[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 167 (Thursday, November 21, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S8453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           THE CAREGIVERS ACT

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, November is National Family Caregivers 
Month. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I 
would like to take a moment to discuss the important role caregivers 
play in the lives of our Nation's veterans as they cope with the 
visible and invisible wounds of war.
  For generations, as the men and women of our armed forces returned 
home with serious injuries sustained overseas, their wives, husbands, 
parents and other family members stepped in to care for them. These 
family members have often provided this care at significant personal 
sacrifice. Their dedication to the needs of injured veterans has often 
resulted in lost professional opportunities, negative impact on their 
own physical and mental health, and reduction in income.
  Under the ``Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 
2010,'' a number of important benefits were made available to these 
caregivers for the first time, with additional services and benefits 
made available to caregivers of seriously injured post-9/11 veterans 
and their families. These additional services and benefits include a 
tax-free monthly stipend, travel assistance, health insurance, mental 
health services and counseling, caregiver training and respite care.
  Passage of the Caregivers Act served as an important step in ensuring 
the caregivers of our newest generation of veterans received the 
additional resources to provide the best possible care for their loved 
ones. However, limiting eligibility for these additional services and 
benefits to caregivers of post-9/11 veterans created an inequity 
between caregivers of the newest generation of veterans and the tens of 
thousands of hardworking, dedicated caregivers who provide care to all 
other veterans.
  In an effort to address the disparity, I introduced legislation 
earlier this year that would extend the services and benefits of the 
Caregiver Program to caregivers of veterans of all eras. Through this 
expansion, severely injured pre-9/11 veterans and their families may 
now leverage the benefits from which, until now, only post-9/11 
veterans have benefited. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this 
bill would expand access to services to approximately 70,000 caregivers 
of pre-9/11 veterans. I am pleased the committee passed my legislation, 
S. 851, the Caregivers Expansion and Improvement Act of 2013 earlier 
this year and am working to bring it before the full Senate for a vote.
  All caregivers of our Nation's injured veterans deserve our full 
support. This is an issue of equity. As a long-standing advocate for 
veterans, I will continue to work to ensure caregivers have the 
resources they need. We have learned from experience and research that 
veterans are best served when they can live as independently as 
possible. I hope my fellow Members will help me honor the commitment 
this country has to all of its veterans by supporting S. 851 when it 
comes to the Floor.

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