Julie Howell, associate legislative director at the Paralyzed Veterans of America, from left; Margarita Devlin, principal deputy undersecretary for benefits at the VA; and Chantile Stovall, acting executive director of the Veterans Readiness and Employment Service program, are sworn in for a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — Paralyzed Veterans of America warned lawmakers that a primary job training and employment program at the Department of Veterans Affairs is experiencing a “perfect storm” of high demand, understaffing and administrative burden.
Julie Howell, associate legislative director at the PVA, testified Thursday at a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee hearing about long wait times and cumbersome requirements that are affecting the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program.
Known as VR&E, the popular program is designed to provide rehabilitation counseling to veterans with service‑connected disabilities that create employment barriers.
To enroll in the program, veterans must have a service-connected disability that limits or prevents them from gaining employment.
Paralyzed Veterans of America said that VR&E needs more staff and funds to meet growing demand by disabled veterans seeking assistance with employment and support for independent living.
The subcommittee hearing on economic opportunity was designed to be a review of VA’s purchase history in the program.
But most of the testimony focused on a pressing need to grow the program as a record number of veterans with disabilities are seeking help.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a retired Navy SEAL, delivers remarks during a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee hearing on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
“This is a fantastic benefit,” said Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a retired Navy SEAL who disclosed he had participated in the VR&E program.
But Van Orden, the subcommittee chairman, said he wanted to make sure that “every veteran that has earned this benefit has timely access, and we are getting the most bang for the buck.”
Paralyzed Veterans of America and VA officials focused their discussion on a sharp increase in VR&E caseloads, which rose by nearly 50% from 2023 to 2025, according to VA budget documents.
“Now, we find ourselves in a crisis. Veterans are experiencing the longest wait times of the program’s history, counselors are drowning in administrative burden, and still, we have hearings asking veterans service organizations and the VA, ‘How can we fix this?’ ” Howell said.
“The answer is simple: There needs to be a hiring blitz for VR&E counselors and program support staff,” Howell said.
The fiscal 2027 VA budget proposes $363 million for program funding, a 17% increase over 2026, according to budget documents.
The VA is seeking an additional $53 million as it recruits and hires 300 additional employees, who primarily will serve as counselors, according to budget documents.
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., delivers remarks during a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee hearing on Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
“The VR&E is something veterans turn to as they look for a path back to work. But too many veterans are walking into a system that is overwhelmed, and they must wait several months for service,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky.
VR&E has been growing since passage of the PACT Act, which expanded eligibility to disabled veterans with chronic illnesses from toxic exposures, said Margarita Devlin, principal deputy undersecretary for benefits.
Participation increased from 120,000 in August 2022 to 210,000 in March 2026, she said.
The Veterans Benefits Administration projects that VR&E enrollment will continue to grow, reaching 233,798 by 2027, according to budget documents.
VR&E has a congressionally authorized requirement to maintain a ratio of one full-time counselor per 125 participants, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, according to budget documents. But Devlin acknowledged that growing enrollment has stretched the caseload to close to 200 veterans per counselor.
Howell said in written and oral testimony that counselors are being told to prioritize administrative requirements — “authorizations, reimbursements, uploads, letters, dashboards and performance metrics.”
“If these functions are now the priority of the VA, then they should hire individuals with business, accounting or similar backgrounds to accomplish that work. [Counselors] must be able to focus on what they are trained to do: Care for veterans and their employment situations. The current trajectory of the VR&E program is unsustainable,” Howell said.
VR&E offers five specialized tracks based on skills and disability levels: reemployment; rapid access to employment; self-employment; employment through long-term services; and independent living.
“At its core, VR&E is an employment program for disabled veterans. The differences between tracks may seem frivolous to many people, but within each track are specific guidelines and regulations that authorize or limit what can be approved,” Howell said.
The VR&E self-employment track, for example, helped a veteran purchase supplies as he launched a fish hatchery, which is showing strong early revenues, VA officials said.
The employment through long-term services track assists veterans who may have trouble finding and sustaining work due to the severity of their disability. The track often helps veterans get the education or training they need to find work in a field that suits their current abilities and interests, according to the VA.
The independent living track assists disabled veterans who struggle with daily life skills, such as bathing, feeding and dressing. They may receive home modifications, specialized wheelchairs, and assistive technology through the program to overcome functional limitations, according to the VA.
At the close of the hearing, Van Orden asked for additional metrics to better understand program outcomes in helping veterans be successful.
“We need to maximize every single thing we do for these veterans,” Van Orden said. “To be able to have dignity as a disabled veteran is crucial.”
