Deb Fischer

12/01/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/01/2021 12:56

Fischer Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Make Access to VA Services Over the Phone Easier for Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC. - Today, Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced the reintroduction of the Veterans Assistance Helpline Act. This bipartisan legislation would permanently establish a helpline for veterans to access all services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would also work toward deploying a simple, easy-to-remember dialing code for veterans to use to immediately connect them to all of the VA's resources. Fischer reintroduced the bill with Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev).

"The bravery, service, and sacrifice of America's veterans have protected our way of life. Today Senator Rosen and I are continuing our bipartisan work to facilitate more user-friendly access to VA services over the phone. Through this bill, we can make life just a little bit easier for the veterans of today and future generations of our nation's veterans," said Senator Fischer.

BACKGROUND: The bipartisan Veterans Assistance Helpline Act would direct the VA to permanently establish a toll-free telephone helpline--a one-stop-shop--for veterans to obtain information about the benefits and services provided by the VA, to include services available to them locally. The bill would also direct the VA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to conduct a study to assess the feasibility of designating a shorter dialing code for veterans to access the toll-free helpline. Senators Rosen and Fischer introduced similar legislation last Congress.

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