{
  "id": "R46280",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R46280",
  "active": true,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 620762,
      "date": "2020-03-20",
      "retrieved": "2020-05-19T14:03:01.682198",
      "title": "Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 Potential Role in Addressing the COVID-19 Outbreak",
      "summary": "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a range of benefits to eligible veterans and their dependents. The department carries out its programs nationwide through three administrations and the Board of Veterans\u2019 Appeals (BVA). The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is responsible for health care services and medical and prosthetic research programs. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is responsible for, among other things, providing disability compensation, pensions, and education assistance. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is responsible for maintaining national veterans cemeteries; providing grants to states for establishing, expanding, or improving state veterans cemeteries; and providing headstones and markers for the graves of eligible persons, among other things.\nWith a vast integrated health care delivery system spread across the United States, VHA is also statutorily required to serve as a contingency backup to the Department of Defense (DOD) medical system during a national security emergency and to provide support to the National Disaster Medical System and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as necessary, in support of national emergencies (also referred to as the \u201cFourth Mission\u201d of the VHA). \nBased on limited information from VA, this report provides an overview of VA\u2019s response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that is affecting communities throughout the United States. It also discusses recent congressional action as it pertains to the veterans\u2019 benefits and services, as well as the supplemental appropriations for the department.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": true,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46280",
          "sha1": "9c48f98cb4d21ddc6874c7e7ee470bb6c3162503",
          "filename": "files/20200320_R46280_9c48f98cb4d21ddc6874c7e7ee470bb6c3162503.html",
          "images": {}
        },
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46280",
          "sha1": "c5885da6cadd9b70b443ecaf51816a2a0d0072b8",
          "filename": "files/20200320_R46280_c5885da6cadd9b70b443ecaf51816a2a0d0072b8.pdf",
          "images": {}
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "IBCList",
          "id": 4849,
          "name": "Veterans & Military Health Care"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Appropriations",
    "Domestic Social Policy",
    "Education Policy",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Health Policy",
    "Veterans Policy"
  ]
}