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TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act

Public Law 116-278 · S. 2216 · 116th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Dec 31, 2020 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)

Cosponsors (18): Sen. Marsha Blackburn,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 380 yea, 0 nay380–0
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Transparency and Effective Accountability Measures for Veteran Caregivers Act or the TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act

The bill revises the administration of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) caregiver programs. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to report on the feasibility and advisability of formally recognizing caregivers of veterans by identifying them in the veteran's electronic health record. Such caregivers covered by the bill include those approved as a provider of personal care services under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and those participating in the Program of General Caregiver Support Services. If the VA determines that formally recognizing caregivers is feasible and advisable, it must implement recognition.

The bill requires the VA to use standardized letters to notify veterans, their caregivers, and applicants for the program regarding decisions affecting the furnishing of assistance under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Such notifications must contain specified details regarding the decision.

The bill also authorizes the VA to extend benefits for a 90-day period under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, including the monthly personal caregiver stipend, after determining that a veteran is no longer eligible for the program solely because of improvement in their condition. The effective date of discharge from the program shall not be earlier than 60 days after the date on which the VA provides notice of the lack of eligibility.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 116th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 380 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

380 yea0 nay49 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(228)

Republicans who voted yea(152)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 943 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 6571Related bill

    TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Dec 31, 2020Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 116-278.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 21, 2020FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 16, 2020FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 380 - 0 (Roll no. 244).House roll call 244
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2216.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Nov 18, 2020FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Nov 17, 2020FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
  15. FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent. (CR S7044)
  16. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  17. Sep 15, 2020CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 540.
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
  19. Aug 5, 2020CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  20. Jul 23, 2019CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 2688SenateSen. Gary PetersD-MI· offered Nov 17, 2020Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Nov 17, 2020: Amendment SA 2688 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.