Five New Veteran-Related Bills signed into Law

Good news! On June 7, five important veteran-related bills were signed by the president and became public law. The Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act – named after Marine Corps Officer Kate Thomas, who served near a burn pit in Iraq and died of breast cancer – expands eligibility for VA mammography screening to veterans who served in locations associated with toxic exposures. (P.L. 117-133)

The Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act gives VA the authority to restore important education benefits to veterans who were unable to complete a course or program as a result of the closure of an educational institution or the disapproval of a program by the state approving agency or the VA. (P.L. 117-138)

The Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act (MAMMO Act) strengthens and expands access to high-quality breast cancer screenings and life-saving cancer care for veterans nationwide. (P.L. 117-135)

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Extension Act extends a program that compensates individuals who were exposed to radiation from atomic weapons testing, or uranium mining or processing, and who subsequently developed specified cancers or other medical conditions. (P.L. 117-139)

The Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act gives the VA’s Office of Inspector General the authority to subpoena witnesses as necessary to carry out the duties of the office. (P.L. 117-136)

All of these bills were supported by both the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans.

In addition, on May 18, the U.S. House of Representative passed several other supported bills, which are now being considered by the Senate.

These include:

• H.R. 5738, the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act.
• H.R. 7335, the MST Claims Coordination Act.
• H.R. 6961, the Dignity for MST Survivors Act.
• H.R. 6064, a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a review of examinations to individuals who submit claims for compensation for mental and physical conditions linked to military sexual trauma.
• H.R. 2724, the VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act; and
• H.R. 6052, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act

DAV is closely following these bills and will make efforts to ensure their passage by the U.S. Senate.

Bill Update on H.R 3967:  Honoring our PACT Act

On June 16, 2022, in a bipartisan vote of 84 -14, the Senate passed H.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act. It is now up to the House to reconsider and pass this historic comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that will impact all generations of veterans. Over 60 veteran and military service organizations support the Honoring Our PACT Act.

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano and Ranking Member Mike Bost both support this truly comprehensive measure and step forward in addressing the long lasting impact of toxic exposures.

The House will be voting on the Honoring Our PACT Act this week. If the House votes to pass the Honoring the PACT Act, it will go to the President for signature. Please contact your Representative today, as our fellow veterans and their families cannot afford to wait.

Senate Bill 2884: The Veterans Fair Debt Notice Act of 2018

Calls for the VA to create a debt notice letter, with the assistance of veteran’s service organizations, written in plain language to include a clear explanation of all options available to the veteran. The VA would also be required to develop a method that allows veterans to receive the debt notice via email as well as by standard mail.

“Currently, VA debt letters are not written in easy-to-understand language and often lack an explanation of why the debt was created,” said DAV National Service Director Jim Marszalek. “Many veterans do not understand the reason for the debt, their options after notification, and in many instances, do not receive the notice in a timely manner. Enactment of S. 2884 would provide veterans with a clear explanation about the debt and allow them to receive a more expedient notice via email.