The U.S. House of Representatives has passed two bipartisan bills led by Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) aimed at increasing support and resources for veterans. Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, represents Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, which includes nearly 80,000 veterans.
Ciscomani addressed the House before the passage of both bills. His remarks on H.R. 3579 and H.R. 3951 are available online.
H.R. 3579, known as the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Integrity Act, seeks to improve oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program. The legislation requires the VA to track employment outcomes and wait times for participants in the program, with the goal of improving accountability and enabling Congress to better evaluate its effectiveness.
H.R. 3951, titled Rural Veterans Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025, is designed to help rural veterans receive timely physician examinations needed for care and benefits. The bill allows VA providers to perform cross-state disability exams permanently and expands eligibility so that all licensed health care professionals can conduct these exams. Supporters say this will address examiner shortages in rural areas and reduce wait times for veterans seeking benefits.
Following passage of the bills, Congressman Ciscomani stated:
“Arizona is home to nearly 80,000 veterans, and I am committed to ensuring they receive the resources, care, and opportunities they have earned through their service. The passage of these two bipartisan bills is a meaningful step forward in delivering results for our veterans—whether by improving oversight of the VA’s Readiness and Employment program or by ensuring timely access to benefits for rural veterans. I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance solutions that honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes.”
Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy also commented:
“As both a veteran and the Chair of Congressman Ciscomani’s Veterans Advisory Council, I know how important these bills are to our community. Too often, veterans face unnecessary delays and roadblocks when trying to access the benefits and programs they’ve earned. By improving oversight of the VA’s Readiness and Employment program and expanding access to medical exams for rural veterans, Congressman Ciscomani is delivering real solutions that will make a direct impact in the lives of veterans across Arizona. I am proud to support his leadership on these issues and grateful for his unwavering commitment to those who have served.”
Both pieces of legislation now move on to consideration in the Senate.
This legislative action adds to previous efforts by Ciscomani earlier this year with two other bills: H.R. 35 (the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act), which introduces new federal criminal offenses related to fleeing law enforcement near U.S. borders; and H.R. 1228 (the Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act), which restores direct access for survivors’ assistance within the VA Secretary’s office.
Juan Ciscomani currently serves as U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 6th district after replacing Ann Kirkpatrick in 2023.
In recent elections, Ciscomani won against Kirsten Engel twice: first in 2022 with just over half the vote share (50.7% vs 49.2%), then again in 2024 by a similar margin (50% vs 47.5%).
