Findings; sense of Congress

(a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Bowel care and bladder care are supportive and necessary medical services for veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders when they are unable to manage their bowel and bladder functions independently. (2) Inadequate care will lead to complications and problems such as autonomic dysreflexia that can be potentially life-threatening and result in illness and hospitalization. (3) Bowel care and bladder care are essential to support veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders in non-institutional settings, improve quality of life, optimize health, and prevent complications from neurogenic bowel and bladder. (4) Family caregivers and individually employed caregivers provide life-sustaining care for the bowel and bladder care needs of veterans that allow them to live in their communities. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) family caregivers and individually employed caregivers should not be subjected to self-employment taxes and treated as vendors or contractors for the veterans to whom they provide care; (2) veterans should not be forced to finish their bowel and bladder care needs in a set period of time that does not consider their individual needs; and (3) veterans should not be subjected to ongoing clinical determinations regarding their bowel and bladder care needs absent a decision by their medical care provider that such care is no longer needed.