Bill would reimburse veterans waiting for housing grants

Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) has introduced a bill that would reimburse veterans waiting for housing grants to be approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The bill, H.R. 4674, would authorize the VA to reimburse veterans retroactively for housing grants once an application has been approved. Brownley said the legislation would help veterans who had encountered delays.

{mosads}”When a veteran is tragically diagnosed with a service-connected terminal illness, they should have the comfort of living the remainder of their lives with the independence and dignity they deserve,” Brownley said in a statement. “They shouldn’t have to wait for the VA to approve their housing claim to make that happen.”

The VA provides grants for purchasing or constructing homes to veterans with certain disabilities caused by their military service. Those grants can also be used to renovate veterans’ current homes to accommodate their disabilities.

The House is slated to vote on a measure on Wednesday that would authorize the VA secretary to fire senior executives amid the allegations that some hospitals tried to cover up long wait times. Final passage is expected in the early evening.