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. 653. Use of commercial construction and facilities code and standards

(a) In general. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use commercial codes and standards instead of or in addition to Federal codes and standards in the construction or alteration of facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, where such commercial codes and standards do not conflict with statutory and regulatory requirements.

(b) Pilot projects. The Secretary shall under take not fewer than three pilot projects during each of fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031 utilizing commercial codes and standards instead of Federal codes and standards to lease or construct facilities of the Department for major construction, minor construction, or major lease projects.

(c) Reports. The Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives not later than 90 days after the end of each of fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031 detailing the use by the Secretary of the authority provided by subsection (a) and conduct of each pilot project required by subsection (b) that was initiated, ongoing, or completed during the fiscal year.

(d) Definitions. In this section:

(1) Commercial codes and standards. The term commercial codes and standards means building codes or standards of the following:

(A) The National Fire Protection Association.

(B) The International Code Council.

(C) The American Society for Testing and Materials.

(D) The American Society of Civil Engineers.

(E) Any other building code or standard, other than those described in (2), determined by the Secretary.

(2) Federal codes and standards. The term Federal codes and standards means the following:

(A) Building codes or standards specific to one or more Federal agencies.

(B) Building codes or standards specific to the Department, including the Technical Information Library.

(C) Standards of the Federal Guidelines Institute.

F Other Health Care Matters