Julia Brownley: “I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for yielding, and I thank him, also, for his leadership on the committee. Mr.…”

“I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for yielding, and I thank him, also, for his leadership on the committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the VA MISSION Act because it makes significant improvements to the VA that our Nation's veterans have long been asking for, which will help deliver better care to the 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA. While I recognize that this bill is not a perfect one, my mission and the Veterans' Affairs Committee's mission has always been to provide better access to high-quality care for our Nation's veterans, and this bill advances that goal in a few very important ways. First, the VA MISSION Act consolidates the various community care programs, which will make it easier for veterans to use and for providers to participate in. The bill also expands the caregiver program, which is critical for improving outcomes and quality of life for our veterans. This has been a key priority for our Nation's veterans service organizations for years. Community nursing homes are five times more expensive than the average cost of the caregiver program. Expanding the caregiver program will save the VA and taxpayers money in the long run, all the while allowing veterans to receive quality care and better care at home from the people they trust the most. The bill also makes important improvements to community care eligibility, which are more closely aligned with the veterans' needs rather than the arbitrary criteria currently in place.…”