Expanding Care for Veterans

Our nation is only free because of the brave. Our men and women who have worn the uniform have sacrificed for our nation and deserve the absolute best care and support when they return home. This week, the House passed 14 bills that will increase access to care and support for our veterans.

Many veterans utilize telemedicine because it increases healthcare access, convenience, and efficiency. From January to April of this year, more than 2.1 million veterans have chosen to participate in some form of VA telehealth option, a 12% increase over the previous year. This appointment option particularly impacts the more than 2.7 million veterans residing in rural areas or those with difficulty scheduling an in-person appointment with their provider. Unfortunately, current law only allows for this practice to continue through the end of this year. 

H.R. 1107, the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act, was passed on Monday to permanently authorize VA health professionals to prescribe medications to eligible patients via virtual appointments, retaining flexibility and treatment access for millions of veterans.

I want to hear from you:

Under current law, the VA can contract with a variety of healthcare providers to perform veteran disability examinations at any location in the United States. However, this authority expires at the end of this year. This week, the House passed H.R. 3951, which permanently extends VA authority to increase the pool of eligible disability exam providers. This permanence will continue to reduce examiner shortages, lower wait times, and accelerate the delivery of benefits to veterans.

Women make up the fastest-growing group in the veteran population, with more than 2.1 million women veterans in the U.S. today. As this population ages, female veterans can have difficulty finding specialist care to diagnose and treat certain cancers. To address this challenge, the House passed H.R. 1860. This bill will connect women veterans facing cancer with a dedicated care coordinator who will guide them through treatment options, help them navigate appointments, track treatments, and avoid delays between the VA and care providers.

These bills now head to the Senate for passage.

You can read more about these three proposals, or the other veterans bills passed by the House, here.

Honoring our Veterans

Our nation owes our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service. 

Each year, I present a Veteran of the Year Award to one veteran from our district. This award is an opportunity to recognize a veteran who continues to give back to the community after their time in uniform has ended.

Last year, I recognized Sgt Pat Riley, a Vietnam War Veteran from Janesville. Pat was nominated for his work in the greater Janesville community including decorating veterans graves in Oak Hill Cemetery, participating in numerous Memorial Day ceremonies, placing wreaths on Vietnam veterans' graves, and helping other veterans navigate their benefits process

Nominations for the 2025 Veteran of the Year Award are now open. If you know a veteran who has demonstrated dedication to service and excellence within our community, please nominate them for this award.

Nominate a Veteran Here

Selection Criteria:

• Service: Demonstrate a commitment to service in their community. This could be through advocacy, community projects, an act of heroism, or other actions.
• Excellence: Provide an example of how this veteran exudes a spirit of excellence.
• Dedication: Have a dedication to supporting their fellow veterans and building bridges between veterans and our greater Southeast Wisconsin community.

To Qualify:

• Veteran must be honorably discharged from one of the five Armed Forces of the Unites States, including Reserve or National Guard, or United States Merchant Marines
• Nominated veterans must live within the First Congressional District
• Veterans Must be able to supply a DD-214

Keeping the Government Open

Today, the House passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open and prevent a lapse in funding at the end of this month. This clean CR does not make any substantive policy changes and will keep the government open and funded at current levels through November 21, 2025. This is a stopgap measure while Congress continues to negotiate 2026 spending levels. The CR now heads to the Senate.

As always, feel free to contact my office if you have questions, want to share an opinion or are having trouble with a federal agency.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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