THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

== ISP’s Blocking RAO Bulletin [05] ———– (AOL Phase Out)

== CalVet/DMV Agreement —————– (New Vet ID System)

== VAMC St. Louis MO ———- (Dental Sterilization Problems)

== VA Headstones & Markers [06] ———- (Bronze Medallions)

== United States Naval Academy ————————— (History)

== United States Naval Academy [01] ——– (Financial Scandal)

== Ernie Pyle Museum —————————————- (Closed)

== Vet Toxic Exposure ~ Sand ———————— (Afghanistan)

== VA Facility Wireless Service ——————- (Patient Access)

== VA Blue Water Claims [11] — (AO Exposure List Expanded)

== DNA Testing in RP [01] —————- (U.S. Embassy Manila)

== Visa Fee increase ———————————————- (U.S.)

== Car Insurance Primer —————————- (Do you Know?)

== Mobilized Reserve 22 JUN 2010 ————– (6,191 Decrease)

== VA Claims Backlog [40] ———————————- (S.3517)

== GI BILL [80] ———————————– (66th Anniversary)

== AAFES Refund Policy [01] ———————- (Recall Process)

== National Infantry Museum —————————– (Overview)

== VA Copay [11] —————————————- (2010 Rates)

== Health Care Reform [36] —————- (3.8% Real Estate Tax)

== Pennsylvania Vet Cemetery [04] ——- (WA Crossing Phase 2)

== VA Parkinson’s Disease Program [02] ———- (DBS Benefits)

== Tricare User Fee [50] ——– (Substantial Increases Requested)

== VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases [06] ——— (Funds Frozen)

== VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases [07] —— (Webb’s Position)

== Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 [14] ———- (6 Mo Ext)

== VAMC Charleston SC ————————— (Highly Praised)

== Arlington National Cemetery [10] — (More Headstones Found)

== Arlington National Cemetery [11] ———— (Records System)

== VA Claims Processing [02] —— (Hostile Work Environment)

== VAT Tax ——————————————— (Do we need?)

== Vet Jobs [19] ————————– (Delta Airline Wants Vets)

== Korean War 60th Anniversary —– (Congressional Ceremony)

== Korean War Vet Appreciation Letter ———- (How to Obtain)

== Tricare Nursing Home Coverage [02] ——- (Preauthorization)

== Outward Bound ————————– (OEF/OIF Vet Program)

== Alzheimer’s [07] ————————- (Preventative Measures)

== Estate Planning [02] —————————— (Planned Giving)

== SBP DIC Offset [25] ———— (After Sharp Lawsuit SITREP)

== NDAA 2011 [04] ————————- (Obama’s Veto Threat)

== Government Paper Checks —————————- (Phase Out)

== California Vet Home [08] ——————– (West Los Angeles)

== Tricare Smoking Quitline ———————– (24/7 Assistance)

== SNAP [01] —————————————— (How to Apply)

== Retirement Calculators ————————————– (Flaws)

== Credit Card Agreements ———————————– (Access)

== ISP’s Blocking RAO Bulletin [05] ———— (AOL Phase Out)

== Medicare Fraud [42] —————————– (15-30 Jun 2010)

== Medicad Fraud [16] —————————— (15-30 Jun 2010)

== State Veteran’s Benefits ———————————– (Alaska)

== Military History ————————- (WWII Philippine Army)

== Military History Anniversaries ————- (Jul 1-15 Summary)

== Military Trivia 7 ———————————————– (Jeep)

== Tax Burden for New Mexico Retirees ——————— (2009)

== Congressional Alphalist ———————————- (Index C)

== Veteran Legislation Status 28 JUN 2010 —- (Where we stand)

== Have You Heard? ———————————- (Military Time)

Attachment – Alaska State Veteran’s Benefits

Attachment – WWII Philippine Army

Attachment – Veteran Legislation

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ISP’s Blocking RAO Bulletin Update 05: I have sent thousands of emails over the years to AOL subscribers about AOL’s alleged blocking of their RAO Bulletins and received back zero responses with a solution on how to make them stop.  In many cases short follow-up messages from me to confirm if the Bulletin was received by the AOL user are also blocked.  It is obvious AOL will not or cannot tell anybody what to do when their filters automatically advise their customer’s correspondents that the customer’s email addee is no longer valid. For the last 5 years AOL has been telling their customers who request assistance to resolve this problem that there is no problem.  However, at least two to three times a year they do the same thing to a significant percentage of the AOL subscribers on my directory and randomly to some others with every Bulletin. Since some AOL users do receive the Bulletin its size and/or attachments apparently are not the problem. There does not seem to be any pattern to who is blocked.  I recently deleted over 4000 AOL subscribers from my directory because of this which makes about 10,000 AOL subscribers over the last 5 years. I send the Bulletin to over 200 ISP’s and AOL is the only one that consistently creates problems. AOL users have no idea how much email they never see because of AOL’s spam blocking policies.

Because of this, and the hundreds of manhours I have wasted over the years trying to cope with AOL’s idiosyncrasies, I have decided to no longer add any new subscribers with AOL email addees unless they provide an alternate non-AOL email addee up front.  Also, unless I have an alternate non-AOL email addee on file, I am deleting any of the remaining 9,000 AOL subscribers on my directory for which I receive the first vice third return indication their email addee is no good or they do not initially respond to any message I send them on the subject. No response is confirmation that they either no longer wish to receive the Bulletin or AOL again blocked my message.  Anyone wanting their AOL email addee added back to the directory must first provide an alternate non-AOL email addee for me to put on file. This I need so I have a means of communicating with them the next time my messages to their AOL email addee are blocked. Those deleted who cannot provide an alternate non-AOL addee can go to http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html on the 2th & 16th of each month to read/download the Bulletin. [Source: RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher 14 Jun 2010 ++]

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CalVet/DMV Agreement: The California Department of Veterans Affairs and the California Department of Motor Vehicles today announced 39 JUN an historic agreement that will help connect nearly all of the 2.1 million veterans in California with information about their benefits and services that they have earned through their service in the U.S. Military. Under an agreement signed by CalVet Secretary Roger Brautigan and DMV Director George Valverde, effective 1 JUL 2011, new driver’s license and state identification card application forms will ask veterans if they have ever served in the U.S. Military. If they mark on the forms that they have, their mailing addresses will be sent to the CalVet Department for distribution of information relative to services and benefits available to all veterans who served honorably in the military.”This new partnership will help our department reach out to veterans and help them connect with the benefits and services they have earned through their service that are offered by the state of California and the U.S. Government,” said Secretary Brautigan.

The information provided by the DMV will include the name of the veteran and his or her mailing address.  The CalVet Department will mail to that address information that will explain some of the benefits available to them such as health care, education assistance, job training assistance and home-purchasing assistance and how to obtain those benefits and services.The Veterans will also be asked to log-on to the state department’s new Veterans Reintegration System and register their contact information and areas of interest.  This new system provides veterans with on-going information about areas such as housing, health care, mental health, state benefits, etc.  If the veteran can’t utilize a computer or doesn’t have access to one, they will be provided with a card that will allow them to sign up for the same information which will be mailed to them whenever there is news to share. The DMV is in the process of redesigning its driver’s license and state identification card forms to accommodate mandated changes and new information that is required by state law and this provided the two departments the opportunity to achieve this historic agreement.  [Source: News From Around the Country 30 JUN 2010 ++]

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VAMC St. Louis MO: A flaw in the sterilization of dental equipment at the St. Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division exposed 1,812 veterans to a “low risk” of becoming infected with AIDS or hepatitis. Certified letters were sent 28 JUN to veterans who received dental treatment at the center between 1 FEB 09 and 11 MAR 2010, encouraging them to go to the medical center and be tested for HIV or human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B and C virus. VA spokeswoman Marcena Gunter on 29 JUN said, “A routine inspection by a  VA internal quality inspection team in March revealed that certain equipment was not being sterilized in accordance with accepted standards.”  Asked why it took more than a year from when the improper cleaning techniques occurred until the warning letters went out, Gunter said that during that time experts either didn’t know it was occurring or were assessing the risk. “Nothing was being swept under the rug,” she said. The St. Louis VAMC is a full-service health care facility providing inpatient and ambulatory care in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, neurology, and rehabilitation, as well as over 65 subspecialty areas. It is a two-division facility that serves veterans and their families in east central Missouri and southwestern Illinois. The John Cochran Division is located in midtown St. Louis in close proximity to its affiliated medical schools – St. Louis University and Washington University. It has all of the medical center’s operative surgical capabilities, the ambulatory care unit, and a six-story Clinical Addition that includes surgical facilities, intensive care units, outpatient psychiatry clinics, and expanded laboratory.

Dr. Gina Michael, the association chief of staff at the VA hospital, said the failure happened because some dental technicians thought they were doing the right thing by washing the dental tools themselves.  The techs were using…strong soap to clean the tools, when they should have sent them to the hospital sanitizing and sterilizing department. In a written statement, RimaAnn Nelson, acting medical director of the hospital, stated that those desiring a blood test or having questions can call 1(888) 374-3046. However, a reporter who called the number on 29 JUN did not reach a person after being on hold for 20 minutes. The blood tests also will be available at VA clinics in Belleville, 6500 W. Main St., and in St. Charles, Mo. But Gunter said the preferred location for the testing is the dental clinic at the John Cochran Campus of the medical center in south St. Louis. “That’s where we will have full staff available to answer detailed questions and provide counseling,” said Gunter, who added that she was not aware of any similar occurrence ever happening at the medical center. Nelson, the acting medical director, wrote, “We deeply regret that this situation occurred and we assure you that we are taking all the necessary steps to make certain that testing is offered quickly and the results communicated timely.” Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-St. Louis) said that he had requested that the federal agency conduct a formal investigation. In a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, Carnahan called the potential exposure an “indefensible breach of standard operating procedure.” Carnahan added in an interview that he had requested a congressional hearing.

Cochran’s procedures have come under scrutiny before. In 2003, an independent agency that evaluates and accredits most of the nation’s hospitals took the rare step of placing the St. Louis VA Medical Center on “conditional accreditation” after a surprise inspection uncovered problems at Cochran. The hospital regained full accreditation by the end of the year. In 2007, after reports about poor treatment and rundown conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, officials at the VA’s St. Louis area facilities said they were working to solve similar problems. The Veterans Affairs Hospital system has come under fire in recent years for improper care. The New York Times reported in June 2009 that a “rogue cancer unit” operated at a veterans hospital in Philadelphia, where 92 of 116 prostate cancer treatments were botched. Federal investigators were called in to find out how the cancer unit was allowed to operate for six years before officials noticed that the treatment was improper, the newspaper reported. [Source:  News-Democrat George Pawlaczyk & St. Louis Post Dispatch Bill Lambrecht articles 29 & 30 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Headstones & Markers Update 06: Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki announced 29 JUN that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is offering bronze medallions to attach to existing, privately purchased headstones or markers, signifying a deceased’s status as a Veteran.  “For Veterans not buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery, or those without a government grave marker, VA is pleased to offer this option that highlights their service and sacrifices for our country,” said Secretary Shinseki. The new item can be furnished instead of a traditional government headstone or marker for Veterans whose death occurred on or after 1 NOV 90, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker. Under federal law, eligible Veterans buried in a private cemetery are entitled to either a government-furnished grave marker or the new medallion, but not both.  Veterans buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery will receive a government headstone or marker of the standard design authorized at that cemetery.

The medallion is available in three sizes: 5 inches, 3 inches and 1 ½ inches in width.  Each bronze medallion features the image of a folded burial flag adorned with laurels and is inscribed with the word “Veteran” at the top and the branch of service at the bottom. Next of kin will receive the medallion, along with a kit that will allow the family or the staff of a private cemetery to affix the medallion to a headstone, grave marker, mausoleum or columbarium niche cover. More information about VA-furnished headstones, markers and medallions can be found at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmtype.asp.  VA is currently developing an application form for ordering the medallion.  Until it is available, applicants may use the form for ordering government headstones and markers, VA Form 40-1330.  Instructions on how to apply for a medallion are found on the VA Web site at www.cem.va.gov/hm_hm.asp.

Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery.  Other burial benefits available for all eligible Veterans, regardless of whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or grave marker.  The new medallions will be available only to Veterans buried in private cemeteries without a government headstone or marker.  Families of eligible decedents may also order a memorial headstone or marker when remains are not available for interment.

VA operates 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico and 33 soldiers’ lots and monument sites.  More than 3 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict — from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan — are buried in VA’s national cemeteries on more than 19,000 acres.  Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the VA Web site on the Internet at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1(800) 827-1000. [Source: VA News Release 29 Jun 2010 ++]

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United States Naval Academy: The United States Navy was born during the American Revolution when the need for a naval force to match the Royal Navy became clear. But during the period immediately following the Revolution, the Continental Navy was demobilized in 1785 by an economy-minded Congress. The dormancy of American seapower lasted barely a decade when, in 1794, President George Washington persuaded the Congress to authorize a new naval force to combat the growing menace of piracy on the high seas. The first vessels of the new U.S. Navy were launched in 1797; among them were the United States, the Constellation, and the Constitution. In 1825, President John Quincy Adams urged Congress to establish a Naval Academy “for the formation of scientific and accomplished officers.” His proposal, however, was not acted upon until 20 years later.

On 13 SEP 1842, the American Brig Somers set sail from the Brooklyn Navy Yard on one of the most significant cruises in American naval history. It was a school ship for the training of teenage naval apprentice volunteers who would hopefully be inspired to make the Navy a career. However, discipline deteriorated on the Somers and it was determined by a court of inquiry aboard ship that Midshipman Philip Spencer and his two chief confederates, Boatswains Mate Samuel Cromwell and Seaman Elisha Small, were guilty of a “determined attempt to commit a mutiny.” The three were hanged at the yardarm and the incident cast doubt over the wisdom of sending midshipmen directly aboard ship to learn by doing. News of the Somers mutiny shocked the country. Through the efforts of the Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, the Naval School was established without Congressional funding, at a 10-acre Army post named Fort Severn in Annapolis, Maryland, on 10 OCT 1845, with a class of 50 midshipmen and seven professors. The curriculum included mathematics and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French.

When the founders of the United States Naval Academy were looking for a suitable location, it was reported that Bancroft decided to move the naval school to “the healthy and secluded” location of Annapolis in order to rescue midshipmen from “the temptations and distractions that necessarily connect with a large and populous city.” The Philadelphia Naval Asylum School was its predecessor. In 1850 the Naval School became the United States Naval Academy. A new curriculum went into effect requiring midshipmen to study at the Academy for four years and to train aboard ships each summer. That format is the basis of a far more advanced and sophisticated curriculum at the Naval Academy today. As the U.S. Navy grew over the years, the Academy expanded. The campus of 10 acres increased to 338. The original student body of 50 midshipmen grew to a brigade size of 4,000. Modern granite buildings replaced the old wooden structures of Fort Severn.

Congress authorized the Naval Academy to begin awarding Bachelor of Science degrees in 1933. The Academy later replaced a fixed curriculum taken by all midshipmen with the present core curriculum plus 18 major fields of study, a wide variety of elective courses and advanced study and research opportunities. Since then, the development of the United States Naval Academy has reflected the history of the country. As America has changed culturally and technologically so has the Naval Academy. In just a few decades, the Navy moved from a fleet of sail and steam-powered ships to a high-tech fleet with nuclear-powered submarines and surface ships and supersonic aircraft. The academy has changed, too, giving midshipmen state-of- the-art academic and professional training they need to be effective naval officers in their future careers. The Naval Academy first accepted women as midshipmen in 1976, when Congress authorized the admission of women to all of the service academies. Women comprise about 13 to 14 percent of entering plebes–or freshmen–and they pursue the same academic and professional training as do their male classmates. [Source: www.usna.edu/VirtualTour/150years Jun 2010 ++]

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United States Naval Academy Update 01: A sprawling financial scandal at the Naval Academy — involving extravagant parties and a “slush fund” — was an embarrassment that helped lead to an early exit for the school’s superintendent, Navy Times has learned. Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler faced “administrative action” in April as a result of a year-long Naval Inspector General’s investigation, said Rear Adm. Denny Moynihan, the Navy’s top spokesman. Navy Times received a copy of the investigation report 28 JUN after a longstanding Freedom of Information Act request. The IG investigation found that Naval Academy officials working under Fowler had created a “sham” bank account that helped fund things like a $10,000 party for the academy’s golf association and $1,000 worth of wine for a dinner party at the superintendent’s house. The IG did not substantiate any of the allegations that Fowler was knowingly involved in the financial misconduct. “Vice Adm. Fowler believed any expenditure he authorized was permissible, and he did not financially gain from these irregularities,”

Moynihan told Navy Times. The person assigned as superintendent of the academy is legally required to serve for three years. While Fowler served more than three years, “the outcome of this investigation was a factor in him not serving longer,” Moynihan told Navy Times. Other questionable spending probed by the IG included:

• Annual spending of $400,000 or more for academy-sponsored tailgate events at football bowl games over the past six years.
• Spending $157,000 to purchase an 18-wheel tractor trailer truck for the academy’s football team.
• Spending $325,000 to purchase an antique airplane model that hangs in the front entrance to Dahlgren Hall.
• Spending $3,715,187 on video production services to create recruiting videos.
• Spending several million dollars to renovate the dining facilities of the Naval Academy Club and the Club at Greenbury Point.

While the inspector general ultimately concluded that these and other expenditures were “within the discretionary authority” of the Naval Academy, the IG criticized the accounting and oversight of the money used. In other instances, such as the catered parties for football coaches and their families, the IG found that the allegations of wrongful spending were “substantiated; however, the violations were unintentional.” Also as a result of the investigation, Robert Parsons, the academy’s deputy for finance, was given a five-day suspension without pay, Moynihan said. A third official, whose name was not released, was also reprimanded, Moynihan said. The IG’s probe found that a fund set up by the academy’s business services division to cover many entertainment expenses was “an unauthorized, off-the-books account that is improper on its face. Its existence is a sham, and it was used much as in the business definition of a ‘slush fund,’ i.e., to pay for things from a pool of money with little accountability required,” IG concluded. The fund was created in APR 07, using about $95,000 of corporate sponsorship money that the academy received for participation in the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl football game, the IG report said.

Fowler explained to the IG that he did not see any fundamental problem with using government money to pay for events that the IG concluded were extravagant and wasteful. “I don’t know the technicalities, but the concept of us doing special things for the people who work here in my mind is not a bad thing,” Fowler told the IG investigators. Although Moynihan would not specify if other “factors” led to Fowler’s early departure, the superintendent’s tenure has been fraught with controversy. Last year he was criticized for allowing a pregnant midshipman to graduate despite the academy’s clear prohibition against being pregnant while enrolled there.

Also last year, the administration scrambled to explain why it replaced white members of the school’s color guard with minority students for a nationally televised appearance at the World Series in New York. Fowler has also been criticized for prioritizing the academy’s athletic program over its academics. Earlier this year, he permitted a star football player who tested positive for marijuana to stay at the academy despite the Navy’s purported “zero-tolerance” drug policy. The athlete, Midshipman 3rd Class Marcus Curry, later left the academy after additional allegations of misconduct. [Source: NavyTimes Andrew Tilghman article 29 Jun 2010 ++]

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Ernie Pyle Museum: The Ernie Pyle State Historic Site is located one mile north of U.S. Highway 36 on Indiana State Road 71. Contact info was: P.O. Box 338; 120 W. Briarwood Ave. Dana, IN 47847-0338 or (765) 665-3633/9312F or [email protected]. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, citing low visitation numbers and state budget cuts, no longer wants to operate the Ernie Pyle museum and birthplace, which they closed several months ago. State officials have given the nonprofit group Friends of Ernie Pyle until 1 AUG to come up with a plan for the museum’s future. The Friends can accept ownership, alone or in partnership with other community or governmental groups. If that doesn’t happen, the state will move the exhibits to the Indiana State Museum and sell the real estate.

The Site consists of a Visitor Center and a Historic House. The Visitor Center exhibits feature life-size scenes based on Ernie Pyle’s writings and experiences as a World War II correspondent. The exhibits include state-of-the-art audio and video stations and contain authentic World War II uniforms, weapons, and gear, including a 1944 Willys jeep donated by local veterans groups . The Historic House from the farm where Pyle was born is furnished as an early 1900s rural Indiana farmhouse. Through the efforts of the Dana residents, the Indiana Department of the American Legion, and a sizeable contribution from the Eli Lilly Foundation, the Historic House was moved from its rural site to its present location. It became a state historic site in July 1976. On 18 APR 95 a new Visitor Center, constructed from two authentic World War II Quonset huts, was dedicated. The center features a video theater, research library, exhibits and a gift shop. This addition was made possible through a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation and the Paige Cavanaugh estate. The permanent exhibits were completed in 1998. [Source: The Tribune-Star Sue Loughlin article 26 Jun 2010 ++]

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Vet toxic Exposure ~ Sand: American forces in Afghanistan may be dealing with toxic sand that can damage their brains, according to a recent Navy study. In a presentation at a neurotoxicology conference in Portland, OR earlier this month, Palur G. Gunasekar, a senior scientist with the Navy Environmental Health Effects Laboratory, said that dust kicked up in sandstorms contains manganese and other metals. “The sand is a risk factor for inducing neurotoxicity,” Gunasekar said. Compounds that are neurotoxic are those that damage the nervous system or the brain. The Navy said the findings are preliminary and that so far no definitive link has been found between the inhalation of sand and brain damage. Still, the study followed reports that returning soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq are experiencing impairments such as memory loss and difficulty concentrating, which may not always be attributable to traumatic brain injuries. Gunasekar told the group, most of them academic and government scientists, that he and his colleagues focused on “subtle environmental issues that our soldiers face.” Troops caught in sandstorms may inhale toxic particles, which can be carried to the brain, lungs and other organs. “Once they return…they complain about respiratory problems and also they complain about some of the cognitive functions,” he said.

Gunasekar conducted the study with staff scientist Krishnan Prabhakaran and Lt. Cmdr. Micheal Stockelman, both of whom also work at the Naval Health Research Center Detachment, Navy Health Effects Laboratory, located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, in Ohio. The research team analyzed sand samples from Afghanistan, and found manganese, silicon, iron, magnesium, aluminum, chromium and trace elements. Manganese, on its own, is considered a potent neurotoxicant capable of damaging the brain and causing Parkinsons-like symptoms. They are also studying sand from Iraq. The researchers conducted tests in which nerve cells were exposed to the toxic sand. “As the sand extract dose increases at the higher concentration you see cell death,” said Gunasekar, who accompanied his talk with a video of a fierce sandstorm. The researchers also found that exposure to sand could also damage the lungs. Gunasekar noted that soldiers returning from Afghanistan have complained of respiratory problems. Their next step will be to test the effects of exposure to the sand dust in an animal study, if they can secure funding, Gunasekar said. Neither Gunasekar nor the Navy would provide further details about the study.

Dr. Stephen N. Xenakis, a retired brigadier general who now has a private medical practice and also does consulting for the government and health-related companies, said he wasn’t surprised by Gunasekar’s results. “We know environmental factors are going to make a difference here,” Xenakis said. “Now, fortunately, these scientists have gone down to the cellular level and shown what the manifestations are.” Xenakis says he sees cognitive problems “all the time in the soldiers I work with,” though the causes are not always clear. “They can’t focus. They have problems with short-term memory. They’ll tell you that stuff that came really quickly to them before, they seem to have more difficulty trying to understand.”

