NewsBytes August 13, 2021
In this issue:
House Passes VIP Act
Protect Veterans from Predatory Pension Poachers
Veteran’s Access to Home and Community-based Services.
House Passes Veterans in the Park (VIP) Act
The House unanimously passed the “Veterans in Parks Act” (VIP-H.R.4300) sponsored by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa). The bill would give veterans and Gold Star families free lifetime access to national parks and public federal lands, and also give active-duty military free annual passes.
The America the Beautiful Pass provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, national forests and wildlife refuges. This includes some of the country’s most iconic natural treasures, ranging from Acadia National Park to the Redwood National Forest. The VIP Act would allow all veterans, active-duty service members, and Gold Star Families to visit all national parks and public lands free of charge. In 2020, the America the Beautiful annual pass became free for veterans and Gold Star Families; however, this change for veterans has never been put into law and could be undone in future years.
The bill protects these passes by codifying them into law and making them lifetime passes instead of annual passes. Finally, this bill also creates annual passes for current service members, which can be converted into lifetime passes once they leave the military.
The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration. Members can go to the FRA Action Center to weigh in on this issue.
Bipartisan Push to Protect Veterans from Predatory Pension Poachers
In a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (Kan.) are continuing to push for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to focus on proactive, community-based outreach to better protect veterans and survivors across the country from predatory pension poachers.
Aging veterans represent a segment of vulnerable individuals who are increasingly being targeted by bad actors preying upon the VA pension benefits veterans have earned. While they are often victims of scams including being overcharged for home care, charged for services they did not receive, or given bad investment advice. A report (GAO-20-109) from the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that VA has not taken an aggressive approach in preventing this exploitation from occurring. Sens. Tester, Moran and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will include language in legislation later this year that will require the VA to develop a plan to address the financial exploitation of veterans. A copy of the letter can be found online.
HVAC Subcommittee Reviews Veteran’s Access to Home and Community-based Services.
The House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health held an oversight hearing to examine veterans' access to home and community-based services. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff provided the subcommittee with information on the VA’s home-based and community care programs such as home-based health care, home aid, medical foster care, respite care, etc. The VA has expanded from 68 to 70 sites in 2019 and six more were added in 2020. During the hearing, it was noted that the VA will continue to consider further expansions as needed.
For more information about VA home and community-based services go online.
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