Bill > HR2970

This bill establishes an Independent Office of the National Veterans' Advocate within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve advocacy and support for veterans. The bill transforms the existing Office of Patient Advocacy into a more robust and independent Office of the National Veterans' Advocate, which will have expanded responsibilities and greater autonomy. The National Veterans' Advocate will report directly to the VA Secretary and be compensated at the highest Senior Executive Service pay rate. Key provisions include creating Deputy National Veterans' Advocates in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), ensuring at least one veteran advocate for every 12,000 veterans, establishing a public casework request portal, and requiring semi-annual reports to Congressional Veterans' Affairs Committees with independent legislative recommendations. The office will have the authority to identify problems veterans experience with VA services, propose administrative and legislative changes, manage casework across the department, and conduct outreach to veterans about available assistance. The bill also mandates annual training for veteran advocates and authorizes $25 million in funding annually from 2026 to 2030 to support these new functions and infrastructure. The overall goal is to create a more responsive and veteran-focused advocacy system within the VA.