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. 211. Improving emerging technology opportunities for veterans

(a) Inclusion of emerging technologies in high technology program

(1) In general. Section 3699C of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in the section heading by striking High technology and inserting High technology and emerging technology;

(B) by striking high technology and inserting high technology or emerging technology each place such term appears; and

(C) in subsection (c)(4) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(E) Such criteria shall also identify which technologies of critical importance, such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing, shall be treated as emerging technologies for purposes of this section.

(2) Clerical amendment. The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 36 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 3699C and inserting the following new item:

Text this section adds to the law

3699C. High technology and emerging technology program.

(3) Conforming amendments. Section 3680A of title 38, United States Code, is amended in subsections (a)(4)(B) and (d)(8) by striking high technology each place such term appears and inserting high technology or emerging technology.

(b) Employment rate calculation for VET-TEC high technology and emerging technology program. Section 3699C of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (f)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting after House of Representatives the following: , and make available to the public,; and

(B) in paragraph (3) by adding at the end the following: Such rate shall be calculated as a fraction, the denominator of which is the number of covered individuals who completed such a program during such year and the numerator of which is the number of individuals counted in the denominator who are employed on the date that is 180 days after the date on which the individual completed the program, and expressed as a percentage. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the numerator shall not count a case in which the individual is employed by the same organization that was the provider of the individual’s program of education or a case in which the individual is employed, by a parent or affiliate of such organization, as an instructor for a substantially similar program of education. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall also report the rates of full-time employment, part-time employment, and self-employment.; and

(2) in subsection (g) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

Text this section adds to the law

(3) The Secretary on an ongoing basis shall solicit, collect, and analyze feedback about the program from covered individuals who participate in the program and from the GI Bill School Feedback Tool. The Secretary shall use such feedback to evaluate and improve the implementation of the program.

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