In recent years, there has been controversy over reports of how many troops return home with cognitive problems. Xenakis puts the estimate at 20 to 30 percent, most of whom are survivors of brain injuries from blasts or other traumas. “You had over 2 million people who served, some multiple times, in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Xenakis. “We don’t know precisely how many have been effected, but you’re looking at a big number.”

Lisa Jaycox is a senior behavioral scientist with the Rand Corp. who has studied cognitive difficulties after exposure to blasts. She supports a closer look at the possible threat posed by sand.

“A lot of people are reporting headaches and difficulties with memories and such that are hard to explain,” she said. “The symptoms overlap with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. There is lots of controversy about what these cognitive symptoms are, whether they are related to a central brain problem or more of a mental health or emotional problem or a combination. This idea of the neurotoxins in the sand would be yet another thing that could contribute to some cognitive problems. I think there needs to be more research is the bottom line.”

Cmdr. Cappy Surette, a spokesman for Navy Medicine, said Gunasekar was presenting his own opinion, and not speaking in an official capacity. Surette said that the Navy has no record of troops complaining about cognitive difficulties that are unrelated to traumatic brain injuries. The research team’s work was commissioned, he said, “acting on theories that the dust and sand may contain elements of interest.” Surette added that “research will continue until the complete picture is understood.” The Navy has several related research projects either in the planning stages, or underway; among them, one study to determine whether exposure to sand can exacerbate traumatic brain injuries, and another looking at combined effects of Iraqi sand and cigarette smoke. [Source: Politics Daily Sheila Kaplan article 26 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Facility Wireless Service: The Veterans Affairs Department plans to install wireless networks at health care facilities nationwide so patients and their families would have Internet access, top officials said on 24 JUN. The project would be a massive undertaking to deploy the service throughout VA’s 153 hospitals, 134 nursing homes and 50 residential rehabilitation facilities across the country. But patients have asked the department provide Internet service in its health care facilities and officials said they view the requests as part of their service to the veteran community. Veterans and their families would be able to use the networks for communications, e-mail and therapeutic activities, said Gail Graham, deputy chief officer for Health Information Management at the Veterans Health Administration during the hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. She emphasized that any network VA installs must run separately from Wi-Fi networks already in place in hospitals that support medical operations.

Roger Baker, chief information officer at VA, said in an interview with Nextgov on 24 JUN that a Wi-Fi network for patients and hospital visitors must operate with an air gap between it and medical networks. If the department installs patient Wi-Fi networks, they cannot compromise the security or data capacity of medical networks used to support bar code medication administration, among other things. A patient Wi-Fi network also cannot interfere with spectrum the medical staff uses, he said. VA plans to consider using broadband cellular wireless as an alternative to Wi-Fi to support the patient network. In addition, VA does not want to maintain the network, because it doesn’t want to be put in the position of banning patients from certain websites, a practice it would likely be asked to do if it ran the system, Baker said. VA plans to ask the technology industry to propose business models for the outsourced network, including supporting the network through advertising or asking patients to pay for access. The latter alternative most likely will be hard to sell to veterans, Baker acknowledged. He anticipated VA will put out a request for the network within the next six months.

Health care facilities present a wireless challenge, because they typically have thick, solid walls that make it hard for signals to penetrate and medical devices in the buildings create interference, said David Callisch, vice president of marketing for Ruckus Wireless in Sunnyvale, Calif., which has developed Wi-Fi systems for large organizations such as hospitals. Craig Mathias, wireless analyst at Farpoint Group in Ashland, Mass., said depending on its size, VA might have to install as many as 200 Wi-Fi access points in each facility, which would place the total cost of a national wireless patient network in the multimillion-dollar range. [Source: www.nextgov.com Bob Brewin article 24 Jan 2010 ++]

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VA Blue Water Claims Update 11: The VA has added the below named ships to the already existing list noted in Update 10 for Navy and Coast Guard ships and vessels that are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.  If you served on any of these mentioned ships and you have had a claim denied, you should reapply citing the VA list as the source for your reapplication.  NAUS advises that the VA is already working on a third list that will have more ships listed.  If you have a claim and evidence the ship you served on was in Vietnamese waters and/or actually tied up to a dock there, make sure you include that with your claim.

Vessels that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways

• All U.S. Coast Guard Cutters with hull designation WPB [patrol boat] and WHEC [high endurance cutters]
• USS Mark (AKL-12) [light cargo ship]; USS Brule (AKL-28)
• USS Patapsco (AOG-1) [gasoline tanker];  USS Elkhorn (AOG-7)
• USS Genesee (AOG-8); USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9)
• USS Tombigbee (AOG-11); USS Noxubee (AOG-56)
• USS Okanogan (APA-210) [attack transport]; USS Montrose (APA-212)
• USS Bexar (APA-237)
• USS Benewah (APB-35) [self-propelled barracks ship]; USS Colleton (APB-36)
• USS Mercer (APB-39); USS Nueces (APB-40)
• Barracks Barge (APL-26) [sleeping quarters] ); Barracks Barge (APL-30)
• USS Tutuila (ARG-4) [repair ship]; USS Satyr (ARL-23) [repair ship]
• USS Sphinx (ARL-24); USS Askari (ARL-30); USS Indra (ARL-37)
• USS Krishna (ARL-38)
• USS Belle Grove (LSD-2) [landing ship dock]; USS Comstock (LSD-19)
• USS Tortuga (LSD-26)
• USS Asheville (PG-84) [patrol gunboat]; USS Gallop (PG-85)
• USS Antelope (PG-86); USS Ready (PG-87); USS Crockett (PG-88)
• USS Marathon (PG-89); USS Canon (PG-90)
• Floating Base Platform (YRBM-17) [repair, berthing, and messing barge]
• Floating Base Platform (YRBM-18); Floating Base Platform (YRBM-20)
• Winnemucca (YTB-785) [harbor tug]

Vessels that operated temporarily on Vietnam’s inland waterways or docked to the shore:

• USS Card (ACV-11) [escort carrier] mined, sunk, and salvaged in Saigon River Harbor during May 1964
• USS Maury (AGS-16) [mapping survey ship] conducted surveys of Mekong Delta and other coastal areas and rivers beginning November 1965 through 1969
• USS Henrico (APA-45) [amphibious attack transport] operated on Hue River during March 1965 and conducted numerous troop landings through March 1967
• USS Montrose (APA-212) operated on Song Hue River during December 1965, operated on Long Tau River during March 1967, and operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha during May 1967
• USS Talladega (APA-208) operated on Saigon River during October 1967
• USS Bolster (ARS-38) [salvage ship] crew operated on land.
• USS Canberra (CAG-2) [guided missile cruiser] operated on Saigon River from March 31 through April 1, 1966, on Cua Viet River during December 15, 1966, and on Mekong Delta Ham Luong River during January 15, 1967
• USS Sproston (DD-577) [destroyer] operated on Mekong Delta and Ganh Rai Bay during January 1966
• USS Picking (DD-685) operated on Saigon River during November 16, 1965
• USS Epperson (DD-719) docked to Da Nang Pier on October 4, 1970
• USS Southerland (DD-743) operated on Song Nga Bay and Saigon River during July 1966
• USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) operated on Nga Be River during 1969
• USS Buck (DD-761) operated on Mekong River Delta and Saigon River during October 1966
• USS Preston (DD-795) operated on Mekong River Delta, Ganh Rai Bay, and Saigon River during September 28 – 29 and December 27 – 29, 1965
• USS Warrington (DD-843) operated on Mekong River Delta Rung Sat Special Zone, North of Vung Gahn Rai Bay during March 1967
• USS Dyess (DD-880) operated on Saigon River and Rung Sat Special Zone from June 19-July 1, 1966
• USS Perkins (DD-877) operated on Saigon River during June 1969
• USS Orleck (DD-886) operated on Mekong River Delta during July 1969
• USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16) [guided missile destroyer] operated on Mekong River Delta and Ganh Rai Bay during November 7 and December 7,1968
• USS Waddell (DDG-24) operated on Cua Viet River during March 1967
• USS Newell (DER-322) [radar destroyer escort] docked at port of Nha Trang during December 22-24, 1965
• USS Duluth (LPD-6) [amphibious transport dock] docked to pier at Da Nang during March and October 1971
• USS Cleveland (LPD-7) operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha, as well as Hue River, from November 1967 through 1968 and Saigon River during September 1969
• USS Dubuque (LPD-8) docked at Da Nang on March 15, 1970
• USS Boxer (LPH-4) [amphibious assault ship] docked to pier at Cam Rahn Bay on September 9, 1965
• USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) [landing ship dock] operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha during December 1967

[Source: NAUS Weekly update 25 Jun 2010 ++]

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DNA Testing in RP Update 01: In order to qualify for many consular benefits such as visas, passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad the establishment of a biological relationship is often a necessity required by law. In some instances the lack of reliable evidence to demonstrate ones identity, maternity and or paternity can make it difficult for an applicant to establish eligibility for a desired benefit. DNA testing is the most accurate and widely available technology to test a biological relationship. Applicants may wish to submit DNA evidence in addition to civil documents in an effort to provide additional evidence as to their eligibility. DNA testing is voluntary. The individual being tested must consent to the testing and the identity of the individual being tested must be verified and confirmed at the time of sample collection.

The specimen collection technique for DNA testing at U.S. Embassy Manila is by buccal (cheek or mouth cavity) swab. Cheek swabs are preferred over blood samples because they are easier to collect, non-invasive, painless and easier to ship. Though advanced, DNA results are only accurate if strict standards are followed for every sample collected. All DNA testing for visa or citizenship purposes must be processed by a lab that is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). The petitioner or applying parent must select an AABB-accredited laboratory, contact the lab directly and make the necessary arrangements including payment for conducting the genetic test.

Under no circumstances should petitioners, including those in the United States, directly receive test kits for themselves or the beneficiaries. The AABB laboratory selected by the petitioner will send the test kit directly to the U.S. Embassy. Upon receipt of the test kit, St. Luke’s hospital will contact the beneficiary to set up an appointment for DNA sample collection. All DNA collections must take place at the Embassy and not at the panel physician’s office or other lab facility. St. Luke’s Hospital lab personnel will be present to take the DNA samples of each beneficiary. Payment for the collection must be made to St. Luke’s prior to any collection to be conducted at the Embassy. When test results are received, the U.S. Embassy will contact the beneficiary in order to continue processing case.  [Source: U.S. Embassy Manila ACS Newsletter Jun 2010 ++]

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Visa Fee increase: On 4 JUN 2010 the U.S. Department of State worldwide increased Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fees to ensure sufficient resources to meet the increasing cost of processing nonimmigrant visas. The on-line visa application form, known as the DS-160, to replaces paper application forms. The DS-160 is a form that has been in use at many other U.S. embassies and consulates for several months. The U.S. Embassy in Manila’s conversion to the on-line form is unrelated to the worldwide visa fee increase. Refer to http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3024.html for information about the DS-160 on-line application form and instructions. The new fees are:

• $140 – B1/B2,  C1/D,  F,  J,  and all other NIV categories not listed below (Visitor/Transit/Student)
• $150 – H,  L,  O,  P,  Q,  and R (Temporary Worker)
• $350 – K (Fiancée)
• $390 – E (Investor/Trader)

All applicants with an interview date of 4 JUN or later must pay the full MRV fee even if they have already made an appointment and paid at the old rate of $131. The Embassy requests that visa applicants who have already paid the MRV fee of $131 for an appointment scheduled after 3 JUN, pay for the difference in fees at the same bank branch where they made the initial $131 payment. Applicant will need to pay the difference of $9 before arriving at the Embassy on the appointment date. Applicants for other visa categories will also need to pay the appropriate incremental fee difference. Applicants will need to present both blue MRV fee receipts when arriving at the Embassy (in this example, receipts for $131 and $9). Applicants will not be allowed to enter the Embassy for their interview unless the full MRV fee has been paid. [Source:  U.S. embassy manila ACS Newsletter Jun 2010 ++]

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Car Insurance Primer: When you purchase car insurance you should fully understand the protections you are purchasing to enable you to make decisions that can minimize your premiums.  There are many companies to choose from and the protections they offer offered should substantially meet the following critera:

Bodily Injury Liability:  Pays damages for people injured or killed in an accident for which you are legally responsible. It also covers your legal defense if you are sued as a result of an accident.

• Why Do You Need This? If your operation of a covered vehicle results in your being legally responsible for someone’s bodily injury or death, you may be required to pay for the person’s loss. If the damages are high, all of your assets, including your home, savings and future wages are in jeopardy. Bodily Injury Liability helps protect your assets by covering the injured person’s losses and expenses. It also covers legal defense if you are sued as a result of an accident. There are a number of common exclusions to this coverage that will be detailed in your policy.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need?  When you purchase this coverage you select two limits, for example $100,000/$300,000. The first number in the coverage limit is for any one person; the second is the total coverage limit for one incident or accident. Individual states have different minimum requirements for liability insurance and for lease cars. If you lease a car, your lease contract will typically require you to maintain minimum Bodily Injury Liability coverage of $100,000/$300,000. You should buy enough Bodily Injury Liability coverage to fully protect your assets.

Property Damage Liability: Pays for damage to other people’s property resulting from an accident caused by your auto for which you are legally responsible. It also covers your legal defense if you are sued as a result of an accident.

• Why Do You Need This? If your operation of a covered vehicle results in your being legally responsible for damage to someone else’s property — for example, a car or building — as the result of an accident when you are operating your auto (and certain non-owned vehicles) you may be required to pay for that damage. If the property damages are high, your assets including your home, savings and future wages may be at risk. Property Damage Liability helps protect your assets by paying for the damage to the property.

• How Much Coverage Do You Need?  Individual states have different minimum requirements for Property Damage Liability insurance. If you lease a car, your lease contract will typically require you to maintain minimum Property Damage Liability Coverage of $50,000. You should buy enough Property Damage Liability coverage to adequately protect your assets.

Medical Payments Coverage: Pays the reasonable and necessary medical, dental, hospital and funeral expenses for the insured, covered passengers and family members, who are injured in a covered auto accident, regardless of who was at fault. Coverage should also be provided to the insured and resident relatives, while they are riding in someone else’s car at the time of the accident or if they are struck as a pedestrian.

• Why Do You Need This? It will pay medical expenses, such as for surgery, x-rays, ambulance, hospital, and physicians, regardless of who is at fault within the terms of the coverage.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need?  If you have health insurance that covers most of your medical expenses, you may want to choose a lower level of coverage. This coverage also pays the medical expenses of injured passengers in your car that may not have health insurance.

Comprehensive Coverage: Pays for losses to your auto not caused by collision, such as theft, flood, vandalism, earthquakes, explosion, fire, or other covered causes.

• Why Do You Need This? Because it will pay for such common non-collision losses to your auto as a broken windshield, a stolen car stereo, or a stolen vehicle. It also pays for damage to your auto caused by natural disasters such as fire and flood.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need? With Comprehensive, you can collect for damages up to the actual cash value of your car. If you have an older car, where the cash value is low, you may decide not to purchase this coverage. With Comprehensive, you choose a deductible — the amount that you will pay out of your own pocket-before your insurance pays your claim. For example: your car’s stereo is stolen and replacement costs are $500. If you have a $100 deductible, Comprehensive will cover $400 — the replacement cost minus your $100 deductible. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. If you lease a car, your lease contract will typically require you to have Comprehensive coverage.

Collision Coverage: Pays for damages to your auto caused by collision with another object or when it overturns.

• Why Do You Need This?  If you are legally responsible for an accident, your auto insurance will not cover repairs to your vehicle unless you have Collision coverage. This coverage is normally required if you have a car loan or leased vehicle. There are a number of common exclusions to this coverage that will be detailed in your policy.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need? The coverage pays for repair or replacement of your vehicle, up to its actual cash value. If you have an older car, where the cash value is low, you may decide not to purchase Collision coverage. With Collision, you choose a deductible — the amount that you will pay out of your own pocket-before your insurance pays your claim. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. If you lease a car, your lease contract will typically require you to have Collision coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage:  Typically pays for you and your passengers’ bodily injury damages caused by an uninsured driver. This coverage is subject to the terms, limits and conditions of the policy contract.

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage: Pays for damage to your vehicle caused by an uninsured driver or in many cases, a hit-and-run driver.

• Why Do You Need This? This coverage will pay for damage to your vehicle that you normally would recover from the uninsured driver’s insurance company. Given the number of drivers who drive without insurance or without adequate insurance, this is an important coverage.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need? You need enough coverage to pay for the repair to or replacement of your vehicle.

Emergency Road Service (ERS): An alternative to auto-club towing and road services (such as AAA). It covers problems not typically covered by car insurance, such as towing, lockout service, and mechanical labor if you have a dead battery or get a flat tire.

• Why Do You Need This?  ERS helps to take the hassle out of unpredictable events such as a flat tire or a dead battery. We’ll send help to get you back on the road or tow you to a repair facility. These services are normally available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, anywhere in the United States and Canada.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need? ERS is normally available in one standard package.

Rental Reimbursement Coverage: Pays up to a preset amount for a rental vehicle if your car isn’t drivable for more than a specified period (normally 24 hours) because of a covered accident.

• Why Do You Need This?  It helps to reduce the hassle of an accident by providing for a replacement car, while your car is in the repair shop, or if your car was a total loss, until you have purchased another car, subject to the coverage limits.
• How Much Coverage Do You Need? The costs of rental cars are dependent on their type and model. The amount of coverage you select is determined by your vehicle need and preference.  If a compact vehicle is all you need then normally the lowest coverage offered will be sufficient.

Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI): Covers many mechanical repairs to your car, protecting you from expensive repair bills. Each company offering this coverage has their own coverage criteria.  This coverage is usually available for vehicles whose odometers have not reached a specified limit that have been purchased within a specified time period. A deductible per claim usually applies. Mechanical Breakdown Insurance is similar to a dealer’s extended warranty protection. It’s in excess of coverage provided by the manufacturer’s warranty

• Mechanical Breakdown normally covers repairs to the following systems: Engine, Steering, Air Conditioning, Transmission, Cooling, Brakes  Drive Axle, Suspension, and Electrical.
• Most policies have exclusions on coverage such as:

1)       Regular maintenance services such as tune-ups, suspension alignment, wheel balancing, filters, lubrication, coolant and fluids, spark plugs, brake pads and lining, brake shoes and tires (includes tire wear and/or tire damage).

2)       Breakdown repairs made necessary by intentional damage, rust and oxidation, misuse, or improper maintenance.

3)       Coverage provided by the manufacture’s warranty.

[Source: Various Jun 2010 ++]

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Mobilized Reserve 22 JUN 2010: The Department of Defense announced the current number of reservists on active duty as of 22 JUN 2010. The net collective result is 6,191 fewer reservists mobilized than last reported in the 15 JUN 2010 RAO Bulletin. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 92,373; Navy Reserve, 6,363; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 17,596; Marine Corps Reserve, 5,712; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 826.  This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 122,870 including both units and individual augmentees.  A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20100622ngr.pdf. [Source: DoD News Release No. 528-10 dtd 23 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Claims Backlog Update 40: Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) on 22 JUN introduced The Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2010 (S.3517) to make much-needed improvements to VA’s disability claims processing. The bill  focuses on enhancements that can be made to adjudicate veterans’ disability compensation claims in a more timely and accurate manner. The Committee will hold a hearing to review disability claims processing on 1 JUL, at which time witnesses will testify about Akaka’s legislation.  Akaka said, “VA’s system to provide veterans with disability compensation is well intended, but it is broken.  This bill will move the Department closer to fulfilling its obligation to provide every eligible veteran with timely and accurate disability compensation.”  VA provides disability compensation to approximately 3.1 million veterans across the nation.

In his introductory remarks for the Congressional Record Akaka noted that VA has seen a dramatic rise in the number of claims, driven by a number of factors, including the aging of the general veteran population and our prolonged involvement in two overseas conflicts.  Further complicating matters, many claims are increasing in complexity, as veterans seek service-connection for multiple disabilities and for disabilities that are difficult to diagnose, such as traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. Claims adjudication is an intricate process that has seen many piecemeal changes in recent years.  Unfortunately, these changes have yet to produce the results that veterans deserve.  Mr. President, my goal, a goal that I am sure is widely shared, is to ensure that veterans are provided accurate and timely resolution to their claims. This legislation I am introducing would make several improvements in the claims adjudication process.

• Provisions in title I of the bill would establish a pilot program that would utilize ICD codes to identify disabilities of the musculoskeletal system.  Over 50% of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans that the Department of Veterans Affairs has had some health care contact with have a possible musculoskeletal diagnosis.  ICD codes are standard medical condition identification codes used in electronic records that have been adapted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for electronic transmission of medical data.
• This proposed pilot program would take place in six to ten regional offices and require VA to develop a new method of rating claims, which would consider the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms of the disability in rating the claim, rather than the current rating schedule published in the Code of Federal Regulations.  The current rating schedule adds to the complexity of claims adjudication, because many disabilities claimed are not exactly as described in the regulation and several rating codes may need to be considered.  The new rating schedule would focus on the impact of the disability, for example, an inability to walk normally, rather than a particular VA rating code classification.  All limitations resulting from all disabilities of the musculoskeletal system would be combined to provide one rating, rather than separate ratings for each individual disability.  This information would be placed into an organized and searchable electronic record.  A veteran could elect to not participate in the pilot program.  I believe that such an approach will result in fairer, comprehensive ratings for the entire musculoskeletal system.
• Title II of the bill includes a number of provisions that are intended to yield some near-term changes to the claims processing system and should help reduce the overall time a claim is under consideration by VA.  During the last several years, the Committee has held oversight hearings on the claims processing system.  Many of the provisions in this legislation were first suggested by veterans service organizations and other interested parties in connection with those hearings.  Others have been recommended by the Administration.  The legislation I am introducing serves as a starting point to move forward in our effort to improve VA’s claims adjudication process. Provisions in title II would allow for VA to:

1. Issue partial ratings of claims that include multiple issues for those issues that can adjudicated expeditiously.
2. Give equal deference to private medical opinions during the rating process.
3. Clarify that the Secretary is required to provide notice to claimants of additional information and evidence required only when additional evidence is actually required.
4. Modify filing periods for notices of disagreement from one year to 180 days and require a claimant to file a substantive appeal within 60 days of the Department issuing a post-Notice of Disagreement decision – both of these modifications would contain good cause exceptions to the filing deadlines.
5. Automatically waive the review of new evidence by the agency of original jurisdiction, usually a Regional Office, so that any evidence submitted after the initial decision would be subject to initial review at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals unless the claimant or the claimant’s representative requests in writing that the agency of original jurisdiction initially review such evidence.
6. Replace the Secretary’s obligation to provide a Statement of the Case with an obligation to provide a post-Notice of Disagreement decision.  The post-Notice of Disagreement decision would be in plain language and contain a description of the specific facts in the case that support the decision including, if applicable, an assessment as to the credibility of any lay evidence pertinent to the issue or issues with which disagreement has been expressed; a citation to pertinent laws and regulations that support the decision; the decision on each issue and a summary of the reasons why the evidence relied upon supports such decision under the specific laws and regulations applied; and the date by which a substantive appeal must be filed in order to obtain further review of the decision.  The Secretary would also be required to send, with a rating decision, a form that if completed and returned, would suffice as a notice of disagreement.

