[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3885 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3885

   To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals 
   serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 2024

 Ms. Sinema (for herself and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals 
   serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, 
Reemployment, and Retirement Act''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF MEDICAL CARE COVERAGE FOR CAREGIVERS 
              DESIGNATED AS PRIMARY PROVIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE SERVICES 
              FOR VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a)(4) of section 1781 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting before the comma at the end 
the following: ``, including during the 180-day period following the 
removal of such designation unless the individual was dismissed from 
the program under section 1720G(a) of this title for fraud, abuse, or 
mistreatment''.
    (b) Limitation on Eligibility for Caregivers Entitled to 
Medicare.--Subsection (d) of such section is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new 
        paragraph:
    ``(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, an 
individual is not eligible for medical care under this section during 
the 180-day period specified under subsection (a)(4) if the individual 
is entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of the medicare 
program during such period.''.

SEC. 3. EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR CAREGIVERS DESIGNATED AS 
              PRIMARY PROVIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE SERVICES FOR VETERANS.

    (a) Employment Assistance.--Section 1720G of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(e) Employment Assistance.--(1) The Secretary shall provide to an 
individual designated as a primary provider of personal care services 
under subsection (a)(7)(A) employment assistance as follows:
            ``(A) Reimbursement of fees associated with certifications 
        or relicensure necessary for such employment.
            ``(B) For purposes of gaining credit for continuing 
        professional education requirements, access to training modules 
        of the Department at no cost.
            ``(C) In consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the 
        Secretary of Labor, access to employment assistance under--
                    ``(i) the Military OneSource program of the 
                Department of Defense;
                    ``(ii) the Veterans' Employment and Training 
                Service of the Department of Labor; and
                    ``(iii) such programs of the Department of Veterans 
                Affairs as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines 
                appropriate.
    ``(2) An individual described in paragraph (1) shall have access to 
assistance described in such paragraph--
            ``(A) while participating in the program established under 
        subsection (a)(1); and
            ``(B) during the 180-day period following the date on which 
        the individual is no longer participating in such program 
        unless the individual was dismissed from the program for fraud, 
        abuse, or mistreatment.
    ``(3) The maximum lifetime amount that may be reimbursed for an 
individual under paragraph (1)(A) is $1,000.''.
    (b) Expansion of Available Services.--Subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii) of 
such section is amended--
            (1) in subclause (V), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in subclause (VI)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding item (aa), by inserting 
                ``or agreements'' after ``contracts'';
                    (B) in item (aa), by inserting ``, including 
                retirement planning services,'' after ``services''; and
                    (C) in item (bb), by striking the period at the end 
                and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subclause:
                    ``(VI) during the 180-day period following the date 
                on which the family caregiver is no longer 
                participating in the program required by paragraph (1), 
                unless the family caregiver was dismissed from the 
                program for fraud, abuse, or mistreatment, such 
                instruction, preparation, training, and support as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate to assist the family 
                caregiver in transitioning away from caregiving.''.
    (c) Assistance Returning to Workforce.--Subclause (VI) of such 
subsection is further amended--
            (1) in item (aa), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in item (bb), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new item:
                            ``(cc) assistance returning to the 
                        workforce upon discharge or dismissal from the 
                        program required by paragraph (1) unless the 
                        family caregiver was dismissed from the program 
                        for fraud, abuse, or mistreatment.''.
    (d) Bereavement Counseling and Support.--Subsection 
(a)(3)(A)(i)(III) of such section is amended by inserting before the 
semicolon the following: ``, including bereavement counseling and 
support following the death of the eligible veteran''.
    (e) Study on Provision of Returnship Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
        in partnership with the Secretary of Labor, shall complete a 
        study on the feasibility and advisability of conducting a 
        returnship program for individuals who are or were designated 
        as a primary provider of personal care services under section 
        1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, United States Code, to assist such 
        individuals in returning to the workforce.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after completion of 
        the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        a report on the study.
    (f) Study on Incorporating Former Caregivers Into Workforce of 
Department of Veterans Affairs.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall complete a study on barriers and incentives to hiring 
        individuals who were designated as a primary provider of 
        personal care services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 
        38, United States Code, at facilities of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs to address staffing needs.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after completion of 
        the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives 
        a report on the study, which shall include--
                    (A) a plan for increasing employment opportunities 
                at facilities of the Department for individuals who 
                were designated as a primary provider of personal care 
                services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, 
                United States Code; and
                    (B) such recommendations for legislative or 
                administrative action as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.

SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON EFFORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS IN SUPPORTING FAMILY CAREGIVERS TRANSITIONING 
              AWAY FROM CAREGIVING.

    Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
Congress a report assessing the efforts of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in supporting individuals serving as family caregivers under 
section 1720G(a) of title 38, United States Code, in transitioning away 
from caregiving, either by assisting those individuals with retirement 
planning or returning to work.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF ESTABLISHING A 
              RETIREMENT PLAN OR RETIREMENT SAVINGS FOR FAMILY 
              CAREGIVERS OF CERTAIN VETERANS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the 
Secretary of the Treasury and the heads of such other relevant entities 
as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines necessary, shall submit 
to Congress a report on the feasibility and advisability of, for 
individuals serving as family caregivers under section 1720G(a) of 
title 38, United States Code--
            (1) establishing an individual retirement plan (as defined 
        in section 7701(a)(37) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) or 
        similar retirement plan; or
            (2) permitting such individuals to join an already 
        established pathway to retirement savings.
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