House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs:
On Wednesday afternoon, the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs marked up and passed three bills, H.R. 5735, H.R. 5881, and H.R. 5880.
H.R. 5735, which the VFW helped to draft, was amended to not only commission a "Place of Remembrance" for unclaimed remains of American service members, but it will also clarify that burial proceedings at National Cemetery Administration facilities must reflect the wishes of the grieving family and that veterans convicted as Tier Three sex offenders or who receive life imprisonment will be excluded from burial in national cemeteries.
H.R. 5881, the Access to Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, was amended to reflect the wishes of the VFW to ensure that only properly vetted employees, such as VA employees, tracking officers, county service officers and VSO service officers, with proper need to access a veteran's claim information can have access to sensitive VA database information.
H.R. 5880, the Veterans Disability Examination Access Improvement Act, was passed without amendments. VFW vocally supported this bill in testimony before the subcommittee earlier this month.
To read VFW's full testimony on each of these bills, click here.
House VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations:
On Wednesday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation marked up and passed three bills, H.R. 3730, H.R. 4481, and H.R. 5948.
H.R. 3740, the Veterans Data Breach Timely Notification Act, was amended and passed to require VA to notify the VA secretary of any data breach within 10 days, then notify the affected veteran within the next 10 days, finally notifying the public within the subsequent 10 days.
H.R. 5948, the Veterans Fiduciary Reform Act of 2012, was amended in the form of a substitute and passed to add further protections and oversight on VA fiduciaries to protect veterans. The amendment initiates harsher penalties to organizations and businesses that seek to scam or take advantage of VA beneficiaries or their fiduciaries.
H.R. 4481, the Veterans Affairs Employee Accountability Act, which would prohibit VA employees who violate federal acquisition laws from receiving bonuses, also passed the committee.
The subcommittee hosted a hearing on each of these bills earlier this month. To view a full list of witnesses and to read their prepared remarks, click here.
House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity:
On Thursday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity marked up and passed five bills, H.R. 4057, H.R. 4115, H.R. 4740, H.R. 3524, and H.R. 5747.
The VFW was paying close attention to H.R. 4057, the Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012; a bill which VFW legislative staff worked diligently to introduce. The bill was amended to include specific disclosures VA would have to make to potential student-veterans as part of pre-enrollment counseling available to G.I. Bill recipients. The VFW has been the leading voice in Washington advocating for improved student-veteran consumer information and consumer protections, which is why the VFW has pushed for this bill and similar bills in the Senate.
H.R. 3524, the Disabled Veterans Employment Protection Act, was amended to allow disabled veterans not covered under the Family Medical Leave Act an additional four weeks of leave from work in a calendar year for treatment of service-connected injuries. The subcommittee originally proposed 12 weeks of additional leave, but was concerned that employers would balk at the prospect of hiring veterans with such a strong provision.
During testimony earlier this spring, the VFW pointed out that VA must adapt its treatment options to allow service-connected disabled veterans to schedule care around reasonable work schedules. The VFW contends that it is not fair to the veteran or to his or her employer if VA can only schedule appointments during the work day.
H.R. 4115, the HIRE at HOME Act, which the VFW helped to craft, passed favorably, along with H.R. 4740, the Fairness for Military Homeowners Act, and H.R. 5747, the Military Family Home Protection Act.
The VFW testified on each of these bills within the last few months. To read our testimony on H.R. 4057 and H.R. 3524, click here. To read our testimony on H.R. 4115, H.R. 4740 and H.R. 5747, click here.
House VA Subcommittee on Health:
On Friday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Health marked up and passed two bills, H.R. 3337 and H.R. 4079.
The VFW has been a vocal advocate for H.R. 3337, the Open Burn Pit Registry Act, helping to introduce the bill late last year, and even helping to introduce a companion bill in the Senate, with the help of the burn pit exposure advocacy group Burn Pits 360. The bill easily passed the subcommittee.
H.R. 4079, the Safe Housing for Homeless Veterans Act, was also amended and passed the subcommittee, ensuring housing for homeless veterans meets safe living standards.
The VFW testified on each of these bills in April. To read VFW's full testimony, click here.
The VFW will continue to track each of these bills as they move through committee, possibly to be included in another veterans' benefits omnibus package later this fall. Check back regularly for updates.
