Today, Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after the Committee marked up two bills, H.R. 6411, the STRONG Veterans Act, and H.R. 5575, as amended, the VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act:
“Veterans and servicemembers should feel no shame in taking care of their mental health. Over the past few years, Congress has made significant improvements to help veterans get the support they need. Chairman Takano’s and my bill, the STRONG Veterans Act, builds on those successes and connects even more veterans, servicemembers, and their families with mental health resources. This bill is vitally important. I am eager to see it passed in the House, paid for, and to the President’s desk soon.
“I am disappointed, however, that the Committee failed to act today to protect VA healthcare workers from the Biden Administration’s heavy-handed and misguided vaccine mandate. VA is planning to fire potentially thousands of otherwise hard-working and high-performing healthcare workers for making the personal decision to not receive the COVID vaccine. At the same time, VA is asking Congress to help prevent a VA staffing shortage. It’s simple: VA either has a staffing shortage or they don’t. I have said it before and I will say it again, I support vaccines and I am vaccinated myself. But I cannot support forced mandates, especially when they could harm the delivery of care to veterans. The dedicated, nurses, physician’s assistants, and other healthcare professionals at VA have moved mountains over the past two years. They deserve better.”
Among other provisions, the STRONG Veterans Act will:
- Expand eligibility for student veterans and the families of veterans who die by suicide to seek support at Vet Centers
- Improve training for mental health staff working in VA medical facilities
- Improve VA’s Veterans Justice Outreach Program
- Strengthen services at the Veterans Crisis Line
- Collect data to help VA guide expansion of substance use, mental health, and suicide prevention programs
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text to 838255 or chat online at http://VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
