H.R. 2625: VERY Act of 2025
Sponsor
Donald Davis
Democrat · NC-1
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jul 22, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Veterans' law drops the word "handicap"
Why it matters
If you're a veteran in a VA job-readiness or vocational rehab program, federal law currently calls your situation an "employment handicap." H.R. 2625 would strike that word everywhere it appears in Title 38 and replace it with "employment barrier." The House already passed it by voice vote in July 2025 — it's now in the Senate.
H.R. 2625, the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2025 (the "VERY Act"), is about two words. It amends Title 38 — the part of federal law covering veterans' benefits — to replace "employment handicap" with "employment barrier" everywhere those terms appear.
That's the entire bill. No new programs, no new money, no changed eligibility rules. The plural form gets the same treatment: "employment handicaps" becomes "employment barriers."
The terms show up in the rules governing the VA's Veteran Readiness and Employment program — the services that help veterans with service-connected disabilities find and keep jobs or retrain for new careers. Supporters say "barrier" is more accurate and less stigmatizing: it points to what's standing in a veteran's way rather than labeling the veteran.
It's a small change on paper, but it cleared the House on a bipartisan voice vote and now sits with the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Word choice in statute carries into VA forms, counselor guidance, and how the program talks about the people it serves.
H.R. 2625 Bill Summary
What H.R. 2625 actually does.
"Employment handicap" becomes "employment barrier"
The bill strikes the term "employment handicap" every place it occurs in Title 38 and inserts "employment barrier" in its place. The plural "employment handicaps" is likewise replaced with "employment barriers."
The change reaches across all of Title 38
This isn't a single-section edit. The replacement applies wherever the old terms appear in Title 38, so it touches the Veteran Readiness and Employment provisions and any other section using that language.
No new benefits, money, or eligibility rules
The bill text adds no funding, no deadlines, no age or income thresholds, and no penalties. It does not expand or cut any benefit — it only updates the words the statute uses.
Who benefits from H.R. 2625?
Veterans in VA job and vocational rehab programs
Veterans enrolled in the VA's Veteran Readiness and Employment program — many of them recovering from service-connected injuries — would no longer be described in federal law as having an "employment handicap."
VA counselors and staff
The employees who administer these programs would work from consistent statutory language, with "barrier" replacing "handicap" everywhere it appears in Title 38.
Advocates for person-centered language
Groups that have pushed to retire the word "handicap" from federal statute would see that change land in law. The bill drew a bipartisan set of cosponsors — Republicans Juan Ciscomani and Brian Fitzpatrick alongside Democrat Thomas Suozzi.
Who is affected by H.R. 2625?
Veterans covered by Title 38 employment provisions
The statutory language describing their employment-related challenges changes from "handicap" to "barrier" throughout the title that governs their benefits.
The Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA would update references in its rules, forms, and guidance to match the revised statute, replacing both the singular and plural terms wherever they appear.
Attorneys and policy professionals working under Title 38
Because the bill amends the U.S. Code itself, anyone who interprets or cites Title 38 would work from the updated terminology going forward.
HR2625 Legislative Journey
Committee Action
Jul 22, 2025
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
House: Vote Held
Jul 21, 2025
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3491)
House: Committee Action
Jun 25, 2025
Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-171.
House: Vote Held
May 6, 2025
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
House: Committee Action
Apr 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
About the Sponsor
Donald Davis
Democrat, North Carolina's 1st congressional district · 3 years in Congress
Committees: Agriculture, Armed Services
View full profile →
Cosponsors (3)
This bill has 3 cosponsors: 1 Democrat, 2 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 3 states: Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania.
Committee Sponsors
Veterans' Affairs Committee
0 of 19 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Veterans' Affairs Committee
1 of 24 committee members cosponsored
17 Democrats across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 2625 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Veterans' Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Introduced
- Apr 3, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Jul 22, 2025
Official Sources
The official Congress.gov page is the primary source for the bill text, status, sponsors, and actions for H.R. 2625.
VA's official Veteran Readiness and Employment page covers the vocational rehabilitation and employment services most directly implicated by the bill's terminology update.
This VA hub covers the employment-related services for veterans whose programs are governed by the Title 38 language the bill revises.
The Veterans Benefits Administration's VR&E hub details the job training and employment services the bill's 'handicap'-to-'barrier' change describes.
The Office of the Law Revision Counsel publishes the codified federal statutes, the authoritative source for the Title 38 terminology H.R. 2625 amends.
The bill was referred to this committee after passing the House, making it the body that decides whether H.R. 2625 advances in the Senate.
The House Veterans' Affairs Committee report accompanying H.R. 2625, explaining the rationale for the terminology change.
H.R. 2625 Common Questions
What does H.R. 2625 actually change?
It swaps two words in federal law. Everywhere Title 38 says "employment handicap," it would now say "employment barrier" — and "employment handicaps" becomes "employment barriers." That's the whole bill.
Will this change my VA benefits or eligibility?
No. The bill only updates terminology in Title 38. It adds no new eligibility rules, deadlines, or dollar amounts, and it doesn't expand or cut any benefit on its face.
Which veterans does this affect?
Veterans in the VA's job-readiness and Veteran Readiness and Employment (vocational rehab) services — the programs governed by Title 38, which is where the old "handicap" language appears.
Why replace "handicap" with "barrier"?
Supporters say "barrier" is more accurate and less stigmatizing — it names the obstacle in front of a veteran rather than labeling the veteran. The term "handicap" was written into the statute decades ago.
Has H.R. 2625 passed?
It passed the House by voice vote on July 21, 2025, and went to the Senate the next day, where it was referred to the Veterans' Affairs Committee. It is not yet law.
Does the change apply to one VA program or all of Title 38?
All of Title 38. The replacement applies in every instance the terms appear, not just one section — so it reaches the Veteran Readiness and Employment provisions and anywhere else that language is used.
What does the "VERY Act" stand for?
It's the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2025 — the official short title of H.R. 2625, shortened to the "VERY Act of 2025."
Based on H.R. 2625 bill text
H.R. 2625 Bill Text
“To amend title 38, United States Code, to update certain terminology regarding veteran employment.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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