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. 662. Report on capital asset and information technology needs of the research and development program of Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Report required. Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the capital asset and information technology needs of the research and development program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(b) Contents

(1) In general. The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(A) A comprehensive summary of new facilities, renovations of existing facilities, leasing of facilities, and any other such facilities or physical infrastructure the Department requires to effectively perform its research and development functions, including projected functions.

(B) Detailed information on the information technology resources, projects, equipment, and related information technology needs, disaggregated by type of information technology funding categories, such as development or operations and maintenance, the Department requires in order to make the research and development program and activities of the Department functional and high-performing in the short-, medium-, and long-term, and those needed to enable employees of the Department to perform their research and development activities in an effective and efficient manner.

(C) Such matters as the Secretary determines relevant to maintain and further improve and advance the research and development functions of the Department through improved capital asset and information technology support.

(2) Requirements

(A) Facilities

(i) Summaries by project. In providing information under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall provide estimated summaries for each project with cost data as well as a realistic multi-year plan to design and deliver the capital asset projects, assuming required funding is provided.

(ii) Identification of projects. The Secretary shall identify each project under paragraph (1)(A) by its project type, such as major construction, minor construction, nonrecurring maintenance, major lease, minor lease, or such other category as the Secretary determines may be appropriate.

(B) Information technology. In providing information under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall provide estimated summaries for each project or investment with individual and total cost data as well as a realistic multi-year plan to develop relevant requirements and acquire and deploy the relevant information technology services, projects, equipment, and related matters.

(C) Scope. The scope of the report submitted under subsection (a) is on the capital asset, information technology, and other related critical support functions, excluding human capital related needs, needed for the Department to perform research and development in an effective and efficient manner.

(c) Considerations. In preparing the report required by subsection (a), the Secretary may consider the following:

(1) The findings of the 2012 final report of the Research Infrastructure Program of the Department.

(2) Current and updated data providing the most accurate and holistic presentation of the physical infrastructure, information technology, and other relevant support function needs of the research and development program of the Department.

(3) Such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate.

F Other Health Care Matters