A divisive bill that cuts disability benefits for veterans with sleep apnea and tinnitus while simultaneously granting compensation for combat veterans was passed by the House on Veterans Day — evoking condemnation from Democrats and veterans groups.
The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act is a large legislative package with dozens of bills, including a controversial set of policies that drew strong opposition from the start. Veteran Service Organizations said that the package would cut disability benefits from one group — veterans with sleep apnea and tinnitus ratings — and act as an “offset” to pay for another group, combat wounded veterans.
Democrats and veteran advocates criticized House Republicans for passing disability cuts on Veterans Day — and doing so with a voice vote where members call out “aye” or “no” the loudest, instead of recording an official vote under their name.
“On a day when America honors the brave men and women who stepped forward to defend our freedom, House leaders chose to sneak through legislation threatening earned benefits for millions of veterans, their families and survivors,” Disabled American Veterans National Commander John Donovan said in a statement. “Veterans risked their lives to guarantee our right to vote, and those who have the privilege of serving in Congress should have the backbone and decency to openly stand behind their votes, not hide like thieves in the night.”
Republicans declared the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act passage a “historic healthcare and benefits expansion,” noting that the bill gets rid of limits for combat wounded veterans, expands mental health options, and improves veteran transition programs.
“We have found a pathway to finally get these historic healthcare, benefits, and transformations done at VA for veterans and American families for the first time in years and I am committed to working with the Senate to get this bill over the finish line and to the president’s desk before the end of the year,” House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) said in a statement.
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The legislative package would implement a rule change proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2022 for how sleep apnea and tinnitus disability ratings are assessed. Both health conditions would lose their current stand-alone ratings. Sleep apnea would be assessed based “on the effectiveness of medical treatment and intervention,” and tinnitus would be treated as a symptom of an underlying condition, like hearing loss or a traumatic brain injury. According to the VA’s analysis for the proposed 2022 rule, the changes could reduce disability compensation payments by $57 billion over the next 10 years.
The package also includes the Maj. Richard Star Act, which is named after an Army reserve major who died of burn pit-exposure-linked lung cancer. The bill overturns current “double dipping” payment restrictions and allows combat-wounded veterans to receive both disability benefits and retirement pay. Congressional estimates indicate that the bill could cost $13 billion over the next decade.
In his reaction to the House’s voice vote Wednesday, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), said that he was ready to pass a “clean” version of the Major Richard Star Act.
On Thursday, the House passed the Richard Star Act again, but this time as a stand-alone bill. Before it can become law, the Senate will also need to pass one of the two versions of the Maj. Richard Star Act.
A Senate aide familiar with proceedings said they expect the large legislative package to fail because it would need 60 votes to pass the legislative body, which would require some Democrats to also sign on. In June, 45 Democrats signed a letter indicating that they would not support the offsets included in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act.