Two Pieces of Underwood's Legislation to Improve the Quality of Care for Veterans Signed Into Law
The Veterans in STEM Act expands scholarship opportunities for veterans in clinical health training programs
The Caring for Our Women Veterans Act ensures women veterans receive quality health care from VA facilities
WASHINGTON— Last night, two pieces of legislation from Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) were signed into law by President Trump. The Veterans in STEM Act (H.R. 6140) would expand STEM scholarships for clinical health training programs. The Caring for Our Women Veterans Act (H.R. 3636) ensures women veterans receive quality health care from VA facilities by directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress annually on gender-specific care available at VA facilities, which will provide valuable information about how VA can better provide high-quality, accessible care for women veterans. Underwood's legislation was signed into law as a part of H.R 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, which passed the House on December 21, 2020.
"Veterans have given so much to our country, when they return home they must be met with quality healthcare and opportunities to translate the skills they learned into great careers. As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee in the 116th Congress, I've fought to make that happen and am delighted to see my legislation to deliver high quality benefits to veterans signed into law," said Underwood.
In addition to Underwood's provision, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act also includes the House-passed Deborah Sampson Act to improve care for women veterans, which Underwood strongly supported. Additionally, the legislation includes provisions to expand veteran benefits, provide assistance to homeless veterans, and support veterans impacted by COVID-19.
As a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the Servicewomen & Women Veterans Congressional Caucus, and the Women Veterans Task Force, Underwood is an advocate for improving veterans' access to quality care and has worked to help ensure veterans receive the care they have earned. In October 2020, Underwood's bipartisan legislation to ensure high-quality mental health and suicide prevention care for veterans was signed into law by the President. The Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act helps ensure both the V.A. and outside providers are offering veterans high-quality mental health and suicide prevention services. In September 2020, Underwood introduced the ACE Veterans Act and the Post-9/11 Veteran Suicide Prevention Counseling Act to improve access to quality care for veterans.
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