WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and U.S. Representative John Carney (D-Del.) joined a bipartisan group of legislators to support the men and women who care for ill and injured veterans when they return home.  The Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act, led by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), would increase resources available to family members of injured or ill veterans who serve as caregivers.

A RAND study released last year, commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, shed light on the physical, emotional and financial challenges military and veteran caregivers face, including greater rates of depression, divorce and financial difficulty.

“As we work to improve care for veterans across Delaware, we cannot forget the moms and dads, sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters who also make profound sacrifices to care for our veterans when they return home and face illness or injuries related to their service,” said Senator Coons.  “This bill recognizes that caregivers play a critical role in honoring the promise our country makes to the men and women who serve.”

“Like the loved ones they support, families of veterans dedicate their lives in service to our country,” said Congressman Carney. “We not only owe them a debt of gratitude – we owe them the support and resources they need to care for their relatives who have put their lives on the line for us. This bill takes important steps toward ensuring that we meet our sacred obligation to take care of veterans when they return home.”

“Today marks a significant step forward in our national efforts to improve programs, policies, and services for America’s 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers—the spouses, mothers, fathers, siblings, and other loved ones tirelessly caring for those who cared for us,” said Senator Elizabeth Dole.

The legislation introduced today would expand upon the Department of Veterans Affairs’ current caregiver services program.

  • Among other things, the Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act would:
  • Make veterans of all eras eligible for caregiver support services
  • Make the program more inclusive of mental health injuries
  • Give veterans the opportunity to transfer GI Bill benefits to a dependent, to help unemployed or underemployed spouses of injured veterans prepare to become the primary income for the family.
  • Make caregivers who work in the federal government eligible for flexible work schedules
  • Provide assistance with childcare, financial advice and legal counseling, which are all top, and currently unmet, needs

(Access a one-pager on the bill here.)

List of groups supporting the Military and Veterans Caregiver Services Improvement Act:

The Elizabeth Dole Foundation

Military Officers Association of America

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Wounded Warriors

Air Force Sergeants Association

National Military Family Association

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