[Source: Sen. Akaka News Release 22 Jun 2010 ++]

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GI BILL Update 80: On the 66th anniversary of signing the GI Bill into law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it has issued more than $3.6 billion in the bill’s newest manifestation, the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  Benefit payments under the bill, implemented last year, have gone to more than 285,000 people and their educational institutions.  On 22 JUN 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. The Veterans Administration – as it was known at that time — was responsible for carrying out the law’s key provisions for education and training, loan guaranty for homes, farms or businesses, and unemployment pay. Before the World War II, college and homeownership were, for the most part, unreachable dreams for the average American.  Thanks to the GI

Bill, millions who would have flooded the job market opted for education instead.

In the peak year of 1947, Veterans accounted for 49% of college admissions.  By the time the original GI Bill ended on 25 JUL 1958, 7.8 million of the 16 million World War II Veterans had participated in an education or training program. In 1984, former Mississippi congressman G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery revamped the GI Bill.  The Montgomery GI Bill assured that VA home loan guaranty and education programs continued to work for Veterans of the post-Vietnam era. In 2009, GI Bill benefits were updated again.  The new law gave Veterans with active duty service on, or after 11 SEP 01, enhanced educational benefits to cover more expenses, provide a living allowance,

money for books and the ability to transfer unused educational benefits to spouses or children. For more information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill for Veterans, refer to www.gibill.va.gov. [Source: VA News Release 23 Jun 2010 ++]

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AAFES Refund Policy Update 01: With the recent major recalls of cars, toys, and a popular fast food franchise’s promotional glassware, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) wants to ensure their patrons know the recall process for goods sold in exchanges. There are two ways to check recalls specific to exchange operations. Authorized shoppers can go to their local exchange and check the customer service area or log on to www.aafes.com for the latest recall information. In the event of a potential recall, AAFES Quality Assurance notifies buyers to determine whether exchange shoppers have been affected. Buyers then provide information such as the scope, Universal Product Code, and disposition information. Once quality assurance specialists send recall information to impacted stores and distribution centers, details are posted in the stores and online. Once the item is recalled it can be systematically blocked at the registers and the distribution flow is stopped. Exchange patrons can utilize the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and AAFES websites as well as in store information to stay up to date on the latest recall information. CPSC is the federal agency charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death. Information concerning more than 4,500 product recalls is available through their website at www.cpsc.gov.  [Source: AAFES News Release 10-019 ++]

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National Infantry Museum: The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park celebrated its Grand Opening 19 JUN 09. It is located in Columbus, Georgia, just outside the gates of Fort Benning, the Home of the Infantry and one of the Army’s largest installations. This tribute to Infantrymen past, present and future, is the first of its kind in the United States. Throughout the 190,000-square-foot museum, visitors will take an interactive journey through every war fought by the U.S. over the past two centuries. The museum tells the heroic story of everyday Infantrymen through an enviable collection of more than 30,000 artifacts. Era galleries trace Infantry history from before the Revolutionary War to action today in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a special gallery recognizing Medal of Honor recipients and one that pays tribute to those who love an Infantryman, and the sacrifices they make supporting him. Soldier Center offers visitors more than an education in military history. There is a 3-D IMAX Theatre, full service restaurant and gift store.  There also are galleries honoring Soldiers’ family members, the Officer Candidate School, Rangers and the training done at Fort Benning. Outside the museum is Heritage Walk, a walkway lined with commemorative granite pavers which leads to a new five-acre parade field for Infantry School graduations and stadium seating for 2,100. World War II Street is an authentically recreated complex of seven buildings from the 1940s. Soon, dozens of Infantry unit monuments will line a memorial walk of honor.

Three parking areas contain space for 900 cars and up to 50 buses. The entire site will accommodate visitors who are disabled. There is no admission fee. There are nominal charges, however, for the IMAX theater and the Infantry Adventure simulators. The museum shop and restaurant offer reasonably priced snacks, meals and gifts. The museum is located at 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus GA 31903 Tel: 706-685-5800.  It is open daily except on Xmas & New Year’s day from 09-1700 M-Sa and 1100-1700 on Sun.  A brochure can be obtained by mail upon request filled out online at www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/?page_id=25 .  [Source: http://nationalinfantrymuseum.com Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Copay Update 11: Effective 1 JAN 2010

Outpatient Services – The following Copay amounts are limited to a single charge per visit regardless of the number of health care providers seen in a single day. The copay amount is based on the highest level of service received. There is no copay requirement for preventive care services such as screenings and immunizations:

• Basic Care Services provided by a primary care clinician $15 / visit
• Specialty Care Services provided by a clinical specialist such as surgeon, radiologist, audiologist, optometrist, cardiologist, and specialty tests such as magnetic resonance imagery (MRI), computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan, and nuclear medicine studies $50 / visit.

Medications

• Veterans in Priority Group 1 do not pay for medications
• Veterans in Priority Groups 2-6, for each 30-day or less supply of medication for treatment of nonservice-connected condition $8 (Veterans in Priority Groups 2 through 6 are limited to $960 annual cap)
• Effective July 1, 2010 Veterans in Priority Groups 7-8, for each 30-day or less supply of $9 medication for treatment of nonservice-connected condition (Veterans in Priority Groups 7-8 do not qualify for medication copay annual cap)

Inpatient Services – Based on geographically-based means testing, lower income veterans who live in high-cost areas may qualify for a reduction of 80% of inpatient copay charges. Charges applicable to all priority groups:

• Inpatient Copay for first 90 days of care during a 365-day period $1,100
• Inpatient Copay for each additional 90 days of care during a 365-day period $550
• Per Diem Charge $10 / day

Long-Term Care – Copays for Long-Term Care services start on the 22nd day of care during any 12-month period-there is no copay requirement for the first 21 days. Actual copay charges will vary from veteran to veteran depending upon financial information submitted on VA Form 10-10EC. Charges applicable to all priority groups:

• Nursing Home Care/Inpatient Respite Care/Geriatric Evaluation maximum of $97/day
• Adult Day Health Care/Outpatient Geriatric Evaluation Outpatient Respite Care maximum of $15/day
• Domiciliary Care maximum of $5 / day

[Source: VA Fact Sheet 16-1 dtd Jun 2010 ++]

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Health Care Reform Update 36: Contrary to reports circulating on the Internet and a few newspapers, there is not a 3.8% “sales tax” or “transfer tax” on the sale of a home included in the recently signed health care reform bill. The analysis underlying these reports is incorrect and fails to take into account the interplay of the bill’s provisions with already existing real estate tax laws that remain unchanged. What was included in the health bill is a provision that imposes a new 3.8% Medicare tax for some high income households that have “net investment income.” Any revenue collected by the tax is dedicated to the Medicare hospital insurance program. This new tax will only apply to households with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000 for individuals or more than $250,000 for married couples. Since capital gains are included in the definition of net investment income, an additional tax obligation might result from the sale of real property.  In the case of the sale of a principal residence, the existing $250,000/$500,000 exclusion from capital gains on the sale of a principal residence remains unchanged. Consequently, even when the AGI limits are met, the new tax would not be applied to all capital gains that result from the sale of a home. Rather, it would only apply to any home sale gain realized in excess of the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion that pushes the filer’s AGI over the $200K/$250K adjusted gross income limit. The new Medicare tax will not take effect until January 1, 2013. [Source:  Nebraska Realtors Association article May 2010 ++]

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Pennsylvania Vet Cemetery Update 04: Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced 28 MAY a nearly $19.5 million contract to develop the next phase of Washington Crossing National Cemetery, in Newtown, Pa. The contract was awarded to G&C Fab-Con, LLC, a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business from Flemington, N.J. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2011. Administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the 205-acre national cemetery in the Philadelphia area will continue to serve Veterans’ needs for at least the next 50 years.  The cemetery, which serves approximately 580,000 Veterans in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, is located near the borough of Newtown in Bucks County, about three miles northwest of Interstate 95 and less than three miles from Washington Crossing Historic Park.  In January, VA completed a 12-acre early burial area with temporary facilities. The first burials at the new cemetery took place Jan. 20.

This phase of the project will include approximately 10,000 full casket gravesites; 3,600 in-ground cremation sites; 4,000 columbarium niches and a memorial wall.  The cemetery will also include an administration and public information center complex with public restrooms, a maintenance facility, a cemetery entrance area, a flag assembly area and committal shelters for funeral services.  Other infrastructure elements include roadways, landscaping, utilities and irrigation. The Commonwealth’s other VA cemeteries are Philadelphia National Cemetery, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery near Lebanon and the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Bridgeville. The Philadelphia National Cemetery, established in 1862, no longer has available burial space.

Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery.  Also eligible are military personnel who die on active duty, their spouses and eligible dependents.  Other burial benefits available for all eligible Veterans, regardless of whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or marker.  Families of eligible decedents may also order a memorial headstone or marker when remains are not available for interment. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov, or by calling VA regional offices at (800) 827-1000.  For information on Washington Crossing National Cemetery, call the cemetery office at (215) 504-5610.  To make burial arrangements at the time of need, call the national cemetery scheduling office at (800) 535-1117.   [Source: VA News Release 28 May 2010 ++]

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VA Parkinson’s Disease Program Update 02: Veterans and others with Parkinson’s disease who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) may benefit from new research co-sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and published recently in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.  The report shows DBS is equally effective at either of two brain sites.  Earlier results from the landmark study appeared last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which indicated DBS overall is somewhat riskier than carefully managed drug therapy but may hold significant benefits for appropriate patients.  The new analysis finds two brain sites roughly equal for patient outcomes relating to movement symptoms.  Researchers will follow the study participants several more years to examine the relative benefits and risks of each DBS approach.  An abstract of the study is available on the New England Journal of Medicine website http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/362/22/2077 . [Source: NAUS weekly update 18 Jun 2010 ++]

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Tricare User Fee Update 50: On 15 JUN, Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Walter Jones (R-NC) as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a copy of their letter to the National Commission of Fiscal Responsibility and Reform requesting serious consideration of major cuts in defense spending. They expressed “an ongoing commitment to strong national defense,” but said the ever-growing national debt requires a reduction in defense spending over the next 10 years. Specifically, their letter endorses the recommendations of the Sustainable Defense Task Force, a group of analysts and scholars seeking to reduce military spending in procurement, research and development, personnel, operations and maintenance, and infrastructure. The Task Force proposes a series of measures that could possibly save $960 billion between 2011 and 2020. That task force proposed reducing personnel costs by more than $100 billion during that period by cutting 200,000 military personnel, yielding a peacetime active duty end strength of approximately 1.3 million, recalculating military compensation to curtail pay raises, and imposing substantial increases in military health care fees (i.e. Tricare). [Source: MOAA Leg Up 18 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases Update 06: Senator Jim Webb, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, added language to the 2010 War Supplemental Bill that froze the payment of funds for the new illnesses that the VA had decided last October would be added to the list of presumptive illnesses from exposure to Agent Orange (B cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and certain heart diseases). Although Senate VA Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka agreed, it was with reluctance because the decision will add $13.6 billion to VA compensation claims in a single year. The cost of the decision has the two Senators worried about the impact it could have on other VA services. Webb, who is a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, expressed in a letter sent to Shinseki in early June his concern that the 1991 Agent Orange Act, under whose authority Shinseki acted, was designed to cover “relatively rare conditions” and that he is afraid the new ruling has the effect of expanding presumption to common diseases of aging. A spokesman for Akaka said new hearings on the issue could be rescheduled for late summer or fall. However, in order for Congress to block the VA’s new regulation, both the House and Senate would have to pass blocking resolutions, something that most likely will not happen. [Source: TREA Washington Update 18 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases Update 07: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki will get the Senate hearing he didn’t want. Sen. James Webb (D-VA) says he will use a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing (rescheduled now for 23 SEP) to have Shinseki explain his decision to compensate Vietnam veterans, and many surviving spouses, for three more ailments including heart disease. Shinseki announced last October that ischemic heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and B-Cell leukemia will be added to the list of illnesses presumed caused by exposure to defoliants, including Agent Orange, used to clear jungle in combat areas during the war. VA projects that the decision will cost $13.4 billion in 2010 alone as it will qualify a few hundred thousand more veterans for service-connected disability compensation. Those veterans, it now appears, will have to wait at least a few more months before claims can be paid. And there is at least some doubt now they will be paid. That will depend on whether Webb and enough of his colleagues are dissatisfied with the science behind Shinseki’s decision. In an interview in his Capitol Hill office 23 JUN, Webb said he was surprised to find among line items in an emergency wartime supplemental bill (H.R.4899) a few weeks ago $13.4 billion attributed to “veterans.” He asked staff to find out what it would fund. “It came back this was the Agent Orange law,” Webb said.

Webb, a highly-decorated Marine from combat service in Vietnam, said this deepened his skepticism over the soundness of that law and how it has been used. “When the law was passed there were two areas that raised questions for me,” Webb explained. “One was the presumption of exposure for anyone who had been in Vietnam;   2.7 million people had an automatic presumption of exposure. And then the notion that the VA administrator, now the secretary of veterans’ affairs, has discretion based on scientific evidence to decide a service-connection to various illnesses. It’s very broad. “Webb amended H.R.4899 so claims can’t be paid on the three newly-named Agent Orange illnesses until 60 days after a final rule is published.”This is an area where we have a responsibility to pump for more [information] to tell us specifically how they made the connection. The only appropriate way to do that is say, ‘Let’s fence the money for 60 days and get some clarification here.’ Webb said he was unaware on finding the $13.4 billion in the bill that Shinseki had asked Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), chairman of the VA committee, not to hold a hearing on this issue.

Akaka had scheduled one for April, then rescheduled for early May when VA declined to send witnesses. One theme he ran on in 2006, Webb said, was restoring a proper balance of power between the legislative and executive branches. Too much authority had been conceded to, or usurped by, recent administrations. Webb said he even fired off a letter to President Obama last December challenging a claim he made as he prepared for a summit on climate change that he would return from Copenhagen with a binding agreement. “I just felt compelled to say, ‘You do not have the constitutional authority to bind the United States to an international agreement. The Congress does.” Webb said. Shinseki’s decision on Agent Orange strikes Webb as more proof too much power has been conceded to the executive branch. It was the Carter administration, he said, that adopted a presumption ‘that everyone who was in Vietnam was exposed’ to Agent Orange. At the time, he said, the decision wasn’t onerous on VA budgets because the department only had linked Agent Orange to some rare illnesses. More recently, VA has found links to ailments generally associated with aging, committing VA to pay billions in additional compensation.

Webb felt the scientific evidence linking Type II diabetes to Agent Orange in 2001 was soft. He is reluctant to say the same about the three illnesses Shinseki has endorsed until he hears his testimony. But Webb does intend to question the science behind presuming everyone who served in Vietnam was exposed to defoliants. He knows his own Marine Company was, he said, as were many other units who were engaged in combat in the countryside or handled Agent Orange directly. “On any given day in Vietnam they say about 10% of the people were actually out in direct combat. Percentages are actually higher than that because of rotations…But the majority of the people weren’t in combat” where defoliants were used. “That’s just the reality of it.”The issue was handled with more precision, he suggested, in the late 1970s when Webb served as legal counsel on the House VA committee. “The discussions were you could develop a chronological map overlay of where defoliants had been used, and then develop a nexus in someone’s service record on whether they had been in those areas. From that you could say whether these conditions would be presumptively acquired.

“Back then it was very small in numbers. Everyone up here wants to help veterans — no one more than I do. But a lot of people have asked about this. They want to make sure we’re really (a) following the law and (b) taking care of people who are service connected. I don’t want to be the one person out here doing this. I know Chairman Akaka has joined me in his concerns. The main thing is let’s have Secretary Shinseki come forward and explain the causality.” Webb said VA wouldn’t publish a final regulation until after the 23 SEP hearing. It was later learned the hearing might fall within the 60-day period, an indication VA officials plan to publish a final rule before the hearing. That would narrow Webb’s window to try to block compensation payments if he and colleagues decide such action is justified. [Source: Military.com Tom Philpott article 17 Jun 2010 ++]

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Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 Update 14: On 17 JUN the Senate fell four votes short of passing legislation that was needed to stop the 21% cut in Medicare payments to doctors that officially went into effect on 1 JUN. That provision was part of H.R.4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, commonly known as the Extender bill. Because of the complicated Senate rules they needed 60 votes to cut off debate on the bill and proceed with a vote. Senate leaders tried all week to change the bill in order to attract enough votes but no Republicans supported it. Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) also refused to go along. They wanted more of the costs in the bill to be paid for by cutting government spending elsewhere instead of borrowing more money to pay for it. Doctors groups have been saying for months that if these cuts went into effect doctors will stop taking new Medicare patients and, eventually, new Tricare patients.  Senate leaders made another attempt to get the bill passed after making major cuts to appease the republicans but they could only obtain 57 votes on 24 JUN.  Not one Republican senator voted for the bill.

On 18 JUN before adjourning for the weekend, the Senate passed a six-month “doc fix” bill H.R.3962 by voice vote after extracting it from a larger tax and benefits package H.R.4213 that has been stalled for months. However, starting 18 JUN payments sent to doctors for their services provided to Medicare patients contained a 21% cut in what they would otherwise have received. it would have been another week or two before Tricare also had to cut the amount of its payments to doctors.  The $6.5 billion bill will stop the 21% cut to doctors who receive reimbursements from Medicare and increase their payouts by 2.2%.  The measure is fully paid-for under congressional budget rules. The bill’s cost was partially offset by changes to pension funding rules that would reduce required payments by companies, and some of that language may cause concern in the House. Another offset would prevent hospitals from submitting separate Medicare reimbursement claims for inpatient care and outpatient care provided within three days of a hospital admission. The doc fix measure was exempt from the pay-as-you-go law, but many lawmakers, expressing concern over the federal deficit, had called for the bill to comply with that law.

House Democratic leadership leaders said 21 JUN that they would not take up the Senate-passed six-month patch to Medicare provider payments unless the Senate moved to pass certain jobs measures. Within hours of the Senate action, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement calling it an insufficient temporary fix. “I see no reason to pass this inadequate bill until we see jobs legislation coming out of the Senate,” she said. “House Democrats are saying to Republicans in the Senate: Show us the jobs!” The face-off between the two chambers seemed certain to further delay any action to stop the 21% cuts in payment rates that doctors began experiencing 18 JUN. The Medicare agency had delayed processing payments for almost three weeks in anticipation of congressional action, but said it could wait no longer. The agency said it would swiftly process retroactive payments if a patch were enacted into law. A House leadership aide said that Democrats remain committed to “ensuring our seniors and veterans receive the care they deserve,” although he declined to say what steps Democrats might take, or when. Frustration over the Senate’s inaction was increasing among House Democrats who have taken several politically difficult votes only to find the legislation languish in the other chamber. After another dramatic week, the House finally passed the Senate’s stand-alone “Doc Fix” Medicare bill (H.R.3962) 417-1 on 24 JUN.  It was sent to the President for signature to make it law which Obama did the same day. [Source: TREA Washington Update & GQ Politics News 18, 21 & 25 JUN 2010 ++]

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VAMC Charleston SC: The Joint Commission, the accrediting body for all hospitals in the United States, was so impressed with the quality of clinical programs at the Charleston, SC, VA Medical Center during its recent survey that it sent surveyors’ comments praising the facility as “outstanding” to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. The Charleston VA far surpassed the national average for direct impact findings during the Joint Commission survey conducted 9 thru12 MAR with just four findings for four different accreditation surveys for the hospital, its Long Term Care program, Behavior Health Care, and Home Care. According to the surveyors, medical centers average 10 to 12 direct impact findings for the hospital accreditation alone.

The medical center was praised for its computer-based system for residents’ competency, which was noted “as complete and up to date as I’ve ever seen, particularly with regard to the level of supervision required for the safe performance of surgery or … invasive procedures” by the physician surveyor. The VA was also recognized for its credentialing and privileging practices, and its Chief of Staff Florence Hutchison, MD, was singled out for special praise by the surveyors. “I have participated in Joint Commission surveys for 34 years,” said Charleston VA Quality Manager Shirley Cooper, “and I have never seen such positive comments from a surveyor. It speaks volumes about the quality of care we deliver here. Our Veterans can rest assured they are being cared for in one of the finest medical centers in the country.” Charleston was ranked second for quality of medical care amongst VA medical centers in 2007. The facility consistently meets or exceeds quality performance measures set by VA. [Source: VA Secy Vet Group Liaison Officer article 17 Jun 2010 ++]

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Arlington National Cemetery Update 10: Several mud-caked headstones line the banks of a small stream at Arlington National Cemetery, the country’s most venerated burial ground. Farther upstream in a wooded area, a few others lie submerged with the rocks that line the stream bed. On 16 JUN, after The Washington Post alerted the cemetery to their presence, officials there said they were shocked to find the gravestones lying in the muck near a maintenance yard. Already under fire in recent days for more than 200 unmarked or misidentified graves and a chaotic and dysfunctional management system, cemetery officials vowed to investigate the headstones along the stream and take “immediate corrective action,” said Kaitlin Horst, a cemetery spokeswoman. Officials initially said they do not know how the stones got there, whom they belong to, or how old they are. Horst could say only that “they appear to be decades old.” Were they used as riprap to prevent stream erosion? Were they engraved incorrectly and then discarded? Or were they intended for a landfill — where thousands of weathered or damaged burial markers routinely were sent years ago — and ended up in the mud instead? Subsequently on 22 JUN cemetery officials said they were aware that discarded tombstones were lining the banks of the small for more than a decade but left them in the mud, adding that the tombstones were not removed because of concerns about damaging the stream.

The stream runs under Ord & Weitzel Drive in the northwest corner of the cemetery, across from Section 28. Some of the headstones, stacked in pairs along the stream bed, are visible from the roadway. Others are farther upstream, under a dense canopy of trees. The discovery follows an investigation of the cemetery by the Army’s inspector general, which found 117 graves that are marked on maps as occupied on but have no headstones. The inquiry found 94 more marked on maps as unoccupied even though they have gravestones. In addition, the investigation found that at least four burial urns were unearthed and dumped in an area where excess dirt is kept. As a result of the scandal, the Army reprimanded Superintendent John C. Metzler Jr., who is retiring 2 JUL, and his deputy, Thurman Higginbotham, who was placed on administrative leave pending a disciplinary review. Army Secretary John McHugh appointed a new team to oversee cemetery operations and continue the investigation, which officials said could find even more unmarked grave sites. The cemetery’s new management team has “vowed to remove the tombstones from around the steam and dispose of them properly.

Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said he was “stunned” to learned about the discarded headstones. “Arlington National Cemetery is truly hallowed ground to this entire nation,” he said. “It is an honor to be buried at Arlington. It is an honor to work at Arlington. And over the past week, we’re finding out that people are just not doing their jobs.” Horst said that the cemetery’s new superintendent, Patrick K. Hallinan, a longtime cemetery official with the Department of Veterans Affairs, checked out the streamside headstones and ordered their removal. “They will reclaim the stones and dispose of them properly in accordance with our current headstone-disposal policy,” Horst said. Headstones are replaced if they are damaged or if the writing on them becomes illegible, she said. At one time, gravestones were discarded in landfills. The cemetery ended that practice because Washington area residents were plucking the stones and using them for patios, driveways and other home improvement projects. Under the current disposal policy, headstones are to be ground up so the names cannot be recognized and then recycled.

