PRO Veterans Act Mandates Quarterly VA Budget Briefings, Establishes Vet Experience Office Until 2028

The PRO Veterans Act of 2025 tackles two distinct areas within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): how it manages its money and how it interacts with the veterans it serves. The bill requires the VA Secretary to give Congress quarterly updates on the department's budget for the next three years, specifically flagging any funding "shortfalls" – situations where the VA needs more money than it asked for – and explaining the plan to fix them. It also establishes a new Veterans Experience Office, but with a catch: this office is set to expire on September 30, 2028.

Keeping Tabs on the VA's Wallet (and Perks)

Beyond the budget check-ins, Section 1 of the act, officially the "Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act," puts limits on certain financial perks for the VA's top managers, known as the Senior Executive Service (SES). Specifically, it amends Title 38, Section 706(d) of the U.S. Code to block "critical skill incentives" (essentially bonuses to attract or keep talent in hard-to-fill roles) for any SES employee based at the VA's Central Office in Washington D.C.

For SES managers working outside the main headquarters, these incentives are still possible but face new hurdles: they must be approved on an individual basis (no group awards) and get sign-off from several high-level officials, including Under Secretaries and the Chief Financial Officer. If an employee splits time between HQ and a field office, any incentive has to be proportional to the time spent outside the Central Office. The VA will also need to report annually to Congress on which SES employees received these incentives. This could mean less flexibility in rewarding top brass at headquarters, potentially impacting recruitment or retention for key leadership roles, while aiming for tighter control over incentive spending.

Dialing In on the Veteran Experience (Temporarily)

Section 2, the "Improving Veterans Experience Act of 2025," creates a dedicated Veterans Experience Office (VEO) within the VA. Led by a Chief Veterans Experience Officer (CVEO), this office is tasked with improving how veterans interact with the VA. Think of it as a customer service hub focused specifically on veteran satisfaction.

The CVEO's job includes:

• Overseeing initiatives to make using VA benefits smoother and more satisfying.
• Collecting and analyzing data on veteran satisfaction across different benefits and demographics.
• Figuring out why some vets aren't using benefits (Are they unaware? Is access too hard?) and suggesting fixes.
• Checking VA websites and communications for clarity and accuracy.
• Advising the VA Secretary on improving overall customer service.

This office has to report its findings annually to the Secretary, who then briefs Congress. The goal seems clear: use direct veteran feedback to make tangible improvements. However, this entire VEO structure is temporary, scheduled to sunset on September 30, 2028. Before it potentially disappears, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to review its effectiveness, including how the VA uses metrics like "trust scores," and report back to Congress within about 18 months of the Act passing. So, while it promises a focus on user experience, its long-term future isn't guaranteed by this bill.