The Senate Appropriations bill includes funding for IVF for veterans and capacity reporting provisions while the House Bill does not
On May 19, 2016, the Senate approved H.R. 2577, an appropriations omnibus bill that included the “Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for FY 2017.” This bill included two important provisions. First, it provides direct funding for the provision of procreative services, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Second, it includes a provision to permanently reinstate the annual capacity reporting requirement for VA’s specialized services (the number one legislative priority for PVA). These issues reflect two of the highest priorities for PVA.
Our work on reinstatement of the capacity reporting requirement for VA’s specialized services has been bolstered by the recent introduction of S. 2883 and H.R. 5091, the “Appropriate Care for Disabled Veterans Act.” Sarah Dean, PVA Associate Legislative Director, has been leading the effort to build bipartisan support for these two bills.
Similarly, PVA has worked tirelessly to make procreative services, particularly IVF, available to veterans with service-connected catastrophic disabilities that preclude their ability to conceive children. This provision received strong bipartisan support when it was considered by the full Senate Appropriations Committee. We have joined with a broad coalition of veterans’ service organizations to fight to retain the procreative services provisions in the final appropriations bill.
The House approved its appropriations bill the same day that the Senate complete its work. Unfortunately, the House version does not include these two important provisions. We will be reaching out to our members for support as these two bills are considered in conference.