Officials at Arlington National Cemetery have established a special call center to address concerns worried family members may have about the potential mishandling of their loved ones’ remains. Family members with concerns can call (703) 607-8199 M-F from 08-1700 EDT. Six people at the call center take down information, as well as researching records and verifying the physical location of gravesites. The call center opened June 11, a day after Army Secretary John M. McHugh announced the findings of a months-long investigation into the cemetery’s records management. Call center workers can release private information only to immediate family members. The call center began returning calls 21 JUN and will continue do so until all of the concerns brought to the center’s attention are addressed.   Cemetery officials ask for patience from the families as they work through their concerns. [Source: Washington Post Christian Davenport article 17 Jun 2010 ++]

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Arlington National Cemetery Update 11: Arlington National Cemetery officials with limited expertise in federal contracting regulations and scant outside supervision improperly paid millions of dollars to companies that failed to create a digital database of the cemetery’s records. As a result, the nation’s most hallowed military cemetery uses a flawed and antiquated paper system for tracking the whereabouts of thousands of buried service members and their relatives. Although the cemetery has spent $5.5 million over seven years to upgrade its records, problems abound, according to an Army inspector general investigation and other Army documents. One contract was so flawed that a handwritten note attached to a legal review of it said, “This is probably not the best way to do business,” according to the Army’s investigation, which was released this month. But the note said that the “contract is not illegal.” The Army’s report found that the cemetery had “no acquisition strategy, no integrated IT system and a series of IT regulatory violations.” And the cemetery’s use of outside contractors had not been reviewed by outside Army officials for more than 10 years.

Many of the problems in the IG’s report focus on the cemetery’s No. 2 administrator, Thurman Higginbotham. Despite having no training as a contracting officer, he was identified “as the government point of contact for monitoring all IT contract performance.” The report identified Higginbotham only by title. “On the surface, [the cemetery] appears to be a very effective organization,” Army investigators wrote. But its reputation as a national treasure “obscures many problems.” Among them: Dozens of burial plots appear on maps as occupied but have no headstone, and some graves that have a headstone are recorded as vacant. Cemetery workers have begun to dig graves in what they thought was an unoccupied plot but then found that someone was buried there. In some cases, grounds crews have found that graves are marked with headstones for other decedents. Some burial sites have been planted over with trees.

Most national cemeteries are run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Army runs two: Arlington and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in the District. In 2002, eight years after the VA started automating its burial records, officials at Arlington launched their own program. They initially projected that it would cost $4.8 million through 2016, according to the Army’s investigation. Instead, the cemetery spent $5.5 million on 35 different contracts with “a few vendors,” but it has little to show for it. The Army has ordered an audit of contracts during the past five years. In a conference call with reporters 24 JUN, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) called it an “astonishing” waste of taxpayer money on a project that “should be able to be solved relatively easily.” The VA, which manages 131 cemeteries with 3 million gravesites (Arlington has 330,000), started digitizing all new interments in 1994, said Steve Muro, the agency’s acting undersecretary for memorial affairs. In 2003, it started digitizing its older records, which date to 1862. That project took five years and cost $1.5 million. At many cemeteries run by the VA, visitors can look up burial information on a touch-screen computer. At Arlington, that information is primarily on microfiche. “We are one fire, or one flood, or one spilled Starbucks coffee away from some of those records being lost or spoiled,” Warner said.

Six of the early IT contracts at Arlington were awarded to a then-newly formed Manassas company called Offise Solutions, the only company mentioned by name in the report. Between March 2004 and June 2005, the business, which had never previously won a government contract, was paid more than $700,000 by the cemetery, according to federal contracting records. The company delivered approximately 60 CDs of scanned burial files, according to the Army’s report. But “these records were not delivered in a standardized format and were not stored as part of a database,” the report says. Richard J. Greaux, the founder of Offise Solutions, according to state records, said the company fulfilled all of its obligations. “Everything that we were contracted for, we delivered. We did everything that we were supposed to. You got the wrong company,” Greaux said when reached  by phone. “You’re looking for other companies.” The company that obtained the most lucrative contracts for IT work was Alpha Technology Group of Waldorf. The cemetery paid the company roughly $2.5 million between 2004 and 2007, according to federal records.

The Army report also mentions a company that received a sole-source contract for work estimated at $250,000. The contractor’s proposal came in at more than double that figure, but the contract was awarded “without any evidence . . . that the vendor was capable of performing the effort, given the significant increase in cost.” The report does not identify the contractor or describe the work to be performed. Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman, would not elaborate, saying that the “report has to stand on its own.” In another case, contractors drafted a fair-price analysis for work to be performed, a duty that is supposed to be “reserved only for government officials,” according to the Army report. The cemetery’s contracting officer “merely circled ‘concur’ ” to indicate the cemetery’s decision. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division conducted a recent investigation of allegations of conflict of interest between Arlington personnel and a civilian contractor. Investigators referred their findings to the U.S. attorney’s office but, said Christopher Grey, a CID spokesman, it “declined to pursue criminal prosecution based on the lack of substantial credible information.”  [Source: Washington Post Christian Davenport & Aaron C. Davis article 25 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Claims Processing Update 02: VA department officials and representatives of veterans services organizations told House lawmakers 16 JUN that the Veterans Affairs Department faces a wave of more than a million new disability claims this year, a workload compounded by delays in developing automated systems to process them. In addition, a representative of the American Federation of Government Employees told the hearing that employees at the Veterans Benefits Administration have difficulty managing paper claims in a work environment described as “hostile” and that has “deteriorated significantly” since Eric Shinseki took over as VA secretary in JAN 09. “In 2009, for the first time, we received over 1 million claims during the course of a single year,” Michael Walcoff, acting undersecretary for benefits at VA, told a hearing of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. The number of claims the department received increased from 578,773 in 2000 to 1.014 million in 2009, a 75% rise. Walcoff said the number of claims should increase 13.1% this year to just under 1.2 million. For 2011, he said claims are projected to grow another 11.3% to more than 1.3 million.

Accounting for the sharp increase are the nearly 10-year-old wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and less restrictive requirements for Vietnam veterans to file claims for exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant, he said. The new Agent Orange rules will add 186,000 claims to VBA’s workload through 2011. Last month, VA kicked off a fast-track procurement for an automated system to process Agent Orange claims. Walcoff told lawmakers the agency has begun a series of pilot programs (approximately 30) to help streamline claims processing, including a Business Transformation Lab test in its Providence, R.I., regional office that electronically processes a small number of claims. Business practices developed in Providence will be incorporated into VBA’s new automated Veterans Benefits Management System, which is scheduled to go online in 2012. Ian C. de Planque, deputy director of the American Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission, said the Providence pilot provided claims examiners with electronic tools that removed the need to “shuffle through papers and books.” In addition, examiners typically process portions of a veteran’s claim serially. VBA changed that practice in another pilot at its regional office in Little Rock, Ark., where teams of employees worked together on claims. The test shows the “most promise . . . as the starting point for digital claims processing,” said Carol Wild Scott, chairman of the Veterans Law Section of the Federal Bar Association.

One claims processor testified that the VA has daily productivity requirements which reward regional offices for the gross amount of work they report, not whether the work is done accurately or correctly. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has set a national goal of processing claims within 125 days with a 98% accuracy rate by 2015. Another participant at the hearing testified that, “if we can put a man on the moon, we should be able to meet this goal.” That remains to be seen. Joseph Violante, National Legislative Director for Disabled American Veterans, said since VBA is at least a decade behind in automating its claims process, it should not “rush to meet self-imposed, aggressive deadlines for piloting and rolling out the VBMS. He urged, “They get this done right the first time.” He told lawmakers he was seriously concerned that VBA did not plan to make rules-based processing a core component of VBMS. That process is commonly used in the insurance industry to automatically compute numerous parameters in claims without the need for manual intervention. Violante said VBA officials told him rules-based processing “will be a component to be added on later, perhaps years later after the full national rollout.” He urged the subcommittee to “fully explore this issue with VBA and suggest that it might be helpful to have an independent outside expert review VBMS while it is still early in the development phase.”

VBA got more bad news at the hearing when Molly Ames, a rating veterans service representative at the VA regional office in San Diego, said the agency should improve its relations between labor and management if it wants to better process the flood of claims. “Labor-management relations at many [regional offices] have deteriorated significantly, resulting in a work environment that is more hostile now than under the prior administration,” she said in her testimony on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees. “Terminations of both experienced employees and newly trained employees are a routine occurrence.” Ames said VBA has targeted union representatives, sometimes at the expense of veterans. A union official Ames did not identify was prevented from working overtime to process claims because she was a member of the union, she said. Although Shinseki has touted the use of technology to transform VA since taking office, she said the approach does not apply to telework for employees. VA “maintains discriminatory, counterproductive telework policies across all its [regional offices],” Ames said. “Last year, at our request, Congressman Frank Wolf [R-VA] asked Secretary Shinseki to offer telework to more claims processors and to end the arbitrary, unfair practice of requiring higher production from work-at-home employees. Unfortunately, Secretary Shinseki refused to change course. [Source: GovExec.com Bob Brewin article 16 Jun 2010 ++]

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VAT Tax: Alarmed by the country’s $1.4 trillion deficit, some economists have suggested that the U.S. adopt a national sales tax.  Currently, about 150 countries have this type of value-added tax (VAT): In Great Britain its 17.5%; China 17%; Mexico 16%; Kazakhstan 12%, Philippines 12%, and Egypt 10%. The tax typically applies to all purchases, as well as to services from haircuts to stock trades. VATs “often generate half a country’s public revenues,” says Robert Goulder of Tax Analysts, a nonprofit publisher of tax policy magazines.  In France, for instance, the VAT accounts for 52% of the money the government collects. “Most of the 150 countries that have a VAT would be fiscally crippled without it,” Goulder says. In the U.S., each 1% of VAT could raise $1 trillion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. While some federal lawmakers are warning of the idea, others say such a tax disproportionally hurts the poor, who spend most of their income on necessities. Some countries counter that problem by having a dual[rate structure – lowering or eliminating the VAT on purchases like prescription drugs and groceries. However, some policy experts worry that a VAT could actually raise so much money, and so easily, that it would encourage Congressional waste. “A VAT would take the pressure of the government to rein in spending,” says Rudolph Penner, a fellow with the Urban Institute, a public-policy think tank. “And the more they spend, the more taxpayers have to shell out.” [Source: Parade Economy article 30 May 2010 ++]

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Vet Jobs Update 19: Delta Airlines has asked for The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) assistance to get the word to all state veterans’ coordinators, DVOPs, LVERs and one-stop centers to inform them Delta Airlines is hiring for a variety of positions and they want to hire Veterans. Positions include baggage handlers, flight attendants, pilots, etc. For information on number of positions, locations and job descriptions refer to the Delta’s Careers section: www.deltajobs.net/career_destinations.htm. For pilots refer to www.deltajobs.net/pilot_qualifications.htm . [Source: AL Dept of CT msg 18 Jun 2010 ++]

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Korean War 60th Anniversary: The 60th Anniversary of the Start of the Korean War was commemorated on 24 JUN at a Congressional Ceremony Commemorating in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.  The event was attended by many dignitaries from the Republic of Korea, as well as Korean War veterans. Nine members of Congress spoke at the event, including all members of the Democratic and Republican leadership, as well as four of the five members of Congress who either fought in the Korean War or were in the armed services at the time of the war. Those members were Congressmen Charlie Rangel (D-NY), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Howard Coble (R-NC) and Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Not in attendance was Representative Sam Johnson (R-Texas), a Korean and Vietnam War veteran and a Vietnam War POW. Several of the speakers mentioned the fact that when you look at satellite photos taken at night of the Korean peninsula, South Korea is lit up in much the same way as is the eastern coast of the U.S., while North Korean is starkly black. They saw this as a vivid analogy of the difference between a free society — one that is full of light and life — and a brutal dictatorship, where the light of freedom has been extinguished. All of the speakers paid tribute to those brave Americans who went to Korea when their nation called and fought against the communist tyranny which threatened to overrun the entire Korean peninsula. Speaker Pelosi said that while some have called the Korean War the “forgotten war,” the ceremony in the Capitol was a demonstration that our nation has not forgotten the sacrifices of those who fought in that faraway land. [Source: TREA Washington Update 25 Jun 2010 ++]

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Korean War Vet Appreciation Letter: The Invasion of Inchon, the Pusan Perimeter and the Chosin Reservoir are only a few of the fields of battle where Americans placed their lives on the line for democracy. Of nearly 390,000 Americans who served there, 36,000 gave their lives. The war was a military conflict between the Republic of South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, backed by the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union.  The situation escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea across the border between the countries—the 38th parallel—on 25 JUN 50. An armistice was signed on 23 JUL 53, thus ending the first significant armed conflict of the Cold War; however, a formal peace agreement never has been signed.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the war, the Republic of Korea 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee has various plans to thank, honor and remember Korean War Veterans and their achievements. One of the projects is to send letters of appreciation from the President of the Republic of Korea to as many living Korean War Veterans as possible to express tribute and profound gratitude for their service and sacrifice that laid the foundations of peace and freedom enjoyed today by the people of Korea. Korean War veterans who want to receive the letter should fill our and submit an application form for an appreciation letter from the Republic of Korea President. To obtain forms and information on how/where to submit:

• Complete the PDF form at http://eng.koreanwar60.go.kr/apply.asp
• By internet click ‘SUBMIT’ upon completion.
• By mail complete and print the Application Form and send to: US Branch ROK 60^th AKW Commemoration Committee, 2450 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington D.C., 20008
• Direct all questions to: [email protected]

[Source: Oregon VA News Release 15 Jun 2010 ++]

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Tricare Nursing Home Coverage Update 02: A new Tricare requirement is that skilled nursing facilities will have to preauthorize care provided to Medicare-eligible Tricare beneficiaries once Medicare benefits are exhausted and Tricare becomes the primary health coverage.  Preauthorization is only required for skilled nursing facility care when medically-necessary skilled nursing services extend beyond Medicare’s 100-day limit and Tricare becomes the primary payer for a beneficiary. Since medical documentation must be submitted, the preauthorization is requested by the skilled nursing facility and should not be a burden to beneficiaries or their families. In fact, since a Tricare coverage determination will be provided prior to extended lengths of care being incurred, dual-eligible beneficiaries of Medicare and Tricare will have the benefit of better planning for their extended health care needs.

Medicare and Tricare cover medically-necessary skilled nursing care and rehabilitative therapies, including room and board, prescription medication and laboratory work, which are provided in the skilled nursing facility. However, Medicare covers only the first 100 days of skilled nursing facility care, while Tricare For Life covers treatment as long as it is medically necessary and is a Tricare covered service. For skilled nursing care benefits to be covered, the facility must be Medicare-certified and enter into a participation agreement with Tricare. Beneficiaries must have a qualifying hospital stay of at least three consecutive days, not including the day of discharge. Beneficiaries must also enter the skilled nursing facility within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital and the care must meet Tricare medical necessity guidelines. [Source: Tricare News Release No.10-56 dtd 16 Jun 2010 ++]

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Outward Bound: Outward Bound is an international non-profit outdoor education program that offers fully funded (i.e. no cost to the participant) outdoor adventure excursions to all OEF/OIF veterans. It doesn’t matter what your current military status is (active, inactive, discharged, retired) – you’re eligible to attend as long as you deployed in support of OEF/OIF combat operations while in the military. These five-day excursions offer adventure activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, canoeing, and dog sledding in beautiful wilderness areas in Maine, Texas, Colorado, California, Minnesota and many other states. All expedition costs for lodging, equipment, food, and instruction are completely funded by a multi-million dollar Sierra Club grant, including the participants’ round-trip transportation between home and the wilderness site.  There are two types of courses available, each offering wilderness expeditions year-round.

1.  Open Enrollment Courses: Outward Bound has scheduled expeditions where individual war Veterans sign up for the course of their choosing below, attend on an individual basis, and meet other war veterans from around the nation. Each course listed will have 7 to 12 participants. There are several hundred slots available for OEF/OIF veterans every year. At www.outwardbound.org/index.cfm/do/cp.course_search_result/coursedetailfocusid/18 click the apply/call link for the course you want to go on:

• Colorado Backpacking & Rock Climbing – Veterans  7/02/10 / 7/06/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  7/02/10 / 7/07/10
• Sierra Backpacking and Rock Climbing – Veterans  7/11/10 / 7/15/10
• Apostle Islands Sea Kayaking – Veterans  7/13/10 / 7/18/10
• Maine Mahoosuc Mountains Backpacking – Veterans  7/22/10 / 7/27/10
• Sierra Backpacking and Rock Climbing – Veterans  8/01/10 / 8/05/10
• Maine Mahoosuc Mountains Backpacking – Veterans  8/01/10 / 8/06/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  8/05/10 / 8/10/10
• Boundary Waters Canoeing – Veterans  8/09/10 / 8/15/10
• Colorado Backpacking & Rock Climbing – Veterans  8/15/10 / 8/19/10
• Oregon Rafting – Veterans  8/23/10 / 8/27/10
• Boundary Waters Canoeing – Veterans  8/23/10 / 8/29/10
• Apostle Islands Sea Kayaking – Veterans  8/24/10 / 8/29/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  8/24/10 / 8/29/10
• Sierra Backpacking and Rock Climbing – Veterans  8/29/10 / 9/02/10
• Apostle Islands Sea Kayaking – Veterans  8/30/10 / 9/05/10
• Boundary Waters Canoeing – Veterans  8/30/10 / 9/05/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  9/02/10 / 9/07/10
• Southwest Rafting – Veterans  9/03/10 / 9/08/10
• Sierra Backpacking and Rock Climbing – Veterans  9/06/10 / 9/10/10
• Colorado Backpacking & Rock Climbing – Veterans  9/06/10 / 9/11/10
• Boundary Waters Canoeing – Veterans  9/06/10 / 9/12/10
• Washington Mountaineering – Veterans  9/06/10 / 9/12/10
• Washington Sea Kayaking – Veterans  9/06/10 / 9/12/10
• Oregon Rafting – Veterans  9/07/10 / 9/11/10
• Southwest Rafting – Veterans  9/15/10 / 9/20/10
• Sierra Backpacking and Rock Climbing – Veterans  9/19/10 / 9/23/10
• Colorado Backpacking & Rock Climbing – Veterans  9/20/10 / 9/25/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  9/20/10 / 9/25/10
• Maine Mahoosuc Mountains Backpacking – Veterans  9/20/10 / 9/25/10
• Washington Sea Kayaking – Veterans  9/20/10 / 9/26/10
• Oregon Rafting – Veterans  9/21/10 / 9/25/10
• Gulf Coast Canoeing & Fishing – Veterans  9/21/10 / 9/26/10
• Southwest Rafting – Veterans  9/27/10 / 10/02/10
• Maine Coast Sailing – Veterans  9/30/10 / 10/05/10
• Maine Mahoosuc Mountains Backpacking – Veterans  9/30/10 / 10/05/10
• Gulf Coast Canoeing & Fishing – Veterans  10/02/10 / 10/07/10
• Washington Backpacking – Veterans  10/03/10 / 10/09/10
• Oregon Rafting – Veterans  10/05/10 / 10/09/10
• Colorado Backpacking & Rock Climbing – Veterans  10/05/10 / 10/10/10
• Gulf Coast Canoeing & Fishing – Veterans  11/02/10 / 11/07/10
• Gulf Coast Canoeing & Fishing – Veterans  11/13/10 / 11/18/10
• Florida Everglades Canoeing – Veterans  11/23/10 / 11/28/10
• Florida Everglades Canoeing – Veterans  12/05/10 / 12/10/10

2.  Custom Courses: Outward Bound will schedule customized expeditions upon request for groups of war veterans; these customized expeditions can be tailored to specific needs. These courses are for organizationally established groups of veterans along with their counselor or therapist (mental health worker, outreach specialist); and/or Unit Leader. In order to run a custom course with Outward Bound, in most cases a minimum of 9 participants is needed. These courses can be scheduled at any time of year and at nearly any location where Outward Bound operates. The course activities can be customized to a variety of ability levels. If you are a counselor, therapist, or Unit Leader, who wants to schedule a Custom Course, contact a Veterans Program Course Advisor at [email protected] or call 866-669-2362 ext. 8387.

If you are specifically interested in custom Veteran’s courses run from the Outward Bound Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Center on the Appalachian Trail or on the Potomac River, contact John Enny at [email protected] or at 1(410) 448-1721 ext. 1103. If you are interested in custom Veteran’s programs from the Outward Bound Philadelphia Center in the Delaware Water Gap, contact Kenja Griffin at [email protected] or 1(215) 232-9130 ext. 6305.  For questions regarding the OEF/OIF Veterans Program course offerings, contact 1(866) 669-2362, ext. 8387; e-mail [email protected] or refer to www.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans.html.  [Source: Veterans Village of San Diego Nadirah Sahar msg 16 Jun 2010 ++]

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Alzheimer’s Update 07: There’s no solid scientific proof that lifestyle measures can prevent Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline, according to a federally convened panel of experts. Staying healthy, exercising, eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and other healthful foods, and keeping your mind engaged have all been suggested as ways to stave off cognitive decline and the brain disorder known as Alzheimer’s, marked by a loss of memory and other cognitive ability. But the independent panel, convened by the National Institutes of Health, concludes that there is insufficient evidence that any of these measures prevent Alzheimer’s. The conclusion, although probably disappointing to many, may not be as discouraging as it sounds, says Carl C. Bell, MD, a panel member who is also director of the Institute for Juvenile Research, professor of psychiatry and public health, University of Illinois at Chicago, and president and CEO of the Community Mental Health Council, Chicago. ”We had to follow the science,” he says, explaining that the panel applied rigorous scientific standards to the numerous studies reviewed to determine if any measures might be proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline, which precedes it. They found the evidence lacking. “There is no hard science right now.” But that doesn’t mean there won’t be, someday, says Martha Daviglus, MD, PhD, MPH, chair of the panel and professor of preventive medicine and medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “Right now research is being conducted in promising areas, such as omega-3, physical activity, and cognitive engagement.”  Currently there are about 5.3 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s, the majority of them late-onset disease that becomes apparent after age 65. [Source: WebMD Health News Kathleen Doheny article 14 Jun 2010 ++]

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Estate Planning Update 02: Use these common estate planning considerations to trigger thoughtful conversation with your family, ensuring them of your watchful assistance and giving you satisfaction of their future security:

Planning for Mom and Dad. Talking with your parents about their estate plan can dramatically reduce family tension and personal stress. Discuss questions like:

• Should your parents purchase long-term care insurance?
• How will the family decide when Mom and Dad need more assistance?
• Whom do your parents want to take on the role of agent for financial and medical powers of attorney?
• Which people and organizations do Mom and Dad want to receive their assets after they’re gone?

Planning for Your Spouse. If you pass away before your spouse, you want to ensure that you provide for him or her. To do so, consider these elements of your estate plan:

• Would a trust for your spouse’s benefit ensure that your spouse will receive proper care in the future?
• Whom should your spouse name as the agent for financial and medical powers of attorney?
• Should your spouse become the beneficiary of all your assets, or should some of the assets go to a trust, caregiver or charity?
• What ownership designations on property titles will ensure tax and legal efficiency?

