Kilmer Reintroduces Bills to Address Health and Discrimination Issues Facing Veterans
WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) reintroduced bills to address issues facing the nation’s veterans. One proposal would prohibit discrimination against veterans and servicemembers seeking jobs or housing. The other would attempt to end systemic management issues within the Veterans Health Administration.
The bills reintroduced yesterday are part of Kilmer’s efforts this week to highlight the challenges and opportunities facing veterans. Kilmer invited a Tacoma veteran, Stephen Buchanan, to President Obama’s State of the Union address. Buchanan developed a startup, ChooseVets, while participating in the University of Washington-Tacoma’s Veterans Incubator for Better Entrepreneurship (VIBE).
“This week I sought to highlight how veterans are helping our community – and how we can have their back,” said Kilmer. “We have an obligation to care for veterans who sacrificed so much for our freedom. That’s why I reintroduced legislation to create a veterans bill of rights and other reforms so the VA does right by those who served. I was also proud to reintroduce a bill to ensure that military status isn’t used against anyone looking for a home or job.”
Kilmer has worked with Veteran Service Organizations, his Veterans Council, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to come up with proposals to effectively address long-term challenges in the VA system. Though the House of Representatives passed a package to address several issues affecting veterans’ healthcare last June, Kilmer’s proposal, the Veterans Health Administration Improvement Act, is intended to address and change the underlying culture that caused manipulated wait times and cover-ups.
The Veterans Health Administration Management Improvement Act seeks to supplement and enhance the changes that Congress already made by passing the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. The bill takes additional steps to address leadership failures by management, and to make it easier for employees to report mismanagement. Specifically the legislation:
- Directs the GAO to conduct a study to determine what management problems exist at the VA, and establishes a pilot program to provide an opportunity for management to improve;
- Establishes a VHA Management and Accountability Ombudsman to provide a safe avenue for employees to report issues they observe. The Ombudsman would be responsible for keeping the Secretary of Veterans Affairs appraised of employee concerns; and
- Establishes a patients’ bill of rights to create basic rights for VHA beneficiaries, so that veterans have a clear sense of what they are entitled to in their healthcare. The bill of rights was written after consulting multiple stakeholders to ensure it meets industry best practices.
The Veterans and Servicemembers Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2015 will add to anti-discrimination laws for housing and employment to ensure that military status isn’t used against anyone looking for a home or a job. The bill will provide comprehensive assistance to veterans of all eras and provide legal recourse for those who choose to seek it.
“The impetus for this legislation is to protect individuals from being discriminated against based on their military or veteran status,” said Diane Zumatto, AMVETS National Legislative Director. “An inclusive national policy is vital to ensuring American Veterans are fully integrated into the 21st Century workforce and not penalized because they chose to serve their country. AMVETS calls on our congressional leadership to bring about this change in federal law.”
Washington state’s 6th District is home to more than 25,000 active duty and reserve service members, along with more than 80,000 veterans and their families. Naval Base Kitsap, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and many other important facilities and vessels are located in the 6th District. Many residents (both civilian and servicemembers) also work at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) - Washington state’s third largest employer.
###