WASHINGTON — In the last-minute scramble before heading home for the fall election campaigns, Congress last week began approving a large catch-all package of long-stalled veterans' healthcare and benefits legislation that covers everything from expanding mental health programs to speeding up the disability claims system.

The two bills in the omnibus package contain at least 100 provisions gleaned from more than 25 veterans' bills that either the House or the Senate approved in the past 21 months.

The House cleared the omnibus bills late Wednesday on a voice vote, with the Senate expected to act soon.

The bills would add a final touch to a Congress already credited with dramatically increasing Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare funding and greatly expanding the GI Bill.

"While we might say Congress didn't do this and that, if you just took those two things alone — VA healthcare funding and the GI Bill — you would have to say it is one of the best congresses in recent memory," said Bob Norton of the Military Officers Association of America.

The omnibus bills' provisions include expanding Department of Veterans Affairs substance abuse treatment programs, providing mental health counseling for veterans' families, reimbursing veterans for use of non-VA emergency rooms and allowing temporary disability ratings for some veterans.

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said Congress did much more than that, including legislation to improve care of wounded service members and create a smooth transition from active duty to veteran status for them.

"We worked aggressively on preventing suicides and launched a 24-hour hot line for troubled veterans needing immediate help," Akaka said.

The spurt of congressional activity came after veterans' advocates began voicing frustration with the lack of action on many of their issues — from recognizing and treating mild and moderate traumatic brain injury to ensuring that women veterans get appropriate healthcare.

Earlier this month, veterans' advocacy groups were voicing concern about Congress failing to act as adjournment neared.

"What's frustrating is that during this Congress, we had more hearings on more pieces of legislation than probably the last two Congresses,"said Joseph Violante, legislative director for Disabled American Veterans.

The bills "wouldn't get us all the way to where we want to be, but certainly they (Congress) wouldn't have totally let us down," Violante said.

Norton said Congress deserves an A-plus for the healthcare funding and the GI Bill expansion for military personnel who have served since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The new GI Bill, to be implemented in August, offers free tuition and fees at public colleges and universities, along with a housing allowance and up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.