Planning for your Brother or Sister. Sometimes, because of old age or disability, your siblings can require your help. If you’re responsible for their well-being, consider these questions:

• Have you talked about assisted living or paid home-caregivers?
• Are they eligible for subsidized services or financial assistance?
• Should your brother or sister be listed as a beneficiary in your will?
• Does your brother or sister need to name a backup agent to you on his or her financial or medical power of attorney?

Planning for your Children or Other Dependents. If you still have children, grandchildren or other individuals depending on you, communicate these points in your estate plan:

• Who will act as their guardian (daily caretaker) and conservator (person who handles money)?
• Will your dependents receive your assets immediately or at a later date, should something happen to you?
• Will their inheritance be designated for a specific purpose, such as education?
• If your dependents leave behind no children, will the balance of their assets go to charity?

By taking time to answer these questions for yourself, asking them of others and recording the answers in writing with the assistance of an estate planning attorney, you can alleviate much of your worry about caring for your generations of loved ones.  A prudent move would be to designate in advance who would act in your behalf in the event you could no longer make decisions. A durable power of attorney is the document you need to accomplish this. It allows you to name the person you designate to make legal, financial and business decisions when you’re no longer able to make them yourself. Be sure to record your durable power of attorney in writing so that it’s honored by businesses and other financial institutions.  [Source: MOAA News Exchange 16 Jun 2010 ++]

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SBP DIC Offset Update 25: Survivors of military members have an opportunity for two forms of survivors’ benefits.  The most common is the purchased benefit called the Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) where the military member pays premiums from retired pay.  Currently serving members are also covered by SBP automatically.  The other is a program ran by Veteran Affairs (VA) called Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC).  DIC is paid to survivors whose spouse died of Service-connected causes. If a survivor qualifies for DIC and is covered by SBP, the DIC amount is subtracted from the SBP amount.  This is known as the SBP-DIC Offset.   Last August, 3 survivors fought in the courts against the offset for their specific situation and won.  They realized the law was worded differently for survivors who remarried after age 57.  In this specific case, the law does not stipulate an offset.  As a result, all survivors remarried after age 57 now receive full SBP and DIC payments.

The DOD is in the process of fixing the offset issue for survivors in this situation. They have identified 737 survivors remarried after age 57.  All of these survivors are now receiving their full monthly SBP and DIC payments.  However, the lawsuit also has a retroactive period that requires survivors who qualify to receive back pay.  The retroactive period is from the date of remarriage but no earlier than 1 JAN 04.  To date, 367 have received their back pay.  The remaining survivors will get their back pay over the next few months as DOD calculates the amounts due for each individual. For all other SBP/DIC eligible’s, there is now a new tool for MOAA and the Military Coalition to use in fighting for the elimination of the SBP-DIC offset.  In 2008, Congress symbolically admitted the offset was wrong by passing legislation that authorized a supplemental pay to help restore some of the pay denied by the offset.  This program is known as Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA).  SSIA is administered by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) as is SBP.  Here is the payment schedule for the additional monthly payment under SSIA:

• October 2008 – $50
• October 2009 – $60
• October 2010 – $70
• October 2011 – $80
• October 2012 – $90
• October 2013 – $100
• October 2014 – $150
• October 2015 – $200
• October 2016 – $275
• October 2017 – $310

The SSIA was the first foot in the door for the repeal of the offset.  Now the Sharp case is another foot in the door.  We have support on the Hill for the repeal of the offset but the impediment has been the last minute consensus on how to pay for the offset elimination.  The fight will go on. For more on the Sharp case, refer to www.dfas.mil/rapay/annuitantstoreceivefullsbpanddicbenefits.html . General information on SBP can be found in the DFAS booklet at www.dfas.mil/rapay/annuities/sbp/SBPGuideBook.pdf .  [Source: MOAA News Exchange 16 Jun 2010 ++]

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NDAA 2011 Update 04: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said President Obama’s veto threat on the fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill remains strong, even though the bill is likely to contain provisions that the White House has fought hard for. The Pentagon would still recommend vetoing the measure if it contains a continuation of the C-17 cargo plane program or an authorization for a second engine model for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Gates said 16 JUN in written testimony for a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. Inclusion of a repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bans gays in the military would not affect the veto threat, Gates said. “I will continue to strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that sustains the continuation of the C-17 or the F-35 extra engine,” Gates wrote. “And given some recent commentary, it would be a serious mistake to believe the president would accept these unneeded programs simply because the authorization or appropriations legislation includes other provisions important to him and this administration.” Some observers have suggested that Obama might sign a bill with the C-17 and F-35 provisions if it had a repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The House has passed its version of the measure. The Senate Armed Services panel has approved that chamber’s bill, which is awaiting floor action. Both bills include a provision to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” [Source: CQ Politics News16 Jun 2010 ++]

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Government Paper Checks: The Treasury Department said that most government benefits payments will be made by direct deposit by 2013, the latest in a series of cost-cutting moves by the Obama administration. The change will eliminate about 136 million paper checks sent by the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board and Office of Personnel Management, and caps years of efforts to cut back on paper and postage costs. The move should cut about $48 million in government postage costs and save taxpayers approximately $303 million in the first five years after the switch, Treasury said.  Americans who enroll for benefits payments on or after 1 MAR 2011, will receive them by direct deposit or be enrolled in the government’s Direct Express Debit MasterCard program if they do not provide bank account information. Beneficiaries now receiving payments will switch to direct deposit or the debit card by 1 MAR 2013, after agencies inform them of the changes, according to the proposed rule change set for publication in the Federal Register.

About 1 million Americans already receive benefit payments through the Direct Express card, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Officials argue that direct deposits or the debit cards ensure safe, quick delivery of funds and make receiving payments easier for residents hit by natural disasters. The change also coincides with the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to address the soaring deficit and adapt government operations to new technology. “This is precisely the type of smart, streamlined improvement that this administration is committed to making across government to boost efficiency and modernize how we do business,” OMB Director Peter Orszag said in a statement.  [Source: The Washington Post Ed O’Keefe article 14 Jun 2010 ++]

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California Vet Home Update 08: Nearly 400 elderly and disabled veterans will soon have a new housing and long-term care facility to call their own, following the official opening on 14 JUN of the West Los Angeles Veterans Home. The $253 million facility is located on 17 acres in Westwood that the U.S. Veterans Administration gave to the state of California to operate an assisted living and skilled nursing facility for those who were honorably discharged from the armed services. Gov. Schwarzenegger traveled to Los Angeles for Monday’s dedication ceremony. “This will be a place where our veterans can be comfortable and honored, the least they deserve for serving our country in uniform,” he said. “I am very proud of the work my administration has done on behalf of our military men and women and I promise that we will continue to do everything in our power to make sure all our veterans, young and old, are treated with the respect and dignity they have earned.” The home will be the state of California’s sixth facility for veterans once it begins admitting applicants by this fall. It will provide services and amenities for veterans who are unable to live independently, including a dementia and Alzheimer’s unit.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs contributed approximately $142 million to the project, according to a press release from the governor’s office. An additional $111 million for the facility came from state general obligation bonds and lease revenue bonds. While it’s possible the facility could house homeless veterans living in Los Angeles County, the care offered at the home will be geared toward severely injured and elderly veterans who require regular attention, said J.P. Tremblay, deputy secretary for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. The facility will not be equipped to handle those with substance abuse problems or severe mental illnesses, he said. Veterans will have to be clean and sober to be admitted. Located at 800 Bringham Ave. on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ healthcare campus, patients at the facility will have access to both federal and state medical personnel. The ribbon cutting ceremony came three years after CalVet broke ground on the facility, and two decades since California officials began discussing the idea of a state-run veterans home in Los Angeles, Tremblay said. CalVet recently dedicated veterans homes in Ventura and Lancaster. State-operated facilities for veterans are also located in Yountville, Chula Vista and Barstow, and the state broke ground on two additional veterans homes last month in Fresno and Redding. [Source: Santa Monica Daily Press Nick Taborek article 15 Jun 2010 ++]

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Tricare Smoking Quitline: Tricare’s Smoking Quitline is a telephone support and referral service. Tricare’s Smoking Quitline is now accepting calls! All non-Medicare eligible Tricare beneficiaries within the U.S. can get assistance with going “smoke-free” by calling the quitline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Beneficiaries residing in the Tricare South Region can reach the quitline at (877) 414-9949.  Beneficiaries living in the North Region can call (866) 459-8766 and those living in the West Region can call (866) 244-6870. Beneficiaries who call will be assessed and receive guidance for a smoking cessation plan that fits their unique smoking habits. Cessation materials can also be provided through U.S. mail upon request .Although the new Tricare Smoking Quitline is geared toward smoking cessation only, any Tricare beneficiaries who want to quit using tobacco, including the smokeless kind, can get support through the Department of Defense’s comprehensive Quit Tobacco website, www.ucanquit2.org. Ucanquit2 offers interactive, Web-based tobacco cessation training along with live, real-time encouragement from trained tobacco cessation coaches via the 24/7 “chat” feature. Users also have the opportunity to exchange information through the website’s blog and electronic bulletin board and link to the website’s Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube pages. Many military treatment facilities offer smoking cessation programs and beneficiaries should check locally for more information on those programs. A military treatment facility locator is at www.tricare.mil/mtf. Medicare eligible beneficiaries are reminded they may be eligible for smoking cessation benefits through Medicare Part B.  Check for more information at www.medicare.gov. [Source: Tricare news Release No 10-55 dtd 15 Jun 2010 ++]

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SNAP Update 01: On 1 OCT 08 the federal food stamp program was replaced by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The SNAP food stamp program makes it easy to find out if you qualify for food stamps. All you need to do is go online at http://foodstampsnow.org and answer questions about where you live, who you live with, your income, and your assets (i.e. money in savings or checking accounts, retirement plans, and other assets). If, after completing the SNAP food stamp eligibility questions, you think you qualify for food stamps the next step is completing the SNAP food stamp application. You can pick up a SNAP food stamp application at your local state SNAP office or they can mail one to you. Some states allow SNAP food stamp applicants to apply for food stamps online. To find the closest SNAP food stamp office in your state refer to www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm or call the SNAP information line at 1(800) 221-5689. If you qualify, to get the application process going as soon as possible complete the first part of it (your name, address, and signature) and leave it with a SNAP worker while you’re at the SNAP office . This will get your application process going while you complete the rest of the application.

After completing the application for food stamp benefits you’ll have an interview with a SNAP worker. This must be scheduled in advance. When you arrive for the SNAP interview bring your complete application and the documents or papers you need to have. Ask your SNAP worker which documents you will need to bring. It will depend on your individual circumstances and may be different for each person.  However, these documents are often required when applying for food stamps.

• Drivers license or state ID card.
• Birth certificate; pay stubs.
• Eligibility letters for SSI, VA or other assistance you receive.
• A copy or your apartment lease or mortgage statement.
• Utility bills.
• Proof of daycare or child support payments.
• Medical bills that you pay if you have a disability or are age 60 and older

Unlike the old Federal Food Stamp program SNAP uses EBT cards (similar to ATM cards) instead of coupon books. When you go grocery shopping with your SNAP card simply hand the card to the cashier and he or she will deduct your food purchases from your monthly total. Many of the same food stamp rules apply to SNAP: Only food purchases (no pet food), no cigarettes or alcohol, and no household products, medicine or vitamins. For more details about the SNAP food stamp program including how to use the SNAP EBT card, what to do if you lose your card, and answers to frequently-asked questions refer to www.fns.usda.gov/snap/faqs.htm. [Source: About.Com Senior Living Sharon O’Brien article Jun 2010 ++]

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Retirement Calculators: A recent study by the Society of Actuaries says many popular calculators have serious flaws. These potential hazards could lead to serious miscalculations when you’re plotting your financial future. The report analyzed 12 retirement calculators created by financial services firms, software companies, nonprofits, and government for consumers and financial planning pros. All but one of the six consumer calculators were no charge: the Fidelity Retirement Income Planner, the AARP retirement planning calculator, MetLife calculator, U.S. Department of Labor and the T. Rowe Price Retirement Income Calculator. ESPlanner, created by Boston University economics professor Larry Kotlikoff, starts at $149 per year. Unlike the freebies, ESPlanner gathers more detailed data, making its forecasts more reliable. The no cost online tools, as a group, had a host of problems. “These tools take a project that is fairly complex and boil it down to something simple,” says John Turner, an economist and co-author of the report. “They don’t ask you to consider a lot of important variables.” Some can, however, provide a decent starting point for your retirement planning, as a MoneyWatch test found. To get better results when you run your own numbers, look for look for what blogger Steve Vernon says are highlights of the best calculators, and watch out for the following six areas where retirement calculators may be getting it wrong.

1. Social Security Projections. Most retirees get a third or more of retirement income from Social Security. Yet many retirement calculators don’t gather the detailed information needed to project these benefits accurately, Turner says. “They often project Social Security income using a bare minimum of information: typically your current earnings, your age, and the year you expect to retire,” he says. Although the size of your Social Security payments will vary depending on when you decide to start collecting the checks, Turner found that many calculators don’t analyze this choice in enough detail. So to get the best guess for your Social Security benefits, use the Social Security Administration’s online retirement estimator, which will give you a personalized projection using your actual earnings history. Another problem: Turner found that many of the calculators low-ball the increases you’ll get from Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is pegged to the Consumer Price Index. “Typically, the inflation assumptions are hidden from the user,” he says. “But a few do reveal to you that, for unknown reasons, they use a COLA that is less than the inflation rate.”

2. Rate-of-Return Assumptions. Three calculators used pre-set future investment rate-of-return assumptions that you can’t change, and their percentages varied widely. One, created by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, assumed a 5% average annual return from 401(k)s; several others assumed 10%. If a calculator won’t let you choose your anticipated rate of return, either be sure you’re comfortable with its assumption or walk away. The best calculators let you put in what-if scenarios, and run the numbers using alternative rate-of-return projections. Going this route can let you see how much you might have at retirement using both conservative and aggressive scenarios. While no one can predict the market’s future rate of return, the long-term after-inflation rate of return on stocks has averaged 6.8% per year. But odds are you are not invested entirely in stocks, and the fixed-income portion of your portfolio is likely to produce lower returns. So when you’re plugging in numbers, base it on your asset allocation, and consider that as you get closer to retirement, you’ll want to reduce your stock exposure and boost your bond exposure. A conservative portfolio might yield more like 4% a year.

3. Life Expectancy. It’s impossible to know how long you’ll live, of course. On average, 65-year-old men can expect to live another 17 years, and women another 20 years. Some calculators, the study found, automatically input life expectancy figures. But they fail to account for differences by race, income, and gender. And they also don’t take into consideration that you or your spouse might live longer than the averages. “The probability that one [spouse] will live beyond the average is pretty high,” says Kirk Kreikemeier, a financial advisor and actuary who served as an advisor for the SOA study. If a calculator forces you to make a longevity prediction, base it on your family history and your health. If you’re married, use different life expectancy numbers for you and your spouse, since women tend to live several years longer than men. Several sites help you predict life expectancy; no guarantees, but try the calculators at Real Age, Livingto100 or the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

4. Housing Info. The calculators make very different assumptions about what you’ll do with your house at retirement. “Some assume you won’t liquidate your home; others assume you will sell and downsize,” Turner says. Very few of the tools analyze the impact on your finances of carrying a mortgage into retirement. Among the no cost calculators reviewed, only the U.S. Department of Labor calculator lets you plug in home equity when calculating your retirement assets. When forecasting your finances in retirement, make your best guess about how much you’ll be paying for a mortgage or rent, whether you’ll tap your home equity and any income you might receive from selling your home.

5. Inflation Forecasts. When it came to inflation, the calculators barely wanted to be bothered. None of the no cost calculators — and few of the professional tools — listed inflation as a retirement-planning risk. Some of the tools let you plug in just one percentage forecast, even though inflation can fluctuate widely over time. Others put in their own default inflation rate, ranging from 2.3 to 4.6%. That spread can make a huge difference in how much the purchasing power of your assets will shrink over a 25-year retirement. Say you have $1 million and plan to retire in 10 years. With 2.3% annual inflation between now and then, your $1 million would be worth $796,606 at retirement. It would erode to $637,798 if inflation averages 4.6%, according to Inflation.data.com. Stick with retirement calculators allowing you to input alternative inflation scenarios, and run the numbers in a couple of ways. You never know.

6. Spouses. Few of the no cost calculators helped couples forecast retirement income for a surviving spouse. They rarely let users enter separate information for both spouses and run numbers with differing life expectancies for them, for example. When the calculators recommended annuities for retirement income (most didn’t), none suggested buying one with a survivor’s benefit. Some of the calculators allow for separate entry of data for each spouse, but even these typically assume that both people retire at the same time. Spousal issues regarding Social Security benefit claims can be complex — beyond the capability of any online calculator. If you’re married, calculate retirement income needs for you and your spouse together and separately, using different life expectancy scenarios. This will help ensure that the one who lives longer won’t run out of cash. “Doing the ‘what-ifs’ can help you see just how differently things can turn out,” says Turner.

[Source: CBS www.Moneywatch.com Mark Miller | Apr 21, 2010 ++]

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Credit Card Agreements: In compliance with the Credit CARD Act 0f 2009, the Federal Reserve has posted credit card agreements from more than 300 credit card issuers. Credit card agreements contain the terms, conditions, and pricing for their credit cards. They’re the notorious “fine print” that makes credit cards so hard to understand. The availability of these credit card agreements doesn’t necessarily make it easier to access your credit card agreement or to compare your credit card to that of another credit card issuer. Searching the database by credit card issuer, for example, simply returns a list of all that issuers credit card agreements. (For Chase Bank, 28 agreements were returned.) You have to click through all the agreements to find the one for your credit card, if you find it at all. Chase Bank’s agreements didn’t indicate which credit card they were for. Fortunately, a few banks, like American Express and Compass Bank, did list the name of the credit card at the top of the credit card agreement.

The Federal Reserve’s database of credit card agreements will be updated quarterly with the next update on 2 AUG 2010. The database is currently available on the Federal Reserve’s website www.federalreserve.gov/creditcardagreements/default.aspx. The PDF version of each agreement is much easier to read. Credit card issuers are also required to post credit card agreements online and allow cardholders to request their agreement. If you cannot find yours you can find a form to request the agreement. Banks with fewer than 10,000 credit card accounts do not have to submit their credit card agreements to the Federal Reserve, nor do they have to post the credit card agreement online. However, they are required to make credit card agreements available to cardholders upon request. [Source: About.com Credit/Debt Management LaToya Irby article 25 May 2010 ++]

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Medicare Fraud Update 42:

• El Paso TX – Dr. Anthony Francis Valdez, 56, owner of the Institute of Pain Management was charged 15 JUN with carrying out an estimated $41 million fraudulent health care benefit program billing scheme. During JAN 01 thru DEC 09, Valdez caused fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare and the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission (TWCC). Valdez caused to be submitted claims for reimbursement of peripheral nerve injections, facet injection procedures and Level Four office visits-typically involving 25 minutes of face-to-face time between patient and physician-which never were performed. Instead of the above-mentioned procedures, he performed prolotherapy on his patients, a procedure the healthcare benefit programs do not reimburse .Conviction on each count of wire fraud (16), mail fraud (21) and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance (4) is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison; health care fraud (21) up to ten years in federal prison; and, making a false statement (20) up to five years in federal prison. The indictment also included a notice of criminal forfeiture whereby the government is seeking the forfeiture of more than $1.7 million in cash, his residence in El Paso, his residence in San Antonio and five vehicles. The government is also seeking a monetary judgment in the case for over $41.8 million.
• Augusta GA – The United States has filed a civil False Claims Act complaint against Augusta Medical Systems  and its former owner, Julian Osbon, for allegedly submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and receiving over $690,000 in improper payments. The complaint alleges that for a period of more than one year, Augusta Medical billed Medicare for vacuum erection devices during a time in which it was not an authorized Medicare supplier. Accordingly, it was not entitled to receive Medicare reimbursement during this period. Osbon had quickly closed his former company, opened Augusta Medical and had hoped to obtain the necessary authorizations from Medicare. However, Osbon allegedly disregarded the law and the advice of his own executive team and proceeded to bill Medicare for thousands of erection devices without having a valid billing number. Vacuum erection devices are covered by Medicare. The complaint was filed under the civil False Claims Act which provides for liability for triple damages and a penalty between $5,500 and $11,000 per claim for anyone who submits or causes the submission of a false or fraudulent claim to the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office initially became aware of these allegations through a whistleblower.

[Source:  Fraud News Daily reports 16-30 Jun 2010 ++]

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Medicad Fraud Update 16:

• Sparta NC – Kristie Brake and Kimberly Miles, co-owners of Heritage Home Care, were sentenced 15 JUN to 46 months imprisonment each and ordered to repay Medicaid more than $600,000. An investigation by Medicaid Investigations Unit within the N.C. Attorney General’s Office, found that Heritage submitted 15,833 fraudulent Medicaid claims totaling $622,405.89 for in-home assistance to people with a disabilities.
• Brownsville TX – Tara R. Rios Ybarra (District 43 Texas State Representative), a dentist with her own private dental practice, was charged on 22 JUN in 3 of a 22-count indictment with allegedly illegally referring Medicaid beneficiaries in exchange for 15% of the total payment made by Medicaid. This followed the arrest of Gary Morgan Schwarz DDS, MSD, along with two of his office employees and two other area dentists Diana Woo Paparelli, 57, and Colbert J. Glenn, 49. All three defendants face a maximum punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $25,000 for each offense upon conviction.
• Chesterfield VA – Denise C. McCreary, 43, was convicted by a jury and faces a maximum punishment of 90 years in prison and $2.25 million in fines when sentenced on 17 SEP. She was convicted on nine counts of health-care fraud allegedly involving $601,580 in bogus Medicaid claims. Evidence showed that McCreary owned and operated Camp Hope Youth Services, a Medicaid-contracted provider of intensive in-home therapy services for children and adolescents. The services, offered by Medicaid in Virginia, are designed to help youths at risk of being removed from their homes, or who are being returned to their homes after removal, because of significant mental-health, behavioral or emotional issues. McCreary billed Medicaid for services that were not reimbursable because the services did not address a child’s specific mental-health issues, were not provided by qualified mental-health workers and were not provided to children who were in need of the services.  She also billed Medicaid for services that were never provided.

[Source:  Fraud News Daily reports 16-30 Jun 2010 ++]

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State Veteran’s Benefits: The state of Alaska provides several benefits to veterans.  To obtain information on these refer to this Bulletin’s Attachment for an overview of those listed below.  Benefits are available to veterans who are residents of the state. For a more detailed explanation of each click on “Learn more about …” wording highlighted in blue on the attachment.

