VERY Act Swaps 'Employment Handicap' for 'Employment Barrier' in Veteran Laws: A Simple Terminology Update

The Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2025—or the VERY Act—is a short piece of legislation focused entirely on updating the language used when discussing veteran employment issues in federal law. If you’re busy and just need the summary: this bill is a terminology swap, not a benefit change.

The Lexicon Upgrade

What the VERY Act does is straightforward: it mandates replacing the term "employment handicap" with the more modern and less loaded phrase "employment barrier" across Title 38 of the U.S. Code. This title deals with all things related to Veterans’ benefits, including job training and readiness programs. Essentially, every time the law currently uses the word "handicap" in this context, it will now say "barrier" (Section 2).

This isn't just about semantics; it’s about modernizing how the government talks about challenges faced by veterans seeking jobs. A "barrier" suggests an external obstacle that can be removed or overcome, while "handicap" often carries connotations of an inherent limitation. For veterans utilizing programs like Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E), this change reflects a shift toward a more proactive, solutions-oriented approach in the official language.

Real-World Impact: Mostly Administrative

For the average veteran, this change won't immediately alter their benefits, eligibility, or the services they receive from the VA. The rules for who qualifies for job training, education assistance, or job placement services remain exactly the same. However, it does streamline the language for the VA staff and legal teams who administer these programs. They now have one consistent, updated term to use in all official documentation, training manuals, and program descriptions.

Think of it this way: if your company decided to stop calling its IT department “Data Processing” and started calling it “Digital Infrastructure,” the work they do is the same, but the language is cleaner and more current. The VERY Act is doing the same for veteran employment statutes. It’s a clean-up job, ensuring that the legal language around veteran support is as current and respectful as possible, which is a small but important step toward better policy communication.