President Signs Bipartisan Veterans Package Named for Chairman Miller

12/16/2016

WASHINGTON — President Obama today signed H.R. 6416, the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016, into law. The omnibus package passed the House 419–0 on December 6 and the Senate by unanimous consent.

The legislation combines roughly 76 bipartisan provisions, including improvements to disability compensation appeals — expanding the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to nine judges — authority for medallions marking veterans’ graves in private cemeteries, GI Bill improvements including an expanded Fry Scholarship for surviving spouses, expanded emergency care at VA, and the Toxic Exposure Research Act.

The bill is named in honor of Miller, the outgoing chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, in recognition of their years of work on behalf of veterans.