• Housing Benefits
• Employment Benefits
• Education Benefits
• Other State Veteran Benefits

[Source: www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/alaska-state-veterans-benefits Jun 2010 ++]

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Military History: The commonwealth of the Philippines was governed on the structure of outmoded strategies of former colonial governments. New goals included the development of an independent military force, was widely scattered and inadequate. The United States government in principal provided token support until the threat of war surfaced.  The recruiting and funding of the Philippine Scouts was under the jurisdiction of the United States, resulted in the establishment and foundation of The Philippine Army. President Delano Roosevelt of the United States commissioned General Douglas MacArthur, to become the mentor of the infant military force. The appointment was withdrawn, caused by internal colonial American petty political dissention and jealousies. MacArthur retired from American military service in 1937 to accept the Baton of Field Marshall, of the Philippines, by an Act of the commonwealth government to retain the General’s services. General MacArthur had envisioned the growing threat of war in the far-east. He addressed his underlying concept which called for the full support of Commonwealth government and instilled upon President Manuel Quezon to guard against the probable menace. The young nation was practically defenseless in 1947 to cope with threat that, within five years, became a reality. Under MacArthur’s expertise and direction were implemented the insurmountable plans for the defense of hundreds of islands in the archipelago. On July 27, 1941, war clouds were brewing, and the retired General was recalled to active American military service this time to energize and muster the infant Philippine Army.  By this act, the United States was concerned in the continued sovereignty of the Philippines. To learn more about Philippine participation in WWII refer to the Philippine Army attachment to this Bulletin. [Source www.Mil.com Jun 2010 ++]

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Military History Anniversaries:

• Jul 01 1898 – Spanish-American War: The Battle of San Juan Hill is fought in Santiago de Cuba.
• Jul 08 1948 – The United States Air Force accepts its first female recruits into a program called Women in the Air Force (WAF)
• Jul 01 1863 – Civil War: Battle of Gettysburg, Pa; Lee’s northward advance halted
• Jul 01 1907 – World’s 1st air force established (US Army)
• Jul 01 1970 – Vietnam: 23 day Siege of Fire Base Ripcord began
• Jul 02 1926 – US Army Air Corps created; Distinguish Flying Cross authorized
• Jul 03 1814 – Revolutionary War: Americans capture Fort Erie Canada
• Jul 03 1898 – Spanish American War: U.S. Navy defeats Spanish fleet in Santiago harbor Cuba
• Jul 03 1915 – U.S. Marines landed in Haiti following the assassination of the Haitian president Vilbrun Guillaume. The Marines remained as occupation forces until 1934
• Jul 03 1950 – Korean War: 1st time US & North Korean forces clash in Korean War
• Jul 03 1988 – USS Vincennes in Strait of Hormoez shoots Iran Airbus A300, kills 290
• Jul 04 1776 – Revolutionary War: Declaration of Independence – U.S. gains independence from Britain
• Jul 04 1944 – WWII: 1st Japanese kamikaze attack U.S. fleet near Iwo Jima
• Jul 05 1945 – WWII: Liberation of the Philippines declared.
• Jul 06 1777 – Revolutionary War: British Gen Burgoyne captures Fort Ticonderoga from Americans
• Jul 06 1848 – Mexican-American War:  Ended with the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo
• Jul 07 1863 – Civil War: 1st military draft by US (exemptions cost $100)
• Jul 07 1941 – WWII: U.S. forces land in Iceland to forestall Nazi invasion
• Jul 08 1950 – Korean War: Gen Douglas MacArthur named commander-in-chief UN forces in Korea
• Jul 09 1944 – WWII: The island of Saipan in the Marianas fell to U.S. troops following their defeat of Japanese defenders
• Jul 09 1944 – WWII: Napalm was used for the first time during the American invasion of Tinian in the Marianas.
• Jul 09 1951 – WWII: Pres Truman asked Congress to formally end state of war with Germany
• Jul 10 1943 – WWII: Operation Husky – U.S. & Britain invade Sicily.
• Jul 11 1789 – U.S. Marine Corps created by an act of Congress
• Jul 11 1864 – Civil War: Confederate forces led by Gen J Early begin invasion of Wash DC
• Jul 12 1812 – War of 1812: U.S. forces led by Gen Hull invade Canada
• Jul 13 1945 – WWII: 1st atom bomb explodes in New Mexico
• Jul 14 1863 – Civil War: Confederate forces under GEN Robert E. Lee, defeated after three days of fighting at the battle of Gettysburg, began their withdrawal to the South.
• Jul 14 1945 – Battleship USS South Dakota is 1st US ship to bombard Japan
• Jul 15 1779 – Revolutionary War: U.S. troops under Gen A Wayne conquer Ft Stony Point, NY
• Jul 15 1918 – WWII: Beginning of the Second Battle of the Marne between German forces on one side and French, American, British, and Italian troops on the other side. The battle ended on 4 AUG.
• Jul 15 1958 – U.S. Marines deployed in Lebanon

[Source: Various Jun 2010 ++]

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Military Trivia 7:

• The term “Jeep” and how the vehicle derived its name is a widely debated subject. The most common belief is that the name came from the GP designation that the Ford company gave the vehicle, where people blended the two letters together to make a word. Others believe that it came from the term that the Army used to designate untested vehicles – they simply referred to them as jeeps. A third alternative is that the name came from Eugene the Jeep, a character in Popeye.
• In 1940, the Army set up a competition to all automotive companies in an attempt to quickly find a suitable vehicle for the war. With a bid end date of 22 JUL 40, the companies who had decided to enter had 49 days to prepare and present a suitable prototype, and then had another 75 days to finish the required 70 vehicles. Only three companies entered: Ford Motor Company, Willys Motors, and American Bantam Car Company. Although Willys offered the lowest price, American Bantam was the only entry that completed the prototypes in time. Unfortunately, it failed the torque test, and the competition was re-opened to Ford and Willys
• The Army Jeep was first introduced in 1941. The first Jeep rendition, however, was the Bantam BRC. Afterwards, the Army allowed Willys-Overland and Ford to make the Army Jeeps that were to be used for combat.
• There were a total of 647,925 Jeeps made during World War II.
• According to Jeep4Ever.ca, “One Battered Jeep from WWII received a Purple Heart after successfully surviving two beach landings.”
• Jeep4Ever.ca also gives the following anecdote about Army Jeeps: “During WWII Jeeps were coming out of the Willys and Ford Plants at rate of one jeep per one and a half minutes and by the end of the war over 700,000 had been built. The Americans had so many Jeeps that some German soldiers believed each America GI got his own Jeep as standard issue. In France, three American soldiers walked up to a guard post and told the sentry that they were lost. The Frenchman immediately told them to surrender and found that they were German soldiers in disguise. When he was asked how he knew, he replied that Americans always travel in jeeps. Another example happened in Belgium when a guard ordered three German soldiers to surrender after he saw that a colonel was riding in the back seat. He explained later that if they were American that the officer would be driving and the infantryman would be in the backseat.”
• The first Civilian Jeep was produced in 1944 by Willys-Overland. Designated as a CJ (civilian jeep), they retained the basic form and design of the Army Jeep until 1986, when it was revamped and became the Jeep Wrangler.
• There have been more than 74 different models of jeeps through the years, including Army Jeeps and Civilian Jeeps. There are currently 6 models of jeep in production. They include: the Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep Grand Cheerokee, the Jeep Liberty, the Jeep Commander, the Jeep Compass, and the Jeep Patriot. There are 37 different Jeep concept vehicles.
• Ford tried to sue Willys for the Jeep naming rights, and lost. When Willys was sold to other companies, the name Jeep went with it. Therefore, Chrysler is now in possession of the Jeep name.

[Source: www.armyjeepsale.com/jeep-trivia.html Jun 2010 ++]

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Tax Burden for New Mexico Retirees: Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a retirement destination.  This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than offset the lack of a state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax burden. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in New Mexico:

State Sales Tax: 5.375% (prescription drugs exempt); county and city taxes may add another 2.68%. Certain food and medical expenses are exempt.
Gasoline Tax: 18.8 cents/gallon
Diesel Fuel Tax: 22.8 cents/gallon
Cigarette Tax $0.91 cents/pack of 20

Personal Income Taxes

Tax Rate Range: – Low -1.7%; High – 5.3%
Income Brackets: *4:  Lowest – $5,500; Highest – $16,000
Personal Exemptions: ** Single – $3,500; Married – $7,000;
Dependents – $3,500
Additional Exemptions: Taxpayer or spouse 65 or older – up to $10,900 deduction each from taxable income.  An additional tax exemption of up to $2,500 is allowed for low- and middle-income taxpayers.
Standard Deduction: Single – $5,450; Married filing jointly – $9,500
Medical/Dental Deduction: Credit of 3% of unreimbursed prescription drug expenses to maximum of $150 per individual or $300 per return. Also, if you or your spouse are age 65 and over and have unreimbursed or uncompensated medical care expenses of $28,000 or more for yourself, your spouse or dependents during the tax year, you are eligible for a $3,000 exemption and a credit of $2,800.  Click for details.
Federal Income Tax Deduction: None

Retirement Income:

Retirement Income Taxes: The state offers a low- and middle income exemption.  The maximum exemption is $2,500.  To qualify, the amount on line 7 of the state income tax form must be equal to or less than $36,667 (single), $27,500 (married filing separately), or $55,000 (married filing jointly.  A deduction also applies for those 65 and older if your adjusted gross income is not over $51,000 for a joint return, $28,500 for a single taxpayer, or $25,500 for a married taxpayer filing separately.
Retired Military Pay: See above.
Military Disability Retired Pay: Retirees who entered the military before Sept. 24, 1975, and members receiving disability retirements based on combat injuries or who could receive disability payments from the VA are covered by laws giving disability broad exemption from federal income tax. Most military retired pay based on service-related disabilities also is free from federal income tax, but there is no guarantee of total protection.
VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: VA benefits are not taxable because they generally are for disabilities and are not subject to federal or state taxes.
Military SBP/SSBP/RCSBP/RSFPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax. Check with state department of revenue office.

Property Taxes
All property, whether real or personal, is subject to state and local property taxes.  Rates vary substantially and depend on property type and location.  The statewide weighted average rates, i.e., total obligations/total net taxable value, are about $26.47 for residential property. Assessors usually determine market value by the sales-comparison approach which matches a property’s value to that of similar properties.  The valuation of a residence that did not change hands in the prior year may not increase by more than 3% annually.  One-third of the property’s market value (assessment) is its taxable value.  The taxable value may be further reduced by exemptions of $2,000 each of heads of households and $4,000 for veterans.

There is a property tax rebate for residents age 65 and older.  Their modified gross income cannot exceed $18,000 for the tax year and they cannot have been claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s return. Homeowners 65 and older who earn $18,000 ($25,000 in Sandoval County) or less are eligible for a credit of up to $250 (married filing jointly) or $125 for single taxpayers.  Call 505-827-0870 for details.

For details on property taxes refer to www.tax.state.nm.us/oos/PropertyTaxFAQ.pdf If you are a senior refer to www.tax.state.nm.us/pubs/brochure_1.pdf for some useful information.

Inheritance and Estate Taxes – There is no inheritance tax but an inheritance may be reflected in a taxpayer’s modified gross income and taxed that way.  The estate tax is related to federal estate tax collection.

For further information, visit the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department site www.tax.state.nm.us.

Information for new residents is available at www.tax.state.nm.us/pubs/fyi101.pdf .  [Source: www.retirementliving.com Jun 2010 ++]

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Congressional Alphalist: To better understand what is happening to veteran legislation as it proceeds through Congress it is useful to know the language used by our representatives as they conduct business. Following are some of the words or expressions you will see while reading about or listening to House and Senate sessions:

• CALENDAR WEDNESDAY. An older procedure letting committees call up bills of their choice on Wednesdays. It is routinely set aside each week. It was created in 1910 to challenge the speaker’s control of the agenda.
• CALL UP A BILL. To raise it on the floor for immediate consideration.
• CALL of THE HOUSE. A type of quorum call, used to bring absent members to the floor when no vote is pending. It is also used automatically after any vote which had less than a quorum participating.

• CAPITOL HILL. Refers to the area encompassing the U.S. Capitol, and the House & Senate office buildings. The term refers to an incline once known as “Jenkins Hill,” and includes the surrounding residential area.
• CLOAKROOMS. Two long, narrow rooms at the rear of the House and Senate chamber, one for each party. Members meet in the cloakrooms for private conversations, phone calls, and snacks.
• COLLOQUY. A pre-scripted floor dialogue between the chairman of a committee and another congressman. The dialogue seeks to clarify the intent behind certain provisions for purposes of legislative history.
• CONCURRENT RESOLUTION. A resolution used to take action or express opinion on behalf of both the House and Senate. It does not make law. Uses include fixing adjournment dates & setting the annual congressional budget.
• CONFEREE. A Member of Congress named to represent his/her chamber in negotiations with the other house. Formally known as “managers,” the conferees meet in a conference committee to negotiate a compromise between the House and Senate versions of a bill.
• CONFERENCE. Refers to a formal meeting, or series of meetings, between House and Senate Members. The purpose of a conference is to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill.
• CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. A temporary panel of House and Senate negotiators. A conference committee is created to resolve differences between versions of similar House and Senate bills.
• CONFERENCE REPORT. Refers to the final version of a bill proposed by House and Senate conferees. It also contains the “statement of managers,” a section-by-section explanation of the agreement
• CONTINUING RESOLUTION. Also known as a “CR,” continues funding for a program if the fiscal year ends without a new appropriation in place. A “CR” provides temporary funding at current levels or less.

• CASEWORK. Refers to intermediary work performed by members of Congress for constituents who may have problems, or “cases”, with the federal government.
• CATS AND DOG. These are leftover “stray” bills on minor subjects saved for days with light floor schedules.
• CAUCUS. This is an informal group of members sharing an interest in the same policy issues. Examples include the Arts Caucus, the Democratic Caucus, the Black Caucus, the Rural Caucus, etc.
• CBO. Congressional Budget Office, conducts non-partisan economic analysis and research. CBO also evaluates proposed bills and amendments, assessing their potential cost.
• C.F.R. Stands for the code of federal regulations. These are rules written by federal agencies.
• CHAIRPERSON. The leader of a congressional committee. Chairmen are always members of the majority party, often those with seniority; their powers include the ability to schedule hearings and allocate committee budget.
• CHAPLAIN of THE HOUSE OR SENATE. The individual who opens the day in his respective Chamber with prayer & gives pastoral counsel to its members.
• CLERK of THE HOUSE. The person who creates and maintains legislative documents, voting tallys, and other records. The business management of the House is handled by the new Chief Administrative Officer.

• CLOSED RULE. A rule that bans amendments to a bill on the House floor, with the exception of Committee amendments. Committee amendments are approved in advance by a committee and offered by its chairman or his/her designee.
• CLOTURE. The formal procedure used to end a filibuster. It can take up to three days and requires 60 votes. Cloture can also be used even if there is no filibuster underway, to ban non-germane amendments. If cloture wins, 30 additional hours of debate are allowed prior to voting, but they are rarely used. If cloture fails, debate would continue without limits. Instead, the bill is usually set aside.
• CODE. Stands for Congressional Delegation. It refers to a trip abroad by a group of members.
• COLA. A cost-of-living-adjustment, increasing federal benefit payments to keep current with inflation.
• COLLEAGUE. A term of address used by members to refer to one another, as in “my distinguished colleague.”

• COMMIT A BILL. To send it to a committee for initial consideration rather than debating it immediately.
• COMMITTEE of the WHOLE. The entire House meeting in the form of a committee. This allows members to follow the more expeditious rules of a committee. House rules require that all money bills be considered in the Committee of the Whole.
• COMMITTEE REPORT. A report prepared by a House or Senate Committee to explain the content of a bill being reported. Committee reports are optional in the Senate, but mandatory in the House. They contain views of Committee members, a cost impact analysis, and compare the bill to current law.
• COMPANION BILL. A bill that is similar or may be identical to one introduced in the other house of Congress.

• CONFIRMATION. Refers to the Senate’s constitutional duty to approve or reject presidential nominations.
• THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. A daily account of House and Senate floor debate, votes and members’ remarks. It is printed by the Government Printing Office and for sale to the public. It’s also on the internet.
• CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE (CRS). Refers to the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. CRS responds to requests for general information and issue analysis only from Members, Committees, or staff.
• CONSTITUENCY SERVICE. Refers to the assistance given constituents by Members of Congress in non-legislative areas. Most requests are for help in obtaining action from federal agencies on individual problems and cases. Other services include obtaining government information and publications, flags flown over the capitol, and military academy appointments.
• CONSTITUENTS. Members refer to the people who live in their Congressional district or state as their “constituents.”

• CONTRACT AUTHORITY. Permits a federal agency to obligate money prior to actually having the funds in hand.
• CORDON RULE. The Rule requires Senate committee reports to show in detail how a bill would change current law. The rule is named after the Oregon Senator who suggested it, Guy Cordon. He served from 1944 – 1955.
• CORRECTIONS CALENDAR. This Calendar is used to repeal or revise laws considered outdated, harmful, or unnecessary. A 3/5 vote is required to pass a corrections bill. It may be amended only by committee-approved language.
• CO-SPONSOR. A member who formally adds his/her name as a supporter to another member’s bill. An initial cosponsor is one who was listed at the time of the bill’s introduction, not added on later.

[Source: C-SPAN Congressional Glossary Jun 2010 ++]

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Veteran Legislation Status 28 JUN 2010: For or a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 111^th Congress refer to the Bulletin’s Veteran Legislation attachment. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law.  A good indication on that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it.  To determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html.

Grassroots lobbying is perhaps the most effective way to let your Representative and Senators know your opinion. Whether you are calling into a local or Washington, D.C. office; sending a letter or e-mail; signing a petition; or making a personal visit, Members of Congress are the most receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues.  You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov your legislator’s phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making.  Refer to http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_schedule.html for dates that you can access your legislators on their home turf.  [Source: RAO Bulletin Attachment 28 Jun 2010 ++]

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Have You Heard?

A crusty old Marine Sergeant Major found himself at a gala event hosted by a local liberal arts college. There was no shortage of young, idealistic ladies in attendance, one of whom approached the Sergeant Major and asked,   ‘Excuse me, Sergeant Major, but you seem to be a very serious man. Is something bothering you?’

‘Negative, ma’am. Just serious by nature.’

The young lady looked at his awards and decorations and said, ‘It looks like you have seen a lot of action?’

‘Yes, ma’am, a lot of action.’

The young lady, tiring of trying to start up a conversation, said, ‘You know, you should lighten up a little. Relax and enjoy yourself.’   The Sergeant Major just stared at her in his serious manner.   Finally the young lady said, ‘You know, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but when is the last time you had sex?’

‘1958,’ he replied.

‘Well, there you are. No wonder you’re so serious. You really need To chill out! I mean, no sex since 1958!

She took his hand and led him to a private room where she proceeded to help him ‘relax’ several times.

Afterwards, panting for breath, she leaned against his bare chest and said, ‘Wow, you sure didn’t forget much since 1958.’

The Sergeant Major said in his serious voice, after glancing at his watch, ‘I hope not; it’s only 2143 now.’

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A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 – 1969)

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Lt. James “EMO” Tichacek, USN (Ret)

Associate Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RP

PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517

Tel: (951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philippines.

Email: [email protected] Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html

AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member

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by James Martin Davis

reprinted from the Omaha World Herald, November 1987

Deep in the recesses of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., hidden for nearly four decades lie thousands of pages of yellowing and dusty documents stamped “Top Secret”. These documents, now declassified, are the plans for Operation Downfall, the invasion of Japan during World War II. Only a few Americans in 1945 were aware of the elaborate plans that had been prepared for the Allied Invasion of the Japanese home islands. Even fewer today are aware of the defenses the Japanese had prepared to counter the invasion had it been launched. Operation Downfall was finalized during the spring and summer of 1945. It called for two massive military undertakings to be carried out in succession and aimed at the heart of the Japanese Empire.

In the first invasion code named Operation Olympic American combat troops would land on Japan by amphibious assault during the early morning hours of November 1, 1945 50 years ago. Fourteen combat divisions of soldiers and Marines would land on heavily fortified and defended Kyushu, the southernmost of the Japanese home islands, after an unprecedented naval and aerial bombardment. (Note – The 11th and 13th Airborne Divisions based on Okinawa would be used to fill in the gaps of those units destroyed in the amphibious assault. G L Wells)

The second invasion on March 1, 1946 code named Operation Coronet would send at least 22 divisions against 1 million Japanese defenders on the main island of Honshu and the Tokyo Plain. It’s goal: the unconditional surrender of Japan. With the exception of a part of the British Pacific Fleet, Operation Downfall was to be a strictly American operation. It called for using the entire Marine Corps, the entire Pacific Navy, elements of the 7th Army Air Force, the 8th Air Force (recently redeployed from Europe), 10th Air Force and the American Far Eastern Air Force. More than 1.5 million combat soldiers, with 3 million more in support or more than 40% of all servicemen still in uniform in 1945 – would be directly involved in the two amphibious assaults. Casualties were expected to be extremely heavy. &nb sp;

Admiral William Leahy estimated that there would be more than 250,000 Americans killed or wounded on Kyushu alone. General Charles Willoughby, chief of intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific, estimated American casualties would be one million men by the fall of 1946. Willoughby’s own intelligence staff considered this to be a conservative estimate.

During the summer of 1945, America had little time to prepare for such an endeavor, but top military leaders were in almost unanimous agreement that an invasion was necessary.

While naval blockade and strategic bombing of Japan was considered to be useful, General MacArthur, for instance, did not believe a blockade would bring about an unconditional surrender. The advocates for invasion agreed that while a naval blockade chokes, it does not kill; and though strategic bombing might destroy cities, it leaves whole armies intact.

So on May 25, 1945, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after extensive deliberation, issued to General MacArthur, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and Army Air Force General Henry Arnold, the top secret directive to proceed with the invasion of Kyushu. The target date was after the typhoon season

President Truman approved the plans for the invasions July 24, 1945. Two days later, the United Nations issued the Potsdam Proclamation, which called upon Japan to surrender unconditionally or face total destruction. Three days later, the Japanese governmental news agency broadcast to the world that Japan would ignore the proclamation and would refuse to surrender. During this same period it was learned via monitoring Japanese radio broadcasts that Japan had closed all schools and mobilized its school children, was arming its civilian population and was fortifying caves and building underground defenses.

Operation Olympic called for a four pronged assault on Kyushu. Its purpose was to seize and control the southern one-third of that island and establish naval and air bases, to tighten the naval blockade of the home islands, to destroy units of the main Japanese army and to support the later invasion of the Tokyo Plain.

The preliminary invasion would began October 27, 1945 when the 40th Infantry Division would land on a series of small islands west and southwest of Kyushu. At the same time, the 158th Regimental Combat Team would invade and occupy a small island 28 miles south of Kyushu. On these islands, seaplane bases would be established and radar would be set up to provide advance air warning for the invasion fleet, to serve as fighter direction centers for the carrier-based aircraft and to provide an emergency anchorage for the invasion fleet, should things not go well on the day of the invasion. As the invasion grew imminent, the massive firepower of the Navy the Third and Fifth Fleets would approach Japan. The Third Fleet, under Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, with its big guns and naval aircraft, would provide strategic support for the operation against Honshu and Hokkaido. Halsey’s fleet would be composed of battleships, heavy cruisers, destroyers, dozens of support ships and three fast carrier task groups. From these carriers, hundreds of Navy fighters, dive bombers and torpedo planes would hit targets all over the island of Honshu. The 3,000 ship Fifth Fleet, under Admiral Raymond Spruance, would carry the invasion troops.

