Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement following House passage of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 8371), a comprehensive package of bills to significantly expand and reform delivery of services at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans, service members, and their families. The package includes two bills authored by Brownley: the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act (H.R. 542) and the Improving Whole Health for Veterans with Chronic Conditions Act (H.R. 4510).
“Today, I was pleased to vote for the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, a transformational bill which includes legislation I authored to improve and expand home- and community-based services for disabled or aging veterans, their families, and their caregivers,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “In addition to several bipartisan, bicameral provisions to improve VA benefits for veterans, this bill also includes legislation that I have carried with Senator Sanders to create a new pilot program to expand dental care to veterans diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease.
“Long-term care is one of the biggest challenges facing our aging population and their families – and our veteran population is no exception. Our healthcare system is facing a silver tsunami as Baby Boomers enter their later years. Immediate preparation is critical for the VA, as over half of VA’s patient population is over 65. This legislation provides for the single largest expansion of long-term care services at VA in decades and will impact nearly every veteran living with catastrophic disabilities or living with the effects of aging.
“This package, which passed the House with bipartisan strong support, is a fitting honor for the men and women who have served our nation in uniform. Every veteran should have the right to a dignified life after their service to our country, and every veteran should have the right to the timely, high-quality care they need and they have earned. Expanding the VA care and services in this package are an essential and long overdue step to realizing our solemn promise of serving our veterans as well as they have served our country.”
The Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 18, 2024, with a vote of 389-9. Read the full text of the bill here.
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Issues: 118th Congress, Veterans' Affairs