Cleland-Dole Act passes the Senate as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Package. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, the lead Republican on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, was pleased with the passage of the bill he helped to write.

Also included in the bill is a new crisis hotline: 9-8-8, which will provide mental health services and care for post-911 veterans. Moran says the legislation will help the VA meet the unique healthcare needs of our nation's heroes and save lives.

This legislation combined provisions from bills passed by the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees to expand and strengthen veteran access to health care and benefits.