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. 656. Permanent extension of pilot program on acceptance by the Department of Veterans affairs of donated facilities and related improvements

(a) In general. Section 2 of the Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–294; 38 U.S.C. 8103 note) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking Pilot;

(2) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, by striking Pilot;

(3) by striking pilot each place it appears;

(4) by striking subsection (i); and

(5) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (i).

(b) Modification of acceptance of property. Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of such section is amended to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(1) the donation aligns with—

(A) a need identified in a Strategic Capital Investment Planning process priority list, a five-year development plan, a facility master plan, or an annual capital needs inventory of the Department; or

(B) any component or phase of a need described in paragraph (1); and

F Other Health Care Matters