Rounds: Bipartisan Veterans First Act Prioritizes our Nation’s Vets

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today praised the committee’s rollout of the Veterans First Act, which is comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to improve accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and enhance care for veterans. The bill includes major provisions of two pieces of legislation Rounds introduced, the Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act and the Veterans Health Administration Spending and Transparency Oversight Act.

“South Dakota is home to more than 72,000 veterans who have selflessly and bravely served our country,” said Rounds. “Unfortunately, many aren’t receiving the quality of care they have been promised due to decades of mismanagement and ongoing problems at the VA. The Veterans First Act takes meaningful steps to hold the VA accountable and – most importantly – improve care for our nation’s veterans. I’m proud to be a part of this effort and I thank the members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, especially Chairman Isakson and Ranking Member Blumenthal, for working together to produce meaningful, bipartisan reforms at the VA. This legislation truly puts the needs of our veterans first.”

Rounds Provisions Included in the Veterans First Act:

• Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act - amends the Choice Act by eliminating the “secondary payer clause” to make certain veterans do not pay more for private care under the Choice Act than they would if they were seen at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility.
• Veterans Health Administration Spending and Transparency Oversight Act - requires the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to produce an annual report to Congress detailing the cost of the health care it provides. Having accurate cost accounting by the VHA will help Congress identify legislative options aimed at better health care for our nation’s veterans,

Legislation Rounds Cosponsored Included in the Veterans First Act:

• Honor America’s Guard and Reserves Act - Honors as a veteran any person who is entitled to retired pay for non-regular (reserve) service or who would be so entitled, but for age. Provides that such person shall not be entitled to any benefit by reason of such recognition.
• Express Appeals Act – Directs the VA to, 1) carry out a five-year pilot program to provide the option of an alternative appeals process to determine appeals of claims for disability compensation more quickly; and 2) inform claimants about such program. 
• ·         Toxic Exposure Research Act - Directs the VA to select a VA medical center to serve as the national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of the biological children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to such exposure.
• Women Airforce Service Pilot Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act - Directs the Department of the Army to ensure that the cremated remains of persons who served as Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) are eligible for inurnment in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

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