The House Veterans Affairs subcommittee on economic opportunity approved several measures that would improve benefits for spouses, veterans who are looking for employment or to continue their education, and other areas, on Oct. 8. Among them:
* H.R. 1182 would extend identical residency rights to military spouses as those of active-duty service members;
* H.R. 2416 would require VA contracting officers to buy goods and supplies through federal supply schedules from veteran-owned small businesses whenever possible;
* H.R. 2614 would extend the existence of the Veterans Advisory Committee on Education through the end of 2015:
* H.R. 1168 would provide living stipends and moving assistance to veterans who have been unemployed for at least four months, provided they are not eligible for VA education and training, and are enrolled in a Department of Labor retraining program;
* H.R. 2696 would expand the Servicemembers’ Rights Protection Act to cover service members who wish to cancel certain contracts because they receive permanent-change-of-station orders to locales where contract services are unavailable;
* H.R. 2461 would require the VA to list veteran-owned or disabled veteran-owned businesses in its vendor information pages;
* H.R. 2874 would require greater relief and flexibility for service members who are called to active duty or are deployed, and their family members, when they seek adjustments or changes in cell phone plans, rental leases, and motor vehicle leases. The measures will be considered by the full House Veterans’ Affairs Committee at a future date.