Short title; table of contents

(a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Compensation Sec. 101. Major Richard Star Act. Sec. 102. Love Lives On Act. Sec. 103. Extension of increased dependency and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sec. 104. Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026. Sec. 105. Claims: prohibition on denial solely for certain reason; improved efficiency of adjudications and appeals. Sec. 106. Annual report on causes of death among veterans. Sec. 107. Plan for use of automation tools to process claims under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 108. Reforms relating to Department of Veterans Affairs disability ratings. Sec. 109. Improvements to temporary licensure requirements for contract health care professionals who perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 110. Disability examinations: study on access in rural areas; review of training; review of inadequate or unnecessary examinations. Sec. 111. Improvements to processing and outreach regarding claims involving military sexual trauma. Sec. 112. Independent assessment of notices that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs sends to claimants. Sec. 113. Independent assessment of forms that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs sends to claimants. Title II—Education and Economic Opportunity Sec. 201. Vets Opportunity Act. Sec. 202. Improvements to process for making payments to automobile sellers for automobiles purchased for certain disabled veterans. Sec. 203. Monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for individuals who pursue summer programs of education solely through distance learning. Sec. 204. Clarification regarding inclusion of medically necessary automobile adaptations in Department of Veterans Affairs definition of medical services. Sec. 205. Digital communications: Solid Start program; educational assistance. Sec. 206. Improvements to Transition Assistance Program and Skillbridge. Sec. 207. Transition Assistance Program: presentation in preseparation counseling to promote benefits available to veterans. Sec. 208. Elimination of requirement that on-campus educational and vocational counseling is provided by certain Department of Veterans Affairs employees. Sec. 209. Expansion of entitlement for payment for licensing or certification tests for veterans entitled to educational assistance. Sec. 210. Increase of amount of educational assistance paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for first year of a full-time program of apprenticeship or other on-job training. Sec. 211. Improving emerging technology opportunities for veterans. Title III—Health Care Sec. 301. Extension and modification of transportation grant program of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 302. Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act. Sec. 303. Veterans TBI Breakthrough Exploration of Adaptive Care Opportunities Nationwide Act. Sec. 304. Department of Veterans Affairs assignment of traveling physicians to serve territories and possessions. Sec. 305. Inclusion of adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities in medical services furnished to eligible veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 306. Modifications to and reauthorization of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 307. Reports on the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Sec. 308. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to provide grants to mental health care providers for the provision of mental health care for veterans. Sec. 309. Furnishing of certain health services to veterans in the Freely Associated States. Sec. 310. Modification of Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative; reporting on suicide by veterans and members of the Armed Forces. Sec. 311. Establishment of the Blast Overpressure Task Force of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 312. Extension of sharing of Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Health Care Resources; resource sharing oversight and implementation plan. Sec. 313. Timely reporting of the death of a veteran. Sec. 314. Expansion of access by veterans to critical access hospitals and affiliated clinics under the Veterans Community Care Program. Sec. 315. Pilot platform for services for veterans; collection from veterans of information related to social determinants of health. Sec. 316. Improvements to Department of Veterans Affairs prosthetic and rehabilitative items and service. Sec. 317. Improvement of submission of medical documentation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by community care providers. Sec. 318. Implementation of and report on efforts of Department of Veterans Affairs to improve health care appointment scheduling. Sec. 319. Pilot program on coordination of care between Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare program. Sec. 320. Fisher House availability. Sec. 321. Agreements between medical facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs and rural medical facilities. Sec. 322. Study on quality of care difference between mental health and addiction therapy care provided by health care providers of Department of Veterans Affairs compared to non-Department providers. Sec. 323. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 324. Research related to menopause, perimenopause, and mid-life women’s health: report; plan. Sec. 325. Pilot program on provision of opioid rescue medications to veterans. Sec. 326. Establishment of Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission. Sec. 327. Access to health care. Sec. 328. Research on health conditions of descendants of toxic-exposed veterans. Sec. 329. Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act. Sec. 330. Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to award grants for the provision of service dogs to veterans. Sec. 331. Authorization of major medical facility project of Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2027 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sec. 332. Bowel and bladder care program of Department of Veterans Affairs. Title IV—Organization Sec. 401. Authorization of appropriations to the Office of Information and Technology of the Department of Veterans Affairs for certain purposes. Sec. 402. Establishment of Under Secretary for Management and Chief Financial Officer. Sec. 403. Department of Veterans Affairs acquisition reform and cost assessment. Sec. 404. Improvement of telephone communication by Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 405. Advancing Department of Veterans Affairs emergency response to crisis. Sec. 406. Membership of Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee. Sec. 407. Scheduling of appointments under the Veterans Community Care Program. Title V—Memorial Affairs Sec. 501. Expansion of eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs memorial headstone or marker for certain individuals. Sec. 502. Department of Veterans Affairs provision of additional burial benefits when an urn or commemorative plaque is furnished. Sec. 503. Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program. Title VI—Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Subtitle A—Improvement of Veterans Community Care Program Sec. 601. Codification of requirements for eligibility standards for access to community care from Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 602. Requirement that Secretary notify veterans of eligibility for care or denial of request for care under Veterans Community Care Program. Sec. 603. Consideration under Veterans Community Care Program of continuity of care and need for caregiver or attendant. Sec. 604. Discussion of telehealth options under Veterans Community Care Program. Sec. 605. Extension of deadline for submittal of claims by health care entities and providers under prompt payment standard. Sec. 606. Audit of representative sample of veterans receiving care and services under Veterans Community Care Program. Sec. 607. Information on wait time and drive time options for receipt of care by veterans. Sec. 608. Establishment of period during which a referral under Veterans Community Care Program remains valid. Sec. 609. Updates to contracting requirements under Veterans Community Care Program. Sec. 610. Publication of community care network sufficiency and payment waiver requests and approvals. Sec. 611. Requirements relating to quality of community care providers. Sec. 612. Provider training. Sec. 613. Oversight authority over community care. Subtitle B—Mental Health Treatment Programs Sec. 621. Veteran participation in certain mental health programs. Sec. 622. Access to mental health residential rehabilitation treatment programs for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder. Subtitle C—Staffing Matters Sec. 631. Treatment of psychologists. Sec. 632. Mentorship program for executive leadership teams at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 633. Requirement for equivalent role postings for vacant positions at Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 634. Improvements to Department of Veterans Affairs hiring processes. Sec. 635. Department of Veterans Affairs telework policy. Sec. 636. Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses. Sec. 637. Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency. Sec. 638. Modification of authority of licensure of health care professionals providing treatment via telemedicine. Sec. 639. Provision of data on educational assistance programs of Veterans Health Administration. Subtitle D—Optimization of Workforce Sec. 641. Department of Veterans Affairs strategic human capital plan. Sec. 642. Department of Veterans Affairs reduction in force notice requirement. Sec. 643. Detailed plans and justifications for reorganization of offices. Sec. 644. Rule of construction. Subtitle E—Veterans Infrastructure and Transformation Sec. 651. Short title. Sec. 652. Modification of authority for sharing of health-care resources of Department of Veterans Affairs to include flexible space utilization and streamlined service agreements. Sec. 653. Use of commercial construction and facilities code and standards. Sec. 654. Feasibility study for full-service hospital of Department of Veterans Affairs in certain States. Sec. 655. Report on strategic plan for infrastructure and capital assets of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 656. Permanent extension of pilot program on acceptance by the Department of Veterans affairs of donated facilities and related improvements. Sec. 657. Authority to accept donations of construction services, minor construction or nonrecurring maintenance projects, and targeted contributions. Sec. 658. Report on use of additional authorities relating to recruitment and retention of personnel. Sec. 659. Reports on key capital asset investments, activities, and performance of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 660. Development of streamlined procurement model; report. Sec. 661. Submission and notification of cost estimates for medical facility leases. Sec. 662. Report on capital asset and information technology needs of the research and development program of Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 663. Improving prevention, detection, and reporting of waste, fraud, and abuse in Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset projects and activities. Sec. 664. Report on long-term care physical infrastructure needs of Department of Veterans Affairs. Subtitle F—Other Health Care Matters Sec. 671. Prescription, delivery, distribution, and dispensation of controlled substance medications by covered health care professionals of Department of Veterans Affairs via telemedicine. Sec. 672. Copayments for limited supplies of medications. Sec. 673. Plan on establishment of interactive, online self-service module for care. Sec. 674. Modification of requirements for Center for Innovation for Care and Payment of the Department of Veterans Affairs and transfer of authority. Sec. 675. Report on improvements to clinical appeals process. Sec. 676. Plan on increasing accessibility of care for veterans with spinal cord injury or disorder.