H.R. 9237

Take Care of America’s Veterans Act

Sponsor: Mike Bost

30 cosponsors
Follow this bill

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

VI Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers

A Improvement of Veterans Community Care Program

Sec. 613. Oversight authority over community care

(a) In general. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include in each contract or agreement used to provide care or services through the Veterans Community Care Program provisions requiring the contractor and any subcontractor or participating provider to provide government officials, including the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, access, within a reasonable time and manner, to records, materials, documents, data, and personnel necessary to conduct audits, inspections, evaluations, or investigations related to such care or services.

(b) Third party administrators

(1) Requirement. The Secretary shall require third party administrators under the Veterans Community Care Program to include provisions in agreements with participating providers that are equivalent to the provisions required under subsection (a).

(2) Notification. Notification of the requirements under this section and any other related information as the Secretary determines appropriate shall be included in the provider handbooks of third party administrators under the Veterans Community Care Program.

(c) Standard contract language. The Secretary shall establish standard contract language under this section in consultation with the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(d) Veterans Community Care Program defined. In this section, the term Veterans Community Care Program means the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.

B Mental Health Treatment Programs

C Staffing Matters

D Optimization of Workforce

E Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation

F Other Health Care Matters