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. 313. Timely reporting of the death of a veteran

(a) Findings. Congress finds the following:

(1) States and counties have reported significant delays in the signing of death certificates for veterans who pass away from natural causes.

(2) Such delays, caused by the refusal of, or postponement by, physicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs have, in some cases, lasted as long as eight weeks.

(3) Such delays prevent the timely burial of deceased veterans and access to survivor benefits.

(b) Timely certification of the death of a veteran

(1) In general

(A) VA physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Subject to subparagraph (B), a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs who is the primary care provider of a veteran who dies of natural causes shall certify the death of such veteran not later than two business days after such physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant learns of such death.

(B) Coroner or medical examiner. If a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant described in subparagraph (A) cannot comply with such paragraph with respect to a death described in such paragraph, a coroner or medical examiner in the jurisdiction where such death occurred may certify such death.

(2) Report

(A) In general. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following five years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report regarding compliance with paragraph (1).

(B) Elements. Each report required under subparagraph (A) shall include, with respect to the year preceding the date of the report, the following elements:

(i) The percentage of cases in which a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant employed by the Secretary complied with paragraph (1)(A).

(ii) The number of cases in which such a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant could not so comply.

(iii) An identification of the most common reasons why such a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant could not so comply.

(3) Rule of construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a physician assistant or nurse practitioner to certify a death in any State in which such authority is not permitted under State or local law.

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