Last night, the U.S. Senate passed by unanimous consent an amended version of S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This version has minor differences with H.R. 8371, passed in November by a 389-9 vote in the House, and includes an Argentum-supported provision to help more veterans choose assisted living for their long-term care needs. The House is expected to take up the Senate-passed version as early as Monday afternoon, and if passed, send it to President Biden to be signed into law.
The Elizabeth Dole Act incorporates language from the Expanding Veterans’ Options for Long Term Care Act (H.R. 1815 and S. 495), legislation that Argentum has strongly supported to allow veterans to choose assisted living for their long-term care benefit, instead of nursing home care. Under Section 127 of the substitute amendment passed last night, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is authorized to offer assisted living settings for aging and disabled veterans who would otherwise require more expensive nursing home care.
Argentum has been working with more than 50 organizations to pass this legislation, which must now be reconciled between the House and Senate-passed versions before the end of the year or it will need to start all over again next year. Critically, the lead Senate sponsor, Jon Tester (D-MT), was defeated for re-election and will not be in Congress to champion the bill next year if it is not enacted this session; the lead House sponsor, Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), was elected to the U.S. Senate, but will no longer be able to champion the issue in the House.
Thank you to everyone who has already sent messages of support to Congress on the Elizabeth Dole Act! These messages have been instrumental in leading to both chambers passing their version of the legislation, and we remain optimistic that lawmakers can finish their work and pass a final version before adjourning for the year.