During his first three years as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Tillis has worked across the aisle to expand education and job opportunities for veterans and has worked to reform the VA to assure they are getting the healthcare they need and deserve.
 
Senator Tillis’ priorities for the VA Committee in 2018.
 
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Senator Tillis on what a veteran should do if they're having issues with the VA.
 
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Senator Tillis has improved educational benefits for veterans.
Senator Tillis co-introduced the bipartisan The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 that was signed into law. The comprehensive G.I. Bill reform package included the following legislation originally introduced by Senator Tillis as standalone legislation:
 

• The Veterans Education Experience Improvement Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation Tillis introduced with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) improves veterans’ experience when using GI Bill education benefits and provide resources and training for the officials at educational institutions who serve student veterans, helping them achieve positive education outcomes.
• The Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation Tillis introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) reinstates lost benefits to veterans whose Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits are affected by the permanent closure of certain educational institutions.
• The Veterans Education Priority Enrollment Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation Tillis introduced with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) ensures that veterans, servicemembers, and surviving spouses and children of servicemembers who have died in the line of duty can take full advantage of their education benefits.
• The Yellow Ribbon Improvement Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation Tillis introduced with Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) extends Yellow Ribbon Program benefits to Fry scholarship recipients.

“Congress has sent to the president a bill to revise and expand the G.I. Bill, a program that provides college money to military personnel, veterans and their dependents. Lawmakers who represent Fort Bragg, including U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, are celebrating the legislation.   The Senate approved the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Of 2017 on Wednesday.   According to Tillis’ office, the bill would eliminate the 15-year period within which a veteran is required to use the G.I. Bill.” (Fayetteville Observer, 8/3/2017)

Senator Tillis has strengthened VA Accountability.

Senator Tillis co-sponsored the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act that was signed into law. The bipartisan legislation reforms the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by allowing the secretary to dismiss bad employees and ensure appropriate due process protections for whistleblowers.

“Last week, the President signed a bill that enables the Department of Veteran Affairs to more easily fire problem employees, and the move drew praise from two of Rowan County’s members of Congress. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed the “VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act.” As its name suggests, the measure provides protections for whistleblowers and gives greater authority to the VA secretary to remove, demote or suspend any employee for poor performance or misconduct. Tillis, who co-sponsored the measure in the Senate, said the bill gives the VA ‘long-overdue authority to remove bad actors.’” (Salisbury Post, 6/26/2017)

Senator Tillis has continued to fight on behalf of Camp Lejeune affected by tainted water.
After years of work, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a regulation in March announcing compensation payments to Marines suffering from health problems caused by tainted water at Camp Lejeune. Senator Tillis has worked with Senator Burr since being elected to fight for medical coverage and compensation for Lejeune veterans suffering from medical conditions including multiple kinds of cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

“A $2.2 billion promise from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is just the beginning, according to members of Congress.   For U.S. Rep. Walter Jones and Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, all Republicans from North Carolina, the compensation can be applauded but shouldn’t overshadow the work that needs to continue to be done to provide compensation for family members and contractors also affected by the contaminated water. … Tillis said his team is going to focus on helping those veterans who may have started the claim process more than a year ago, then shift to the family members and contractors next, keeping in mind the mechanics of the process are going to be helpful.” (JD News, 3/26/2017)

Senator Tillis has helped veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

Language from the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Tillis and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), was included in the FY2018 NDAA. This provision creates a center of excellence within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better understand the health effects associated with burn pits and treat veterans who become sick after exposure.

“Legislation introduced last week would compel the Department of Veterans Affairs to look more closely at the  affects toxic burn pits have had on the nation's veterans.   Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, introduced the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act on Tuesday.   The legislation, if approved, would create a center of excellence within the VA to ‘better understand the health effects associated with burn pits and treat veterans who become sick after exposure.’” (Fayetteville Observer, 2/11/2017)

Senator Tillis has worked to modernize the DoD & VA healthcare collaboration.

Earlier this year, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin announced that the VA will adopt the same Electronic Health Record (EHR) system as the Department of Defense for veterans’ medical records.
 
Senator Tillis secured a provision in the FY2018 NDAA that lays the groundwork for military treatment facilities to provide health care to servicemembers, dependents, veterans and civilians. The services will be able to maintain critical wartime medical readiness skills while also providing state of the art specialty care to medically underserved communities. Senator Tillis’ provisions would require a Comptroller General report of Department of Defense measures to maintain critical wartime medical readiness skills and core competencies of health care providers.
 
Senator Tillis has worked to increase job opportunities for veterans.
Senator Tillis co-introduced The Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act that was signed into law. The legislation increases access to apprenticeship-training programs for veterans by streamlining the certification process for non-federal apprenticeship programs based in more than one state.
 
This year, Senator Tillis also co-introduced the Boosting Rates of American Veterans Employment (BRAVE) Act, bipartisan legislation that would support job creation for America’s veterans.

Senator Tillis has advocated to extend newborn care for veterans.
In April, Senator Tillis co-introduced The Newborn Care Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that would double the number of days veterans receive care for their newborns from seven to 14. 

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