Lawmakers Pass Measures To Improve Veterans’ Health Care Services
House and Senate lawmakers recently passed measures addressing veterans' health. Summaries of news about the legislation appear below:
- Traumatic brain injury: The Senate on Tuesday by voice vote passed a bill (S 793) sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) intended to improve treatment of traumatic brain injuries in veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, CQ Today reports. The bill would require CDC and NIH to conduct research to improve treatment techniques for traumatic brain injuries and also would mandate that CDC monitor brain injury cases. In addition, the legislation would reauthorize and expand programs established by a 1996 law that permits CDC to grant states funds for brain injury patients to enter treatment and rehabilitation programs (Hunter, CQ Today, 12/11).
- Vision loss benefits: The House on Tuesday by voice vote passed a resolution to make several revisions to a measure (HR 797) that was passed in March that would expand benefits for veterans who have experienced vision loss, CQ Today reports. The original bill would have expanded benefits for veterans who were blinded in one eye by a service-related injury and later lost vision in the other eye. This provision would affect about 5% of the 13,209 soldiers who have lost sight in one eye during service-related incidents, according to the Blinded Veterans Association. The House resolution changes the name of the legislation and also would provide an extension of one year for a Department of Veterans Affairs work-study program. In addition, it makes corrections to a portion of the bill that would require the VA secretary to collaborate with HHS to verify the employment status of veterans who are unable to work (Yoest, CQ Today, 12/11).
