Lawmakers could be headed toward a veterans omnibus bill covering a host of health, education and employment issues after House members passed a package of nine veterans-themed measures the evening of 9 FEB. The flurry of legislation came after a day of debate and discussion about veterans issues on the House floor. All of the measures were passed by voice vote without objection, but will need Senate action and the president’s signature before they can become law.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said the moves were a needed push to help “our retired servicemen and women who have been neglected by a broken Department of Veterans Affairs.” He promised more focus on the issues in months to come. “It has been several years since the corruption and dysfunction at the VA was exposed, and quite frankly, it is appalling that we must continue to pass bills to fix the countless problems that have been ignored,” he said. “We continue to hear that change at the VA is on the way, but as the bureaucracy remains unchanged, our veterans continue to wait for care and benefits.” House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) said the bills together help “rein in the incompetence that permeates VA’s construction efforts, end the egregious taxpayer abuse some unscrupulous and greedy schools are committing on a daily basis, and most importantly, honor our veterans while improving and expanding the benefits they have earned.”
