HR-3387 — ETS Act | YourVoice.Now

YourVoice.Now Summary

Your MoneyWorkers & JobsCivil LibertiesCorporate BenefitsTransparency & Accountability

Troops leaving the service would get 90 more days of health care, plus at least five days of exit counseling.

Your Money

Military health coverage after separation — 180 days becomes 270

Transitional health care now runs 180 days after a member separates. The bill would extend that to 270 days, giving 90 more days of coverage.

Money counseling for leaving troops — one hour minimum required

Exit counseling would have to include at least one hour on money. It would cover loans, other debt, and investing, taught by someone with strong financial planning experience.

Spouses can join all counseling topics — three-topic limit removed

Today a spouse may sit in on only three counseling subjects. The bill would drop that cap so a spouse could join any part of the counseling.

New counseling pilot for military spouses — 3-year test at 25+ bases

The Defense Department would start the pilot within a year, at five or more bases per service branch. Classes would be voluntary, with some held at night or on weekends.

Workers & Jobs

Transition counseling minimum — 5 days, or 3 with a job lined up

Current law sets no minimum length for exit counseling. The bill would require five days, or three for members who already have work, school, or job training set to start.

Counseling starts earlier — window grows from 365 to 540 days

Members can now begin exit counseling up to 365 days before they separate. The bill would stretch that window to 540 days, about six months more.

Job placement help before discharge — active troops get veteran services

Labor Department job counseling, training, and placement services are now for veterans. The bill would open them to members still serving who qualify for transition help.

Civil Liberties

Separating troops' records go to VA — no opt-out written in

Before a member leaves, the military would send their contact details and counseling checklist to the VA. The bill sets no way for the member to decline.

Food-aid eligibility shared without consent — state veterans agencies get it

A current law lets members choose whether their information goes to state veterans agencies. The bill would carve out food-aid eligibility, which would be sent even without the member's okay.

At-risk label shared with two agencies — VA and Labor must call

If a service decides a member is at risk of a hard transition, it would pass their contact details to VA and Labor staff. Those staff would have to call within 60 days, and report each time they fail to.

Corporate Benefits

Exit counseling can be outsourced — services urged to share one contractor

Each service branch could hire an outside company to run its exit counseling. If more than one hires out, they would try to use the same company.

Transparency & Accountability

Surprise audits of counseling — VA and Labor visit yearly

Staff or contractors from the VA and Labor would drop in on counseling sessions unannounced at least once a year. They would report to Congress within 90 days of each visit.

Re-enlistment staff barred from exit counseling — conflict of interest removed

Anyone whose job is keeping members in the service could not give exit counseling. That separates the people who want members to stay from the people advising them on leaving.

Worst-performing bases named to Congress — seven stateside, three overseas

The Defense Department would track how many members get counseling on time. Each year it would name the ten bases where members are least likely to get it.

New public VA website — search veteran programs by ZIP code

The VA would have to run a public website for recently separated veterans and their families. Users could search by ZIP code for programs near them.

More about this bill

If you are leaving the military, your health coverage would last 90 days longer. The transition period would run 270 days instead of 180. Exit counseling (preseparation counseling in the law) would also grow. Members would get at least five days of it. Three days is the floor if a job or school is already lined up. At least one hour would cover money: debt, loans, and investing. Someone with strong financial planning experience would teach that hour. Counseling could begin 540 days before separation, up from 365 today. Spouses would get more access. A spouse could join counseling on any topic, not just three of them. The Defense Department would also start a three-year pilot for military families. It would run at 25 or more bases, with at least one overseas. Classes would be voluntary, and some would be held at night or on weekends. Members still serving could use the Labor Department's job placement services for veterans. Each service branch could also hire an outside company to run its counseling. If more than one does, they would try to use the same company. More personal information would move between agencies. Before separation, the military would send a member's contact details and counseling checklist to the VA. Members flagged as at risk of a hard transition would be handed to VA and Labor staff. Those staff would have to call within 60 days. Food-aid eligibility could reach state veterans agencies without the member's okay. Oversight would tighten as well. Staff whose job is keeping members enlisted could not run exit counseling. VA and Labor would make surprise audit visits at least once a year. Yearly reports would name the ten bases with the worst counseling timing. The VA would also run a public website to search veteran programs by ZIP code.

Congressional Summary

Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act or the ETS ActThis bill expands the provision of pre-separation counseling under the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and other services for members of the Armed Forces who are transitioning to civilian life.Regarding pre-separation counseling under TAP, the billsets a minimum duration of counseling depending on a member's post-service employment, education, or training status;prohibits individuals who are responsible for the retention of members in any of the Armed Forces from providing counseling;removes restrictions on the types of counseling for which a spouse of a member may be included;expands financial planning counseling to include information about debt and investing;requires that financial planning counseling be provided by an individual who has significant experience in financial planning; andrequires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Labor to audit counseling annually.If a military department determines an individual is at risk for a difficult transition to civilian life, that department must provide the individual's information to the VA and Labor. The VA and Labor must timely contact the individual, as specified.Additionally, the bill extends transitional health care for members separating from service to 270 days (currently 180).The bill alsoexpands eligibility for certain Labor job counseling, training, and placement services for veterans to members of the Armed Forces who are eligible for TAP; andexpands the Solid Start program by requiring the VA to provide TAP materials to veterans and analyze data assessing the effectiveness of TAP.

Legislative Subjects

Accounting and auditingCongressional oversightEmployment and training programsFamily relationshipsGovernment studies and investigationsIntergovernmental relationsInternet, web applications, social mediaMilitary personnel and dependentsPublic contracts and procurementVeterans' education, employment, rehabilitationVeterans' medical care

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: House
Status: summarized
Action: Introduced in House
Action Date: 2025-05-14
Date Added: 2026-05-16
Source: Congress.gov →

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