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

Sec. 107. Plan for use of automation tools to process claims under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

(a) In general. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives the plan of the Secretary to make available, to the maximum extent practicable, an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary.

(b) Automation tool described. An automation tool described in this subsection is a technology developed for the Compensation Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration that—

(1) automates the retrieval of the service record or health records of a veteran;

(2) compiles evidence relevant to the determination of a claim for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary;

(3) provides automated decision support relevant to such a determination;

(4) automates information sharing between Federal agencies; and

(5) assists in generating correspondence regarding such a claim.

(c) Analysis. In developing the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct an analysis of each of the following:

(1) The feasibility and benefits of the use of an automation tool described in subsection (b) by elements of the Department for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary.

(2) Any modification to an existing automation tool that could render such tool usable for such purpose by such an element.

(3) Any requirement of any such element pertaining to such purpose that cannot be addressed by using an automation tool.

(4) The extent to which the technology offices of such elements may need to collaborate with the technology office responsible for developing an automation tool in the course of the development and use of the tool by the element for such purpose.

(5) A timeline for modifying and implementing any automation tool for use by such elements for such purpose.

(d) Priority. In providing or expanding an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department pursuant to the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to the following elements:

(1) The Compensation Service.

(2) The Pension and Fiduciary Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration.

(3) The Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration.

(4) Program offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration, as determined by the Secretary.

(5) The Debt Management Center.

(6) The Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

(e) Other requirements relating to technology at Department of Veterans Affairs

(1) Automatic notices regarding benefits for certain children of veterans

(A) In general. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement policies, processes, and technological capabilities, including in the National Work Queue (or successor system), to ensure that, in the case of any covered situation, a claims processors is made aware of, and assigned to address, such covered situation.

(B) Definitions. In this subsection:

(i) The term covered situation means—

(I) any increase in the amount of dependency compensation paid to a beneficiary for a child under the laws administered by the Secretary; and

(II) any educational assistance paid to the child of a veteran under the laws administered by the Secretary.

(ii) The term child has the meaning given such term in section 101(4)(A)(iii) of title 38, United States Code.

(2) Correct labeling of documents. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan to ensure that documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System (or any successor system) are correctly labeled when such documents are uploaded, including when such documents are labeled using automation tools.

II Education and Economic Opportunity

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