Several days before the invasion, the battleships, heavy cruisers and destroyers would pour thousands of tons of high explosives into the target areas. They would not cease the bombardment until after the land forces had been launched. During the early morning hours of November 1, 1945 the invasion would begin. Thousands of soldiers and Marines would pour ashore on beaches all along the eastern, southeastern, southern and western coasts of Kyushu. Waves of Helldivers, Dauntless dive bombers, Avengers, Corsairs, and Hellcats from 66 aircraft carriers would bomb, rocket and strafe enemy defenses, gun emplacements and troop concentrations along the beaches.

The Eastern Assault Force consisting of the 25th, 33rd and 41st Infantry Divisions would land near Miyaski, at beaches called Austin, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford, and move inland to attempt to capture the city and its nearby airfield. The Southern Assault Force, consisting of the 1st Cavalry Division, the 43rd Division and Americal Division would land inside Ariake Bay at beaches labeled DeSoto, Dusenberg, Essex, Ford, and Franklin and attempt to capture Shibushi and the city of Kanoya and its airfield.

On the western shore of Kyushu, at beaches Pontiac, Reo, Rolls Royce, Saxon, Star, Studebaker, Stutz, Winston and Zephyr, the V Amphibious Corps would land the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Marine Divisions, sending half of its force inland to Sendai and the other half to the port city of Kagoshima.

On November 4, 1945 the Reserve Force, consisting of the 81st and 98th Infantry Divisions and the 11th Airborne Division, after feigning an attack of the island of Shikoku, would be landed if not needed elsewhere near Kaimondake, near the southernmost tip of Kagoshima Bay, at the beaches designated Locomobile, Lincoln, LaSalle, Hupmobile, Moon, Mercedes, Maxwell, Overland, Oldsmobile, Packard and Plymouth.

Olympic was not just a plan for invasion, but for conquest and occupation as well. It was expected to take four months to achieve its objective, with the three fresh American divisions per month to be landed in support of that operation if needed.

If all went well with Olympic, Coronet would be launched March 1, 1946. Coronet would be twice the size of Olympic, with as many as 28 divisions landing on Honshu.

All along the coast east of Tokyo, the American 1st Army would land the 5th, 7th, 27th, 44th, 86th, and 96th Infantry Divisions along with the 4th and 6th Marine Divisions.

At Sagami Bay, just south of Tokyo, the entire 8th and 10th Armies would strike north and east to clear the long western shore of Tokyo Bay and attempt to go as far as Yokohama. The assault troops landing south of Tokyo would be the 4th, 6th, 8th, 24th, 31st, 37th, 38th and 8th Infantry Divisions, along with the 13th and 20th Armored Divisions.

Following the initial assault, eight more divisions the 2nd, 28th, 35th, 91st, 95th, 97th and 104th Infantry Divisions and the 11th Airborne Division would be landed. If additional troops were needed, as expected, other divisions redeployed from Europe and undergoing training in the United States would be shipped to Japan in what was hoped to be the final push.

Captured Japanese documents and post war interrogations of Japanese military leaders disclose that information concerning the number of Japanese planes available for the defense of the home islands was dangerously in error.

During the sea battle at Okinawa alone, Japanese kamakaze aircraft sank 32 Allied ships and damaged more than 400 others. But during the summer of 1945, American top brass concluded that the Japanese had spent their air force since American bombers and fighters daily flew unmolested over Japan.

What the military leaders did not know was that by the end of July the Japanese had been saving all aircraft, fuel, and pilots in reserve, and had been feverishly building new planes for the decisive battle for their homeland.

As part of Ketsu-Go, the name for the plan to defend Japan the Japanese were building 20 suicide takeoff strips in southern Kyushu with underground hangars. They also had 35 camouflaged airfields and nine seaplane bases.

On the night before the expected invasion, 50 Japanese seaplane bombers, 100 former carrier aircraft and 50 land based army planes were to be launched in a suicide attack on the fleet.

The Japanese had 58 more airfields in Korea, western Honshu and Shikoku, which also were to be used for massive suicide attacks.

Allied intelligence had established that the Japanese had no more than 2,500 aircraft of which they guessed 300 would be deployed in suicide attacks.

In August 1945, however, unknown to Allied intelligence, the Japanese still had 5,651 army and 7,074 navy aircraft, for a total of 12,725 planes of all types. Every village had some type of aircraft manufacturing activity. Hidden in mines, railway tunnels, under viaducts and in basements of department stores, work was being done to construct new planes.

Additionally, the Japanese were building newer and more effective models of the Okka, a rocket-propelled bomb much like the German V-1, but flown by a suicide pilot.

When the invasion became imminent, Ketsu-Go called for a fourfold aerial plan of attack to destroy up to 800 Allied ships.

While Allied ships were approaching Japan, but still in the open seas, an initial force of 2,000 army and navy fighters were to fight to the death to control the skies over kyushu. A second force of 330 navy combat pilots were to attack the main body of the task force to keep it from using its fire support and air cover to protect the troop carrying transports. While these two forces were engaged, a third force of 825 suicide planes was to hit the American transports.

As the invasion convoys approached their anchorages, another 2,000 suicide planes were to be launched in waves of 200 to 300, to be used in hour by hour attacks.

By mid-morning of the first day of the invasion, most of the American land-based aircraft would be forced to return to their bases, leaving the defense against the suicide planes to the carrier pilots and the shipboard gunners.

Carrier pilots crippled by fatigue would have to land time and time again to rearm and refuel. Guns would malfunction from the heat of continuous firing and ammunition would become scarce. Gun crews would be exhausted by nightfall, but still the waves of kamikaze would continue. With the fleet hovering off the beaches, all remaining Japanese aircraft would be committed to nonstop suicide attacks, which the Japanese hoped could be sustained for 10 days. The Japanese planned to coordinate their air strikes with attacks from the 40 remaining submarines from the Imperial Navy some armed with Long Lance torpedoes with a range of 20 miles when the invasion fleet was 180 miles off Kyushu.

The Imperial Navy had 23 destroyers and two cruisers which were operational. These ships were to be used to counterattack the American invasion. A number of the destroyers were to be beached at the last minute to be used as anti-invasion gun platforms.

Once offshore, the invasion fleet would be forced to defend not only against the attacks from the air, but would also be confronted with suicide attacks from sea. Japan had established a suicide naval attack unit of midget submarines, human torpedoes and exploding motorboats

The goal of the Japanese was to shatter the invasion before the landing. The Japanese were convinced the Americans would back off or become so demoralized that they would then accept a less-than-unconditional surrender and a more honorable and face-saving end for the Japanese.

But as horrible as the battle of Japan would be off the beaches, it would be on Japanese soil that the American forces would face the most rugged and fanatical defense encountered during the war.

Throughout the island-hopping Pacific campaign, Allied troops had always out numbered the Japanese by 2 to 1 and sometimes 3 to 1. In Japan it would be different. By virtue of a combination of cunning, guesswork, and brilliant military reasoning, a number of Japan’s top military leaders were able to deduce, not only when, but where, the United States would land its first invasion forces.

Facing the 14 American divisions landing at Kyushu would be 14 Japanese divisions, 7 independent mixed brigades, 3 tank brigades and thousands of naval troops. On Kyushu the odds would be 3 to 2 in favor of the Japanese, with 790,000 enemy defenders against 550,000 Americans. This time the bulk of the Japanese defenders would not be the poorly trained and ill-equipped labor battalions that the Americans had faced in the earlier campaigns.

The Japanese defenders would be the hard core of the home army. These troops were well-fed and well equipped. They were familiar with the terrain, had stockpiles of arms and ammunition, and had developed an effective system of transportation and supply almost invisible from the air. Many of these Japanese troops were the elite of the army, and they were swollen with a fanatical fighting spirit.

Japan’s network of beach defenses consisted of offshore mines, thousands of suicide scuba divers attacking landing craft, and mines planted on the beaches. Coming ashore, the American Eastern amphibious assault forces at Miyazaki would face three Japanese divisions, and two others poised for counterattack. Awaiting the Southeastern attack force at Ariake Bay was an entire division and at least one mixed infantry brigade.

On the western shores of Kyushu, the Marines would face the most brutal opposition. Along the invasion beaches would be the three Japanese divisions, a tank brigade, a mixed infantry brigade and an artillery command. Components of two divisions would also be poised to launch counterattacks.

If not needed to reinforce the primary landing beaches, the American Reserve Force would be landed at the base of Kagoshima Bay November 4, 1945, where they would be confronted by two mixed infantry brigades, parts of two infantry divisions and thousands of naval troops.

All along the invasion beaches, American troops would face coastal batteries, anti-landing obstacles and a network of heavily fortified pillboxes, bunkers, and underground fortresses. As Americans waded ashore, they would face intense artillery and mortar fire as they worked their way through concrete rubble and barbed-wire entanglements arranged to funnel them into the muzzles of these Japanese guns.

On the beaches and beyond would be hundreds of Japanese machine gun positions, beach mines, booby traps, trip-wire mines and sniper units. Suicide units concealed in “spider holes” would engage the troops as they passed nearby. In the heat of battle, Japanese infiltration units would be sent to reap havoc in the American lines by cutting phone and communication lines. Some of the Japanese troops would be in American uniform, English-speaking Japanese officers were assigned to break in on American radio traffic to call off artillery fire, to order retreats and to further confuse troops. Other infiltration with demolition charges strapped on their chests or backs wold attempt to blow up american tanks, artillery pieces and ammunition stores as they were unloaded ashore. < o:p>

Beyond the beaches were large artillery pieces situated to bring down a curtain of fire on the beach. Some of these large guns were mounted on railroad tracks running in and out of caves protected by concrete and steel.

The battle for Japan would be won by what Simon Bolivar Buckner, a lieutenant general in the Confederate army during the Civil War, had called “Prairie Dog Warfare.” This type of fighting was almost unknown to the ground troops in Europe and the Mediterranean. It was peculiar only to the soldiers and Marines who fought the Japanese on islands all over the Pacific at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Prairie Dog Warfare was a battle for yards, feet and sometimes inches. It was brutal, deadly and dangerous form of combat aimed at an underground, heavily fortified, non-retreating enemy.

In the mountains behind the Japanese beaches were underground networks of caves, bunkers, command posts and hospitals connected by miles of tunnels with dozens of entrances and exits. Some of these complexes could hold up to 1,000 troops.

In addition to the use of poison gas and bacteriological warfare (which the Japanese had experimented with), Japan mobilized its citizenry.

Had Olympic come about, the Japanese civilian population, inflamed by a national slogan “One Hundred Million Will Die for the Emperor and Nation” were prepared to fight to the death. Twenty Eight Million Japanese had become a part of the National Volunteer Combat Force. They were armed with ancient rifles, lunge mines, satchel charges, Molotov cocktails and one-shot black powder mortars. Others were armed with swords, long bows, axes and bamboo spears. The civilian units were to be used in nighttime attacks, hit and run maneuvers, delaying actions and massive suicide charges at the weaker American positions.

At the early stage of the invasion, 1,000 Japanese and American soldiers would be dying every hour.

The invasion of Japan never became a reality because on August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was exploded over Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Within days the war with Japan was at a close.

Had these bombs not been dropped and had the invasion been launched as scheduled, combat casualties in Japan would have been at a minimum of the tens of thousands. Every foot of Japanese soil would have been paid for by Japanese and American lives.

One can only guess at how many civilians would have committed suicide in their homes or in futile mass military attacks.

In retrospect, the 1 million American men who were to be the casualties of the invasion, were instead lucky enough to survive the war.

Intelligence studies and military estimates made 50 years ago, and not latter-day speculation, clearly indicate that the battle for Japan might well have resulted in the biggest blood-bath in the history of modern warfare.

Far worse would be what might have happened to Japan as a nation and as a culture. When the invasion came, it would have come after several months of fire bombing all of the remaining Japanese cities. The cost in human life that resulted from the two atomic blasts would be small in comparison to the total number of Japanese lives that would have been lost by this aerial devastation.

With American forces locked in combat in the south of Japan, little could have prevented the Soviet Union from marching into the northern half of the Japanese home islands. Japan today cold be divided much like Korea and Germany.

The world was spared the cost of Operation Downfall, however, because Japan formally surrendered to the United Nations September 2, 1945, and World War II was over.

The aircraft carriers, cruisers and transport ships scheduled to carry the invasion troops to Japan, ferried home American troops in a gigantic operation called Magic Carpet.

In the fall of 1945, in the aftermath of the war, few people concerned themselves with the invasion plans. Following the surrender, the classified documents, maps, diagrams and appendices for Operation Downfall were packed away in boxes and eventually stored at the National Archives. These plans that called for the invasion of Japan paint a vivid description of what might have been one of the most horrible campaigns in the history of man. The fact that the story of the invasion of Japan is locked up in the National Archives and is not told in our history books is something for which all Americans can be thankful.

Alabama State Veteran’s Benefits

The state of Alabama provides several veteran benefits. A brief description of each of the following benefits.

* Housing Benefits

* Financial Assistance Benefits

* Employment Benefits

* Veterans Business Benefits

* Education Benefits

* Other State Veteran Benefits

Alabama Veteran Housing Programs

Alabama State Veterans Home Program

The State of Alabama is extending this special kind of care to veterans through a partnership with the federal government and private industry. The Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City has been “home” to hundreds of veterans since its opening in 1989. In January 1995, Alabama opened two more homes to veterans, the Floyd E. “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home in Huntsville, and the William F. Green State Veterans Home in Bay Minette.

Learn more about the Alabama Veterans’ Home Program

Alabama Financial Assistance Programs

Ad Valorem Tax Exemptions

Homes of Totally Disabled Persons or Those Over Age 65:

Exemption is provided from ad valorem taxation of the home of any person who is totally disabled or who is 65 years of age or older, and who had a net annual income of $7,500.00 or less for income tax purposes for the last preceding year.

Homes of Veterans/Widows Acquired Under Public Law 702:

The home of any veteran which is or was acquired by him pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 702, 80th Congress (specially adapted housing grant) as amended by (38 USC) regardless of its value shall be exempt as long as the same is owned and occupied as a home by the veteran or his un-remarried widow.

Incompetent Veterans:

The property of all incompetent veterans to the value of $3,000.00 is exempt from ad valorem taxation.

Motor Vehicle Paid for by VA Grant:

Any disabled veteran of WW II or of any hostilities in which the United States was, is or shall be engaged against any foreign state who owns an automobile which has been, is or shall hereafter be all or partly paid for with funds furnished for such purposes by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under the authority of any act of the Congress of the United States is entitled to exemptions from all license fees and ad valorem taxes on such motor vehicle provided the veteran keeps the vehicle only for private use.

Veterans Organizations:

All property owned by the American Legion or by Veterans of Foreign Wars or by the Disabled American Veterans, or any post thereof; provided, that such property is used and occupied exclusively by their organization.

Learn more about Ad Valorem Tax Exemptions

Bonus for Southeast Asian War Prisoners

A gratuity in the amount of $500.00 shall be paid to any person who entered the armed services while a bona fide resident of the state of Alabama and who was imprisoned as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. If the person qualified for the payment of this bonus died while a prisoner, the gratuity shall be paid to the next of kin. All applications for bonus or gratuity payments must be made to the State Department of Veterans Affairs. No payment shall be made except on applications duly received and approved by the said agency.

Learn more about the Bonus for Southeast Asian War Prisoners

Exemption of Debts Incurred Pursuant to National Housing Act or Veterans’ Benefits

All debts or extensions of credit incurred pursuant to any provision of the act of Congress known as the National Housing Act, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended or supplemented, and all debts or extensions of credit incurred pursuant to any act of Congress relating to veterans’ benefits, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended or supplemented, are exempt from any law of this state relating to usury or prescribing or limiting interest rates.

Learn more about the Exemption of Debts

Military Retiree Income Tax Exemption

Effective January 1, 1989, and for all successive tax years, all retirement or compensation received as retirement benefits by any person retired from the military service of the United States of America and survivor benefits derived therefrom is hereby exempt from any state, county or municipal income tax or like tax whatever name called.

Learn more about the Military Retiree Income Tax Exemption

Unemployment Compensation

A person who served in the armed forces of the United States and who is unemployed may be entitled to unemployment compensation based on their honorable military or naval service. Contact the nearest State Employment Compensation Claims Office. Pension or disability payments provided by the United States to the individuals who have completed the period of military service may disqualify such individual from receiving unemployment compensation.

Learn more about Unemployment Compensation

Military Combat Pay Income Tax Exemption

Money paid by the United States to a person as compensation for active service as a member of the armed forces of the United States in a combat zone designed by executive order of the President of the United States shall not be subject to income taxes levied by the State of Alabama for the calendar year 1965 or any subsequent year.

Learn more about the Military Combat Pay Income Tax Exemption

Alabama Veteran Employment Programs

Job Status and Reemployment Rights

County and municipal officials who enter the military or naval service at a time when a state of national emergency has been declared to exist by the President of the United States, have preservation of job status and reemployment rights.

Any teacher entering the military service of the United States, who is not on continuing service status but who has accumulated one or more years of teaching experience immediately prior to entering military service, shall be given credit for such experience if such teacher is re-imposed within one year after release from military service.

Learn more about Job Status and Reemployment Rights

Preference in State Classified Employment

All persons who have been honorably discharged from the United States armed forces at any time shall have five points added to any earned ratings in examination for entrance to the state classified service. Those honorably discharged veterans with the present existence of a service-connected disability and entitled to pension, compensation or disability allowance under existing laws shall have 10 points added to any earned ratings. Wives and widows of certain disabled or deceased veterans may have the 10 point preference extended to them and added to any earned ratings.

Learn more about Preference in State Classified Employment

Membership in State Employees’/Teachers’ Retirement System

Retirement benefits rights of state employees and teachers who enter the armed forces and return to state employment after discharge are preserved. A member who enter the armed services and does not withdraw contributions, and who returns to said employment within one year after being honorably discharged, may be granted credit for military service up to four years, provided the employee pays an amount equal to four percent of the average compensation paid to a state employee during each claimed year of full-time military service, plus and together there with eight percent interest compounded from the last date of such claimed military service. The contributions must be made within a period of time equal to the length of service in the armed forces or before attainment of age 60, or in the case of a state policeman, age 56, whichever occurs first. No credit for military service shall be granted if such member is receiving military service retirement benefits.

Learn more about Membership in State Employees’/Teachers’ Retirement System

Alabama Veterans Business Benefits

Business and Occupation License Exemptions for Disabled Veterans

Any bona fide permanent resident of Alabama who is a veteran of the Spanish American War, WW I, WW II or at any time past, present or future, when the United States was, is or shall be engaged in hostilities with any foreign state and who has physical disabilities of 25% or more whether service-connected or not, who conducts their business as a means of livelihood through their personal efforts and has no more than one employee and whose property (both real and personal) is valued at less than $5,000.00 and net income is less than $2,500.00 is entitled to businesses and occupations license exemptions of $25.00 for each state, county and municipality. There is not a deadline on these exemptions.

Learn more about Business and Occupation License Exemptions

Business and Occupation License Exemptions for Veterans of WW II

Alabama veterans who served in the armed forces of the United States between September 16, 1940 and the termination of WW II or at any subsequent time when the United States was, is or shall be engaged in hostilities with any foreign state are entitled to exceptions on business of occupation license of $35.00 for each the state, county and municipality for a period, as to WW II veterans, or six years from July 24, 1953, or six years after date of discharge from military service, whichever is later. Post Korean veterans (Vietnam) have for a period of six years from January 1, 1964 until May 7, 1975, or six years after date of discharge, whichever is later. Such veterans whose property is valued at $7,000.00 or more, or whose net annual income is $3,000.00 or more, is limited to $15.00 exemptions from the state, county and municipality.

Learn more about Business and Occupation License Exemptions

Forfeiture of Franchise

No corporate franchise shall be forfeited for non-use, if any of the managing officers of such corporation become engaged in military service of the United States and as a result thereof the corporation suspends operations, if the corporation has paid all its franchise and other taxes to the State.

Learn more about the Forfeiture of Franchise

Alabama Education Assistance Programs

G. I. Dependents’ Scholarship Program

This nationally renowned program was created by Act 633 and approved October 1947 by the Alabama Legislature. It is administered by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and is governed by the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 31-6-1. The veteran must meet the following qualifications to establish eligibility of his/her dependents. A dependent is defined as a child, stepchild, spouse or the un-remarried widow (er) of the veteran.

Learn more about the G. I. Dependents’ Scholarship Program

Other Alabama State Veteran Benefits

Armed Forces Voter Registration and Absentee Voting

Members of the armed forces of the United States and their dependents may register and receive an absentee ballot for voting in the county of their Alabama permanent address by completing the federal postcard application form, “Federal Post Card Registration and Absentee Ballot Request” (Standard Form 76). This form may be obtained from the military unit’s voting officer. The completed form should be mailed to the Board of Registrars in the county of his/her Alabama permanent address.

Learn more about Armed Forces Voter Registration and Absentee Voting

Commitment of Incompetent Veteran

Whenever it appears that an incompetent veteran of any war, military occupation or expedition is eligible for treatment in a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center is necessary for the proper care and treatment of such veteran, the courts of this state are hereby authorized to communicate with the administration with reference to available facilities and eligibility and, upon receipt of a certificate from the administration stating that there are facilities available in a VA Medical Center is entitled to hospitalization therein, the court may then direct such veteran’s commitment to such hospital. Notice of such pending proceedings shall be furnished the person so committed, and his right to appear and defend shall not be denied.

Learn more about the Commitment of Incompetent Veteran

Executive, Attestation and Acknowledgment Certification

Acknowledgments, proof of conveyance and affidavits may be taken by certain government, state or municipal officials or by any commissioned officer of any of the armed forces of the United States, within or outside the limits of the United States, and when such acknowledgment is taken by the latter, no seal of office is required and the signature of such commissioned officer is prima facie proof of his authority, and is retroactive as of December 7, 1941.

Learn more about the Executive, Attestation and Acknowledgment Certification

Fiduciaries in War Service

Any fiduciary engaged in war service may be removed from this office as such upon petition filed in the proper court having jurisdiction and again serve as such fiduciary at any time after the termination of their war service upon petition of the court.

Learn more about Fiduciaries in War Service

Fishing License

Any person who is totally disabled and who has been a bona fide resident of this state for not less than six months preceding the date of application may, upon the payment of a license fee of $1.00, procure a special annual fishing license.

Learn more about Fishing Licenses

Guardianship for Veterans and Minor Dependents

The Uniform Veterans’ Guardianship Act provides for the appointment of a guardian for veterans and their minor dependents who are mentally or physically incapacitated. This Act outlines the appointment process, duties, responsibilities, limits, taxing of costs and fees of guardianship. The control and accountability of the beneficiary’s estate and income include only moneys received by the guardian from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and all earnings, interest and profits derived.

Learn more about Guardianship for Veterans and Minor Dependents

Hunting License

No exemption is available for hunting license due to disability.

Learn more about Hunting Licenses

Military Leave of Absence

All officers and employees of the State of Alabama, or of any county, municipality, or other agency or political subdivision thereof, who shall be active members of the Alabama National Guard or naval militia, or of the Officers’ Reserve Corps of the United States Army, or of the reserve components of the United Stated armed forces, shall be entitled to military or naval leave of absence from their respective civil duties and occupations on all days that they shall be engaged in field or coast defense or other training or on other service ordered under the provision of the below cited statute, or of the National Defense Act, or of the federal laws governing the United States reserves, without loss of pay, time, efficiency rating, annual vacation, or sick leave, but no such person granted such leave of absence with pay shall be paid for more than 21 working days at any one time.

