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

Sec. 207. Transition Assistance Program: presentation in preseparation counseling to promote benefits available to veterans

(a) In general. Section 1142(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(20) A presentation that promotes the benefits available to veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such presentation—

(A) shall be standardized;

(B) shall, before implementation, be reviewed and approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of Defense in collaboration with veterans service organizations that provide claims assistance under the benefits delivery at discharge program of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(C) shall be submitted by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives for review at least 90 days before implementation;

(D) where available, shall be presented with the participation of—

(i) an employee or representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs assisted by a representative of a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of title 38; or

(ii) an employee or representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs assisted by an individual recognized under section 5903 of such title and authorized by the Secretary concerned to so participate;

(E) shall include information on how a veterans service organization may assist the member in filing a claim described in paragraph (19);

(F) may not encourage the member to join a particular veterans service organization; and

(G) may not be longer than one hour.

(b) Annual report. Not less frequently than once each year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit, to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives, and to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives, a report that—

(1) identifies each veterans service organization that participated in a presentation under paragraph (20) of section 1142(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a);

(2) contains the number of members of the Armed Forces who attended such presentations; and

(3) includes any recommendations of the Secretary regarding changes to such presentation or to such paragraph.

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

F Other Health Care Matters