ETS Act

House Votes

This bill aims to make the move from military to civilian life smoother. It expands and standardizes the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Most people leaving service would get at least 3–5 days of counseling and could start up to 540 days before separation. Counseling should be in person when possible and not run by retention staff; members can repeat it once or attend even if they reenlist, if space allows . Money counseling must be at least one hour with a qualified expert and cover debt and investing, and there’s a three‑year pilot to give spouses their own TAP‑style sessions on nights and weekends at bases, including one overseas site per service . For people at higher risk, VA and Labor must reach out within 60 days after separation to offer help.

It adds more support after you leave. Transitional health care would last 270 days instead of 180. GAO would study the SkillBridge program to compare services, find best practices, and consider making it uniform across the forces. VA must keep a public website where new veterans and families can search by ZIP code for local programs, and a VA job‑services program would cover more people and do more outreach. VA’s Solid Start program would also share TAP materials and line up with TAP classes. The bill adds unannounced audits of TAP sessions, better tracking and yearly reports, and information‑sharing with states to help connect people to benefits like SNAP food assistance .

• Who is affected
  • Service members nearing separation, recent veterans, members of the reserve components, and military spouses and families .
• What changes
  • TAP counseling: at least 3 days if you have a job or school lined up; at least 5 days for others; can start up to 540 days before you leave.
  • In‑person when possible; not taught by retention staff; can repeat once; can attend even if you reenlist, if space allows .
  • Money counseling: at least one hour with a qualified counselor; covers debt and investing.
  • Spouse support: a 3‑year pilot with quarterly sessions, offered nights/weekends, at five or more bases per service, including one outside the continental U.S..
  • TAP pathways become consistent across services and add a path for reserve members; the chosen pathway is recorded in the service record.
  • Health care after separation extends to 270 days.
  • Easier to find help: VA maintains a ZIP‑code search website for new veterans and dependents; a VA job‑services program expands eligibility and outreach.
  • SkillBridge oversight: GAO study and recommendations on making programs uniform and stronger.
  • Oversight and data: unannounced audits of TAP, yearly curriculum reviews, installation‑level reports, and a tracking system for when people start TAP; states get info to help connect people to SNAP and other aid .
• When
  • Within 1 year: DoD starts the spouse pilot; DoD launches the TAP tracking system; first annual TAP participation report is due .
  • Within 2 years: GAO sends Congress its SkillBridge study.
  • Pilot ends 3 years after it starts.
  • At least yearly: unannounced audits and TAP curriculum reviews occur and are reported to Congress .