Tucson Standard

U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) has expressed approval following the House's passage of his legislation aimed at reforming and enhancing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill, known as the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 8371), was passed with a bipartisan vote of 389-9. This marks the sixth piece of legislation that Ciscomani has successfully advanced during his first term in Congress.

The comprehensive veterans package is designed to modernize healthcare delivery, expand job training access, address veteran homelessness, and improve benefits for veterans and their families. A notable component is the reauthorization of the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET-TEC) program, which supports veterans seeking high-tech industry job training.

"As a proud member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I will continue to work to empower our veterans as they transition back to civilian life and ensure that they receive the benefits they need - and earned - from the VA," said Ciscomani. He urged Senate colleagues to consider this legislation before year-end.

Speaker Mike Johnson remarked on Congress' responsibility towards veterans: "America owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the men and women who served this country." Majority Leader Steve Scalise emphasized improving care for veterans: "The men and women who have risked their lives... deserve quality healthcare."

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bost highlighted efforts to center veterans over bureaucracy: "For nearly two years we have been listening to the veteran community... The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act will help meet that mission head-on."

The bill has garnered support from over 50 organizations including Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Wounded Warrior Project, The American Legion, among others. Joy Ilem from DAV praised its focus on urgent needs like mental health services. Jose Ramos from Wounded Warriors Project acknowledged it as a product of bipartisan negotiations aimed at better serving veterans.

James LaCoursiere from The American Legion commended Congressman Ciscomani’s leadership in introducing this significant bill. MOAA President Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly stressed its potential positive impact on caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month.

The legislative package includes several acts focused on expanding home care services, improving community care timeliness, addressing veteran homelessness, cutting red tape for educational benefits, modernizing employment protections for servicemembers, supporting caregivers' mental health needs, providing burial allowances for certain survivors, enhancing outreach efforts through grants to state and tribal VSOs, updating IT systems for disability claims processing efficiency, requiring new VA employee training on reporting wrongdoing, and conducting security surveys at VA facilities.