Congressman Sorensen Leads Bipartisan Bill to Increase Resources for Disabled Veterans

Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), and House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) reintroduced the Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act, which will provide veterans with additional federal funding to make accessibility improvements to their homes.

Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced similar companion legislation in the Senate.

"The last thing a veteran should worry about is red tape that prevents them from living the life they deserve," said Congressman Eric Sorensen. "It's time to finally increase the federal funding available to help disabled veterans make accessibility improvements to their homes with this bipartisan legislation."

"Every veteran deserves to live in a home that works for them. But right now, VA's HISA program is not meeting the needs of disabled veterans struggling with higher costs," said Ranking Member Mark Takano. "That's why Congressman Sorensen and I are reintroducing the Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act-to raise the amount of help veterans can get and make sure more of them can live safely and independently. If we ask people to serve our country, we owe it to them to take care of them when they come home."

"I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to increase the funding available for veterans through the VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) program," said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. "This critical program helps disabled veterans make essential home modifications such as ramps, widened doorways, and accessible bathrooms and by raising the grant cap to $10,000, we're ensuring that more veterans can live safely and independently in their homes after having served our nation."

"Arkansas veterans have sacrificed tremendously in service to our nation," said Senator John Boozman. "One of the most important ways we can support our former servicemembers is to ensure those living with a disability feel safer in an accessible home with a greater sense of independence and quality of life. I am pleased to champion commonsense improvements that will better serve those who have worn our nation's uniform."

"After making countless sacrifices in service to our country, disabled veterans deserve to live in their own home with more freedom and dignity," said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. "That's why I'm proud to work alongside my colleagues to provide them the resources they need to make improvements to their homes for accessibility and safety. I will continue working across the aisle to stand up for Nevada veterans and their families."

"VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations grant program provides medically necessary improvements and structural changes to a veteran or service member's home," said Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer of Paralyzed Veterans of America. "Unfortunately, grant rates haven't been increased since 2010, despite rising construction costs, minimizing the purchase power of this important program. We are grateful to Representative Sorensen, Representative Takano, and Representative Malliotakis for introducing this important legislation which will not only increase the grant amount but also tie the grant to an inflation formula to allow it to keep up with rising costs."

"The quality and self-governing of one's life means having the freedom to make one's own decisions and act independently," said Gary Hall, Service Officer at American Legion Post #2. "This is what every veteran wants in life and when you have a condition that limits an individual's ability to perform physical tasks or functions, impacting mobility, dexterity or stamina. Veterans with physical disabilities resulting from their military service should be thanked for their service by helping them cope with the physical and emotional challenges that come with living with what has happen to them because of serving their country."

"The Home Improvement and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant is one of the most important grant programs for veterans with disabilities that the Veterans Health Administration administers," said Dan Smith, Veterans Service Office at the Peoria County Veterans Assistance Commission. "It allows disabled veterans to make improvements to their homes in areas that present obstacles to their ability to live independently. The Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act is vital to offsetting the overwhelming cost increases in the construction industry over the past years, which directly reduce the necessary improvements these Disabled Veterans can make to their homes."

"During my tenure of being a member of a couple of Military Veteran Organizations I have come across several veteran comrades that have physical disabilities," said Gary Holmes, Col. Thomas G. Lawler VFW Post 342 Commander. "Some of these veterans mention that they have issues in their current living quarters that don't meet their needs or provide a better quality of life. With the passage of this bill, it will help them reside in their homes and improve their current home situation."

"There is no bad time to increase the grant ceiling to help veterans improve their homes and implement structural alterations. The best time, however, is to do so when the demand for needed support is at its highest. That time is now," said Eric Willard, Secretary/Treasurer of Chapter 984 of Vietnam Veterans of America. "For the past several years our team of veterans has been helping disabled and other veterans with home improvements that accommodate their needs for adaptive and assistive living in their own homes and apartments. I see the greatest needs of the past decade happening today. Our volunteers and non-profits continue to provide free labor, but we have no funds to purchase the items and supplies to help our disabled peers. The proposed House bill will provide the funds needed by veterans to pay for the ramps, grab bars, and dozens of other accommodations that will make them more independent than otherwise possible. We stand ready to do the work, but our veterans need the money to make it happen."

The Department of Veteran Affairs Home Improvements and Structural Alterations program (HISA) offers funds to help eligible disabled veterans alter their homes to better accommodate their needs. This bipartisan bill will increase the amount available under this program to up to $10,000 for veterans with both service-connected and non-service-connected conditions. This raises the current ceiling offered from $6,800 for those with service-connected conditions and $2,000 to those with non-service-connected conditions.

The Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act is supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and AMVETS.