Bill Overview
Title: VSO Support Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a grant program for eligible veterans service organizations to offset costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that were incurred between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020.
Sponsors: Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans relying on veterans service organizations
Estimated Size: 19000000
- The bill specifically mentions 'veterans service organizations' (VSOs) as the primary beneficiaries of the grant program.
- VSOs support veterans, so indirectly, veterans who utilize these services will benefit as their supporting organizations may bolster their capabilities and resources.
- The impacts relate to costs incurred during a specific COVID-19 pandemic period, so it may also involve financial management resources and staff of VSOs.
- A significant number of veterans rely on VSOs for assistance, including over 19 million veterans residing in the U.S.
- Globally, the impact is limited as the primary target is U.S.-based veteran organizations, however, similar organizations elsewhere might consider this as a precedent.
Reasoning
- The VSO Support Act targets Veterans Service Organizations, which support US veterans.
- The budget constraint suggests a selective and limited scope of benefit disbursement to qualifying VSOs.
- The beneficiaries are the VSOs and, by proxy, the veterans using their services.
- Some individuals might not be impacted directly by this policy because they do not utilize VSO services or the organizations they use may not qualify or receive substantial benefits.
- Veterans who rely heavily on VSO support are likely to see some improvement in service quality if their VSO receives funding.
Simulated Interviews
Retired - Veteran (San Diego, CA)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the grant is a good idea since VSOs were financially strained during COVID.
- My VSO has always been there for me, so I hope it gets support from this bill.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
VSO Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our VSO struggled a lot during COVID, so these grants could make a big difference.
- Funding will help us continue providing necessary support services without cuts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Policy Analyst (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The VSO grants are necessary to offset the sustained economic impact from COVID-19 on these organizations.
- Properly executed, this can help stabilize veteran support systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Veteran (Miami, FL)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am grateful for the mentoring and career services my VSO provides.
- I just hope they receive some support so they can continue their good work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
VSO Administrator (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This grant would be a lifeline to help us stabilize our operations post-COVID.
- I'm concerned about fair allocation, but hope each VSO in need gets a fair share.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired - Veteran (Chicago, IL)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am satisfied with what I have, but I hope the VSO can continue to support our community.
- I'm not sure how much the pandemic impacted our local VSO, but any help seems good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Healthcare Worker at VSO (Seattle, WA)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm optimistic that the grant can help us regain some of the lost resources and better our support services.
- We need this to keep providing quality care, especially as many veterans are struggling post-COVID.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Veteran, Entrepreneur (Denver, CO)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My VSO provided great business mentorship during my initial year.
- I believe continued support from such grants is essential for veterans starting businesses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
VSO Public Relations Officer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Grants like these help keep the backbone of what VSOs are trying to achieve strong and responsive.
- I hope this boosts our campaign efforts, which have severely dipped in the pandemic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Veteran, Homemaker (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- VSOs are a crucial part of my support system, especially for family-focused resources.
- Any additional funding would benefit us all by keeping services intact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $21000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $24000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Since the bill addresses reimbursement for past costs, it implies a relatively straightforward financial action plan with limited future obligations.
- The act supports VSOs that have borne pandemic-related costs, hence potentially improving these organizations' ability to maintain operations without cuts due to past financial strains.