Washington, DC –Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) last night helped the House pass a series of measures aimed at supporting our veterans.
“Our veterans have served our nation and it’s critical that we work together to serve them,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I am pleased the House passed these commonsense measures in a strong bipartisan fashion. As the proud Representative of more veterans than any other Member of Congress in New York, I will continue to prioritize their needs.”
The legislation passed out of the House yesterday includes:
1) H.R. 1972 - VA Billing Accountability Act, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to waive the requirement of certain veterans to make copayments for hospital care, nursing home care, medical services, or medications if 1) a VA error caused delayed notification of payment to the veteran and 2) the veteran received such notice more than 180 days after receiving the care at a VA facility or more than 18 months after receiving care at a non-VA facility.
2) H.R. 3642 - Military SAVE Act, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a three-year pilot program to improve access to private health care for veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma.
3) H.R. 3832 - Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill requires medical providers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who prescribe controlled substances to veterans to seek information regarding those veterans from state programs that monitor prescription drug use.
4) H.R. 4245 - Veterans’ Electronic Health Record Modernization Oversight Act of 2017 (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit to Congress documents related to managing the Electronic Health Record Modernization program and quarterly updates to certain documents.
5) H.R. 4830 - SIT-REP Act, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill would amend 38 U.S. Code § 3679 so that a school is not eligible for GI Bill benefits unless it adopts a policy that protects eligible student veterans, survivors, or dependents from policies that penalize these students for their inability to meet the institution’s financial obligations because of a delayed GI Bill payment.
6) H.R. 4958 - Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2018 (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill increase the rates of Wartime Disability Compensation, Compensation for Dependents, Clothing Allowance, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation to Surviving Spouse, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation to Children by the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act.
7) H.R. 5044 - Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill would amend 38 U.S. Code § 8127(k)(3) so that a surviving spouse of a less than 100% service-disabled veteran small business owner can maintain their priority status following their spouse’s death for three years, the date on which the surviving spouse remarries, or the date on which the surviving spouse relinquishes an ownership interest in the small business, whichever occurs first.
8) H.R. 5215 - Veterans Affairs Purchase Card Misuse Mitigation Act (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) |Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill requires the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to revoke the purchase card or approval authority from any employee who is found to have knowingly misused their card.
9) H.R. 5418 - Veterans Affairs Medical-Surgical Purchasing Stabilization Act, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program, to award procurement contracts to multiple regional vendors, rather than one nationwide vendor, when procuring medical supplies.
10) H.R. 4334 - Improving Oversight of Women Veterans’ Care Act of 2017 (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit reports to Congress on the availability of gender-specific services in the community to women veterans and environment of care standards for women veterans in VA medical facilities.
11) H.R. 4451 - Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2018, as amended (PDF)
Sponsor: Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) | Veterans Affairs Committee
Topline Summary: This bill as amended, would amend U.S. Code to provide a five year extension, through Fiscal Year 2022 of both the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs and the Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Program.
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