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SVAC moves 12 bills to Senate Floor
Since the House has already passed similar legislation the project is to reconcile differences in HOUSE/SENATE versions and get them enacted into law before the end of the year.
S.3282, cited as the Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2020, applies certain small business subcontracting limitations to contracts that the VA awards to a small business concern owned and controlled by a veteran or a veteran with a service-connected disability. S.2558, cited as the Nursing Home Care for Native American Veterans Act, expands eligibility for grants that provide per diem funding to state nursing homes for veterans to include veterans homes established by Native America tribes. S.3643, cited as the VA Mission Telehealth Clarification Act, authorizes certain health care employees and health professions trainees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment via telemedicine. S.2950, cited as the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2019, amends title 38 to concede exposure to airborne hazards and toxins from burn pits under certain circumstances. TREA strongly supports. S.4384, cited as A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to address exposure by members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, S.711, cited as the CARE for Reservists Act of 2019, amends title 38 to expand eligibility for mental health services from the VA to include members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces. TREA Strongly supports. S.332, cited as the Agent Orange Fairness Act of 2019, expands the eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for veterans exposed to herbicides during military service in Vietnam. Specifically, this bill removes the "manifestation period" required for the presumption of service-connection for chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda and provides statutory authority for a presumption of service-connection for certain cases of acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy without a manifestation period. S.805, cited as the Veteran Debt Fairness Act of 2019, limits the authority of the VA to recover overpayments of benefits from veterans. In short, the VA may only deduct the amount of debt of any veteran who is in debt because of participation in a VA benefits program from future benefit payments if the debt is the result of the following:
- failure to report correct, required information to the VA by the veteran (or other party involved)
- fraud or misrepresentation perpetrated by the veteran (or other party)
- a reduction in or termination of pursuit of a program of education, in the case of a recipient of educational assistance; or
- failure to complete a service agreement in the case of the transfer of education assistance
S.514, cited as the Deborah Sampson Act, is landmark TREA backed legislation that is one of the most comprehensive women veterans healthcare packages ever conceptualized. S.629, cited as the Accountability in Department of Veterans Affairs Scheduling and Consult Management Act, requires the VA Secretary to review the process and requirements of the VA for scheduling appointments for health care and conducting consultations under the laws administered by the Secretary. S.2216, cited as the TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act, requires the VA to formally recognize caregivers of veterans by identifying any caregiver in the health record of the veteran and requires VA to notify veterans and their caregivers regarding any clinical determinations made relating to claims under, or eligibility for, the specified caregiver programs. S.3235, requires the VA to conduct a two-year pilot program to study the effectiveness of nonprofit post-traumatic growth programs to see to the feasibility of integrating such programs into the VA's existing mental health care programs. According to congress.gov, the bill "makes veterans who are not at immediate risk of attempting suicide and not participating in traditional mental health treatment eligible for such program." Please call or write your Senators and urge them to support all of these legislative proposals. *********************************************************** NEW ISSUE OF CONCERN TREA Members please let us know if you are having issues with receiving your Prescription Drugs -- email legislativeinfo@trea.org USPS and Veterans Receiving Mail Order Prescription Drugs https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/veterans-affairs-mail-order-prescription-usps-delays
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