Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio. Mr. Chair, my amendment calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop hospice care standards tailored to the unique needs of Vietnam-era combat veterans. As Vietnam veterans grow older, it is imperative that the VA has clear standards in place to care for this group and future veteran populations.

By the VA's own estimate, there are approximately 6.5 million Vietnam veterans. These veterans have unique medical and psychological needs which must be identified and addressed, including lethal diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure and a high prevalence of post- traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance abuse.

As part of the fiscal year 2018 MILCON-VA Appropriations, Congress directed the VA to submit a report identifying the unique challenges faced by Vietnam veterans receiving specialized palliative and hospice care and to develop best practices for hospice care specifically tailored to Vietnam veterans. Unfortunately, the VA responded with an inadequate two-page report that did not meet the reporting requirements.

What the report did state is that there are over 4,000 community hospice care providers maintaining their own resources and training materials. This lack of cohesion indicates that the VA lacks consistent protocols and clear standards for veterans' hospice care.

The report language for this appropriations bill addresses the VA's Vietnam Veterans End-of-Life Care report, calling it woefully inadequate, and requires the VA to redo it within 30 days of enactment. However, as it is clear that the VA currently lacks consistent hospice care protocols, I am instead calling on the VA to establish protocols that will meet the needs of Vietnam-era veterans.

The VA must act now to implement clear and consistent standards of care for our veterans in need of hospice care. Developing these standards would also be beneficial for Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria combat veterans in the future.

We have a responsibility to ensure that our Nation's heroes are receiving the care and benefits they deserve and have earned, and that includes ensuring the VA has in place clear hospice care standards and services tailored to the unique needs of these veterans.

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Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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