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

Sec. 309. Furnishing of certain health services to veterans in the Freely Associated States

(a) Requirement to furnish certain health services to veterans in the Freely Associated States

(1) Agreements required. Consistent with section 1724(f) of title 38, United States Code, and section 209(a)(4)(A) of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024 (48 U.S.C. 1988(a)(4)(A)), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall work expeditiously with the governments of the Freely Associated States to enter into the agreements described in such sections.

(2) Inclusion of telehealth and mail order pharmacy services required. Consistent with such sections and with the agreements required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall furnish to veterans in the Freely Associated States services that include, at a minimum—

(A) medical services authorized to be provided under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, which can be administered through telehealth; and

(B) pharmaceutical products authorized to be provided under such chapter, delivered by mail.

(3) Implementation dates. In carrying out paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall—

(A) initiate outreach to each such government not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act;

(B) enter into each agreement required by paragraph (1) not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(C) begin furnishing the services required by subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(4) Beneficiary travel. Section 111(h)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the Secretary may make payments and inserting beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, the Secretary shall make payments.

(5) Reports. Not less frequently than quarterly, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the implementation of this section and the cost of such implementation. Until the Secretary has entered into the agreements required by paragraph (1) and begun furnishing the services required by subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2), the report shall also describe the technical and logistical factors that have prevented or impeded the Secretary from doing so.

(6) Definitions. In this subsection:

(A) Appropriate committees of Congress. The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(i) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(ii) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(B) Freely Associated States. The term Freely Associated States has the meaning given such term in section 1724(f) of title 38, United States Code.

(b) Assignment of traveling physicians to serve veterans in Freely Associated States

(1) In general. Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

Text this section adds to the law

7415. Traveling physicians for veterans in Freely Associated States. The Secretary may assign a physician appointed under section 7401 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year. A traveling physician shall provide health care to veterans residing in the Freely Associated States (as defined in section 1724(f) of this title).

(2) Clerical amendment. The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 7414 the following new item:

Text this section adds to the law

7415. Traveling physicians for veterans in Freely Associated States.

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