VETT Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/981
Last Updated: July 18, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

ID: V000135

Follow the money

The bill

VETT Act

HR. 981, 119th Congress — read as touching For-Profit Education & Student Loans.

The sponsor

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$116,850 raised

25 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Veterans Affairs" section, p. 688-691 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

April 9, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, carefully crafted to make you think the government actually cares about veterans' education. Please, spare me the crocodile tears.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The VETT Act claims to improve the processes for approving programs of education for veterans, because God knows our brave men and women in uniform can't possibly navigate a simple application process without Uncle Sam's help. The real objective? To create a facade of accountability while maintaining the status quo.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Section 3679(f)(5) of title 38, United States Code, which is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Essentially, it requires educational institutions to provide more information on their programs, including a notice if they can't provide all the required details. Wow, what a bold move. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will also create a website to publish information about training for school certifying officials. Because, clearly, that's the biggest problem facing veterans' education.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Veterans, educational institutions, and the Department of Veterans Affairs are all supposedly impacted by this bill. But let's be real, the only ones who will truly benefit are the bureaucrats and lobbyists who get to justify their existence with more paperwork and "transparency" initiatives.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The VETT Act is a classic case of "legislative lip service." It creates the illusion of reform while doing nothing to address the systemic issues plaguing veterans' education. The added bureaucracy will only serve to slow down an already cumbersome process, ensuring that our nation's heroes continue to face unnecessary hurdles in their pursuit of higher learning.

Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a severe case of " Politician-itis," characterized by symptoms such as empty rhetoric, bureaucratic bloat, and a complete disregard for the actual needs of veterans. Treatment? A healthy dose of skepticism and a strong stomach for the inevitable disappointment that follows.

In short, the VETT Act is a meaningless exercise in legislative posturing, designed to placate voters while maintaining the status quo. It's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, and we should all be insulted by its very existence.

Related Topics

Military & Veterans Affairs
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$116,850
22 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$10,650
Committees
$0
Individuals
$106,200

No PAC contributions found

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
2
HO CHUNK NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
3
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$3,300
4
AIPAC PAC CONDUIT ACCOUNT
1 transaction
$500
5
ALLIANCE OF BANKERS FOR WISCONSIN
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
LEVY, EDWARD C.
4 transactions
$26,400
2
ANDERSON, JOHN R. MR.
1 transaction
$10,000
3
BROIN, JEFF
1 transaction
$6,600
4
UIHLEIN, RICHARD E. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
5
CROELL, KURT
1 transaction
$6,000
6
MARQUIS, ALEXANDER
1 transaction
$5,600
7
MARQUIS, BENJAMIN L.
1 transaction
$5,600
8
MARQUIS, JASON
1 transaction
$5,600
9
MARQUIS, THOMAS
1 transaction
$5,600
10
BERNICK, CAROL L.
1 transaction
$5,000
11
ANDERSON, LINDA
1 transaction
$3,400
12
HUNT, WOODY L.
1 transaction
$3,300
13
JOHNSON, JANE
1 transaction
$3,300
14
JOHNSON, RONALD H.
1 transaction
$3,300
15
KILROY, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,300
16
LAWSON, LAWRENCE
1 transaction
$3,300
17
LONG, CHARLES
1 transaction
$3,300

Donor Network - Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 50 nodes and 25 connections (57 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $116,850

Top Donors - Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs17 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 harmed.

  • Section 2(a) imposes new requirements on educational institutions to provide accurate information to individuals, which may increase administrative burdens on for-profit education providers.

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Strong
Vector: 64%
Pages: 688-691AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The VETT Act’s focus on increasing transparency, accountability, and training for VA educational assistance programs aligns closely with Project 2025’s VA reform goals of improving veteran services through greater oversight and program integrity."

Key themes:veteran education benefitstransparencyaccountabilitytraining for school certifying officialsprogram approval process

— 655 — Department of Veterans Affairs ENDNOTES 1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Division, VHA Directive 1003, “VHA Veteran Patient Experience,” April 14, 2020, pp. 1 and B-1. 2. S. 2372, VA Mission Act of 2018, Public Law No. 115-182, 115th Congress, June 6, 2018, https://www.congress. gov/115/plaws/publ182/PLAW-115publ182.pdf (accessed January 30, 2023). 3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA History Office, “VA History,” last updated May 27, 2021, https://www. va.gov/HISTORY/VA_History/Overview.asp (accessed January 28, 2023). 4. 38 U.S. Code § 1116, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/1116 (accessed January 28, 2023). 5. S. 3373, Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022), Public Law No. 117-168, 117th Congress, August 10, 2022, https://www. congress.gov/117/plaws/publ168/PLAW-117publ168.pdf (accessed January 28, 2023). 6. H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law No. 117-103, 117th Congress, March 15, 2022, Division S, Title I, https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ103/PLAW-117publ103.pdf (accessed March 18, 2023). Known variously as the Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse and Physician Assistant Retention and Income Security Enhancement Act and the VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act. 7. See note 5, supra.

Department of Education

Weak
Vector: 65%
Pages: 389-391AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The VETT Act focuses on improving transparency and accountability in VA education benefits for veterans, while the Project 2025 Department of Education section emphasizes reducing federal overreach, eliminating DEI influence, and increasing transparency in civil rights enforcement and accreditation. There is minimal thematic overlap, as the bill does not address guidance documents, First Amendment protections, degree requirements, or the 'list of shame'—core elements of the Project 2025 policy."

