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This bill would require every Department of Veterans Affairs domiciliary facility and every State veterans home that houses veterans to have a resident advocate. The advocate would act as a point of contact for veterans, help them raise concerns, and make sure complaints are heard and passed on to the right officials. In VA facilities, the advocate would work between veterans and the VA. In State homes, having a resident advocate would be a condition for the State to receive payment for providing domiciliary care to veterans.
- The resident advocate would serve as a liaison between veterans and the facility’s leadership or the State.
- The advocate would receive complaints from veterans, send them to the facility director, and respond to the veteran.
- If needed, the advocate could pass complaints on to the VA Secretary, the VA Inspector General, or the proper State official.
Official Summaries
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to employ a resident advocate in each of its domiciliary facilities. The resident advocate must (1) serve as liaison between veterans in the facilities and the VA; (2) receive complaints from such veterans, transmit the complaints to the directors of the facilities, and respond to such complaints; and (3) submit complaints to the Office of Inspector General of the VA when appropriate.
Additionally, state homes must also employ a resident advocate in order to be eligible for payment from the VA for domiciliary care provided to a veteran. A state home is a home established by a state or tribe for veterans who are disabled by age, disease, or otherwise and are incapable of earning a living because of such disability. The term also includes a home that furnishes nursing home care for veterans.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1413 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1413
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that domiciliary
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes that
provide housing to veterans have resident advocates.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 18, 2025
Mr. Gottheimer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that domiciliary
facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes that
provide housing to veterans have resident advocates.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT OF RESIDENT ADVOCATE IN A DOMICILIARY FACILITY
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OR STATE HOME.
(a) Domiciliary Facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.--
Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new section (and conforming the
table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly):
``Sec. 1720M. Resident advocates in domiciliary facilities of the
Department
``(a) Requirement.--The Secretary shall employ in each domiciliary
facility of the Department a resident advocate.
``(b) Duties.--A resident advocate shall have duties that include
the following:
``(1) To serve as a liaison between veterans in the
domiciliary facility and the Secretary.
``(2) To receive complaints from such veterans, transmit
such complaints to the director of such domiciliary facility,
and respond to such complaints.
``(3) When the resident advocate determines it appropriate,
to submit such a complaint to the Secretary, the Inspector
General of the Department.''.
(b) State Homes.--Section 1741 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
(2) by inserting, after subsection (f), the following new
subsection (g):
``(g) To be eligible for payment for domiciliary care provided to a
veteran in a State home under this section, a State shall employ in
such State home a resident advocate. A resident advocate shall have
duties that include the following:
``(1) To serve as a liaison between veterans in such State
home and the State.
``(2) To receive complaints from such veterans, transmit
such complaints to the director of the State home, and respond
to such complaints.
``(3) When the resident advocate determines it appropriate,
to submit such a complaint to the Secretary, the Inspector
General of the Department, or an appropriate State official.''.
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