House passes bill easing VA counselor requirements for veterans

The House voted 402-2 to pass H.R. 980 on February 2, 2026, under suspension of the rules (requiring a two-thirds majority). Republicans voted 201-1 and Democrats voted 201-1. This overwhelming bipartisan support is unusual in the current Congress but typical for veterans legislation. The bill now moves to the Senate.

The bill eliminates the master's degree requirement for VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) counselors. Under current law, only VA counselors with master's degrees can provide job and education counseling to veterans at colleges and universities. VSOC counselors were often overburdened, and veterans waited up to seven months to complete VR&E intake and processing. Removing the credential barrier lets the VA hire more counselors faster.

The legislation caps VSOC counselor caseloads at no more than 25 veterans per counselor and allows VSOC counselors to serve multiple campuses. These provisions address a chronic staffing shortage in the VR&E program that left many veterans without timely access to career counseling.

The VA must hold monthly question-and-answer sessions with school certifying officials and provide in-person briefings about VR&E services at educational institutions near each regional office. For schools located more than 50 miles from a regional office headquarters, the VA may provide briefings virtually.

The bill requires the VA to place trained outreach specialists at its 56 regional offices to focus on VR&E program outreach and connect veterans with counseling services. The Veterans Benefits Administration operates 56 regional offices across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Another provision allows VA Secretary DCDoug Collins to approve rehabilitation programs that include flight training at institutions that do not grant degrees. Under current rules, VA educational benefits generally cover only programs at accredited degree-granting institutions. This change recognizes that veterans pursuing aviation careers may need training from specialized flight schools.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will increase discretionary spending (subject to future appropriations) by $137 million over 2025-2035, primarily for hiring outreach specialists and expanding briefings. Section 3 of the bill (flight training expansion) would increase direct spending by $24 million over the same period.

Rep. DVDerrick Van Orden (R-WI) sponsored the legislation. Van Orden served 26 years as a Navy SEAL, retiring as a Senior Chief with five combat deployments. He chairs the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) shepherded the bill through the committee process.