Malliotakis-Backed Legislation to Expand Veterans' Healthcare and Benefits Passes House

(WASHINGTON, DC) — On Veterans Day, the House unanimously passed H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, a bipartisan legislative package cosponsored by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis.

"I applaud the House passage of H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, a comprehensive package of over 60 bipartisan veterans bills to improve health care, expand mental health services and caregiver support, and strengthen benefits for veterans, surviving spouses, and Gold Star families,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, who cosponsored the legislation.

Today, the House also approved H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act. Congresswoman Malliotakis was an original cosponsor of the legislation, which would eliminate the longstanding “wounded veteran tax” that reduces retirement benefits for certain combat-injured veterans.

“Veterans who were forced into early retirement because of injuries sustained in combat should not be penalized by having their retirement benefits reduced,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. “As an original cosponsor of the Major Richard Star Act, I'm proud to support this bipartisan effort to end the wounded veteran tax and ensure our combat-injured veterans receive the full benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice.”

Together, these two pieces of legislation include a wide range of reforms to improve care, expand benefits, and strengthen support for veterans and their families, including:

Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102)

• Major Richard Star Act: legislation that eliminates the “wounded veteran tax,” allowing eligible combat-injured veterans who were medically retired before completing 20 years of service to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation without a reduction in benefits.

Expanding Benefits for Disabled Veterans

• Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act: Provides approximately $10,000 annually in additional compensation to certain severely disabled veterans who require daily assistance, while increasing financial support for surviving military families.
• VA Disability Rating Reforms: Updates disability rating requirements for future tinnitus and sleep apnea claims, protecting compensation already in effect while using projected savings to fund expanded veterans' benefits.
   

Improving Veterans' Health Care and Mental Health Services

• Veterans' ACCESS Act: Expands access to community-based health care, strengthens mental health and addiction treatment services, and helps veterans receive timely care inside and outside the VA system.
• Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation (VITAL) Act: Streamlines VA construction and facility management, helping modernize medical facilities and improve the delivery of veterans' health care services.
• Brain Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research: Strengthens research into brain injuries and repeated blast exposure, expands access to specialized care, and supports improved treatment for veterans living with traumatic brain injuries.
• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: Strengthens mental health treatment, improves access to residential rehabilitation programs, and extends suicide prevention initiatives aimed at helping veterans in crisis.
• Women's Health and Prosthetics Modernization: Advances research into menopause and women's health, improves access to prosthetics and adaptive equipment, and expands access to specialized recreational and sports equipment for disabled veterans.

Strengthening Support for Gold Star Families and Caregivers

• Love Lives On Act: Eliminates key remarriage penalties that can cause surviving military spouses to lose VA and military survivor benefits, allowing eligible spouses to remarry without sacrificing critical financial and health care support.
• Expanded Survivor Benefits: Increases financial support for eligible surviving spouses and families through improvements to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and expands access to certain veterans' memorial benefits.
• Veteran Caregiver 3R Act: Expands support for family caregivers through continued health care coverage, employment assistance, professional training, and improved retirement planning resources.

Modernizing VA Services and Strengthening Accountability

• VA Workforce and Infrastructure Reforms: Improves VA staffing oversight, strengthens planning for medical facilities, and streamlines operations to provide veterans with more timely and reliable services.
• Transition Assistance and Employment Opportunities: Strengthens programs that help separating service members transition to civilian life, pursue skilled trades, obtain professional certifications, and access employment opportunities.
• Additional Bipartisan Veterans' Initiatives: Advances reforms to improve veterans' transportation assistance, housing support, access to medical services, and coordination of care for veterans with complex health needs.