The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, chaired by Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), has approved 24 bills aimed at supporting veterans, caregivers, and survivors. Among the measures passed are several of Senator Moran’s legislative priorities, including the Veterans’ ACCESS Act, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, and the HOPE for Heroes Act.
“The pieces of legislation that have now passed out of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs are crucial to the success of the Department of Veterans Affairs in carrying out its mission to support our nation’s veterans, their families and survivors,” said Sen. Moran. “I am grateful to all of the sponsors of these bills for their work on these proposals, and I am pleased that we were able to reach a bipartisan agreement to advance them to the full Senate.”
Senator Moran highlighted that one bill in particular would give veterans more options regarding their health care benefits through the VA. “The ACCESS Act will empower veterans with greater flexibility and control over when, where and how to use the VA healthcare benefits they have earned through their service,” he said. “It will also provide life-saving support for veterans struggling with mental health conditions and addiction who have faced barriers to accessing the timely, quality care they need. Advancing the ACCESS Act is a crucial step forward for veterans everywhere, and I am grateful for strong support from committee members and veterans service organizations. I look forward to it being passed on the Senate floor and signed into law as soon as possible.”
Other key measures advanced include a pilot program designed to improve coordination between Medicare and VA services for senior veterans; expanded research into brain health issues related to military service; increased support for family caregivers transitioning back into employment or retirement; continued funding for suicide prevention outreach; efforts by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) to correct religious heritage information on grave markers; and an increase in certain VA benefits such as disability compensation and dependency payments so they keep pace with cost-of-living changes.
A complete list of legislation approved by the committee is available online.
