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

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

Sec. 652. Modification of authority for sharing of health-care resources of Department of Veterans Affairs to include flexible space utilization and streamlined service agreements

Section 8153 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(3)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting physical before space;

(B) in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting physical before space;

(C) by striking subparagraph (E);

(D) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively;

(E) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph (C):

Text this section adds to the law

(C) If the health-care resource required is physical space or common services with respect to existing buildings and is to be acquired from an institution affiliated with the Department in accordance with section 7302 of this title or another entity, the Secretary may enter into contracts or agreements for the acquisition of the space or service—

(i) without regard to any law or regulation (including any Executive order, circular, or other administrative policy) that would otherwise require the use of competitive procedures for acquiring the resource; and

(ii) if all obligations are funded through available appropriations or borne by the institution or entity, without regard to any limitations applicable to leases of the Department, if, in the case of a multi-year space-sharing agreement, the agreement—

(I) requires that payments for each fiscal year be made only from appropriated funds and available that year; and

(II) includes a provision that the Government’s obligations for future years is contingent upon availability of appropriations.

(F) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated by subparagraph (D) of this paragraph, by striking subparagraph (A) or (B) and inserting subparagraph (A), (B), or (C);

(2) by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(h) In this section:

(1) The term commercial service means a service that is offered and sold competitively in the commercial marketplace, is performed under standard commercial terms and conditions, and is procured using firm-fixed price contracts.

(2) The term common service means a commercial service necessary to maintain or operate existing physical space, including maintenance, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electricity, energy, water, wastewater, landscaping, security, laundry, or any other service as determined by the Secretary.

(3) The term physical space means a portion of a building or parking facilities.

F Other Health Care Matters