Hirono, Moran introduce bipartisan bill to support veterans’ family caregivers

US Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, have introduced the Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act to help family caregivers transition into the workforce or retirement after their caregiving responsibilities end.

“Family caregivers provide critical care to their veteran loved ones, and when their time as a caregiver concludes, it is often difficult for them to transition back to work or into retirement,” Hirono said.

The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer support services such as employment assistance, retirement planning and bereavement counseling. It would also mandate a study on barriers caregivers face when reentering the workforce, allow reimbursement for professional certification and licensing fees, expand access to employment assistance programs and assess the feasibility of a retirement savings plan for caregivers.

The full text of the legislation is available here.