Washington, D.C. –
Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley co-sponsored four pieces of legislation today to
improve health care for our veterans.
“We have a bedrock commitment
to our men and women in uniform to provide them with the resources they need in
battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they return home,” Merkley
said. “These bills expand and improve health care for rural veterans,
female veterans, and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and
traumatic brain injury. They also provide support to family members
charged with the difficult task of providing care to injured loved ones.”
Senator Merkley is
co-sponsoring the following pieces of legislation:
Honor Act of 2009
- Authorizes
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide scholarships for
graduate or post-graduate degree studies in behavioral science to veterans
with previous experience in mental health field - Authorizes
VA survivor benefits to family members if a veteran with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) commits suicide
within two years of military separation or retirement
Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009
- Oregon has over 352,000
veterans throughout the state - Provides travel
reimbursement for rural veterans, and establishes centers of excellence
for rural health research, education and clinical activities - Authorizes the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to establish a $50,000 grant program to provide transportation
options to veterans in rural areas - Provides peer outreach
services including readjustment counseling and mental health services and
improvement of care of American Indian Veterans
Women Veterans Health Care
Improvement Act of 2009
- Directs
the VA to report on barriers preventing female veterans from getting the
health care they need - Provides
for independent pilot study on health consequences for women who served in
Iraq and Afghanistan - Furnishes care for up to seven days after the birth of
the child for female veterans receiving VA maternity care
Family Caregiver Program Act
of 2009
- Waives
charges for care provided by VA in emergency cases to attendants
accompanying veterans severely injured while on active duty - Provides
family members with caregiver instruction, training and certification - Provides
for direct technical support to routine, emergency, and specialized care
giving
“When it comes to the serious
physical and emotional tolls that PTSD and traumatic brain injury take on our
veterans, there is much we have yet to understand. The Honor Act improves
treatment for veterans, but it also provides educational opportunities for
veterans to become experts in the mental health field. We need more
health care providers with first-hand knowledge of what veterans have gone
through so they can better help those who need it most,” Merkley said.
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