H.R. 9237

Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Sponsor: Mike Bost

30 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Take Care of America's Veterans Act

This bill addresses veterans’ benefits, health care, counseling, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel, VA infrastructure, and the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP).

The bill modifies various compensation programs for veterans, including by (1) allowing concurrent receipt of disability compensation and military retired pay for certain retirees with a combat-related disability, (2) extending entitlement for various benefits and services to remarried surviving spouses, (3) increasing the rate of dependency and indemnity compensation, and (4) establishing a supplemental monthly allowance for certain disabled veterans.

The bill also addresses VA education and training benefits, including by (1) modifying which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits, (2) requiring Transition Assistance Program counseling to include a presentation about VA benefits, and (3) increasing the housing allowance rate for individuals pursuing apprenticeships.

The bill revises health care provisions, including by (1) expanding support and assistance provided to family caregivers, (2) extending the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, and (3) expanding the scope of VA mental health research.

Among other elements, the bill

  • revises VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus;
  • expands eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for the spouse, surviving spouse, child, or dependent of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces;
  • addresses the administration of the VCCP and codifies the eligibility standards;
  • establishes a standardized screening process for priority or routine admission to certain mental health care programs; and
  • addresses VA personnel, hiring, and infrastructure matters.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I Compensation

II Education and Economic Opportunity

III Health Care

IV Organization

V Memorial Affairs

VI Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers

A Improvement of Veterans Community Care Program

B Mental Health Treatment Programs

C Staffing Matters

D Optimization of Workforce

Sec. 642. Department of Veterans Affairs reduction in force notice requirement

(a) In general. Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 2(a), is further amended by inserting after section 729 the following new section:

Text this section adds to the law

729A. Reductions in force

(a) Notice required. In any case in which the Secretary plans to carry out a reduction in force, the Secretary shall, not later than the date that is 60 days before the date on which the Secretary commences carrying out such reduction in force, submit to the appropriate committees of Congress and the employees of the Department who will be affected by the reduction in force notice of the intention of the Secretary to carry out such reduction in force.

(b) Limitation. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may not carry out any reduction in force with respect to any employee who has not received the notice required under subsection (a) in the manner and within the time required by such subsection.

(c) Contents. Notice regarding plans to carry out a reduction in force submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) The total number of employees of the Department who will be affected by the reduction.

(2) The offices of the Department that will be affected by the reduction, including, for each such office, the following:

(A) The location of the office.

(B) The program of the Department carried out by the office.

(C) The total number of employees of the office before and after the reduction in force.

(D) The services provided by the office.

(3) A justification for the reduction in force, including how—

(A) the new staffing levels resulting from the reduction in force align with the current and future projected demand for benefits and services administered by the Department, disaggregated for each component by facility location, facility type, region, administration, program office, the type of benefit or service, and such other categories as the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(B) the reduction in force aligns with the strategic human capital plan required by section 729 of this title.

(4) Budgetary effects of the reduction in force.

(5) An assessment of the anticipated impact of the reduction in force on the delivery of benefits and services furnished by the Department and the actions the Secretary plans to take to mitigate any adverse impacts.

(d) Equal content. A notice regarding a reduction in force sent to an employee pursuant to subsection (a) shall be the same as the notice submitted under such subsection to Congress for the same reduction in force.

(e) Administrative remedy. Effect of Noncompliance. A reduction in force carried out with respect to an employee in violation of subsection (b) shall have no force or effect with respect to such employee until the Secretary complies with subsection (a).

(f) Definitions. In this section:

(1) The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(2) The term reduction in force means any action that would have required notice under part 351 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1,2026.

(b) Clerical amendment. The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended by section 2(b), is further amended by inserting after the item relating to section 729 the following new item:

Text this section adds to the law

729A. Reductions in force.

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

F Other Health Care Matters