Washington, D.C.—Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-04), Republican Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs (VA), championed bipartisan legislation to enhance VA substance-use disorder and mental health programs, establish centers to enhance VA’s revenue, and improve veterans’ benefits and the systems that administer them.  Late Wednesday evening, Congressman Buyer led the push for the passage of the two comprehensive bills and a third that would increase the special pension for Medal of Honor recipients.

The Veterans’ Benefit Improvement Act, S. 3023, would improve and enhance compensation, pension, housing, labor, education, and insurance benefits for veterans.  S. 3023 is a comprehensive bill that includes measures that have been introduced in the House and Senate VA committees.  Ranking Member Buyer led the successful compromise in the bipartisan conference between the House and Senate, which resulted in the measure passing the House by a voice vote.

“The Veterans’ Benefit Improvement Act would begin a 20-year study of veterans who participate in VA’s vocational rehabilitation program, and increase the amount of time to 20 years that spouses, of deceased or totally disabled veterans, have to use VA education benefits. The bill expands several protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and clarifies VA’s authority to purchase advertising as part of its outreach efforts,” Buyer explained.  “One of the most exciting parts of this bill would authorize a new program at VA to promote increased participation by disabled veterans in adaptive sports.  The US Paralympic Team that competed in the Beijing included thirteen disabled veterans; several of whom were wounded in the war on Terror. These spectacular Americans are the wave of a future when disabled veterans competing with artificial limbs or spinal cord dysfunction will be commonplace.” 

The second comprehensive piece of legislation that was passed by the House by voice vote was the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act, S. 2162, which improves the treatments and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans with post traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder.

“The Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act would enhance VA substance-use disorder and mental health programs. A full continuum of care for substance-use disorder will enable at-risk veterans to obtain care and overcome the stigma that may prevent them from seeking the services they need. This bill would also establish a pilot program to allow veterans in certain highly rural areas to obtain care from their local community providers,” remarked Buyer.

“I am pleased that the Veterans Benefit Improvement Act includes a measure I introduced in H.R. 6366, to help VA secure collections from third-party insurance companies.  Specifically, it would require VA to establish seven Consolidated Patient Accounting Centers or CPACs modeled after successful pilot program that enhanced VA revenue by more than $12.5 million in fiscal year 2007 and more than $22 million over and above the goal as of August for fiscal year 2008. Having VA secure hundreds of millions of dollars that currently go uncollected will go a long way in improving veterans’ health care,” added Buyer.

The third bill passed by the House by voice vote was H.R. 6980, which authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the amount of the Medal of Honor special pension up to $1,000.

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