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118th Congress Armed Forces and National Security

H.R. 8371: Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act

Passed HouseNov 18, 2024

  1. Introduced (completed)May 14, 2024
  2. Passed House (completed)Nov 18, 2024, 389–9
  3. Passed Senate (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in House, May 14, 2024

This bill addresses various programs, benefits, and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including those related to health care, educational assistance, home loans, homelessness, and disability and memorial affairs.

Among other elements, the bill

  • modifies the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program, including by providing protections for care agreements between veterans and clinicians;
  • increases the expenditure cap for non-institutional care alternatives to nursing home care;
  • provides certain support to family caregivers under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers;
  • modifies the administration of certain educational assistance programs and benefits, including by removing the expiration on a surviving spouse’s entitlement under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship;
  • expands the Native American Direct Loan program by allowing Native American veterans to refinance other existing mortgage loans on the same property if certain conditions are met;
  • requires the VA to provide a burial and funeral allowance for certain veterans who die prior to October 1, 2026, in a home or other setting at which the veteran was receiving VA hospice care (if such care was directly preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care);
  • temporarily increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the VA to entities that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans;
  • authorizes a program to modernize the electronic health record and other relevant health information technology systems of the VA; and
  • addresses various oversight and reporting matters.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Key votes

House final vote, Nov 18, 2024

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Passed 389–9

Yea 389two-thirds 266Nay 9

  • Democrats198 yea, 0 nay
  • Republicans189 yea, 9 nay
  • Independents1 yea, 0 nay
  • Party unknown1 yea, 0 nay

Broke with their party: Keith Self (R-TX), Chip Roy (R-TX), Matthew Rosendale (R-MT), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Robert Good (R-VA), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Josh Brecheen (R-OK) voted Nay

See how all 398 members voted

Showing 432 of 432 members

Yea 389

Republicans (189)

Democrats (198)

Independents (1)

Party unknown (1)

  • L000605

Nay 9

Republicans (9) broke with their party

Not voting 34

Senate

Not yet voted

Passed the House Nov 18, 2024. Awaiting Senate action.

Roll calls

1 vote on this bill

Showing 1 of 1 roll calls

  • Nov 18, 2024HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as AmendedFinal passagePassed, yea-nay 389–9
    Roll call 466 tally by party
    PartyYeaNayPresentNot voting
    Democrats1980014
    Republicans1899020
    Independents1000
    Party unknown1000
    Total3899034

    House roll call 466: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended. Passed.

    9 crossed party lines: 9 Republicans

    How each member voted (432)

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

54

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

318 points earned
  1. 1Juan Ciscomani R-AZ SponsorIntroduced, reached a cosponsor milestone, drew cross-party cosponsors, passed House5 events+48
  2. 2Josh Brecheen R-OK1 maverick vote1 event+6
  3. 2Eli Crane R-AZ1 maverick vote1 event+6
  4. 2Jeff Duncan R-SC1 maverick vote1 event+6
  5. 2Robert Good R-VA1 maverick vote1 event+6
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Juan Ciscomani

History

  1. Nov 18, 2024Passed the House, 389–9.
  2. May 14, 2024Introduced in the House by Juan Ciscomani.
Show the full action history (11 actions)
  1. Nov 19, 2024Received in the Senate.
  2. Nov 18, 2024Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  3. Nov 18, 2024Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6038-6070)
  4. Nov 18, 2024DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8371.
  5. Nov 18, 2024At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  6. Nov 18, 2024Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6071)
  7. Nov 18, 2024Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 389 - 9 (Roll no. 466). (text: CR H6038-6065)
  8. Nov 18, 2024On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 389 - 9 (Roll no. 466). (text: CR H6038-6065)
  9. Nov 18, 2024Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  10. May 14, 2024Introduced in House
  11. May 14, 2024Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.