Ciscomani Applauds House Passage of Flagship Veterans Package for the 118th Congress
November 18, 2024
WASHINGTON - U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) applauded the House passage of his legislation to reform and improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and empower veterans as they begin their transition back into civilian life as well as improve programs for those and their families who transitioned already. The bill passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis by a vote of 389-9. This is the sixth bill Ciscomani has passed in his first term in Congress.
Ciscomani’s legislation, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 8371) is the flagship veterans package for the 118th Congress and encompasses a number of bipartisan, bicameral provisions to modernize the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the VA, expand access to job training and employment opportunities, address veteran homelessness, and more.
One provision included in this package builds upon a previous push by Ciscomani to reauthorize the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET-TEC) program to cover costs for veterans seeking job training in high-tech industries. Currently, the program has an 84 percent graduation rate for the 12,000 veterans who’ve already completed it. Ciscomani’s bill, the VET-TEC Authorization Act (H.R. 1669), passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis on May 24, 2024.
“As a proud member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I will continue to work to empower our veterans as they transition back to civilian life and ensure that they receive the benefits they need - and earned - from the VA,” said Ciscomani. “The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act makes great strides to close gaps in economic opportunity and care by reforming and modernizing the VA, cutting unnecessary red-tape, expanding access to employment opportunities, addressing veteran homelessness, and improving the delivery of care and benefits, whether at the VA or at home. I worked with leaders on the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on this legislation and I am proud to see it pass the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to consider this legislation before the end of the year.”
“America owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the men and women who served this country, and it is Congress’ duty to ensure these heroes are taken care of after service," said Speaker Mike Johnson. "The Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare Benefits and Improvement Act includes significant reforms to the delivery of VA services and healthcare, and is the byproduct of years-long, good faith, bipartisan work. I thank Chairman Bost for his leadership in getting this bill across the finish line and for helping deliver on the promise we made to our veterans."
“The men and women who have risked their lives to serve our country and protect our freedoms deserve quality healthcare, economic and educational opportunities, and a VA that puts them first. The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act contains several pieces of legislation that aim to upgrade the care our veterans and their families receive and cut the bureaucracy from the VA’s service,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise. “I want to thank Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Chairman Mike Bost, and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee for putting together this vital and meaningful legislation to fight for what our veterans have earned and the care they deserve. House Republicans are following through on our commitment to better the care our veterans receive and hold the VA accountable to them, their families, and taxpayers.”
“The least we can do for the brave men and women who have served our country is ensure they receive the quality health care and benefits they deserve. We’re grateful for Chairman Bost and Congressman Ciscomani’s leadership in delivering tangible results for veterans and their families,” said Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
“For nearly two years we have been listening to the veteran community to find the gaps within VA’s services to build a VA that meets the needs of today’s community and puts veterans – not government bureaucracy – at the center of the system. The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act will help to meet that mission head-on,” said House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bost. “I want to thank my friend from Arizona, Rep. Ciscomani, for his leadership on this bipartisan veterans’ package which would grow job opportunities for veterans, improve the VA community care program to protect veterans’ healthcare choice, cut through the red tape for disability benefits, get veterans out of homelessness, and so much more. The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act would also expand elderly care options for aging veterans and improve mental health care access for veteran caregivers – our nation’s Hidden Heroes – in honor of Senator Elizabeth Dole, this bills namesake. Just two weeks ago, the American people voted and gave Congress a mandate to get the government working again and fix the problems that families talk about around their kitchen tables. House Republicans passed this bipartisan bill out of the House tonight to begin that work for veterans and their families.”
Watch Ciscomani’s remarks in support of his legislation here.
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act is supported is supported by over 50 organizations, including: The American Legion (TAL), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Student Veterans of America (SVA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), Mission Roll Call (MRC), Black Veterans Empowerment Council (BVEC), National Association of State Approving Agencies (NASAA), National Association of Veteran Program Administrators (NAVPA), National PACE Association, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), Hospice Action Network (HAN), and the National Association of State Veterans Homes (NASVH). Homelessness Prevention Groups: National Coalition of Homeless Veterans (NCHV), U.S. VETS, New England Center and Home for Veterans, Nation’s Finest. VET-TEC Education Training Providers: TLG Learning, Divergence Academy, Skill Distillery, Intellectual Point, Prime Digital Academy, VET TEC Working Group, Galvanize, Inc., Global IT. Elderly Care Advocacy Organizations: Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Impact Movement, Argentum, LeadingAge, National Center for Assisted Living, National Rural Health Association, American Seniors Housing Association. Additional Organizations: Lyft, I AM ALS, Northwest Lineman College, Quanta Services, Team Services Group, Coalition for Student Opportunity and Success, National Association of Counties (NACO), National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO), Endeavors.
