Improvements to VA Medical Facilities

In 2020, Scott helped pass the Major Medical Facility Authorization Act of 2020, which secured funds for a major project at the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The project will use $230,840,000 to expand the building for patients being treated for spinal cord injuries, and build a new community living center as well as a new parking structure at the medical center in La Jolla. The facility serves around 700 San Diego veterans and active duty military personnel every year, as well as some veterans from Arizona, Nevada and other areas in Southern California.

Veterans Choice

In 2014, Scott offered a motion to the VA Access, Accountability and Choice Act to ensure our veterans receive the quality care they earned. It was credited with breaking the gridlock over the Veterans Choice program. The bill gave veterans more options to access health care, and still be covered by their VA benefits, as a way to address wait and travel times.  It also improved accountability at the VA by making it easier to fire Senior Executive employee; expanded access to in-state tuition rates at public higher-education for veterans and their families; and expanded counseling care and services to victims of military sexual trauma. Our veterans answered the call to serve our country and it’s our duty to ensure they’re not left behind when they return home. San Diego is home to one of the nation's largest veteran populations and our heroes should not face barriers to getting the healthcare they need.

Veterans Homelessness

In 2019, Scott introduced and passed the Veteran HOUSE Act, which expands eligibility for veterans with other-than-honorable discharges to participate in the HUD-VASH voucher program. The bill has unanimously passed both the Financial Services Committee and House Veterans' Affairs Committee in 2019. In January 2020, the House passed the bill 362-31. Veterans with other-than-honorable discharges can be more likely to experience issues with mental health and could be more vulnerable to homelessness. It’s crucial that they have access to housing and supportive services.

In 2018, Scott introduced and passed legislation to stop cuts to homeless veterans' programs in the VA when the Trump administration attempted to transfer money intended to house homeless veterans (HUD-VASH program) to fund other VA programs. This amendment was included in the FY2019 spending bill that became law in September 2018. When the Trump Administration tried to cut funds to house homeless veterans, Scott made sure they couldn’t follow through with their plans to move the funds elsewhere. Homeless veterans need permanent supportive housing to transition out of homelessness.

Veterans Hiring

In 2020, Scott introduced an amendment to the Rights For Transportation Security Officers Act, requiring a GAO study on how TSA recruits veterans for their workforce. His amendment passed the House, as did the base bill. The veteran workforce is skilled and should be able to access opportunities where they can lend their specialized talents to our nation's different industries.

In 2013, Scott offered and passed an amendment to the FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act to encourage the hiring of veterans for military construction projects. San Diego is home to one of the nation’s largest veteran populations and the Department of Defense is in the process of several major construction projects. As we work to ensure that veterans can find good-paying jobs, the Department of Defense should work with contractors that employ veterans.

Veterans Support

In 2015, Scott helped introduce and pass the Sergeant Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act, a bipartisan bill to improve mental health care for veterans who took part in classified missions during their service. The bill was inspired by Sergeant Daniel Sommers, who suffered from post-traumatic stress and tragically took his own life. Although Daniel sought help at the VA, he was unable to share any classified missions in group therapy sessions. Daniel’s parents?Coronado residents Dr. Howard Somers and Jean Somers?came to share his story and propose solutions to Congress. Now, because of Daniel’s parents’ advocacy and the bipartisan effort to pass the bill, veterans who engaged in classified activities in the course of their service will be able to transition individualized therapeutic treatment if needed.

Support for zero8hundred

In 2014, Scott was instrumental in launching zero8hundred, a unique military transition support program in San Diego. Scott convened military leaders, veterans’ service organizations, and philanthropic groups to create zero8hundred. He also offered and passed language expressing congressional support for private-public partnerships like zero8hundred. Today, Zero8hundred provides a coordinated effort in San Diego to help servicemembers transition from active duty to civilian life.

Mental Health for Veterans, Families, and Jobs

In 2018, Scott introduced and passed legislation to strengthen peer counseling for mental health at the VA. The VA MISSION Act included this bill to expand the peer counseling program at the VA, which embeds peer counselors into patient-aligned care teams (PACT), to 25 additional VA sites. It became law in June 2018. Veteran peers can guide veterans through the complex system of mental health care and connect them to resources they may otherwise not know.

In 2015, Scott introduced the Marriage and Family  Therapists for Veterans Act which aligns state and federal guidelines to allow marriage and family therapists certified by regionally accredited programs to be considered for employment at VA medical centers. Similar language was included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act that passed the House. San Diego is home to one of the nation’s largest veteran populations and sadly, an average of 22 veterans commit suicide every day. When veterans are struggling, their struggles can also take a toll on their families. The bill helped ensure America keeps its promises to our veterans by allowing the VA to hire more mental health professionals.

GI Bill Education Benefits

In 2018, Scott introduced and passed legislation to provide education and job training benefits to guardsmen and reservists, correcting an inconsistency in the law by extending vocational rehabilitation services to all servicemembers who deploy for preplanned missions, regardless of the authority under which they are deployed. The bill became law at the end of 2018 when the President signed S.2248, the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. Guardsmen and reservists who served side-by-side in active duty with other servicemembers should receive the same education benefits.

In 2017, Scott introduced and helped pass a bill to ensure all Purple Heart veterans can access their full GI Bill education benefits, regardless of how long they served on active duty. Previously,  Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits were only available if a veteran completed at least 36 months of active duty service or was medically retired; however, some Purple Heart recipients are honorably discharged before either of those qualifications are attained, making them ineligible for full payments. The bill was included as part of a broader reform package called the “Forever GI Bill.” Purple Heart recipients have made some of the most tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation. They earned full education benefits through their service.

Appeals Reform

In 2017, Scott helped introduce and pass the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act. This bill creates three new pathways for veterans’ appeals process in order to fix the back-log and achieve faster results for new cases. This bill acknowledges the broken VA appeals system and creates three new pathways for veterans’ appeals process in order to fix the back-log and achieve faster results for new cases. It also allows the VA Secretary to establish a new pilot program to try other appeal options that may help the program move faster. San Diego veterans should not have to wait years on appeals decisions. This bill will modernize the system and reduce the backlog so that our veterans receive the attention and benefits they have earned.

VA Accountability 

In 2017, Scott supported legislation to provide greater authority to remove or discipline poorly-performing employees. This bipartisan legislation will improve the service that our veterans receive by holding bad actors accountable and protecting the hardworking employees who care for our veterans.