The House on Tuesday unanimously passed a series of bills geared toward improving services for military veterans, including one that would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow military funerals on weekends.
“Loved ones should be able to mourn their loss at a time that works for them,” said Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., who is the sponsor of the legislation.
Her bill would require national cemeteries administered by the VA to hold military burials on the weekend if requested by families for religious reasons. Few are held on weekends currently, according to House Republican floor staff.
Lawmakers also passed a bill requiring the VA to fill management positions typically held by temporary workers, a situation that has resulted in frequent turnover and reduced services in the already strapped system.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., would end a so-called revolving door at the embattled VA, which is still struggling to alleviate long wait times for care.
“How are we going to clean up the VA if no one is around long enough to do it?” Bost said. His bill would require VA officials to report to Congress about the unfilled management positions, a move that lawmakers say will help hold the agency accountable for fixing the problem.
Lawmakers also approved legislation that would help expand benefits for the caretakers of veterans by allowing them to seek independent clinical review when determining whether they are eligible for the program. The bill would help offset a massive backlog of people seeking access to the program, which was set up for only a fraction of those it is now serving.
“Staffing shortages impede the timeliness of this program,” said House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla. “This is unacceptable.”
The VA system has been plagued with problems tied to mismanagement and waste.
Lawmakers passed legislation that would evaluate the effectiveness of certain VA programs, particularly those aimed at minority and female veterans transitioning into civilian life and pursuing higher education. All of the legislation passed by voice vote under special rules that limit debate and prohibit amendments.
