Digging Into Troubling New Congressional Proposals
A suite of Republican bills before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs appear to be an effort to jump-start legislative work on some of the veteran-related proposals in the Heritage Foundations’ Project 2025 agenda.Facing the potential loss of their House majority, Republicans have drafted legislation that would hamper future members of Congress and VA leaders in their efforts to provide the nation’s veterans with the highest quality, most timely and conveniently located care. These bills — which range from circumventing the VHA’s system of stellar mental healthcare to complicating the delivery of high-quality services like emergency, oncology, and orthopedic care — cynically exploit concerns about delays in care and veteran suicide rates. Their apparent aim is to bolster private sector healthcare options, despite reams of data showing that such alternatives have failed our nation’s veterans while lining the pockets of for-profit healthcare entities.VHPI has responded to these bills in collaboration with several organizations, including the American Psychological Association, Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, Association of VA Social Workers, National Association of VA Physicians and Dentists, and Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs. Together, we’ve submitted a joint Statement for the Record for the hearing, detailing the significant issues with four of the proposed bills and offering solutions to address these concerns. You can read our Statement for the Record here.
