Sponsors (23)
The bill extends VA work-study benefits to half-time trainees—providing more veterans with income, training support, and data-driven oversight—while increasing program costs and administrative demands that could create funding pressures and competition for existing recipients.
Veterans enrolled half-time in rehabilitation, education, or training will receive VA work-study payments, increasing their current income and financial support while they train.
Veterans who receive work-study while training will have improved ability to complete education or credentialing and better short- to medium-term employability and career prospects.
Veterans participating in half-time programs may gain greater access to rehabilitative services and recovery supports tied to their training, aiding health and reintegration.
Expanding eligibility to half-time participants will increase VA work-study program costs, creating additional budget pressure that could fall on taxpayers or require offsets.
If funding is limited, existing full-time or three-quarter-time recipients could face reduced payments or increased competition for work-study slots.
Veterans enrolled only half-time may receive less training time than full-time peers, potentially limiting short-term training outcomes and delaying credential completion.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a five-year VA pilot allowing half-time student veterans in rehab/education/training to receive VA work-study benefits and waives the usual three-quarter-time requirement for pilot participants.
Introduced November 7, 2025 by Jennifer McClellan · Last progress November 7, 2025
Creates a five-year VA pilot that lets veterans enrolled at least half-time in rehabilitation, education, or training programs participate in the VA work-study program and receive the same work-study allowances as current participants, while waiving the usual three-quarter-time student requirement for pilot participants. Requires the VA to track and report participation, degree completion, and VA hiring outcomes, and ties budget scoring to a pre-vote House Budget Committee statement for Pay-As-You-Go purposes. The bill does not itself appropriate funds; it establishes the pilot, reporting rules, and a method for determining the Act’s budgetary effects for PAYGO compliance.