| 1 | 1 | | II |
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| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
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| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION S. 879 |
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| 5 | 5 | | To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving |
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| 6 | 6 | | as family caregivers for certain veterans, and for other purposes. |
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| 7 | 7 | | IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES |
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| 8 | 8 | | MARCH6, 2025 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Mr. M |
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| 10 | 10 | | ORAN(for himself and Ms. HIRONO) introduced the following bill; which |
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| 11 | 11 | | was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs |
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| 12 | 12 | | A BILL |
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| 13 | 13 | | To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for indi- |
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| 14 | 14 | | viduals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, |
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| 15 | 15 | | and for other purposes. |
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| 16 | 16 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
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| 19 | 19 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Caregiver Re-4 |
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| 20 | 20 | | education, Reemployment, and Retirement Act’’. 5 |
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| 22 | 22 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 |
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| 23 | 23 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 24 | 24 | | SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF MEDICAL CARE COV-1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | ERAGE FOR CAREGIVERS DESIGNATED AS 2 |
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| 26 | 26 | | PRIMARY PROVIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | SERVICES FOR VETERANS. 4 |
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| 28 | 28 | | (a) I |
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| 29 | 29 | | NGENERAL.—Subsection (a)(4) of section 1781 5 |
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| 30 | 30 | | of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 6 |
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| 31 | 31 | | before the comma at the end the following: ‘‘, including 7 |
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| 32 | 32 | | during the 180-day period following the removal of such 8 |
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| 33 | 33 | | designation unless the individual was dismissed from the 9 |
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| 34 | 34 | | program under section 1720G(a) of this title for fraud, 10 |
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| 35 | 35 | | abuse, or mistreatment’’. 11 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) L |
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| 37 | 37 | | IMITATION ONELIGIBILITY FORCAREGIVERS 12 |
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| 38 | 38 | | E |
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| 39 | 39 | | NTITLED TOMEDICARE.—Subsection (d) of such section 13 |
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| 40 | 40 | | is amended— 14 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-15 |
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| 42 | 42 | | graph (5); and 16 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-17 |
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| 44 | 44 | | lowing new paragraph: 18 |
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| 45 | 45 | | ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sub-19 |
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| 46 | 46 | | section, an individual is not eligible for medical care under 20 |
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| 47 | 47 | | this section during the 180-day period specified under sub-21 |
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| 48 | 48 | | section (a)(4) if the individual is entitled to hospital insur-22 |
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| 49 | 49 | | ance benefits under part A of the medicare program dur-23 |
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| 50 | 50 | | ing such period.’’. 24 |
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| 52 | 52 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 |
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| 53 | 53 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 54 | 54 | | SEC. 3. EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR CARE-1 |
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| 55 | 55 | | GIVERS DESIGNATED AS PRIMARY PRO-2 |
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| 56 | 56 | | VIDERS OF PERSONAL CARE SERVICES FOR 3 |
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| 57 | 57 | | VETERANS. 4 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (a) E |
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| 59 | 59 | | MPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.—Section 1720G of 5 |
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| 60 | 60 | | title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 6 |
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| 61 | 61 | | end the following new subsection: 7 |
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| 62 | 62 | | ‘‘(e) E |
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| 63 | 63 | | MPLOYMENTASSISTANCE.—(1) The Secretary 8 |
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| 64 | 64 | | shall provide to an individual designated as a primary pro-9 |
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| 65 | 65 | | vider of personal care services under subsection (a)(7)(A) 10 |
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| 66 | 66 | | employment assistance as follows: 11 |
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| 67 | 67 | | ‘‘(A) Reimbursement of fees associated with 12 |
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| 68 | 68 | | certifications or relicensure necessary for such em-13 |
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| 69 | 69 | | ployment. 14 |
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| 70 | 70 | | ‘‘(B) For purposes of gaining credit for con-15 |
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| 71 | 71 | | tinuing professional education requirements, access 16 |
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| 72 | 72 | | to training modules of the Department at no cost. 17 |
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| 73 | 73 | | ‘‘(C) In consultation with the Secretary of De-18 |
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| 74 | 74 | | fense and the Secretary of Labor, access to employ-19 |
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| 75 | 75 | | ment assistance under— 20 |
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| 76 | 76 | | ‘‘(i) the Military OneSource program of 21 |
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| 77 | 77 | | the Department of Defense; 22 |
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| 78 | 78 | | ‘‘(ii) the Veterans’ Employment and Train-23 |
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| 79 | 79 | | ing Service of the Department of Labor; and 24 |
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| 81 | 81 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 |
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| 82 | 82 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 83 | 83 | | ‘‘(iii) such programs of the Department of 1 |
