WC Wisconsin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), a former Navy SEAL, announced the securement of multiple provisions in the House Armed Services Committee’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The FY25 NDAA emphasizes improving the quality of life for servicemembers and their families during and after their service. Rep. Van Orden has been instrumental in addressing these issues as Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, in collaboration with the Armed Services Committee.

“I dedicated 26 years to serving the United States and defending freedom around the world,” said Congressman Van Orden. “As such, I have gone through the transition of active-duty servicemember to veteran, and I can say that it is not an easy transition to go through. That is why we must start transition assistance before servicemembers separate from the military. My number one goal in Congress is to reduce veteran suicide, and as Chairman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I have worked diligently to create upstream solutions to address this deeply troubling issue. I am very proud to have had a number of my policies and priorities included in the committee's FY25 NDAA that invest in our troops while they depart from their military duties, and I thank Chairman Rogers for his support on these important provisions.”

Congressman Van Orden’s priorities in the FY25 NDAA include:

- The TAP Promotion Act: This act allows representatives of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) to provide information to military members participating in pre-separation counseling under the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

- The Ensuring Military Access to Higher Education Benefits Act of 2024: This act streamlines the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program application process, making it easier for current and former military servicemembers to have their direct loans forgiven.

- Increasing leave rates for National Guardsmen and Reservists from 15 days to 20 days based on language found in Rep. Van Orden’s Reserve and National Guard Military Leave Enhancement Act.

- Extending financial counseling for servicemembers going through TAP and establishing a counseling pathway specific for Reservists, based on language found in Rep. Van Orden’s Enhancing the Transitioning Servicemember’s Experience Act.