Cramer Supports VA Reform Bills in The House

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a package of bills today in the House of Representatives to strengthen benefits for veterans and bring necessary reform to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Since being elected to Congress, Cramer has had a Veterans Advisory Board, made up of North Dakota veterans organization leaders who provide guidance on important issues for retired service members.

"I hear from veterans in North Dakota often about the difficulties they face when dealing with the VA," said Cramer. "While I am always glad to help someone get the access they deserve, it's important we pass meaningful legislation to fix problems at the root of the issue. I hope the Senate adopts these bills quickly so the men and women who served our country get better, quality access to the VA."

Cramer also commented on the Senate confirmation of Robert Wilkie to lead the VA as Secretary.

Highlights of the bills passed:

H.R. 5882, the Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act, allows surviving spouses to terminate residential leases at the time of a servicemember's death without penalty by extending existing federal protections to cable and satellite television services under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

H.R. 2787, the VET MD Act, directs the VA to carry out a one-year pilot program beginning no later than August 15, 2021, in at least five regionally diverse VA medical centers to provide undergraduate students a clinical observation experience within VA.

H.R. 5864, the VA Hospitals Establishing Leadership Performance Act, requires the VA to establish qualification standards and performance metrics for VHA human resources positions and provide a one-time report to Congress containing such standards and metrics.

H.R. 5938, the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018, requires the VA to identify the military occupational specialties (MOS) that correlate with positions that VA needs, to coordinate with DOD to identify soon to be separated service members and, upon the election of the service member, to add their information to VA's recruiting database.

H.R. 5974, VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act, requires the VA to identify facilities that would benefit from cost savings associated with the use of an on-site regulated medical waste treatment system over a five-year period.

H.R. 2409, to allow servicemembers to terminate their cable, satellite television, and Internet access service contracts while deployed by extending existing federal protections to cable and satellite television services under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

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