Cortez Masto, Blumenthal, Democratic Colleagues Introduce Sweeping Veterans BILL to Reform and Improve VA Health CARE

Senators’Honor Actwill strengthen VA’s ability to recruit high quality employees, make major investments in aging facilities, and ensure veterans receive quality care at VA and in the community.
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and nine of their Senate Democratic colleagues introduced sweeping legislation to improve health care for veterans. TheHonor Our Promise to Veterans (Honor) Actwould invest in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) aging infrastructure, augment the VA’s ability to recruit high-quality health care employees, and improve the standards of care veterans receive.
“America’s veterans deserve the highest standard of care, and I’m proud to join this commonsense legislation to deliver just that,”said Senator Cortez Masto.“This bill will make it easier to upgrade old infrastructure and help the VA recruit the highest quality candidates. Together, we can undertake real VA reforms that make a meaningful difference for our veterans.”
The Senators’ legislation would implement critical policy reforms based on feedback from veterans, Veterans Service Organizations, labor representatives, VA employees, the Government Accountability Office, and VA’s Office of Inspector General. It is the most comprehensive legislation to reform VA health care since theMISSION Act, which became law in 2018.
Among its many provisions, theHonor Actwould:
Improve care at VA and in the community for veterans:

Reform VA’s hiring process to ensure the Department can recruit and retain employees:

Strengthen VA infrastructure to increase the Department’s capacity to serve veterans:

The Honor Act has received support from critical veteran advocates, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Common Defense, Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute, Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, VoteVets, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), Veterans Affairs PA Association (AVAPAA), American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Military Association of America, and Minority Veterans of America.
The bills full text can be foundhereand a section by section can be foundhere.
Senator Cortez Masto is a consistent champion for Nevada’s service members and veterans. Recently, she helped pass theNational Defense Authorization Act,which included a 3.8 percent pay raise for veterans. Cortez Masto helped pass thePACT Actto ensure veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty get the medical care they need and has worked to support veterans exposed to toxins while serving at theNevada Test and Training Range. Cortez Masto successfully pushed the Biden administration to approve a new veterans cemetery in Elko, Nevada, and has been continuallypushingthe VA for transparency in the timeline of its construction. She has fought back against the Navy Federal Credit Union for itsdisparate lending practicesand forovercharging service members.
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