VVA Applauds House Passage of VA Mission Act; Urges Senate to Follow Suit

[boardman]

House votes 347-70 and passes the VA Mission Act, which includes VVA legislative priority to extend Caregiver benefits to pre-911 Veteran

House Committee on Veterans Affairs
Chairman Phil Roe, M.D.

Press Releases

House Passes Roe's Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Veterans With Timely Access to Quality Care

Washington, May 16, 2018 | Tiffany Haverly (202-225-3527)

Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after the House passed his legislation, S. 2372, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (VA MISSION) Act, on a 347-70 vote:

“The men and women who served this country deserve a VA that works for them. Over the last several months, we’ve taken great, bipartisan steps to reform the department, and this legislation is yet another strong step in the right direction. It keeps our promise to give veterans more choice in their health care while building on our strong investment in VA’s internal capacity. Additionally, the legislation includes funding for the Choice Program to ensure veterans have continuity of care during the transition to the new, easier-to-use community care program established under the VA MISSION Act. This bill also paves the way for a non-partisan and comprehensive review of the department’s assets. This review was a recommendation put forward by the bipartisan Commission on Care and will ensure VA has the resources needed to serve our nation’s heroes for years to come. Finally, the bill expands VA’s post-9/11 caregiver program to veterans of all eras, providing equity for all generations of veterans and their caregivers.

“It was a true privilege to honor Senators John McCain and Daniel Akaka and Congressman Sam Johnson by amending the title of this legislation. Each of these men have shown true statesmanship and bipartisanship in their advocacy on behalf of our nation’s veterans, and their stories are examples to all of us. In changing the full title of the VA MISSION Act, we honor Senator Akaka’s memory and the legacies of Senator McCain and Congressman Johnson.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the compromise bill the House passed today, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support. I’m also grateful to President Trump and his administration for their input and assistance on this important legislation. I’m especially grateful to Senators Isakson and Tester for being invaluable partners throughout this process. Without their hard work, dedication and willingness to work together on a compromise, we would not be here today, on the verge of finally delivering the kind of health care veterans deserve. Finally, I thank our veterans service organization partners for their tireless advocacy. Their input has made this bill better, and I look forward to seeing the Senate send this bill to President Trump’s desk.”
Background: Chairman Roe put forward a manager’s amendment to officially change the full title of the legislation to the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018. The short title will still be the VA MISSION Act.

Read more about the VA MISSION Act here. The VA MISSION Act is supported by more than three dozen leading veterans service organizations and was passed out of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on a 20-2 vote on May 8, 2018. A section-by-section summary of the legislation can be found here. On May 3, 2018, the day Chairman Roe introduced the legislation, President Trump tweeted he would sign the bill, “immediately.”

Source:https://veterans.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2163

[boardman]

VVA Applauds House Passage of VA Mission Act; Urges Senate to Follow Suit
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2018
No. 18-11
Contact:Mokie Porter
301-996-0901;301-585-4000, Ext. 146

VVA Applauds House Passage of VA Mission Act; Urges Senate to Follow Suit

(Washington, D.C)--“VVA applauds today’s overwhelming passage of the VA Mission Act by the House of Representatives and commends Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) for his outstanding leadership in his role as chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs,” said John Rowan, president of Vietnam Veterans of America. “We prevail on the Senate for the swift passage of this critical legislation.”

“This bipartisan bill, H.R. 5674/S.2372--introduced by Rep. Roe, who amended the title to honor three senators, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act-- will both strengthen the VA’s capacity as well as allow veterans more choice in their health care,” said Rowan.

“VVA has long advocated for the extension of the family caregiver provisions to veterans from pre-9/11 eras. The VA Mission Act would expand eligibility and extends caregiver support to veterans from all wars with a serious injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, and is a very welcome provision of this legislation,” said Rowan.

“By reauthorizing funding for the VA Choice Program, anticipated to run out of funds by the end of May, The VA Mission Act ensures uninterrupted access to care for our veterans while proposing measures to streamline VA’s community care programs into one cohesive program.

“VVA salutes Chairman Roe and the House Majority on the passage of this much-needed bill. There is more work to be done in the immediate future to ensure proper staffing of the existing VA hospitals, and we look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to ensure that happens,” noted Rowan.

Mokie Pratt Porter
Director of Communications

Vietnam Veterans of America
8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100
Silver Spring, Maryland 20912
301-585-4000 x146

http://www.vva.org/support.html