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December 03, 2021

New VA Reform Bills Passed into Law

On November 30, President Biden signed four new bills into law at a veteran-specific bill signing event. The Protecting Moms Who Served Act requires the VA to implement maternity care coordination programs to address gaps in care for veteran mothers and to study prenatal and postpartum health; it invests $15 million for these programs at VA facilities. The Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act requires the VA to consult with the DoD to identify and refer members of the Armed Forces with health care occupations for employment with the VA during their separation from the Armed Forces. The Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act will affect around 150,000 surviving dependents by guaranteeing in-state tuition rates for spouses and children of veterans who die from service-connected injuries. Lastly, S.1031 requires the GAO to assess whether disparities associated with race and ethnicity are present with respect to (1) VA compensation benefits, (2) VA disability ratings, and (3) VA benefit claims rejection.