VFW reports: Congress Passes Major Veterans Bill

[Boats]

Congress Passes Major Veterans Bill
RE: Congress Passes Major Veterans Bill

Congress Passes Major Veterans Bill:

This week Congress sent major veterans legislation to the president for his signature. H.R. 6416, the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016, included numerous provisions related to several VFW resolutions. The bill expands eligibility for grave marker medallions to be issued by VA to include those veterans who died before November 1990. Another section of the bill provides for researching how the health of children of veterans exposed to toxic substances is impacted.

Changes that make uniform the definition of homelessness were also included in the bill. These important provisions were 2016 Priority Goals for the VFW and their enactment into law would fully accomplish VFW Resolution 620, and partially accomplish Resolutions 619 and 621 which were approved at the 117th VFW National Convention. Additional legislation to require VA to pilot a self-scheduling program, to authorize VA to partner with non-governmental agencies to finance VA facilities, and to pay back money withheld from veterans discharged after January 17, 1991 who received severance pay also cleared Congress and awaits the president’s signature.

This concludes the 114th Congress. The VFW looks forward to working with the 115th Congress to ensure the VFW’s 2017 Priority Goals are accomplished. To view the VFW’s 2017 Priority Goals, visit: http://www.vfw.org/advocacy/national...lative-service.