Key themes:transparencyaccountability

— 357 — Department of Education NEW EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD ISSUE Guidance Documents l The President should immediately reinstate and reissue Executive Order 13891: Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents, 84 Fed. Reg. 55235 (Oct. 9, 2019), and Executive Order 13892: Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication (Oct. 15, 2019). These executive orders required all federal agencies to treat guidance documents as non-binding in law and practice and also forbade federal agencies from imposing new standards of conduct on persons outside the executive branch through guid- ance documents. They required all federal agencies to apply regulations and statutes instead of guidance documents in any enforcement action. President Biden revoked these executive orders on January 20, 2021, demonstrating that these executive orders effectively restrained the abuses of an expansive administrative state. l Require APA notice and comment. The President should issue an executive order requiring the Office for Civil Rights’ Case Processing Manual to go through APA (Administrative Procedures Act) notice and comment. l Protect the First Amendment. The President should issue an executive order requiring grant applications (SF-424 series) to contain assurances that the applicant will uphold the First Amendment in funded programs and work. l Minimize bachelor’s degree requirements. The President should issue an executive order stating that a college degree shall not be required for any federal job unless the requirements of the job specifically demand it. l Eliminate the “list of shame.” Educational institutions can claim a religious exemption with the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education from the strictures of Title IX. In 2016, the Obama Administration published on the Department of Education’s website a list of colleges that had applied for the exemption. This “list of shame” of faith-based colleges, as it came to be known, has since been archived on ED’s website, still publicly available. The President should issue an executive order removing the archived list and preventing such a list from being published in the future. — 358 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise NEW AGENCY POLICIES THAT DON’T REQUIRE NEW LEGISLATION OR REGULATIONS TO ENACT Transparency of FERPA and PPRA Complaints l The Department of Education should be transparent about complaints filed on behalf of families regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). l At the same time, the Department of Education should develop a portal and resources for parents on their rights under FERPA and PPRA. This portal should also contain an explanation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and public school procedures to demonstrate that the law does not deprive parents of their right to access any school health records. The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program In 2011, Congress added new requirements to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program stating that participating private schools must submit to site visits by the program administrator, inform prospective students about the school’s accreditation status, mandate that teachers of core subjects have bachelor’s degrees, and require participating students to take some form of nationally norm-referenced test. Notably, the 2011 reauthorization also required, for the first time, that participating private schools be accredited or be on a path to accreditation. The 2017 reauthorization went further, requiring that each participating school supply a certificate of accreditation to the administering entity upon program entry, demonstrating that the school is fully accredited before being allowed to participate. The list of approved accreditors is entirely too small to serve the mission of the diverse schools in the nation’s capital. l Although the accreditation regulations should be removed entirely by Congress, in the meantime, the next President should issue an executive order expanding the list of allowable accreditors. Transparency Around Program Performance and DEI Influence The next President should issue a series of executive orders requiring: l An accounting of how federal programs/grants spread DEI/CRT/ gender ideology, l A review of outcomes for GEAR UP and the 21st Century grants programs,

Department of Veterans Affairs

Weak
Vector: 64%
Pages: 679-681AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The VETT Act focuses on improving transparency and accountability in VA education assistance programs, while the Project 2025 VA policy emphasizes healthcare innovation, infrastructure reform, caregiver program overhaul, and public reporting on medical center performance—there is minimal thematic overlap."

Key themes:transparencyaccountabilityveteran services

— 646 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Section 121 (developing and administering an education program that teaches veterans about their health care options available from the Department of Veterans Affairs). 4. Section 152 (returning the Office for Innovation of Care and Payment to the Office of Enterprise Integration with a joint governance process set up with the VHA). 5. Section 161 (overhauling Family Caregiver Program expansion, which has gone poorly, so that it focuses on consistency of eligibility and awareness that the most severely wounded or injured may require the program indefinitely). l Require the VHA to report publicly on all aspects of its operation, including quality, safety, patient experience, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness, using standards similar to those in the Medicare Accountable Care Organization program so that the government may monitor and achieve continuous improvement in the VA system more effectively. l Encourage VA Medical Centers to seek out relevant academic and private- sector input in their communities to improve the overall patient experience. Budget l Conduct an independent audit of the VA similar to the 2018 Department of Defense (DOD) audit to identify IT, management, financial, contracting, and other deficiencies. l Assess the misalignment of VHA facilities and rising infrastructure costs. The VHA operates 172 inpatient medical facilities nationally that are an average of 60 years old. Some of these facilities are underutilized and inadequately staffed. Facilities in certain urban and rural areas are seeing significant declines in the veteran population and strong competition for fresh medical staff. In 2018, Congress authorized an Asset Infrastructure Review (AIR) of national VHA medical markets to provide insight into where the VA health care budget should be responsibly allocated to serve veterans most effectively. However, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee lacked the political will to act on the White House’s nominations of commission members, and this ultimately led to termination of the AIR process. The next Administration should seek out agile, creative, and politically acceptable operational solutions to this aging infrastructure status quo,

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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