Health Chairwoman Dr. Miller-Meeks Leads Legislative Hearing on Key Republican Bills to Expand Access to Mental Health Care for Veterans, Modernize Care

Health Chairwoman Dr. Miller-Meeks Leads Legislative Hearing on Key Republican Bills to Expand Access to Mental Health Care for Veterans, Modernize Care

Today, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the subcommittee's legislative hearing to discuss potential legislation to ensure veterans - no matter their zip code, get the quality health care and services they need. A full list of the bills on today's agenda can be found here.

Good afternoon.

This legislative hearing of the Subcommittee on Health will now come to order. The Chair may declare a recess at any point.

I would like to welcome all the members and witnesses to today's hearing.

Today, we will discuss twelve bills designed to improve the lives of our nation's veterans, and the systems they rely on for health care and health care-related matters.

I am looking forward to a very productive discussion on each of these bills, including the many that are focused on improving access to mental health care.

The RECOVER Act, introduced by Chairman Bost, would help fund programs targeted towards reducing attrition in mental health care.

Many veterans in areas with limited access to care still face barriers when seeking mental health services - especially in rural and remote parts of the country.

Provider shortages and capacity constraints, for example, are but some of the many obstacles.

The RECOVER Act would require the V.A. to carry out a three-year pilot program under which nonprofit, outpatient mental health providers serving veterans -who, for reasons outlined in the bill, may be more likely to discontinue care -would be eligible for grant awards.

This bill would use existing resources more effectively, while working with providers to do more. I am thankful to Chairman Bost for his thoughtful legislation on this matter to bridge the gap in care.

The Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act, introduced by Representative Fallon, would require V.A. to commission an independent study examining quality, access, and outcomes for mental health and addiction treatment provided both inside and outside V.A.

This bill would ensure that we continue to provide veterans with the best possible care to meet their needs. I am proud to support it.

The BEACON Act, introduced by General Bergman, would direct V.A. to support research and clinical trials focused on chronic mild traumatic brain injury, or mTBI.

This would include non-pharmaceutical and community-based rehabilitation approaches and independent research.

Many veterans experience long-term and sometimes debilitating conditions because of mTBI. Despite the prevalence of these injuries, work remains in research, treatment options, and standards of care.

This bill would lay the groundwork for future decisions guided by evidence rather than assumptions.

I thank General Bergman for making sure V.A. delivers care that reflects the realities veterans are facing.

I would also like to thank Representatives Mackenzie and Jackson for their work on legislation addressing brain injury and mental health issues affecting veterans.

The Veterans Health Desert Reform Act of 2025, a bill I introduced, would direct V.A. to pilot partnerships with non-V.A. hospitals in areas where care is lacking. This would allow veterans to receive care equivalent to community care.

Too many veterans living in rural areas across our nation face the challenge of living in a health desert-an area without a V.A. facility within a realistically accessible distance.

In a health desert, basic care is difficult to maintain, and even the most routine care presents a significant burden for the veteran.

My bill would fill geographic gaps in access, ensuring that when V.A. facilities are not realistically accessible, veterans can still receive care closer to home.

This issue is a top priority for me, and my bill is a commonsense expansion of our veterans' access to health care. I look forward to continuing this discussion and working on this matter.

The Clarity on Care Options Act, introduced by Ms. Kiggans, would require V.A. to create and maintain a searchable directory of providers who accept the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This would help ensure that beneficiaries make informed choices about their care.

Often, CHAMPVA beneficiaries struggle to identify which health care providers will accept their coverage.

This leads to delays and confusion for families already navigating a complex system.

CHAMPVA is an important health care program for the dependents and survivors of our nation's veterans. I appreciate Ms. Kiggans' continued efforts to make that coverage more usable in practice for families.

I also want to thank Ms. King-Hinds for her diligence in ensuring that Freely Associated States veterans are not ignored. Her work on this matter is appreciated.

This morning, we are also joined by several of our colleagues who will speak in support of their bills. We appreciate their dedication to serving our nation's veterans.

In accordance with Committee Rules, I ask Unanimous Consent that the following Members be permitted to participate in today's committee hearing:

• Representative Pat Fallon

• Representative Ryan Mackenzie

• Representative Greg Landsman

• Representative Chris Deluzio

Without objection, so ordered.

I now yield to Ranking Member Brownley for any ope

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