veterans of America warning that current apprenticeship benefit structures create a "cliff" that discourages long-term program participation.
- •Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R, WI-3) opposed an amendment to H.R. 982 from Rep. Pappas (D, NH-1), arguing the proposal lacked necessary data and clear funding to pay for it.
- •Republicans voted down several Democratic amendments, arguing they were submitted too late for review, while Democrats contended that rushing the bills sacrificed better policy for political speed.
- •The legislation moves to the full committee for further markup, where members intend to refine the text using pending technical assistance and data from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
On February 24, 2026, the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a markup session to consider a slate of legislation aimed at improving veterans' housing, education, and workforce opportunities. Chaired by Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R, WI-3), the subcommittee moved several bills forward to the full committee, including the Warriors to Workforce Act (H.R. 982). While the session began with a bipartisan en bloc agreement on six non-controversial bills, the remainder of the hearing was characterized by partisan disagreement over the speed of the legislative process and the rejection of several Democratic amendments. Ranking Member Chris Pappas (D, NH-1) repeatedly argued that the subcommittee was "rushing to failure" by advancing bills before receiving formal technical assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and without incorporating feedback from Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs).
The subcommittee first passed an en bloc package of six bills: H.R. 7049 (homeless assessments in health records), H.R. 3159 (SCRA benefit utilization), H.R. 5436 (prohibiting transcript withholding), H.R. 7150 (VA housing loan reporting), H.R. 1957 (End Veteran Homelessness Act), and H.R. 1965 (Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act). Notable among these was H.R. 1965, which increases the annual stipend for books and supplies from $1,000 to $1,400, and H.R. 1957, which expands eligibility for the HUD-VASH program. Chairman Van Orden highlighted that millions of dollars in HUD-VASH vouchers currently go unused, and Rep. Pappas noted that expanding eligibility to housing-insecure veterans would be a significant step toward ending veteran homelessness.
The subcommittee then considered H.R. 5634, the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act. Chairman Van Orden offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS) to cap flight training tuition and fees at $119,684 while allowing veterans to participate in training year-round. The bill aims to prevent schools from overcharging veterans and was forwarded to the full committee with bipartisan support.
Policy Proposals
Significant debate occurred regarding H.R. 7083, the CRUISE Act, which seeks to centralize payments for the VA’s adaptive automotive equipment program. Rep. Tom Barrett (R, MI-7) argued the bill is necessary because the VA has been delinquent in paying vendors, sometimes taking over 180 days. Rep. Pappas offered an amendment to process claims through five regional offices rather than a new centralized structure, citing VA concerns about lack of space and expertise. Chairman Van Orden urged a "no" vote, citing the late submission of the amendment and the need to wait for VA technical assistance. The amendment failed, and the bill was forwarded.
Overview
H.R. 7103, the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act, sponsored by Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R, AZ-8), proposed expanding the VET-TEC program to include artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing. Rep. Pappas offered two amendments: one to implement Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations regarding employment rate calculations, and another to move oversight of emerging industries to the Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS). Chairman Van Orden opposed both, arguing they added unnecessary reporting requirements and moved oversight away from the VA. Both amendments failed.
Policy Proposals
Housing policy was addressed through H.R. 7141, the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act, which would increase the VA home loan guarantee from 25% to 50% for disabled veterans. Rep. Pappas criticized the bill as a "$2 billion handout to the mortgage industry" and offered an amendment to target the increased guarantee toward veterans with low credit scores or high debt-to-income ratios. Chairman Van Orden rejected the amendment, emphasizing the goal of making homeownership more accessible generally. Similarly, H.R. 1803, the Fair Access to Co-ops for Veterans Act, which allows VA loans for housing cooperatives, was forwarded after the Chairman rejected a Democratic substitute amendment due to its late submission.
Overview
Finally, the subcommittee considered the title bill, H.R. 982, the Warriors to Workforce Act. This legislation increases the educational assistance for the second six months of an apprenticeship or on-the-job training (OJT) program from 80% to 90% of the applicable monthly rate. Rep. Pappas offered an amendment to further increase rates for months 13 through 24 to prevent a "benefits cliff" that often causes veterans to drop out of programs. Chairman Van Orden opposed the amendment, citing a lack of data on the necessity of the increase and concerns over how to fund the additional costs. The amendment was defeated, and the bill was forwarded to the full committee.
Throughout the hearing, Chairman Van Orden expressed frustration with the executive branch—specifically the VA—for failing to provide technical assistance in a timely manner, but insisted that the subcommittee must move forward with its legislative agenda. Rep. Pappas maintained that the majority was prioritizing speed over sound policy, noting that many amendments were rejected simply because they were submitted the evening before the markup. All bills on the agenda were ultimately forwarded to the full committee for further consideration.
Key Testimony
Organizations identified in the hearing: - Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): The primary agency discussed; criticized for late technical assistance and delinquent payments to vendors; central to all bills regarding education, housing, and homelessness. - Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Mentioned regarding the HUD-VASH program and the need for better voucher utilization. - Department of Labor (DOL): Discussed as a potential alternative for overseeing VET-TEC and apprenticeship programs through its VETS office. - Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA): Cited by Rep. Pappas for providing feedback on the "benefits cliff" in apprenticeship programs and the home loan guarantee bill. - Government Accountability Office (GAO): Referenced regarding its recommendations for improving employment data collection in the VET-TEC program. - National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV): Mentioned as providing testimony that would be used to improve H.R. 7049. - Student Veterans of America (SVA): Identified as a stakeholder group visiting Congress to advocate for education priorities like H.R. 1965. - Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): Mentioned alongside SVA as a key VSO advocating for increased education stipends. - House Committee on Financial Services: Identified as having shared jurisdiction over the HUD-VASH program. - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Referenced as a point of comparison for the VA home loan guarantee percentages.
Transcript
Well, I would prefer to live free at this point, so.
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