Veterans' Health Care Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-2874
Sponsor: Rep. Michaud, Michael H. [D-ME-2]
Introduced: 2007-06-27 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Afghanistan
Agriculture and Food
Armed forces reserves
Arts, Culture, Religion
Authors and authorship
Case management
Clinics
Community health services
Congressional reporting requirements
Counseling
Crime and Law Enforcement
Day care
Demography
Dental care
Directories
Disaster relief
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Emergency Management
Families
Family services
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial services
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government service contracts
Grants-in-aid
Health
Health counseling
Health education
Health insurance
Homeless
Housing and Community Development
Housing subsidies
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Labor and Employment
Law
Legal aid
Low-income housing
Medical records
Mental health services
Middle East and North Africa
Military occupation
Military operations
National Guard
Nonprofit organizations
Performing arts
Personal budgets
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychiatrists
Psychologists
Public speaking
Rental housing
Rural health
Science, Technology, Communications
Shelters for the homeless
Social Welfare
South Asia
Telemedicine
Terrorism
Transportation and Public Works
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' rehabilitation
Vocational guidance
Women
Women veterans

Summary:
action_date: 2007-06-27
text: 
Veterans' Health Care Improvement Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) make grants for conducting workshops in the performing arts, public speaking, writing, and culinary arts to further the readjustment of veterans; and (2) make emergency grants to repair or replace facilities used to provide care for homeless veterans.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in remote areas; (2) provide peer outreach services, peer support services, and readjustment and mental health services to veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom; (3) carry out a pilot program to assist returning war veterans who are at risk of not seeking mental health services; (4) ensure that at least one full-time employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is assigned to oversee and coordinate homeless veterans programs at the office of each of the VA regional health delivery networks; (5) annually increase the rate of payment for providing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services to homeless veterans; (6) carry out a demonstration program to prevent veterans who are at risk of homelessness after discharge or release from active military duty from becoming homeless; (7) carry out a pilot program for the provision of permanent housing for homeless veterans; and (8) provide financial assistance for the provision of supportive services for very low-income veteran families residing in permanent housing.
 
Allows homeless veterans' comprehensive services grant funds to be used to provide funding for service center staff.
 
Extends through FY2011 a program of referral and counseling for veterans transitioning from certain institutions who are at risk of homelessness.
 
Repeals a provision limiting to FY2003 and FY2004 the funding for VA domiciliary care programs for homeless veterans. Requires the Secretary to ensure that such programs are adequate, with respect to capacity and safety, to meet the needs of women veterans.

action_date: 2007-07-30
text: 
Veterans' Health Care Improvement Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to private, nonprofit entities to conduct workshop programs to assist in the therapeutic readjustment and rehabilitation of veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations after the Persian Gulf War, or in combat during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998, and are discharged or released from active duty on or after September 11, 2001 (covered veterans). Limits grant amounts to $100,000. Requires annual reports from the Secretary to the congressional veterans committees on the use of such grants and their benefits to covered veterans. Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in remote rural areas. Limits grant amounts to $50,000. Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 4) Makes permanent (currently ends on December 31, 2007) the VA authority to treat participants in the Department of Defense (DOD) chemical biological testing conducted by Deseret Test Center.
 
(Sec. 5) Extends through FY2009 VA authority to collect health care copayments and certain medical care cost recovery amounts from veterans receiving such care.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to carry out a program to provide, through contracts with community mental health centers, peer outreach services, peer support services, and readjustment and mental health services to covered veterans. Requires training for covered veterans and clinicians providing services under the program.
 
(Sec. 7) Revises provisions concerning a joint VA-Department of Labor demonstration program of referral and counseling for veterans transitioning from certain institutions (including penal institutions) and who are at-risk for homelessness to: (1) remove the &quot;demonstration&quot; designation; (2) require the program to be carried out in at least 12 (under current law, six) locations; and (3) extend the program through FY2011.
 
(Sec. 8) Removes the FY2003-FY2004 limit on the authorization of appropriations for a VA program to provide domiciliary care programs for homeless veterans. Requires the Secretary to ensure that such programs are adequate, with respect to capacity and safety, to meet the needs of women veterans.
 
(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to provide financial assistance to private nonprofit organizations or consumer cooperatives to provide and coordinate supportive services for very low-income (less than 50% of the median income for the area) veteran families residing in permanent housing. Provides a preference for families who are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Requires: (1) the provision of such assistance to be equitably distributed across geographic regions, including rural communities and tribal lands; and (2) the Secretary to provide appropriate training and technical assistance to entities providing such services. Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 10) Makes homeless veterans eligible for dental care through the VA after receiving certain other types of care (such as domiciliary or community residential care) through the VA for 30 (under current law, 60) consecutive days.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-07-31
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8892-8895)
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8892-8895)
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2874.
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR 7/31/2007 H8892-8897)
action_date: 2007-07-30
text: Mr. Filner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2007-07-27
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 170.
action_date: 2007-07-27
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 110-268.
action_date: 2007-07-27
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 110-268.
action_date: 2007-07-17
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2007-07-17
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2007-07-11
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-06-28
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-06-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-06-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2007-06-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-06-27
text: Introduced in House