Senators considered 17 veteran-centric bills Wednesday, weighing proposed legislation on subjects such as mental health and unlicensed physicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs to health care for women and newborns, as well as stipends for Medal of Honor recipients.
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee considered three bills introduced by veterans who now serve in the Senate. The first, from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, would increase the monthly stipend for Medal of Honor recipients from roughly $1,300 to $3,000 per month. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Iowa National Guard officer, pressed for her bill, the Ensuring Quality Care for our Veterans Act, which would require a third party to review VA medical care provided by physicians who had their licenses terminated for cause before they were hired by the federal government. The third piece of legislation introduced by a veteran is the Highly Rural Veteran Transportation Program Extension bill, which would allow the VA to provide grants to veteran service organizations for transporting vets to health care services. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, a former Marine, is the bill's sponsor. Read more about the measures on Military.com.
![Hannah Cvancara](http://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_large/public/2024-03/1time-hannah-cvancara-1200.jpg?itok=Fnnzlax_ "The "Hannah Cvancara Service Act" would allow amputees interested in joining the military to serve in medical personnel fields in the National Guard, reserves and on active duty. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Cvancara)")