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| 84 | 84 | | Veterans Affairs as the Secretary of Veterans 2 |
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| 85 | 85 | | Affairs determines appropriate. 3 |
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| 86 | 86 | | ‘‘(2) An individual described in paragraph (1) shall 4 |
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| 87 | 87 | | have access to assistance described in such paragraph— 5 |
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| 88 | 88 | | ‘‘(A) while participating in the program estab-6 |
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| 89 | 89 | | lished under subsection (a)(1); and 7 |
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| 90 | 90 | | ‘‘(B) during the 180-day period following the 8 |
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| 91 | 91 | | date on which the individual is no longer partici-9 |
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| 92 | 92 | | pating in such program unless the individual was 10 |
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| 93 | 93 | | dismissed from the program for fraud, abuse, or 11 |
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| 94 | 94 | | mistreatment. 12 |
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| 95 | 95 | | ‘‘(3) The maximum lifetime amount that may be re-13 |
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| 96 | 96 | | imbursed for an individual under paragraph (1)(A) is 14 |
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| 97 | 97 | | $1,000.’’. 15 |
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| 98 | 98 | | (b) E |
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| 99 | 99 | | XPANSION OF AVAILABLESERVICES.—Sub-16 |
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| 100 | 100 | | section (a)(3)(A)(ii) of such section is amended— 17 |
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| 101 | 101 | | (1) in subclause (V), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 18 |
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| 102 | 102 | | inserting a semicolon; 19 |
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| 103 | 103 | | (2) in subclause (VI)— 20 |
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| 104 | 104 | | (A) in the matter preceding item (aa), by 21 |
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| 105 | 105 | | inserting ‘‘or agreements’’ after ‘‘contracts’’; 22 |
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| 106 | 106 | | (B) in item (aa), by inserting ‘‘, including 23 |
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| 107 | 107 | | retirement planning services,’’ after ‘‘services’’; 24 |
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| 108 | 108 | | and 25 |
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| 110 | 110 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 5 |
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| 111 | 111 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 112 | 112 | | (C) in item (bb), by striking the period at 1 |
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| 113 | 113 | | the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 2 |
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| 114 | 114 | | (3) by adding at the end the following new sub-3 |
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| 115 | 115 | | clause: 4 |
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| 116 | 116 | | ‘‘(VII) during the 180-day period following 5 |
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| 117 | 117 | | the date on which the family caregiver is no 6 |
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| 118 | 118 | | longer participating in the program required by 7 |
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| 119 | 119 | | paragraph (1), unless the family caregiver was 8 |
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| 120 | 120 | | dismissed from the program for fraud, abuse, 9 |
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| 121 | 121 | | or mistreatment, such instruction, preparation, 10 |
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| 122 | 122 | | training, and support as the Secretary considers 11 |
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| 123 | 123 | | appropriate to assist the family caregiver in 12 |
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| 124 | 124 | | transitioning away from caregiving.’’. 13 |
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| 125 | 125 | | (c) A |
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| 126 | 126 | | SSISTANCERETURNING TOWORKFORCE.—Sub-14 |
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| 127 | 127 | | clause (VI) of such subsection is further amended— 15 |
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| 128 | 128 | | (1) in item (aa), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and insert-16 |
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| 129 | 129 | | ing a semicolon; and 17 |
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| 130 | 130 | | (2) by adding at the end the following new 18 |
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| 131 | 131 | | item: 19 |
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| 132 | 132 | | ‘‘(cc) assistance returning to the 20 |
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| 133 | 133 | | workforce upon discharge or dismissal 21 |
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| 134 | 134 | | from the program required by paragraph 22 |
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| 135 | 135 | | (1) unless the family caregiver was dis-23 |
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| 136 | 136 | | missed from the program for fraud, abuse, 24 |
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| 137 | 137 | | or mistreatment; and’’. 25 |
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| 140 | 140 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 141 | 141 | | (d) BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING AND SUPPORT.— 1 |
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| 142 | 142 | | Subsection (a)(3)(A)(i)(III) of such section is amended by 2 |
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| 143 | 143 | | inserting before the semicolon the following: ‘‘, including 3 |
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| 144 | 144 | | bereavement counseling and support following the death 4 |
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| 145 | 145 | | of the eligible veteran’’. 5 |
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| 146 | 146 | | (e) S |
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| 147 | 147 | | TUDY ONPROVISION OFRETURNSHIPPRO-6 |
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| 148 | 148 | | GRAM.— 7 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (1) I |
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| 150 | 150 | | N GENERAL.—Not later than one year 8 |
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| 151 | 151 | | after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-9 |
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| 152 | 152 | | retary of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the 10 |
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| 153 | 153 | | Secretary of Labor, shall complete a study on the 11 |
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| 154 | 154 | | feasibility and advisability of conducting a 12 |
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| 155 | 155 | | returnship program for individuals who are or were 13 |
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| 156 | 156 | | designated as a primary provider of personal care 14 |
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| 157 | 157 | | services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, 15 |
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| 158 | 158 | | United States Code, to assist such individuals in re-16 |
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| 159 | 159 | | turning to the workforce. 17 |
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| 160 | 160 | | (2) R |
