S. 423 — what changed

added “(7)

added “(A) Subject to subparagraph (B)(ii), a critical skill incentive may not be provided under paragraph (1) to an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, whose position is at the Central Office of the Department, including the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration, regardless of the actual location where the employee performs the functions of the position.

added “(B)

added “(i) A critical skill incentive provided under paragraph (1) to an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, not described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph may only be provided—

added “(I) on an individual basis and may not be provided to a group of such employees; and

added “(II) upon approval of the following officers or those serving in an acting capacity:

added “(aa) The Under Secretary for Benefits, the Under Secretary for Health, or the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs.

added “(bb) The Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration.

added “(cc) The Director of the Office of Management or the Chief Financial Officer.

added “(dd) The Assistant Secretary for Accountability and Whistleblower Protection.

added “(ee) The General Counsel.

added “(ff) Such other officers as the Secretary determines appropriate.

added “(ii) In the case of an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, whose position is primarily at the Central Office of the Department, but who performs some portion of the employee’s job function at other facilities of the Department, as defined by the Secretary, not at Central Office—

added “(I) the employee shall not be considered described in subparagraph (A) with respect to the portion of the employee’s job function that is based out of non-Central Office facilities of the Department; and

added “(II) any critical skill incentive provided under paragraph (1) to the employee for the portion of the employee’s job function that is based out of facilities of the Department other than the Central Office shall be proportionate to the time spent at those Department facilities.

added “(C)

added “(i) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025, and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an annual report on the employees of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, who were provided a critical skill incentive under paragraph (1).

added “(ii) Reports submitted pursuant to clause (i) may be submitted by incorporating their contents into other congressionally mandated reports to the committees described in such clause.

added “(D) In this paragraph, the term Senior Executive Service position has the meaning given such term in section 3132(a) of title 5.”

removed This Act may be cited as the “Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025” or the “PRO Veterans Act of 2025”.

added “325. Veterans experience office

added “(a) Establishment—There is established in the Department within the Office of the Secretary an office to be known as the “Veterans Experience Office” (in this section referred to as the “Office”).

added “(b) Head of office

added “(1) The head of the Office shall be the Chief Veterans Experience Officer.

added “(2) The Chief Veterans Experience Officer shall—

added “(A) be appointed by the Secretary from among individuals the Secretary considers qualified to perform the duties of the position;

added “(B) report directly to the Secretary; and

added “(C) be responsible for carrying out the functions of the Office set forth under subsection (c).

added “(c) Function—The functions of the Office are as follows:

added “(1) Carrying out the key customer experience initiatives of the Department relating to veterans' and other beneficiaries' satisfaction with and usage of benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the Secretary for which they are eligible, including setting the strategy, framework, policy, and other guidance for the Department relating to customer experience, including ensuring the activities of the Office and those of other organizations and offices within the Department are coordinated and not duplicative.

added “(2) Requiring the heads of other organizations and offices within the Department to report regularly on customer experience metrics, action plans, and other customer experience improvement efforts to the Chief Veterans Experience Officer.

added “(3) Collecting veteran-derived data—

added “(A) to determine veteran and beneficiary satisfaction with and usage of the benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the Secretary for which they are eligible; and

added “(B) to be considered during policymaking.

added “(4) Providing strategic guidance and strategies to Department entities for engaging with veterans and beneficiaries regarding benefits and services furnished under laws administered by the Secretary, including those not using such benefits and services.

added “(5) Assessing and advising the Secretary on the accuracy and helpfulness of the websites and other customer-facing information of the Department, be it available electronically or in any other format.

added “(6) Assessing and advising the Secretary on the status and opportunities for improvement of the customer service efforts of the Department.

added “(d) Reports

added “(1) Each year, the Chief Veterans Experience Officer shall submit to the Secretary a summary of the data received by the Chief Veterans Experience Officer under subsection (c)(2).

added “(2) Each year, not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary receives the summary under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual summary and analysis of the matters summarized pursuant to such paragraph.

added “(3) Each annual summary submitted pursuant to paragraph (2) shall include the following:

added “(A) Data regarding customer service and experience feedback, disaggregated by benefit or service furnished under laws administered by the Secretary, and relevant demographic data of the veterans and beneficiaries providing the feedback.

added “(B) Data regarding veteran and beneficiary satisfaction with and usage of benefits or services, disaggregated by benefit or service furnished under laws administered by the Secretary, and relevant demographic data of the veterans and beneficiaries providing the feedback, including—

added “(i) potential reasons for not using the benefits or services, such as—

added “(I) eligibility;

added “(II) lack of knowledge or awareness of existence of benefit or service;

added “(III) barriers of technology, information, or time; and

added “(IV) other related reasons; and

added “(ii) an analysis of how such reasons may be addressed.

added “(e) Staff and resources

added “(1) The Secretary shall ensure that—

added “(A) the Office has such staff, resources, and access to customer service and experience information as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Office; and

added “(B) any information provided to the Office does not include personally identifiable information of an individual veteran, survivor, dependent, or other beneficiary unless such individual provides appropriate consent to allow such information to be shared with the Office.

added “(2) Funds available for basic pay and other administrative expenses of other Department organizations and offices may be available to reimburse the Office for all services provided at rates which will recover actual costs for services provided to such organizations if the Secretary determines that contributing to such costs will not undermine the ability of any such organization or office to provide services required by such office.

added “(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize an increase in the number of full-time employees otherwise authorized for the Department.

added “(f) Privacy—Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the Chief Veterans Experience Officer to disclose any record in contravention of section 552a of title 5 (commonly referred to as the “Privacy Act of 1974”).

added “(g) Sunset—The requirements and authorities of this section shall terminate on September 30, 2028.”

removed “(7)

removed “(A) Subject to subparagraph (B)(ii), a critical skill incentive may not be provided under paragraph (1) to an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, whose position is at the Central Office of the Department, including the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration, regardless of the actual location where the employee performs the functions of the position.

removed “(B)

removed “(i) A critical skill incentive provided under paragraph (1) to an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, not described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph may only be provided—

removed “(I) on an individual basis and may not be provided to a group of such employees; and

removed “(II) upon approval of the following officers or those serving in an acting capacity:

removed “(aa) The Under Secretary for Benefits, the Under Secretary for Health, or the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs.

removed “(bb) The Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration.

removed “(cc) The Director of the Office of Management or the Chief Financial Officer.

removed “(dd) The Assistant Secretary for Accountability and Whistleblower Protection.

removed “(ee) The General Counsel.

removed “(ff) Such other officers as the Secretary determines appropriate.

removed “(ii) In the case of an employee of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, whose position is primarily at the Central Office of the Department, but who performs some portion of the employee’s job function at other facilities of the Department, as defined by the Secretary, not at Central Office—

removed “(I) the employee shall not be considered described in subparagraph (A) with respect to the portion of the employee’s job function that is based out of non-Central Office facilities of the Department; and

removed “(II) any critical skill incentive provided under paragraph (1) to the employee for the portion of the employee’s job function that is based out of facilities of the Department other than the Central Office shall be proportionate to the time spent at those Department facilities.

removed “(C)

removed “(i) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025, and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives an annual report on the employees of the Department employed in a Senior Executive Service position, or a position in another comparable system for senior-level Government employees, as defined by the Secretary, who were provided a critical skill incentive under paragraph (1).

removed “(ii) Reports submitted pursuant to clause (i) may be submitted by incorporating their contents into other congressionally mandated reports to the committees described in such clause.

removed “(D) In this paragraph, the term Senior Executive Service position has the meaning given such term in section 3132(a) of title 5.”