Pappas Helps Pass Two Bills to Improve VA Services for Homeless and Aging Veterans
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA), helped pass two bills focused on improving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) services for vulnerable veteran populations, homeless and aging, in the House today. These two bills are the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act andthe Housing our Military Veterans Effectively (HOME) Act of 2023.
“There is no more sacred promise than the one we make to our service members and veterans for their service to our country,” said Congressman Pappas. “We must ensure VA services are meeting the needs of all veterans and that those who have dedicated themselves to supporting our veterans have the flexibility and resources to accomplish their mission. I’m pleased to see these bills, which will help improve VA services and resources for homeless and aging veterans, two of our most vulnerable veteran populations, pass the House today. I’ll continue working with my colleagues and VA to ensure veterans are being provided with the highest possible level of care.”
Background:
The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act would improve VA programs for aging veterans. This bipartisan bill requires VA to establish agreements with outside providers to furnish medical and social services to veterans who are not in VA nursing homes, requires the VA to improve in-home assistance and support for caregivers of veterans, raises the limit on expenses for nursing home care provided outside of VA facilities, and requires several studies related to medical and health services for elderly veterans. Text of the bill is here.
The HOME Act would improve homeless veterans’ ability to access and receive the care and resources they need by increasing the per diem rate VA pays nonprofit organizations that assist veterans with short-term transitional housing. Specifically, the bill increases the rate from 115 percent to 133 percent which would adjust for inflation every year and creates a stipend that veterans experiencing homelessness can use to purchase necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, hygiene items, transportation services. Text of the bill is here.