July 12, 2018

Ranking Member Walz Statement After Committee Passes 10 Pieces Of Bipartisan Veterans Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the committee voted to advance 10 pieces of bipartisan veterans legislation, including multiple bills championed by Democrats:

“Once again, our committee came together to improve the lives of our nation’s veterans,” said Rep. Walz. “I could not be prouder of the legislation we advanced today and the work our committee accomplishes on a daily basis. I am thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who contributed to this bipartisan effort. Among the bills advanced to the full House today was H.R. 2787, the Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow’s Medical Doctors Act, a bill that would require VA to establish a 1-year clinical observation program for young health care professionals currently enrolled in medical school. I applaud my colleague Rep. Kaptur (D-OH) for introducing the legislation. I also want to extend my gratitude to Vice Ranking Member Takano (D-CA) for offering a commonsense amendment to H.R. 2787 that would ensure medical students with an intention to specialize in a health profession for which VHA is experiencing a shortage are given priority for selection into the pilot program.”

The following bills were passed out of committee:

  1. H.R. 2787, as amended, the Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow’s Medical Doctors Act (Rep. Kaptur)
  2. H.R. 5649, as amended, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Bill” Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2018 (Rep. Arrington)
  3. H.R. 5693, as amended, the Long-Term Care Veterans Choice Act (Rep. Higgins)
  4. H.R. 6066, as amended, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the productivity of the management of Department of Veterans Affairs health care, and for other purposes (Rep. Wenstrup)
  5. H.R. 2409, a bill to allow servicemembers to terminate their cable, satellite, television, and internet contracts while deployed (Rep. Costello)
  6. H.R. 5538, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain additional periods of active duty service for purposes of suspending charges to veterans’ entitlement to educational assistances under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs during periods of suspended participation in vocational rehabilitation programs (Rep. Peters)
  7. H.R. 5864, the VA Hospitals Establishing Leadership Performance Act (Rep. Bost)
  8. H.R. 5882, the Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act (Rep. Bustos)
  9. H.R. 5938, as amended, the Veterans Serving Veterans Act of 2018 (Del. Gonzalez-Colon)
  10. H.R. 5974, as amended, the VA COST SAVINGS Enhancement Act (Rep. Denham)

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