Eliminating the RFS and Its Destructive Outcomes Act

Reviewed and discussed H.R. 8506 (House Version of TEAM Act). Discussed strategy for H.R. 5701, Care for the Veteran Caregiver Act and reintroduction in the 117th Congress as H.R. 110. Discussed VAs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Support of Omnibus Veterans Bill (HR 7105). With the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities: Support the CHAMPVA Childrens Protection Act - Young dependents of catastrophically disabled veterans can be covered for health insurance under this program operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Support legislation to restore reproductive rights of service-disabled veterans - Veterans who have lost the ability to have children through their service to the nation should not be denied the opportunity to have a family. Support legislation to improve mental health care for veterans - the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act in the 116th Congress. Support legislation to remove work disincentives and barriers to employment for veterans with significant disabilities - Veterans with significant service-connected disabilities do not receive adequate transition guidance concerning their rights as persons with disabilities when retiring from the military and the VA vocational rehabilitation program often fails to serve these veterans other than preparing them for a life outside the workforce. Legislation such as the Veterans Economic Recovery Act would strengthen the VA Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program to provide consistent and predictable benefits for veterans with disabilities. Modernizing the VA Automobile Adaptive Grant program - Congress authorizes VA to provide one-time grants in the amount of $21,058.69 to service-connected disabled veterans to purchase a new or used automobile with appropriate adaptive equipment to accommodate their disability. On average, the cost to replace modified vehicles ranges from $40,000 to $65,000 when the vehicle is new and $21,000 to $35,000 when the vehicle is used. Establish DIC equity with other federal survivor benefits - Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a benefit paid to surviving spouses of service members who die in the line of duty or veterans who die from service-related injuries or diseases, and includes additional payments for dependent children. Reduce the 10-Year Rule for DIC - For the survivor of a veteran with a 100 percent disability rating to receive DIC, the veteran must have had that rating for 10 consecutive years. However, if the veteran passes away due to a nonservice-connected condition before reaching 10 consecutive years of being totally disabled, the dependents are not eligible for any DIC benefit. Toxic Exposure in American Military (TEAM) Act Clinical TEAM Culture Act - Provisions like those contained in the Clinical TEAM Culture Act would require VA to develop standards for the provision of care by non-VA providers through the Community Care Program, and require community care providers to complete specified training, including training on suicide and military sexual trauma. Swiftly implement the DOL VETS Disabled Veterans Outreach Program - In 2019, Congress created a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program within DOL VETS to focus on the particular challenges faced by veterans with significant disabilities in returning to the workforce. Unfortunately, the agency has been slow in filling this position. Reverse FCC policy governing automated voice recognition technology and Preserve the Lifeline Program - In mid-2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an application from MachineGenius to provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS), also known as captioned telephone service, using automatic speech recognition (ASR) only technology. ASR can be problematic for many veterans and others with disabilities. Make improvements in Social Security Administration processing of Wounded Warrior/VAPT disability insurance claims - Claims for SSDI by service members and veterans with catastrophic disabilities are supposed to receive expedited processing by the Social Security Administration. However, an SSA Inspector General report in July 2019 found that the Social Security Administration had no consistent processes in place for handling SSDI claims of service-injured service members or veterans with 100% permanent and total disability ratings from the VA.