Friend,
Most often, investigating wrongdoing or substandard care practices within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is completed by the Inspector General (IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), but these investigations can take time -- time that veterans in danger due to unacceptable care practices need.
This week, the House of Representatives passed the Enhancing Veteran Care Act (S. 1266). This bill authorizes the VA to contract with non-profits that accredit health care organizations and programs to speed up the investigations, ensuring that veterans have timely access to quality care.
Next up: the president's desk to be signed into law. Should President Trump sign this bill into law, it will mark the 12th bill this year that the House, Senate, and the president have passed and signed into law to ensure that our men and women who have served our country receive the treatment they have earned and deserve. Other veterans bills passed into law this year include:
- Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act (H.R. 3218) to increase accessibility to the educational opportunities that the GI Bill provides our veterans.
- HIRE Vets Act (H.R. 244) to recognize and encourage businesses to increase their efforts to employ veterans, addressing veteran unemployment numbers.
- Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act (H.R. 2288) to help the VA move through the backlog of appeals so that veterans waiting on their benefits decision can have peace of mind.
For a full list of veterans legislation that has been signed into law or passed by the House,
click here.
