Press Releases

Today, Chairman Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed nine veterans bills Tuesday and Wednesday in addition to the five veterans bills the House passed on Monday:

“In the days leading up to Veterans Day, the House has doubled down on its commitment to honor and care for the men and women who answered the call to serve. The bills the House passed this week will expand access to care for veterans in crisis, former servicemembers living in a rural area or those in need of an organ transplant. They will also protect veterans from financial fraud and make it easier for student veterans to get off-campus housing as they pursue their education and invest in their futures.

“I could not be more grateful for the hard work of my colleagues in House, as well as the invaluable partnership of Veterans Service Organizations as we work to better the lives of America’s heroes. There is still much work to be done for our veterans, but this week, we made great progress in our goal of bringing wholesale reform to VA. I look forward to working with my Senate counterparts to get these bills through the legislative process and signed into law so we can honor the commitment we’ve made to every person who has worn the uniform of our great nation.”

The House passed the following bills Wednesday:

HR 3705: Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act

The Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act, introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree, would also instruct VA to use plain language in its debt notices to provide a clear explanation of why VA is alleging that the veteran owes such a debt. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.

H.R. 4173: The Veterans Crisis Line Study Act of 2017

The Veterans Crisis Line Study Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Jim Banks, would require VA to conduct a study on the outcomes and efficacy of the Veterans Crisis Line based on an analysis of national suicide data and data collected from the VCL. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.

The House passed the following bills Tuesday:

H.R. 918: The Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act

The Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act, introduced by Rep. Coffman, would require VA to provide an initial mental health assessment and any subsequent mental health services required to meet urgent mental health care needs to former service members who would otherwise be ineligible for such services because they were discharged from military service under OTH conditions. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.  

H.R. 1133: Veterans Transplant Coverage Act

The Veterans Transplant Coverage Act, introduced by Rep. John Carter, would authorize VA to provide all care and services needed for a veteran to receive an organ transplant from a live donor, regardless of whether the donor is eligible for VA health care or whether the health care facility is part of the VA. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.

H.R. 1900: National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act, introduced by Rep. Steve Stivers, would designate the Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, as the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. Read the bill here.

H.R. 2123: Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act (VETS) Act of 2017

The VETS Act, introduced by Rep. Glenn Thompson, would give the VA Secretary the legislative authority to allow VA providers to practice telemedicine across state lines. Click here for more information. Read the bill here. 

H.R. 2601: Veterans Increased Choice for Transplanted Organs and Recovery (VICTOR) Act 

The Veterans Increased Choice for Transplanted Organs and Recovery (VICTOR) Act was introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn. Click here for more information. Read the bill here. 

HR 3634: The Securing Electronic Records for Veterans Ease (SERVE) Act of 2017

The SERVE Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Jim Himes, would make BAH documentation available online to all veterans, which would help confirm a veteran’s monthly housing stipend and simplify their home or apartment rental process. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.

H.R. 3949: Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act 

The VALOR Act, introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna, would simplify an approval process by allowing companies to register their apprenticeship programs with one central approval agency. Click here for more information. Read the bill here.