Congressional Leaders Praise Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Omnibus

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.)and Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statements after the House and Senate passed H.R 7105, As Amended, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020:

“After two years of hard work, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs secured major victories for our veterans with key provisions in our final legislative package to support women veterans, expand benefits for homeless veterans, and ensure servicemembers and veterans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will be taken care of,” said Chairman Takano. “It’s only fitting that this monumental bipartisan effort is named after two of our own veteran colleagues – Ranking Member Dr. Roe and Former Senate Chairman Isakson. I hope that we can continue this legacy of bipartisanship to keep getting results for our veterans as we move into the 117th Congress.” 

“Serving my fellow veterans in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and I am proud that one of my last acts in Washington is voting for a bill that I know will have a positive impact on their daily lives for years to come,” said Ranking Member Roe. “From expanding access to education and training for transitioning servicemembers to improving care and benefits for women veterans to modernizing the Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance Program to supporting veterans who are homeless, this bill touches on virtually every aspect of VA and has something to offer virtually every one of our nation’s heroes.  I commend my House and Senate colleagues and our partners in VA and in the veteran service organization community for working together to get this bill over the finish line before the end of the year. I am humbled that Chairman Takano, Chairman Moran, and Ranking Member Tester saw fit to name this bill after me and former Chairman Isakson and I thank them each for their friendship and enduring commitment to bettering the lives of all those who have served.” 

“This is a groundbreaking moment as we push VA to provide better access to care and services for veterans across this country, particularly the nearly two million women veterans,” said Ranking Member Tester. “Women have served in uniform since the American Revolution and are now the fastest growing population of veterans in the country. It’s our responsibility to make sure VA health care and benefits are tailored to meet their needs and are accessible to them and their families. Unanimous passage of my Deborah Sampson Act—and of the entire legislative package—sends a clear message that Congress is willing to come together to do what’s necessary and follow through on our responsibility to support all veterans.”

“Today, veterans are benefiting from the work of two former chairmen and their commitment to do the right thing for veterans,” said Chairman Moran. “I am pleased to advance this legislation, which invests in the GI Bill and economic opportunities for veterans, so they can achieve the American dream they fought to defend on our behalf. Equally as important, this bill improves care and reduces barriers for women veterans, so they can have greater access to the benefits they have earned. Furthermore, this bill expands resources for veterans hardest hit by this pandemic, whether that be financial hardship or limited access to community resources for homeless veterans. I want to thank Senators Tester, Boozman, Lankford, Loeffler, Sullivan, and all my SVAC and HVAC colleagues, as well as our partners from the Veterans Service Organizations, for their work in creating this legislation that will impact every corner of our veteran community, both young and old, who each face unique challenges in their life after service. I look forward to President Trump quickly signing this important legislation into law to benefit our veterans.”

To read a letter of support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars for H.R. 7105, click here.

To read a letter of support from the Military Officers Association of America for H.R. 7105, click here.

To read a letter of support from Student Veterans of America for H.R. 7105, click here.

For a section-by-section summary of H.R. 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, click here.

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