Open Letter to the United States House of Representatives

Subject: Urgent Call for Immediate Passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 8371)Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, and Minority Leader Jeffries,We are the Elizabeth Dole Foundation Caregiver Fellows, a diverse group of individuals who dedicate our lives to caring for America's wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and veterans. We are not politicians; we are spouses, children, parents, and loved ones providing around-the-clock care to those who have sacrificed so much for our country. Today, we write to you with an urgent plea to pass the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.A Lifeline for Veterans and Their FamiliesThis legislation is not just another bill; it is a comprehensive package that addresses critical gaps in the care and support systems for veterans and their families. It promises to bring immediate and lasting improvements to our lives. Here’s how:1. Enhanced Community Care Access:

• Veterans will gain timely and local access to healthcare providers, reducing the need for long-distance travel. This change is crucial for those with mobility issues or chronic conditions and will alleviate the stress and physical burden on our veterans.

2. Support for Home and Community-Based Services:

• Increasing expenditure caps for noninstitutional care and improving coordination with the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) will promote more options for long-term care, ensuring veterans can receive the care they need in their own homes.

3. Authority to Award Grants for Mental Health Support to Family Caregivers:

• Providing grants for mental health support will help caregivers cope with the emotional and psychological stress of caregiving, maintaining our mental health and the quality of care we provide.

4. Recognition and Assistance Programs:

• Recognizing organizations and individuals assisting veterans, family members, and caregivers in navigating programs and services will ensure better access to available resources.

5. Veteran Directed Care:

• Mandates the expansion of the Veteran Directed Care program to all VA medical centers, ensuring comprehensive staffing and accessibility. This program grants veterans autonomy to manage their care, giving them the ability to customize services to meet their specific needs and significantly improving the overall quality of life for themselves and their caregivers.

Call to Honor Our CommitmentWe, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation Caregiver Fellows, embody the resilience, dedication, and love that underpin the care of our nation’s heroes. We are the true experts, living these challenges every day. Our veterans rely on us, and in turn, we rely on your leadership and decisive action.Passing this act is not merely a legislative victory—it is a profound affirmation of our nation's commitment to those who have sacrificed so much. It is a testament to our collective resolve to honor their service with the care and support they deserve.Please, let us unite in this noble cause. Prioritize the immediate passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. Our veterans, their caregivers, and their families are counting on you.Thank you for your compassion, your dedication, and your swift action.Sincerely,Elizabeth Dole Foundation Caregiver FellowsBetsy EvesVirginiaJoseph E Narvaez Jr.FloridaCynthia L Collins-ClarkOklahomaKimberly PerezTexasCori Lee MarreroTexasMichele HopkinsGeorgiaDebra H. SchulzTexasIda Jean CarsonOhioMarjorie PenningtonMaineMatthew N. WilsonNew YorkVictoria Serene ChallNorth CarolinaTracy BrownCaliforniaCairistiona BensonFloridaElizabeth Anne HuntWashingtonJames WhiteNorth CarolinaSharon Colleen GrassiArizonaKaree WhiteNorth Carolina

Aimmie Cathrine JenkinsIndiana

Sherri PiperMississippiMegan PowellTennesseeGlenda A. LearyIndianaKarla A. SeijasCaliforniaNancy WhiteNorth CarolinaSandy Wai Kuen Cullins, Ph.D.CaliforniaAmy Maria StephensCaliforniaMary Ann WardNorth CarolinaMargaret W. Bristol, Ed.D.New YorkTheresa R CoomerIllinoisHeidi Elizabeth WoodringPennsylvaniaJill J. SchumanNew HampshireJeannette Davidson-MayerNorth CarolinaXania D. NacinoCaliforniaDr. Jennifer Lynne Carson, DSWCaliforniaAngelena Renee TaylorMichiganSilvia Carrilllo LopezDelawareAmanda ArwoodTennesseeAmanda Smith FlenerGeorgiaReva Tennille CollinsFloridaAlana CentilliAlabamaBelinda EdwardsMarylandLara GareyTexasRachel Elizabeth ClarkVirginiaValence L. ScottVirginiaLaura Nichole StephensCaliforniaVanessa Blair ChismMarylandKetty Wilson GonzalezNew YorkBenjamin MartinezFloridaLyra HelmsNew MexicoSusan Dianne GrahamArizonaTara Ann PlybonTexasTodd Layton PlybonTexasSarah Ann MartinezMontanaNelida lozoya LewisTexasMona Renee AyresTexasMelissa ComeauCaliforniaEdna P. DumasVirginiaHelen M. YourchuckWisconsinJustine T. leVasseurConnecticutKayla ArmourFloridaBettyJo O’BrienMassachusettsWendy GavellMarylandAlicia MaddaloniAlaskaMichelle Dyan BassettNevadaKirsten Laha-WalshFloridaStacey HawleyFloridaLynnette CanedyKentuckyNodirakhon Murodkhujaeva HughesVirginiaPatricia A. OchanVirginiaLillian W. HunterSouth CarolinaEmily Ann MatherFloridaMelissa JacksonVermontKrista PettersonMontanaShirley M. StantonNew YorkAndre Charles MorrowCaliforniaMargaret Leimomi MorrowCaliforniaJustina Lyn CrawfordMissouriEmery A. PopoloskiMassachusettsAshley SchintzWest VirginiaDanny O’NeelCaliforniaJulie L. GuleffTexasStephanie Bridget HallMichiganPrecious Revondolyn GoodsonGeorgiaElisa GlassNew HampshireBrian Reed VinesTexasDebra Marie SpragueCaliforniaJo Ann BachandFloridaColleen Ryan RoseVirginiaJacqui BeekColoradoVivian MitchellColoradoSara LeaseNebraskaT. Ilihia GionsonHawaiiLieselotte H PatteeMarylandRobert David EvansTexasAshley LeeFloridaKaree Van Wert WhiteNorth CarolinaAriana Del NegroMontanaMegan ZimmermanMinnesotaAmber OldfieldSouth DakotaAdrienne HazardRhode IslandShannon TuimalealiifanoFloridaJennifer Nicole OstanSouth CarolinaMichael BowlesTexasJennifer BowlesTexasJennifer ReedArkansasConnie OzmerWashingtonKrystle HamlettCaliforniaMarjory HarrisMississippiBrandy Marie WrennNorth CarolinaPaula J BellerIndianaKristin Lynn ChristensenWashingtonCandace LagunaMarylandElizabeth RotenberryMarylandTrizer Akinyi SmithMinnesotaBeth Diann DurbinAlaskaBarbara WebbMissouriJeanette McKinneyIdahoMelissa SwireNorth CarolinaJennifer BriestSouth DakotaAmanda Jo NuckolesTennesseeHannah NieskensMontanaAndrea Robin Keller DorseyNebraskaOra FreemanMaineDeborah ElliottVirginiaShawn Del MooreMissouriSandra OwmbeyFloridaMisty ToothmanPennsylvaniaAmber Bethany Lee LinderNevadaAnne R. WayGeorgiaIvonne Francesca ThompsonTexasDaphne G. GradyLouisianaAnne AdkinsonArizonaPatti Renee KatterFloridaJeanette EzellOhioDonny Glenn Peters IIUnited States Virgin IslandsRosalinda Alfaro BabinTexasCC: Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees