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

Sec. 502. Department of Veterans Affairs provision of additional burial benefits when an urn or commemorative plaque is furnished

(a) In general. Paragraph (2) of section 2306(h) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(2) If the Secretary furnishes an urn or commemorative plaque for an individual under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not provide for such individual a headstone or marker under this section, or any interment benefit under section 2402 of this title, unless—

(A) in the case of a request for a headstone or marker under this section—

(i) such request is made at the same time as a request for placement of a headstone or marker for another individual who is eligible to have such a headstone or marker placed in a national cemetery, a veterans’ cemetery in receipt of a grant made under section 2408 of this title, or a post cemetery; and

(ii) the Secretary furnishes one headstone or marker inscribed for both individuals; or

(B) in the case of a request for interment, the individual is interred at the same time and in the same gravesite as the interment of another individual eligible for interment in a national cemetery under section 2402(a) of this title.

(b) Applicability. The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to an individual who dies on or after January 5, 2021.

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