Healthier Heroes Act

Bill: 110-hr-3645
Sponsor: Rep. Space, Zachary T. [D-OH-18]
Introduced: 2007-09-24 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Afghanistan
Armed forces abroad
Armed forces reserves
Caregivers
Crime and Law Enforcement
Disability evaluation
Disabled
Families
Family leave
Health
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Married people
Middle East and North Africa
Military dependents
Military medicine
Military occupation
Military operations
National Guard
Physical examinations
Post-traumatic stress disorder
South Asia
Terrorism
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' medical care
War casualties

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: 
Healthier Heroes Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a single medical examination for members of the Armed Forces to be used by: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) medical evaluation boards and physical evaluation boards to determine the fitness of a member of the Armed Forces to perform the duties of the member's office, grade, rank, or rating; and (2) the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the disability rating, compensation, and benefits programs for a member who is retired or separated because of physical disability.
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide appropriate medical care to any veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom for post-traumatic stress disorder regardless of the length of time the veteran has been separated from active duty service.
 
Provides extended benefits under TRICARE (a DOD managed care program) for the primary caregivers of members who incur a serious injury or illness while on active duty.
 
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to entitle an eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered servicemember to a total of 26 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for the servicemember.
 
Defines covered servicemember as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or a Reserve, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in medical hold or medical holdover status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the member medically unfit to perform his or her duties.
 
Provides for the substitution of accrued paid vacation, personal, family leave, or medical or sick leave for any part of the 26-week period.
 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the availability of such leave during any other 12-month period.
 
Amends federal civil service law to entitle civilian federal employees to the same leave allowance. Provides for the substitution of accrued paid annual or sick leave for any part of the 26-week period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-10-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2007-10-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Education and Labor, House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-09-24
text: Introduced in House