“Disabled American Veterans (DAV) would like to thank Rep. Juan Ciscomani for introducing and championing the passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act to strengthen benefits and health care for veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors, said Joy Ilem, DAV National Legislative Director. “This critical legislation addresses some of the most urgent needs of veterans and caregivers by improving veterans’ mental health and long-term care services, the VA’s caregiver program, veterans’ homeless programs, expanding dental care, education assistance, burial benefits and more.”
“The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act represents months of negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, with significant input from the veteran community, on how the Department of Veterans Affairs can better serve veterans,” said Jose Ramos, Vice President of Government and Community relations for the Wounded Warriors Project. “This critical legislation supports veterans in so many different ways – from broadening access to long-term care services for disabled veterans to improving how VA reports on suicides so we can better help veterans in need, among many others.”
“On behalf of our 1.6 million dues paying members, I am extremely pleased that the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Act has passed in the House,” said James LaCoursiere, American Legion National Commander. “This bill includes a number of critical provisions that will expand the quality of care that veterans receive, increase support for caregivers, improve the functioning of the VA, and much more. I applaud Congressman Ciscomani’s leadership in introducing this important bill, and we echo Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano’s belief that veterans deserve a VA that works with them. We are excited to see this package make it to the finish line in the House, and remain dedicated to serving veterans and their families in the future.
“MOAA is honored to have joined forces with fellow veteran groups and leaders in both the House and Senate to champion the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act,” said MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret). “As we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month, we must recognize the profound positive impact this bill will have on the health and well-being of our veterans, their caregivers, and survivors. We thank Chairman Mike Bost and Ranking Member Mark Takano for leading this bill through the House and look for Senate leaders to act quickly and do the same. The need to pass this critical bipartisan legislation has never been greater— and now is the time to act.”
Background:
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act is a legislative package that includes bipartisan, bicameral provisions, such as:
- The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act (H.R. 542) which would expand access to Home- and Community-Based Services at every VA medical center, which would allow severely ill and aging veterans the dignity of receiving their care at home rather than in institutions.
- The Veterans Care Improvement Act (H.R. 3520) which would improve the timeliness and quality of care and services delivered to veterans under community care by improving the rate at which community care providers return medical records to the VA.
- The Housing our Military Veterans Effectively (HOME) Act (H.R. 3848) which would raise the Grant and Per-Diem rate for veteran homelessness providers who partner with VA and provide rideshares to veterans for medical, housing, and employment appointments and ensure veterans can get the resources they need to be lifted out of homelessness.
- The Veterans Education Assistance and Improvement Act (H.R. 3874) which would cut through red tape for the GI Bill and allow student veterans to use their benefits that best meet their needs.
- The Servicemember Employment Protection Act (H.R. 3943) which would modernize Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protections and increase accountability at the Department of Labor so that deployed National Guard and Reservists have the proper employment protections in place back when they return home.
- The Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement (COPE) Act (H.R. 3581) which would recognize the mental strain often experienced by caregivers of certain veterans by providing community mental health grants to help alleviate caregiver’s concerns about stigma.
- Gerald’s Law Act (H.R. 234), which would allow survivors of certain veterans who choose to die at home or while in receipt of VA hospice care, to receive a certain burial and funeral allowance. Currently, this allowance is provided to survivors of those veterans who passed away at a VA facility.
- The Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act (H.R. 984), which would authorize VA to provide grants to state and Indian Tribes to support county Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and tribal VSOs to provide improved outreach and assistance to underserved, rural, and Native American veterans regarding VA benefits.
- The Modernization of VA Disability Benefits Questionnaires Act (H.R. 4461), which would update IT systems and processes to ensure that disability examination reports completed by contracted disability examiners are standardized and machine-readable, which would improve efficiency in VA’s processing of disability compensation claims for veterans.
- The VA Office of Inspector General Training Act (H.R. 2733) which would require all new VA employees to receive training on reporting wrongdoing and cooperating with the VA Inspector General.
- The VA Medical Center Security Report Act of 2023 (H.R. 3504) which would require VA to conduct a survey of each of their facilities on security weaknesses and the status of their police force as well as provide a report on the results of these surveys to Congress.
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Issues:
Veterans