Pulaski Times

U.S. Senator John Boozman, a senior member of the Veterans’ Affairs committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, has expressed approval for the Senate's passage of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The legislation is now set to be reviewed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The act aims to enhance support for veterans and caregivers by improving access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care and benefits, enhancing programs for student veterans and their families, and increasing oversight to ensure compliance with legal obligations.

“This is an important step forward to support our men and women who have served and earned quality care and support. I’m pleased provisions I championed to attract top providers to serve veterans at the VA, ensure proper management is in place at its facilities, advance a more comprehensive approach to the veteran suicide crisis and more are one step closer to becoming law,” Boozman said. “This bipartisan legislation represents our commitment to deliver the support our veterans and their families expect and deserve.”

Several measures authored or cosponsored by Boozman were included in this legislative package:

Sections from the VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act aim to modernize pay systems for physicians in rural areas; improve workforce data reporting; update pay stipulations for optometrists; allow flexibility in compensating specified professionals; authorize waivers on pay limitations for critical health care personnel recruitment or retention.

The Veterans Affairs Medical Center Absence and Notification Timeline (VACANT) Act seeks to limit detailing medical center directors within different VA positions while ensuring vacant director positions are filled within 180 days.

The Not Just a Number Act requires examination of veterans’ benefits usage in annual suicide prevention reports; analysis on which benefits prevent suicides most effectively; recommendations on expanding those benefits.

Gerald’s Law Act expands burial benefits eligibility under VA guidelines for terminally ill veterans passing away at non-VA facilities during hospice care.

Lastly, the VA OIG Training Act of 2023 mandates training on reporting waste, fraud, abuse in coordination with VA Office of Inspector General efforts towards meaningful independent oversight serving both veterans/public interests.