National Task Force on Caregiving Youth of Veterans Act.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9475 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9475

       To establish the National Task Force on Caregiving Youth.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2026

 Mr. McGarvey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
  Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on
   Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

       To establish the National Task Force on Caregiving Youth.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Task Force on Caregiving
Youth of Veterans Act.''

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Caregiving youths provide unpaid care to veterans and
        members of the Armed Forces with disabilities, illnesses, or
        injuries.
            (2) The care provided by youths to veterans and members of
        the Armed Forces often includes physical assistance, emotional
        support, household management, and advocacy, which may
        adversely affect their education, long term mental and physical
        health, and economic opportunities.
            (3) Research indicates that millions of caregiving youths
        across the United States who provide care to members of the
        Armed Forces and veterans face increased risks of academic
        disruption, social isolation, and long-term health challenges.
            (4) Caregiving youths who provide care to members of the
        Armed Forces and veterans contribute significantly to the well-
        being of members of the Armed Forces and veterans and their
        families, reducing institutional care needs and strengthening
        family cohesion.
            (5) Existing Federal programs do not adequately identify or
        support caregiving youths who provide care for member of the
        Armed Forces and veterans, and there is no coordinated strategy
        across agencies to address their needs.
            (6) A national task force is necessary to assess the scope
        of caregiving youths providing care for members of the Armed
        Forces and veterans, support ongoing research, and develop
        policy and programmatic solutions to ensure such youths receive
        appropriate recognition and assistance.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON CAREGIVING YOUTH.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish the National Task Force on Caregiving Youth (referred to in
this section as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of not fewer than
18 members, as follows:
            (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs, including a
        representative of each of the following designated by the
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs:
                    (A) The Veteran Benefits Administration.
                    (B) The National Cemetery Administration.
                    (C) The Veteran Health Administration.
                    (D) The Caregiver Support Program.
                    (E) The Veterans Experience Office.
            (2) The Department of Health and Human Services, including
        a representative of each of the following (or successor office)
        designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services:
                    (A) The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
                    (B) The Administration for Community Living.
                    (C) The Indian Health Service.
                    (D) The Administration for Children and Families.
            (3) The Department of Education, including a representative
        of each of the following (or successor office) designated by
        the Secretary of Education:
                    (A) The Office of Elementary and Secondary
                Education Program.
                    (B) The Office of Special Education Programs.
                    (C) The Office of Student Support and
                Accountability.
            (4) The Department of Defense, including a representative
        of each of the following (or successor office) designated by
        the Secretary of Defense:
                    (A) The Department of Defense Education Activity.
                    (B) The Office of Military Community and Family
                Policy.
                    (C) The Defense Health Agency.
            (5) One representative from each of three non-profit
        organizations that specialize in military family support,
        caregiving youth initiatives, mental health advocacy, or
        educational access for caregivers designated by the Secretary
        of Veterans Affairs.
    (c) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall designate
the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health or designee to serve
as Chairperson of the Task Force.
    (d) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall meet at least once
        each calendar year quarter.
            (2) Quorum.--Two-thirds of the members of the Task Force
        shall constitute a quorum.
    (e) Duties.--The duties of the Task Force include the following:
            (1) Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the
        Task Force, to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally
        funded research and development center to conduct a national
        study on caregiving youth. Such study, which shall be completed
        not later than two years after the date of the enactment of
        this Act, shall include the following:
                    (A) An analysis of the prevalence, demographics,
                and socio-economic impacts of caregiving youth.
                    (B) Short- and long-term effects on the education,
                employment, safety, and physical and mental health
                caregiving youth.
                    (C) Geographic disparities in access of caregiving
                youth to support services.
                    (D) Barriers to Federal, State, and local
                assistance programs for caregiving youth.
                    (E) An identification of gaps in services available
                for caregiving youth.
                    (F) An identification of the benefits of caregiving
                for veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and
                caregiving youth.
            (2) Not later than 30 days after the establishment of the
        Task Force, to consult directly with stakeholders including--
                    (A) caregivers and survivors of veterans and
                members of the Armed Forces;
                    (B) representatives of nonprofit organizations that
                specialize in military family support, caregiving youth
                initiatives, mental health advocacy, or educational
                access for caregivers; and
                    (C) relevant Federal advisory commissions.
            (3) Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the
        Task Force, to develop targeted policy recommendations to
        Congress, and Federal, State, and local agencies on how the
        Federal departments represented on the Task Force pursuant to
        subsection (b) can expand program support, resources, and
        accommodation for caregiving youths who provide care for
        members of the Armed Forces and veterans, including--
                    (A) school-based resources and scholarship
                programs;
                    (B) improved mental health support by integrating
                trauma-informed care for caregiving youth within
                frameworks of such departments;
                    (C) creating support programs within each such
                department; and
                    (D) establishing financial assistance models.
            (4) To explore the feasibility and advisability of the
        development of a standardized database to--
                    (A) track the demographics and services used by
                caregiving youths who provide care for members of the
                Armed Forces and veterans;
                    (B) develop joint initiatives between relevant
                Federal agencies to provide comprehensive support; and
                    (C) align Federal programs with State and local
                resources to ensure no caregiving youth is overlooked.
            (5) To formalize nonprofit engagement by establishing a
        Caregiving Youth Advisory Council that--
                    (A) is composed of advocates for caregivers;
                    (B) hosts quarterly roundtables to incorporate
                front-line perspectives; and
                    (C) provides recommendations to relevant Federal
                agencies regarding the allocation and use of Federal
                grants to support non-profit organizations by expanding
                direct service programs for caregiving youth.
            (6) To conduct a survey of all existing efforts of Federal
        agencies to support caregiving youth, including best practices
        and past and ongoing efforts to collect data, research, and
        other relevant information.
    (f) Authority To Enter Into Agreements.--The Task Force may enter
into agreements with entities, including academic institutions,
research entities, and nonprofit organizations, to assist in conducting
the national study and developing policy recommendations.
    (g) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than one year after the date
        of the enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall submit to
        Congress an initial report that includes a description of the
        research methodology and preliminary findings of the Task Force
        related to the duties of the Task Force, including stakeholder
        consultation, national study design, and early policy
        considerations.
            (2) Annual reports.--Not later than one year after the date
        of the submission of the initial report under paragraph (1),
        and annually thereafter through the termination date specified
        under subsection (h), the Task Force shall submit to Congress a
        report that describes the progress of the Task Force on such
        duties, including updates, policy recommendations, Federal
        collaboration efforts, nonprofit engagement, and survey
        results.
    (h) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate on the day that is
five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (i) Caregiving Youth Defined.--In this section, the term
``caregiving youth'' means an individual under the age of 26--
            (1) who provides unpaid care, including physical
        assistance, emotional support, household management, medication
        oversight, or advocacy, to a veteran or member of the Armed
        Forces with a disability, chronic illness, or injury; and
            (2) without regard to whether the individual or the parent
        of the individual qualifies for the Program of Comprehensive
        Assistance for Family Caregivers of the Department of Veterans
        Affairs.
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