H.R. 8541: To help ensure that COVID-19 does not prevent disabled veterans from using the medical treatment leave to which such veterans are entitled, and for other purposes.

116th Congress · introduced 2020-10-06 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-10-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To help ensure that COVID-19 does not prevent disabled veterans from using the medical treatment leave to which such veterans are entitled, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill allows certain veterans who are federal employees to retain disabled veteran leave for a longer period of time, and restores leave that was forfeited due to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Currently, veterans may use specific medical leave for purposes of receiving treatment for service-connected disabilities during the first 12 months of federal employment; unused leave must be forfeited after this period. The bill allows veterans whose first day of federal employment is between March 1, 2019, and June 1, 2021, to use such medical leave during the first 24 months of their employment. The bill also restores forfeited leave to these veterans if treatment was unavailable at a Veterans Affairs medical provider due to COVID-19; restored leave must be used within 12 months of initial forfeiture.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To help ensure that COVID-19 does not prevent disabled veterans from using the medical treatment leave to which such veterans are entitled, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8541.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8541 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116