# 116-hr-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.

116-hr-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., is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] (D-WA); status Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8541
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-8541
- Congress: 116
- 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.
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
- Introduced: 2020-10-06
- Sponsor: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] (D-WA)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## 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.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2020-10-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2020-10-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wexton, Jennifer [D-VA-10] (D-VA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
- 116-hr-8433: Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act
- 116-hr-7642: Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act
- 116-hr-7481: RESTART Act
- 116-hr-7197: RESTAURANTS Act of 2020

## Sources
- [116-hr-8541 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8541)

## Related
- [116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8662)
- [116-hr-8433: Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8433)
- [116-hr-8015: Delivering for America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8015)
- [116-hr-7642: Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7642)
- [116-hr-7481: RESTART Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7481)
- [116-hr-7197: RESTAURANTS Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7197)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8541 (as of 2025-11-18).