“Veterans in my district need first rate medical assistance that is reliable and close to home,” Jones stated. "H.R. 5109 has the potential to greatly expand health care access to rural veterans. It recognizes that we must ensure we have the most capable people providing the care that veterans have earned."

The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Act of 2000 calls for a pilot program in four geographic areas to improve health care access to veterans who live significant distances from VA medical facilities.  H.R. 5109 also extends a voluntary retirement incentive program to VA employees and would make it easier to establish outpatient clinics at state veterans’ homes.  An additional provision in the bill would guarantee the 30,000 VA nurses an annual national pay raise and provide the nurses with greater nurse participation in decision-making at VA facilities.

“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service and this legislation is an innovative approach towards fulfilling that obligation," Jones said. "This bill can help improve the quality of care our veterans receive by better integrating the providers of that care into the policy making process." 

The legislation has been referred to the Senate for further consideration.