DeLauro Unveils the Veterans Residential Care Choice Act

April 27, 2015
Press Release

NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today unveiled legislation inspired by the plight of veterans at the Seacrest and HighVue retirement homes. The Veterans Residential Care Choice Act would allow the Veterans Administration (VA) to pay for eligible veterans to live at residential care facilities, such as Seacrest and HighVue. The VA can currently help veterans find a residential care facility to live in, but veterans and their families have to shoulder the cost themselves.

“The Veterans Residential Care Choice Act would not only prevent a repeat of what happened at Seacrest and HighVue, it would increase choice for our senior veterans. This is the least we can do to repay the debt we owe our veterans, and honor their selflessness. They deserve respect, dignity, economic security so they can take care of themselves and not be dependent others. Veterans stood up when called. We stand on their shoulders. And I will always do everything in my power to help them when they need it.”

Ten veterans at Seacrest were at risk of losing the benefits that help their families afford the facilities due to a VA error. DeLauro intervened and the VA temporarily extended payments for their residency.

DeLauro also announced today that she has won report language in the VA funding bill that urges the VA Secretary to continue to extend these payments. The language also requires the Secretary to report back to the Appropriations Committee on what he is doing to extend the payments. The Appropriations Committee, of which DeLauro is a member, approved the bill last week and the full House of Representatives is expected to do so this week.

The Veterans Residential Care Choice Act would:

• Authorize VA to cover costs for a veteran who demonstrates need and has at least a 70 percent service-connected disability to stay in a residential care facility.
• Require that facility and VA enter into an agreement in order to make sure the facilities are adequate to serve the needs of veterans.


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