U.S. House Passes Congressman Davis’ Legislation to Assist Veterans and Caregivers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7653, the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield (VERY) Act, and H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act. 

“For those who have put their lives on the line for our nation, Congress must act to replace outdated language and ensure accessibility when seeking employment assistance because our words matter,” said Congressman Don Davis.  

The VERY Act, spearheaded by Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) and Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), is a one-page update to existing law that ensures disabled veterans feel comfortable accessing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services. Included within H.R. 8371, the Veterans Caregiver Appeals and Reform (CARE) Act of 2023, also introduced by Congressman Davis and Congressman Ciscomani, cuts red tape for veterans applying to the VA Caregivers program by allowing Veterans Service Organizations to assist them.

"I am grateful for Representative Don Davis and his work on the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act, which makes Veteran Readiness and Employment language more inclusive. We want to make sure all veterans are being encouraged to apply for benefits and services under the VR&E program, no matter their disability status. This is a commonsense and bipartisan bill that I hope President Biden signs very soon," said Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Specifically, the VERY Act will make a simple one-page technical fix to the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, replacing the term “employment handicap” with “employment barrier” and the term “serious employment handicap” with “serious employment barrier” while leaving the definitions unchanged. Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America have endorsed the bill, which heads to the Senate for consideration. 

“For more than a century, the VA’s VR&E program has provided critical resources that contribute to the holistic well-being of our nation’s disabled veterans. By removing the outdated term “employment handicap,” the VERY Act will help this invaluable program be more accessible to veterans and ensure eligible veterans are not deterred from pursuing services designed to help them find meaningful employment,” said Julie Howell, the Paralyzed Veterans of America Associate Legislative Director.

“At DAV, we understand that language matters. We should be conscious of using antiquated words that have negative connotations for people with disabilities. We are proud to support the Veterans Employment Readiness Act and demonstrate that language matters”, said Marquis Barefield, Assistant National Legislative Director for DAV (Disabled American Veterans).

The CARE Act makes it easier for veterans and their families to navigate applications to the VA Caregivers Program by allowing Veterans Service Organizations to help them through the process. Further, by requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans with more transparency in any denial letters, it gives veterans seeking assistance the peace of mind they deserve.

"We applaud Congressman Don Davis' (NC-1) recent introduction of the CARE Act of 2023 in the House,” said Andrea Sawyer, Advocacy Director for the Quality of Life Foundation. “Like its Senate companion, if enacted, this legislation will greatly enhance the VA Caregivers Program. By requiring the input of relevant medical specialists during the evaluation process, this legislation will help to ensure that those with brain injuries and mental health disorders are duly considered. For too long, veterans and caregivers have struggled to access the programs and services available through the Veterans Health Administration. The groundbreaking provision requiring the Secretary to develop a process by which qualified non-profit organizations would be trained and recognized by the Department to assist veterans and caregivers as they attempt to navigate the complex agency will open new avenues for collaboration to better help those in need."  

"We are one step closer to an important milestone, as the CARE Act is introduced in the House, following its introduction in the Senate last month," said Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. "This legislation brings important rigor and transparency to the evaluation and decision notification process for VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). It also provides a pathway for accredited organizations to assist veterans with PCAFC applications and mandates rigorous reporting on Caregiver Program utilization. The CARE Act addresses a number of concerns veteran caregivers share with us at the Foundation every day and we thank Representative Davis and all Members of Congress who support this bill for prioritizing veteran caregivers."

“VA’s Program of Comprehensive Support for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is a critical resource for many veterans and their caregivers throughout the country,” said Wounded Warrior Project Vice President for Government and Community Relations Jose Ramos. The CARE Act will make important improvements to the program by increasing operational transparency, ensuring that relevant medical specialists are included in the care evaluation process, and leveraging community-based resources that can help veterans and caregivers better navigate the VA health system.  We appreciate Congressman Davis’ and Congresswoman Kiggans’ bipartisan leadership on this issue and look forward to seeing the CARE Act passed into law.”

Read the full text of the VERY Act here.

Read the full text of the CARE Act here.

Video and photos are available here.