I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1802 

To expand eligibility for the program of comprehensive assistance for family 

caregivers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2017 

Ms. ESTY (for herself, Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. 

MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To expand eligibility for the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caregivers Access and 

5 Responsible Expansion for All Veterans Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘CARE for All Veterans Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION IN 

2 FAMILY CAREGIVER PROGRAM OF DEPART3 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

4 (a) EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Subsection 

5 (a)(2)(B) of section 1720G of title 38, United States 

6 Code, is amended by inserting before the semicolon the 

7 following: ‘‘, or, in accordance with paragraph (11), has 

8 such an injury or illness that was so incurred or aggra9 vated before such date’’. 

10 (b) CLARIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR ILLNESS.— 

11 Such subsection is further amended by inserting ‘‘or ill12 ness’’ after ‘‘serious injury’’. 

13 (c) EXPANSION OF NEEDED SERVICES IN ELIGI14 BILITY CRITERIA.—Subsection (a)(2)(C) of such section 

15 is amended— 

16 (1) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and insert17 ing a semicolon; 

18 (2) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv); 

19 and 

20 (3) by inserting after clause (ii) the following 

21 new clause (iii): 

22 ‘‘(iii) a need for regular or extensive in23 struction or supervision in completing two or 

24 more instrumental activities of daily living; or’’. 


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1 (d) ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE.—Subsection (a) 

2 of such section is amended by adding at the end the fol3 lowing new paragraph: 

4 ‘‘(11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

5 subsection, a family caregiver of an eligible veteran who 

6 is eligible under paragraph (2) solely because of a serious 

7 injury or illness (including traumatic brain injury, psycho8 logical trauma, or other mental disorder) incurred or ag9 gravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, 

10 or air service before September 11, 2001, is eligible for 

11 assistance under this subsection as follows: 

12 ‘‘(A) Not earlier than October 1, 2019, if the 

13 family caregiver would merit a monthly personal 

14 caregiver stipend under paragraph (3)(A)(ii)(V) in 

15 an amount that is in the highest tier specified in the 

16 schedule established by the Secretary under para17 graph (3)(C)(i). 

18 ‘‘(B) Not earlier than October 1, 2021, if the 

19 family caregiver would merit such a stipend in an 

20 amount that is in the middle tier specified in such 

21 schedule. 

22 ‘‘(C) Not earlier than October 1, 2023, if the 

23 family caregiver would merit such a stipend in an 


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1 amount that is in the lowest tier specified in such 

2 schedule.’’. 

Æ 


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