To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that domiciliary facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes that provide housing to veterans have resident advocates.

Bill: 119-hr-1413
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Introduced: 2025-02-18
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability assistance

Employee hiring

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to employ a resident advocate in each of its domiciliary facilities. The resident advocate must (1) serve as liaison between veterans in the facilities and the VA; (2) receive complaints from such veterans, transmit the complaints to the directors of the facilities, and respond to such complaints; and (3) submit complaints to the Office of Inspector General of the VA when appropriate.</p><p>Additionally, state homes must also employ a resident advocate in order to be eligible for payment from the VA for&nbsp;domiciliary care provided to a veteran. A <em>state home</em> is a home established by a state or tribe for veterans who are disabled by age, disease, or otherwise and are incapable of earning a living because of such disability. The term also includes a home that furnishes nursing home care for veterans.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1413 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 18, 2025 Mr. Gottheimer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that domiciliary facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes that provide housing to veterans have resident advocates.

1. Requirement of resident advocate in a domiciliary facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs or State home (a) Domiciliary facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly): 1720M. Resident advocates in domiciliary facilities of the Department (a) Requirement The Secretary shall employ in each domiciliary facility of the Department a resident advocate. (b) Duties A resident advocate shall have duties that include the following: (1) To serve as a liaison between veterans in the domiciliary facility and the Secretary. (2) To receive complaints from such veterans, transmit such complaints to the director of such domiciliary facility, and respond to such complaints. (3) When the resident advocate determines it appropriate, to submit such a complaint to the Secretary, the Inspector General of the Department. . (b) State homes Section 1741 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and (2) by inserting, after subsection (f), the following new subsection (g): (g) To be eligible for payment for domiciliary care provided to a veteran in a State home under this section, a State shall employ in such State home a resident advocate. A resident advocate shall have duties that include the following: (1) To serve as a liaison between veterans in such State home and the State. (2) To receive complaints from such veterans, transmit such complaints to the director of the State home, and respond to such complaints. (3) When the resident advocate determines it appropriate, to submit such a complaint to the Secretary, the Inspector General of the Department, or an appropriate State official. .