Since 11-18-04
Cola and Vet bills passed
Since 11-18-04
From: Waspscpo@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 4:23 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Fw: VeteranIssues] Cola & Vet bills passed
Subj: [VeteranIssues] Cola & Vet bills passed
Date: 11/18/2004 2:31:14 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: ColonelDan@worldnet.att.net
Reply-to:
VeteranIssues-owner@yahoogroups.com
To: VeteranIssues@yahoogroups.com Sent from the Internet (Details)
http://veterans.house.gov/
VA Comp COLA passed & signed 27 Oct Passage of H.R. 4175 For a 100%
service-connected disabled veteran without dependents, the new monthly payment
is expected to rise to approximately $2,300 per month, totaling $27,600 per
year. Additional compensation is available for disabled veterans with dependent
children and for other mitigating factors, such as residual effects of
catastrophic disabilities.
The law signed by President Bush yesterday will also increase payments for
almost 340,000 surviving widows and dependents of veterans who qualify under the
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program. The DIC program provides
monthly payments to widows and dependents of veterans who are killed while on
duty, who die from service-connected disabilities, or who were 100%
service-connected disabled for at least 10 years prior to their death.
******** House Gives Final OK to Vets Legislation, Nov 17
New Laws Will Expand Access to VA Health Care, Boost Veterans Benefit Programs,
Protect Veterans Legal Rights
(Washington) - The House of Representatives today gave final approval to a three
bills to expand access to VA health care services, boost veterans benefit
programs, and strengthen legal protections for servicemembers and veterans. All
three bills (H.R. 3936, S. 2484, S. 2486) have already been approved by the
Senate and are now head to President Bush for his signature.
"There is no more fundamental responsibility of our government than to care for
those men and women who are injured while defending the Nation," said Chairman
Smith. "Today's House approval H.R. 3936, the Veterans Health Programs
Improvement Act of 2004, will help to ensure that veterans continue to have
timely access to needed medical services regardless of where they live."
"One of the continuing tragedies of modern warfare is the devastating injuries
that too many of our brave servicemen and women suffer," Smith said. "My
legislation would authorize the establishment of new VA research and education
centers specifically focused upon developing new treatments for veterans with
complex multi-trauma injuries suffered while in combat," he said.
"With the President's signature, H.R. 3936 will also increase spending for the
Grant and Per Diem program that assists homeless veterans from $75 million to
$99 million in FY 2005. In addition, this legislation will provide federal
payments to New Jersey and other States to assist them in hiring and retaining
nurses to work in State homes that provide long-term care to veterans," said
Smith.
"In order to help recruit and retain highly skilled nurses at VA facilities,
H.R. 3936 also creates a new pilot program to use innovative online technologies
and outside personnel recruitment agencies, particularly for those areas where
there is a looming nursing shortage," Smith said.
Other provisions of H.R. 3936 will:
· Eliminate copayments for veterans receiving hospice care furnished by VA;
· Authorize 16 leases totaling $24,420,000 for VA community-based outpatient
clinics;
· Permanently authorize VA's sexual trauma counseling program;
· Provide VA with authority to transfer unneeded real property and retain the
proceeds, with provisions to encourage use of excess properties for homeless
veterans programs;
· Make all enrolled veterans eligible to use the Veterans' Canteen Service; and
· Require VA to report on the status of its medical waste management systems.
Chairman Smith also hailed approval of the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of
2004
(S. 2486), which includes provisions from H.R. 1716, the Veterans Earn and Learn
Act, to modernize VA's apprenticeship and job training programs; enhance VA
disability compensation benefit programs; expand VA's home loan programs; and
strengthen veterans' and servicemembers' legal protections.
"The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act will help bring VA's job training
programs in line with the modern workforce structure and allow GI Bill education
benefits to be more easily used for a greater number of qualified apprenticeship
programs," said Smith. "Under this legislation, GI Bill benefit rates for
apprenticeship and on-the-job training programs will be increased to better
align with traditional education programs. In addition, this legislation allows
GI Bill benefits to be used for apprenticeship programs that are
competency-based, requiring the mastery of skills, rather than time-based,
requiring a minimum number of months or years on the job," he said.
Building upon the landmark Servicemembers Civil Relief Act signed by President
Bush last year, this legislation includes several important new provisions to
strengthen the legal protections afforded to our servicemembers when they are
called to active duty and after they return home," said Smith. "For example, the
new law will close loopholes threatening the right of servicemembers and their
families who need to end residential or motor vehicle leases early because they
have been called to active duty," he said.
The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 also includes an important new
provision to increase the maximum home loan amount which VA will guarantee under
its home loan guaranty program. Currently, VA will guarantee 25 percent of a
qualified home loan up to $240,000; under the new law, the maximum qualified
home loan would rise to $333,700, the maximum level allowed by the
federally-chartered Freddie Mac program. This level would be indexed in future
years to the Freddie Mac maximum amounts.
The legislation would also provide an additional $250 monthly to surviving
spouses with children under the dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC)
program for a two-year transition period. These benefits are paid to surviving
spouses of veterans killed in action or who die from a service-connected
disability.
The House today also approved the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care
Personnel Enhancement Act of 2004 (S. 2484), legislation to reform VA's
physician pay and nurse employment systems to provide additional flexibility to
recruit and retain highly qualified medical personnel. Under the new system, pay
rates would reflect the market competition for qualified physicians and dentists
on a regional basis, and also provide additional incentives based upon
pre-determined performance standards set by VA.
More information about hearings, legislation, and other activities of the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs can be found on our award-winning Website:
www.veterans.house.gov
"Keep on, Keepin' on", Support Veterans & Thanks... Colonel Dan See my web site
at: http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/
Forward to a veteran or Sign up a Veteran to this list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeteranIssues/join
Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeteranIssues/