Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement Act. Known as the COPE Act, this bill takes an important step toward providing mental health resources to those who care for our Nation's veterans. Specifically, this legislation would authorize the VA to provide grants to organizations that support family caregivers' mental health.

Caregivers play a critical role in the lives of older Americans, especially our veterans. As the only geriatric nurse practitioner in Congress, I have seen firsthand the positive impact caregivers have in the lives of the people they care for.

When I was practicing in clinic settings, I had countless conversations with the people who cared for my patients. I know that this genuinely rewarding role comes with immense emotional challenges, as well. These dedicated individuals frequently put aside their own needs to care for their loved ones and desperately need to have the resources at their disposal to effectively handle the stress of taking on such a role.

By ensuring veteran caregivers can properly take care of their mental health, the COPE Act will improve the lives of our Nation's heroes and solidify the support system they need to age with dignity. The VA offers so many great benefits and programs, unfortunately navigating the wide range of these benefits and programs is so complicated that many are unaware that they might qualify for them or that these services even exist at all.

My legislation also seeks to fix this problem by requiring the VA to reach out to eligible veteran caregivers and make them aware of the mental health benefits available to them.

I am very proud that another bipartisan bill of mine, the VA Medical Center Security Reporting Act, is included in this version of the COPE Act that is being considered today.

From 2018 to 2021, violent crimes at VA medical center campuses more than doubled from 3,141 to 6,505.

There is a significant lack of important statistics and information relevant to crime and safety on VA campuses, including the vacancy rate for VA police departments, availability of issued equipment, and recommendations to address and reduce criminal activity at medical centers.

By ensuring these statistics are properly reported, my legislation will equip us with the information we need to address the increasing crime at VA medical centers, support our law enforcement officers, and provide veterans with a safe environment to receive the quality healthcare they have earned and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I am the granddaughter of a veteran, the daughter of a veteran, the wife of a veteran, and the mother of future veterans, and I served 10 years myself in the Navy as a helicopter pilot. I am also blessed to represent one of the largest veteran populations in the country in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Improving the lives of our Nation's heroes is and always will be one of my top priorities in Congress, and this bill helps to do just that.

In closing, I thank Chairman Bost for moving this legislation through the Veterans' Affairs Committee as well as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Representative Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Pappas, who joined me in introducing these important bills.

I am confident that with the passage of this legislation, we as a country will move closer to fulfilling our promise to provide for America's veteran population and those who care for them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the COPE Act.

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