House Republicans Move to Improve TAP for Servicemembers and Families

House Republicans Move to Improve TAP for Servicemembers and Families

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of their work to improve the Department of Defense's handling of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP),House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), and Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chairman Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), released the following letter they sent to Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III expressing their disappointment in the Department of Defense's (DoD's) failure to attend the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee's recent legislative hearing on comprehensive legislation the committee is working on to enhance transitioning servicemembers' and veterans' experience with DoD's Transition Assistance Program.

Much of the subcommittee's work this Congress has been focused on creating a package of bills to make needed changes to TAP for servicemembers, members of the National Guard, and Reservists who are transitioning out of active-duty, and the March 20^th legislative hearing served as a forum for subcommittee members and witnesses involved in TAP to discuss how the legislation could be further improved, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Labor (DoL), and veteran service organizations (VSOs). However, DoD failed to attend.

"This is disappointing as TAP is an integral part of a servicemember's transition from being a productive member of the military to a productive member of American society," Economic OpportunityChairman Van Orden wrote in the letter. "As you know, during the period of transition, servicemembers and their families often experience multiple, big life changes, which can bring about various challenges and unanticipated mental health distress as a result. We owe our servicemembers access to the resources that fit their unique needs as they conclude their time in service to our nation."

Last month, following roundtable discussions with transitioning active-duty servicemembers both here at home and abroad, Chairman Bost and Economic Opportunity Chairman Van Orden introduced House Republicans' legislative fix to TAP, H.R.7732,theEnhancing the Transitioning Servicemember's Experience Act.The bill makes critical improvements to the program including mandating TAP to be conducted in person when possible, creating a separate TAP track for Guard and Reserve members, providing increased base access for Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), introducing a pilot program for TAP spouses, conducting an additional study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to find ways to better utilize the SkillBridge program, screening for food insecurity, and requiring the Department of Defense to provide Congress with annual tracking records. To read more about H.R. 7732, click here.

In the letter to Secretary Austin, Economic Opportunity Chairman Van Orden emphasized the direct correlation between an effective Transition Program and military recruitment, retention, and overall readiness. Economic Opportunity Chairman Van Orden describes DoD's lack of accountability on the issue "disheartening," and urges them to take the issue seriously and accept the subcommittee's future invitations to testify.

Full text of the letter Economic Opportunity Chairman Van Orden sent can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Austin:

Over the last few months, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, has been working diligently to introduce a package of bills to enhance and improve the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to ensure that our servicemembers have access to the best possible TAP experience to set them up for success as veterans. I invited staff from the Department of Defense to testify at our legislative hearing on this topic to discuss how we could improve the legislation, but unfortunately, your staff declined to participate. This is disappointing as TAP is an integral part of a servicemember's transition from being a productive member of the military to a productive member of American society. As you know, during the period of transition, servicemembers and their families often experience multiple, big life changes, which can bring about various challenges and unanticipated mental health distress as a result. We owe our servicemembers access to the resources that fit their unique needs as they conclude their time in service to our nation.

However, I have multiple reports of servicemembers being unable to get to TAP one year prior to their date of separation as required by law. According to a recent GAO study, only 25% of servicemembers attend TAP on time. This low percentage directly correlates to the Department of Defense's lack of accountability and lack of commitment to doing their part for the TAP program.

While I understand the importance of mission readiness as a 26-year Navy veteran myself, I believe that every commander should be held accountable in writing as part of their evaluation for promotions, just as they are held responsible for other mission readiness metrics. It is disheartening to see the Department of Defense continue to display a lack of accountability toward such an important issue. I expected to hear testimony from your Department at our recent hearing, or at the very least, receive timely technical assistance without persistent follow-ups to ensure that our legislation delivers on the promise we have made to our service men and women. I urge the Department of Defense to take this issue seriously as it has a direct correlation with retention, recruitment, and the future of our all-volunteer fighting force.

I hope you will take this important matter seriously and accept the invitation to testify in the future on this issue. The Department of Defense must move past these difficulties and execute the TAP program transparently and responsibly. All transitioning servicemembers, who will eventually become veterans, have earned access to all the services necessary to support their employment and transition needs. It is our duty to honor their service and provide them with the best possible support so that they can serve their communities in a new capacity. I believe a servicemember who is happy with their TAP experience will be one of the best recruiting tools the Department will ever have.

I am personally inviting you to testify in front of our committee to demonstrate to all the men and women of the US military that you are taking this issue very seriously and that you are dedicated to ensuring our heroic Americans are being supported during these troubling times.

Please provide a written response by close of business by April 18, 2024, that outlines your decision-making for why the Department failed to testify about Congress's comprehensive TAP improvement legislation, H.R. 7732. Please contact my staff if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,

DERRICK VAN ORDEN
Chairman
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

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