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| 161 | 161 | | EPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 18 |
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| 162 | 162 | | completion of the study under paragraph (1), the 19 |
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| 163 | 163 | | Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-20 |
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| 164 | 164 | | erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 21 |
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| 165 | 165 | | Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a 22 |
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| 166 | 166 | | report on the study. 23 |
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| 169 | 169 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 170 | 170 | | (f) STUDY ONINCORPORATINGFORMERCAREGIVERS 1 |
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| 171 | 171 | | I |
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| 172 | 172 | | NTOWORKFORCE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANSAF-2 |
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| 173 | 173 | | FAIRS.— 3 |
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| 174 | 174 | | (1) I |
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| 175 | 175 | | N GENERAL.—Not later than one year 4 |
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| 176 | 176 | | after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-5 |
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| 177 | 177 | | retary of Veterans Affairs shall complete a study on 6 |
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| 178 | 178 | | barriers and incentives to hiring individuals who 7 |
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| 179 | 179 | | were designated as a primary provider of personal 8 |
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| 180 | 180 | | care services under section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 9 |
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| 181 | 181 | | 38, United States Code, at facilities of the Depart-10 |
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| 182 | 182 | | ment of Veterans Affairs to address staffing needs. 11 |
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| 183 | 183 | | (2) R |
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| 184 | 184 | | EPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 12 |
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| 185 | 185 | | completion of the study under paragraph (1), the 13 |
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| 186 | 186 | | Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Vet-14 |
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| 187 | 187 | | erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 15 |
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| 188 | 188 | | Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a 16 |
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| 189 | 189 | | report on the study, which shall include— 17 |
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| 190 | 190 | | (A) a plan for increasing employment op-18 |
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| 191 | 191 | | portunities at facilities of the Department for 19 |
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| 192 | 192 | | individuals who were designated as a primary 20 |
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| 193 | 193 | | provider of personal care services under section 21 |
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| 194 | 194 | | 1720G(a)(7)(A) of title 38, United States Code; 22 |
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| 195 | 195 | | and 23 |
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| 198 | 198 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 199 | 199 | | (B) such recommendations for legislative 1 |
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| 200 | 200 | | or administrative action as the Secretary con-2 |
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| 201 | 201 | | siders appropriate. 3 |
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| 202 | 202 | | SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON EFFORTS OF 4 |
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| 203 | 203 | | DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN SUP-5 |
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| 204 | 204 | | PORTING FAMILY CAREGIVERS 6 |
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| 205 | 205 | | TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM CAREGIVING. 7 |
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| 206 | 206 | | Not later than two years after the date of the enact-8 |
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| 207 | 207 | | ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 9 |
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| 208 | 208 | | States shall submit to Congress a report assessing the ef-10 |
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| 209 | 209 | | forts of the Department of Veterans Affairs in supporting 11 |
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| 210 | 210 | | individuals serving as family caregivers under section 12 |
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| 211 | 211 | | 1720G(a) of title 38, United States Code, in transitioning 13 |
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| 212 | 212 | | away from caregiving, either by assisting those individuals 14 |
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| 213 | 213 | | with retirement planning or returning to work. 15 |
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| 214 | 214 | | SEC. 5. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY AND ADVISABILITY OF ES-16 |
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| 215 | 215 | | TABLISHING A RETIREMENT PLAN OR RE-17 |
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| 216 | 216 | | TIREMENT SAVINGS FOR FAMILY CARE-18 |
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| 217 | 217 | | GIVERS OF CERTAIN VETERANS. 19 |
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| 218 | 218 | | Not later than one year after the date of the enact-20 |
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| 219 | 219 | | ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in con-21 |
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| 220 | 220 | | sultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the heads 22 |
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| 221 | 221 | | of such other relevant entities as the Secretary of Veterans 23 |
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| 222 | 222 | | Affairs determines necessary, shall submit to Congress a 24 |
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| 223 | 223 | | report on the feasibility and advisability of, for individuals 25 |
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| 225 | 225 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 9 |
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| 226 | 226 | | •S 879 IS |
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| 227 | 227 | | serving as family caregivers under section 1720G(a) of 1 |
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| 228 | 228 | | title 38, United States Code— 2 |
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| 229 | 229 | | (1) establishing an individual retirement plan 3 |
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| 230 | 230 | | (as defined in section 7701(a)(37) of the Internal 4 |
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| 231 | 231 | | Revenue Code of 1986) or similar retirement plan; 5 |
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| 232 | 232 | | or 6 |
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| 233 | 233 | | (2) permitting such individuals to join an al-7 |
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| 234 | 234 | | ready established pathway to retirement savings. 8 |
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| 235 | 235 | | Æ |
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