Mobile Courant

U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act today, aiming to mandate the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to consider continuity of healthcare when determining if a veteran should be referred to a community provider. This legislation follows Senator Tuberville’s recent appeal to VA Secretary Denis McDonough to reevaluate the department's actions that have significantly reduced VA referrals to community care.

"Our veterans have sacrificed to defend our country and deserve access to the best care possible," stated Senator Tuberville. "Over the last several years, the Biden-Harris VA has deliberately bogged down the community care referral process to stop veterans from getting the care they are eligible for by law. I am proud to join Senator Rubio’s legislation that will require the VA to add ‘continuity of care’ to its evaluation criteria so that the VA must consider this as a factor in facilitating community care referrals."

Senator Rubio echoed these sentiments: "Our veterans have sacrificed so much for this country and often have PTSD or other mental health issues as a result. Addressing mental health issues takes trust and time. The Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act will ensure our veterans can continue receiving care from their long-term providers that they have established a trusted relationship with."

The bill is also supported by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), James Lankford (R-OK), John Thune (R-SD), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rick Scott (R-FL). In parallel, U.S. Representative Scott Franklin (R-FL-18) has introduced companion legislation in the House.

As Alabama’s representative on the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Tuberville has consistently advocated for quality and timely healthcare for Alabama’s more than 400,000 veterans, addressing both physical and mental health needs.

Senator Tuberville has sponsored various legislative efforts, including the Veterans’ Health Empowerment, Access, Leadership, and Transparency for our Heroes (HEALTH) Act, aimed at expanding healthcare options for veterans and enhancing community care provisions.

In addition, he introduced the No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act to ensure that resources intended for veterans are not diverted elsewhere. He has also questioned Secretary McDonough regarding this issue and criticized the rehiring of 4,000 VA employees dismissed under previous accountability measures.

Further information on related legislative activities includes:

- Tuberville: We Have to Take Care of our Veterans’ Mental Health

- Tuberville Pushes Legislation to Improve Quality, Access to Care for Veterans

- Tuberville, Blackburn Introduce Bill to Improve Veterans’ Access to Health Care

- Tuberville Calls for Transparency from the VA Secretary

- Tuberville Condemns VA Re-hiring Incompetent Employees

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and serves on multiple committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

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