Learn more about Military Leave of Absence

Notice of Armed Forces Death

A written notice or communication from the Department of Defense, the Adjutant General of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy or other officer charged with the duty of sending such notice or communication to the effect that any person in the armed forces of our country, or serving as auxiliary thereto, is dead shall be accepted as evidence of the death of such person.

Learn more about the Notice of Armed Forces Death

Official Report of Person Missing, Etc

An official written report or record or duly certified copy thereof, that a person is missing, missing in action, interned in a neutral country, or beleaguered, besieged or captured by an enemy or is dead or is alive, made by any officer or employee of the United States authorized by any law of the United States to make same, shall be received in any court, office or other place in this State as evidence as to the status of the person.

Learn more about the Official Report of Person Missing

Peace Officers’ Credit for Military Service

Any peace officer who becomes a member of the fund and who left employment and entered directly into the armed forces of the United States and who returned to work as a peace office within six months after release or discharge shall receive prior employment service credit for service in the military not to exceed five years.

Learn more about Peace Officers’ Credit for Military Service

Public Records

One copy of any public record (birth or marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) is furnished free of charge when required by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be used in determining the eligibility of any person to participate in benefits made available by their federal agency.

Learn more about Public Records

Recording of Discharges

Honorable discharges and certificates of honorable service are recorded free of charge by probate judges.

Learn more about Recording of Discharges

Validation of Marriage of Divorced Persons

Marriages of all persons subsequent to a divorce decree granted in the State and not prohibiting the person from remarrying, are declared to be valid, notwithstanding that the decree of divorce did not specifically confer on such person the right to remarry. Many claims for pension and compensation against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have been made effective by this law.

Learn more about the Validation of Marriage of Divorced Persons

Wills

The will of a person, executed while in the armed forces, is admitted to probate when subscribing witness or witnesses are out of the state at the time the will is offered for probate; or when places of address of witnesses are unknown, upon oath of at least three persons that the signature to said will is in the handwriting of the person whose will it intends to be. Such will is acceptable when so proved.

Learn more about Wills

[Source: www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/alabama-state-veterans-benefits Jun 2010 ++]

Of the 5518 House and 3482 Senate pieces of legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to date, the following are of interest to the non-active duty veteran community. Bill titles in green (if any) are new additions to this summary, titles in orange have either passed either the House or Senate and been passed to the other for consideration or been incorporated into another bill, and those highlighted in blue have become public law. A good indication on the likelihood a bill of being forwarded to the House or Senate for passage and subsequently being signed into law by the President is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. An alternate way for it to become law is if it is added as an addendum to another bill such as the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and survives the conference committee assigned to iron out the difference between the House and Senate bills. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s text, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To separately determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html. To review a numerical list of all bills introduced refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/111search.html. The key to increasing cosponsorship is letting legislators know of their constituent’s views on issues. Those bills that include a website in red are being pushed by various veterans groups for passage and by clicking on that website you can forward a preformatted message to your legislator requesting he/she support the bill.

House

H.R.23 : Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (168)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=12497121

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H.R.32 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.315

Sponsor: Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (41)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949 .

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H.R.33 : Disability Benefit Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 5-month waiting period for entitlement to disability benefits and to eliminate reconsideration as an intervening step between initial benefit entitlement decisions and subsequent hearings on the record on such decisions.

Sponsor: Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.43 : Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.

Sponsor: Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (181) Related bill S.46

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14486941&type=CO

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H.R.82 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to expand retroactive eligibility of the Army Combat Action Badge to include members of the Army who participated in combat during which they personally engaged, or were personally engaged by, the enemy at any time on or after December 7, 1941.

Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (19)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.84 : Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.108 : Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend military commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability and to their dependents.

Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.114 : Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Business Benefit Act to allow veterans to elect to use, with the approval of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, certain financial educational assistance to establish and operate certain business, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.147 : Designate a Portion of Tax Payment for Homeless Vets. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (90)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12922516&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.161 : Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.162 : Senior Citizens’ Tax Elimination Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income of Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.174 : Colorado Vet Cemetery. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region.

Sponsor: Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 11/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.177 : Depleted Uranium Screening and Testing Act to provide for identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during military service to depleted uranium, to provide for health testing of such members, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.190 : Veterans Health Equity Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State. Companion Bill S.239.

Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.198 : Health Care Tax Deduction Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals.

Sponsor: Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.208 : National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who have served on active duty or performed active service since September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.644.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (146)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials and /or http://capwiz.com/ngaus/mail/compose/?mailid=13672261&azip=92571&bzip=7311

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H.R.210 : Vet Cemetery South Carolina Land Acquisition Study. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the acquisition of a parcel of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.217 : Vet Cemetery South Carolina Land Acquisition Purchase. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acquire a parcel of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.228 : Visual Impairment VA Scholarship Program to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility.

Sponsor: Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949 .

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H.R.236 : Social Security Protection Act to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to protect Social Security beneficiaries against any reduction in benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Rules; House Budget

Latest Major Action: 1/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.

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H.R.237 : Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to military retirees for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B.

Sponsor: Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12921516&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.247 : Protect Our Veterans Memorials Act of 2009 to amend section 1369 of title 18, United States Code, to extend Federal jurisdiction over destruction of veterans’ memorials on State or local government property.

Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

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H.R.270 : TRICARE Continuity of Coverage for National Guard and Reserve Families Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve. Companion Bill S.731.

Sponsor: Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (72)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12923561&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805&False&False

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H.R.293 : Homeless Women Veteran and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Program Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a grant program to provide reintegration services through programs and facilities that emphasize services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.294 : Veteran Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the reauthorization of the Department of Veterans Affairs small business loan program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (19)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.295 : More Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to authorize appropriations for the veterans’ workforce investment programs.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Education and Labor

Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

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H.R.296 : Armed Forces Disability Retirement Enhancement Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the process by which a member of the Armed Forces is retired for disability and becomes eligible for retirement pay, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.297 : Veteran Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Subsistence Allowance Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of subsistence allowance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans participating in vocational rehabilitation programs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.514

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.303 : Retired Pay Restoration Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation and to eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such concurrent receipt.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (131)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.309 : American Heroes’ Homeownership Assistance Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain current and former service members to receive a refundable credit for the purchase of a principal residence.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.333 : Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (154)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12406456&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] and http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12888756

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H.R.341 : Suspend Limitations Period for Tax Refund on VA Retroactive Payments. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend the running of periods of limitation for credit or refund of overpayment of Federal income tax by veterans while their service-connected compensation determinations are pending with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.347 : Congressional Gold Medal Award. To grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

Sponsor: Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (297) – Related bill S.1055

Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Major Action: 5/18/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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H.R.379 : State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Expansion Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that all taxpayers have the ability to deduct State and local general sales taxes. Companion Bill S.35.

Sponsor: Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (26)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.394 : Medal of Honor Pension. To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the amount of the Medal of Honor special pension provided under that title by up to $1,000.

Sponsor: Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.403 : Homes for Heroes Act of 2009 to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Green, Al [TX-9] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (41)

Committees: House Financial Services; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 6/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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H.R.423 : Samuel B. Moody Bataan Death March Compensation Act to provide compensation for certain World War II veterans who survived the Bataan Death March and were held as prisoners of war by the Japanese.

Sponsor: Rep Mica, John L. [FL-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.433 : Ready Employers Willing to Assist Reservists’ Deployment (REWARD) Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax equal to 50 percent of the compensation paid to employees while they are performing active duty service as members of the Ready Reserve or the National Guard and of the compensation paid to temporary replacement employees.

Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (40)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.442 : Veterans’ Heritage Firearms Act of 2009 to provide an amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register certain firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (186)

Committees: House Judiciary; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

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H.R.449 : Health Care for America’s Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the availability of health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by adjusting the income level for certain priority veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.456 : Disabled Veteran Small Business Eligibility Expansion Act of 2009 to amend the Small Business Act to make service-disabled veterans eligible under the 8(a) business development program.

Sponsor: Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Small Business

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

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H.R.466 : Wounded Veteran Job Security Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination and acts of reprisal against persons who receive treatment for illnesses, injuries, and disabilities incurred in or aggravated by service in the uniformed services.

Sponsor: Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/9/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.482 : Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act to authorize the rededication of the District of Columbia War Memorial as a National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial to honor the sacrifices made by American veterans of World War I.

Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (49)

Committees: House Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

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H.R.484 : Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act to require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain new beneficiaries as part of the TRICARE program.

Sponsor: Rep Rogers, Mike D. [AL-3] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (45)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.531 : Social Security Number Fraudulent Use Notification Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to require that the Commissioner of Social Security notify individuals of improper use of their Social Security account numbers.

Sponsor: Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.568 : Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 1/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.593 : CRSC for DoD Disability Severances Pay. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the authorized concurrent receipt of disability severance pay from the Department of Defense and compensation for the same disability under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover all veterans who have a combat-related disability, as defined under section 1413a of such title.

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (44)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12918951&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.612 : Disabled Veterans Insurance Act of 2009 to amend section 1922A of title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of supplemental insurance available for totally disabled veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.613 : Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for forgiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following their death.

Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (61)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12489731&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.620 : Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an increased work opportunity credit with respect to recent veterans.

Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (14) Related Bill: H.R.4443

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.627 : Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009 to amend the Truth in Lending Act to establish fair and transparent practices relating to the extension of credit under an open end consumer credit plan, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (128) Related Bill S.235 Companion Bill S.414

Committees: House Financial Services

House Reports: 111-88

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-24

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H.R.656 : Unemployed Early Retirement Plan Withdrawal without Penalty. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain individuals who have attained age 50 and who are unemployed to receive distributions from qualified retirement plans without incurring a 10 percent additional tax.

Sponsor: Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.667 : Heroes at Home Act of 2009 to improve the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in members and former members of the Armed Forces, to review and expand telehealth and telemental health programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] (introduced 1/23/2009) Cosponsors (46)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.668 : Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare Program and to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans. Companion Bill S.307

Sponsor: Rep Walden, Greg [OR-2] (introduced 1/23/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.671 : In Memory Medal for Forgotten Veterans Act to direct the Secretary of Defense to issue a medal to certain veterans who died after their service in the Vietnam War as a direct result of that service.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/26/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.731 : Jenny’s Law to amend title 38, United States Code, to exclude individuals who have been convicted of committing certain sex offenses from receiving certain burial-related benefits and funeral honors which are otherwise available to certain veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and related individuals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] (introduced 1/27/2009) Cosponsors (25)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/27/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.746 : Safeguarding America’s Seniors and Veterans Act of 2009 to provide for economic recovery payments to recipients of Social Security, railroad retirement, and veterans disability benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/28/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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.

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H.R.761 : Parental Burial in National Cemeteries (Corey Shea Act). To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility of parents of certain deceased veterans for interment in national cemeteries.

Sponsor: Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related Bill H.R.3949

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R.3949 .

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H.R.775 : Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation.

Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (337) Companion Bill S.535

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/15/2010 Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Jones. Petition No: 111-10.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12541746

To support the Discharge Petition send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=14825891&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.784 : VA Reports to Congress. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress quarterly reports on vacancies in mental health professional positions in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.

Sponsor: Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.785 : VA Outreach Training. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide outreach and training to certain college and university mental health centers relating to the mental health of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.543

Sponsor: Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.806 : TRICARE Mail-Order Pharmacy Pilot Program Act to establish a mail-order pharmacy pilot program for TRICARE beneficiaries.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.809 : Widow Remarriage Age Decrease for DIC. To amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce from age 57 to age 55 the age after which the remarriage of the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran shall not result in termination of dependency and indemnity compensation otherwise payable to that surviving spouse.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12993371

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H.R.811 : Retired Pay Restoration Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation. Companion Bill S.546

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.816 : Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit certain increases in fees for military health care.

Sponsor: Rep Edwards, Chet [TX-17] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (199)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12591151&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12603596 or http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=12607551 or http://capwiz.com/trea/issues/alert/?alertid=12710751

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H.R.819 : POW DIC Eligibility Date. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who died on or before September 30, 1999, under the same eligibility conditions as apply to payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who die after that date.

Sponsor: Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (17)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.870 : Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under part B for medically necessary dental procedures.

Sponsor: Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (17)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.879 : Affordable Health Care Expansion Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a refundable credit against income tax for the purchase of private health insurance.

Sponsor: Rep Granger, Kay [TX-12] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.883 : Social Security 1993 Tax Increase Repeal. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in income taxes on Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.917 : Combat-Related Injury Death Dependent Health Benefits. To increase the health benefits of dependents of members of the Armed Forces who die because of a combat-related injury.

Sponsor: Rep Guthrie, Brett [KY-2] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.919 : Veterans’ Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.929 : VA Vet Training Program. To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of training to provide eligible veterans with skills relevant to the job market, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Welch, Peter [VT] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.931 : Veterans Employment Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the work opportunity credit with respect to certain unemployed veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related bill: H.R.4443

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.942 : Veterans Self-Employment Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot project on the use of educational assistance under programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs to defray training costs associated with the purchase of certain franchise enterprises.

Sponsor: Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

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H.R.944 : Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.950 : Vet Distance Learning Assistance. To amend chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, to increase educational assistance for certain veterans pursuing a program of education offered through distance learning.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (26)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.952 : Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of “combat with the enemy” for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.

Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (95)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.953 : Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a deduction for travel expenses to medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs in connection with examinations or treatments relating to service-connected disabilities.

Sponsor: Rep Heller, Dean [NV-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (68)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.954 : Social Security Benefits Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that a monthly insurance benefit thereunder shall be paid for the month in which the recipient dies, subject to a reduction of 50 percent if the recipient dies during the first 15 days of such month, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.972 : Retired Reserve Age for Health Benefits. To amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the requirement that certain former members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces be at least 60 years of age in order to be eligible to receive health care benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12992881

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H.R.1004 : Veterans Health Care Full Funding Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide an enhanced funding process to ensure an adequate level of funding for veterans health care programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] (introduced 2/11/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/11/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1016 : Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide advance appropriations authority for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (125)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

House Reports: 111-171

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-81

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12704096

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H.R.1017 : Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 and title 38, United States Code, to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and to expand access to such care and services.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (37) Related bill S.1204

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/25/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1034 : Honor and Remember Flag. To amend title 36, United States Code, to designate the Honor and Remember Flag created by Honor and Remember, Inc., as an official symbol to recognize and honor members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Forbes, J. Randy [VA-4] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (17)

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

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H.R.1036 : Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director of Physical Therapy Service within the Veterans Health Administration and to establish a fellowship program for physical therapists in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (24)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.1037 : Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of certain qualifying work-study activities under title 38, United States Code.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

House Reports: 111-162

Latest Major 10/7/2009 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

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H.R.1038 : Shingles Prevention Act to amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for the shingles vaccine under the Medicare Program.

Sponsor: Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.1042 : Enemy POW Hospitalization Policy. To prohibit the provision of medical treatment to enemy combatants detained by the United States at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the same facility as a member of the Armed Forces or Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility.

Sponsor: Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.1075 : Restoring Essential Care for Our Veterans for Effective Recovery (RECOVER) Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access to hospital care for veterans in major disaster areas, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (19)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/13/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1088 : Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a one-year period for the training of new disabled veterans’ outreach program specialists and local veterans’ employment representatives by National Veterans’ Employment and Training Services Institute.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1089 : Veterans Employment Rights to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the enforcement through the Office of Special Counsel of the employment and unemployment rights of veterans and members of the Armed Forces employed by Federal executive agencies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1098 : Veterans’ Worker Retraining Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of educational assistance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certain individuals pursuing internships or on-job training.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.1114 : National Cemetery Availability. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a process for determining whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by the national cemeteries located in that geographic area.

Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 2/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1163 : Establish Nebraska National Cemetery. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri.

Sponsor: Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] (introduced 2/24/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.1168 : Veterans Retraining Act of 2009 to amend chapter 42 of title 38, United States Code, to provide certain veterans with employment training assistance.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1169 : VA Adapted Housing/Automobile Assistance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disabled veterans for specially adapted housing and automobiles and adapted equipment.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

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H.R.1170 : Adapted Housing Technology Grants. To amend chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1171 : Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1172 : VA Website Scholarship Info Addition. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

House Reports: 111-164

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1182 : Military Spouses Residency Relief Act to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Carter, John R. [TX-31] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (208)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.1197 : Medal of Honor Health Care Equity Act of 2009 to assign a higher priority status for hospital care and medical services provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain veterans who are recipients of the medal of honor.

Sponsor: Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

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H.R.1203 : Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums. Companion Bill S.491

Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (213)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12787701&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.1211: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.597

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (51)

House Reports: 111-165

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12833716&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.1232 : Far South Texas Veterans Medical Center Act of 2009 to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a full service hospital in Far South Texas.

Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.1263 : Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009 to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of new participants in the Thrift Savings Plan, and to clarify the method for computing certain annuities based on part-time service; to allow certain employees of the District of Columbia to have certain periods of service credited for purposes relating to retirement eligibility; and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.1289 : Social Security Fairness for the Terminally Ill Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1293 : Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (16)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/29/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1305 : Perpetual Purple Heart Stamp Act to provide for the issuance of a forever stamp to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Companion Bill S.572

Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (81)

Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

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H.R.1317 : Mortgage Payment Tax Credit. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to individuals who pay their mortgages on time.

Sponsor: Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1335 : VA Catastrophically Disabled Copay. To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (40)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.1336 : Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the basic educational assistance program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1377 : VA Emergency Treatment Reimbursement to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand veteran eligibility for reimbursement by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished in a non-Department facility, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/6/2009) Cosponsors (2) Companion Bill S.404.

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-137

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H.R.1388 : Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act to reauthorize and reform the national service laws. Passed 321-105 and placed on the Senate calendar.

Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (37) Related Bills: H.RES.250, H.RES.296, S.277

Committees: House Education and Labor,

House Reports: 111-37

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-13

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H.R.1401 : VET Corps Act of 2009 to create a service corps of veterans called Veterans Engaged for Tomorrow (VET) Corps focused on promoting and improving the service opportunities for veterans and retired members of the military by engaging such veterans and retired members in projects designed to meet identifiable public needs with a specific emphasis on projects to support veterans, including disabled and older veterans and retired members of the military.

Sponsor: Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Education and Labor

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

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H.R.1416 : Southern New Jersey Veterans Comprehensive Health Care Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand the capability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide for the medical-care needs of veterans in southern New Jersey.

Sponsor: Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] (introduced 3/10/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.1428 : VA Parkinson’s Disease Compensation. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson’s disease.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/11/2009) Cosponsors (83)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12986021&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.1474 : Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.263.

Sponsor: Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (28)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1478 : Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009 to amend chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to allow members of the Armed Forces to sue the United States for damages for certain injuries caused by improper medical care, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 4/26/2010 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 267.

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H.R.1496 : Child Health Care Affordability Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a credit against income tax for medical expenses for dependents.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1513 : Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (10) Related bill S.407

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13048376&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.1519 : Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Sam [TX-3] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1522 : United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act to provide that service of the members of the organization known as the United States Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II constituted active military service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (25)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.1532 : CMOH Statute of Limitations Elimination. To amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the statute of limitations on the award of the congressional medal of honor.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1544 : Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during certain periods of hostilities and war.

Sponsor: Rep Driehaus, Steve [OH-1] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1546 : Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Sponsor: Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.1592 : Pay Increase Guarantee. To amend title 37, United States Code, to guarantee a pay increase for members of the uniformed services for fiscal years 2011 through 2014 of one-half of one percentage point higher than the Employment Cost Index.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=13002241

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H.R.1600 : TRICARE Autism Care. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (23)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1647 : Veterans’ Employment Transition Support Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for hiring veterans.

Sponsor: Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1657 : Notification of Exposure to Harmful Material/Contaminants. To direct the Secretary of Defense to notify members of the Armed Forces and State military departments of exposure to potentially harmful materials and contaminants.

Sponsor: Rep Schrader, Kurt [OR-5] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1658 : Veterans Healthcare Commitment Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the recovery by the United States of charges from a third party for hospital care or medical services furnished to a veteran for a service-connected disability.

Sponsor: Rep Tiahrt, Todd [KS-4] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.1681 : Veterans Transitional Assistance Act of 2009 to improve the coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to better provide care to members and the Armed Forces and veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (17)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1694 : Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (12) Related Bill S.1168

Committees: House Natural Resources; Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 3/2/2010 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 302.

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H.R.1695 : Reserve Retired Pay Age Reduction. To amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service from 60 to 55.

Sponsor: Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (49)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1701 : PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review For Heroes Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a special review board for certain former members of the Armed Forces with post-traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1708 : Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.700.

Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (109)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Transportation and Infrastructure

Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

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H.R.1712 : Savings for Seniors Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to establish a Social Security Surplus Protection Account in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund to hold the Social Security surplus, to provide for suspension of investment of amounts held in the Account until enactment of legislation providing for investment of the Trust Fund in investment vehicles other than obligations of the United States, and to establish a Social Security Investment Commission to make recommendations for alternative forms of investment of the Social Security surplus in the Trust Fund.

Sponsor: Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (21)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1716 : Property Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the deduction for real property taxes on the principal residences to all individuals whether or not they itemize other deductions.

Sponsor: Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1767 : Fair Housing Tax Credit Extension Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the first-time homebuyer credit retroactive to the beginning of 2008 and to permanently extend the credit.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1804 : Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009 to amend title 5, United States Code, to make certain modifications in the Thrift Savings Plan, the Civil Service Retirement System, and the Federal Employees’ Retirement System, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (4) Related Bill H.R.108

Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 307 , H.R. 1804 is laid on the table.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13048556&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.1809 : TRICARE Prime Geographic Expansion. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the geographical coverage of TRICARE Prime to include Puerto Rico and Guam.

Sponsor: Rep Pierluisi, Pedro R. [PR] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1818 : Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend military commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability and to their dependents.

Sponsor: Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1849 : World War I Memorial and Centennial Act of 2009 to designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National World War I Memorial, to establish the World War I centennial commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (101) Related Bill S.760

Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

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H.R.1851 : DOL Transitional Services. To amend title 10, United States Code, to require that certain members of the Armed Forces receive employment assistance, job training assistance, and other transitional services provided by the Secretary of Labor before separating from active duty service.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1872 : Secure Electronic Military Separation Act to require the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to develop and implement a secure electronic method of forwarding the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) to the appropriate office of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the State or other locality in which a member of the Armed Forces will first reside after the discharge or release of the member from active duty.

Sponsor: Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1879 : National Guard Employment Protection Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for employment and reemployment rights for certain individuals ordered to full-time National Guard duty.

Sponsor: Rep Coffman, Mike [CO-6] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/10/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805

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H.R.1902 : Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2009 to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes for the benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1919 : Federal Withholding Tax Repeal Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the withholding of income and social security taxes.

Sponsor: Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.1963 : Military Separation Transitional Services. To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the Armed Forces who are being separated from active duty receive comprehensive employment assistance, job training assistance, and other transitional services, to require that such members receive a psychological evaluation in addition to the physical examination they receive as part of their separation from active duty, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.1982 : Veterans Entitlement to Service (VETS) Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.1994 : Citizen Soldier Equality Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide equity between active and reserve component members of the Armed Forces in the computation of disability retired pay for members wounded in action.

Sponsor: Rep Davis, Geoff [KY-4] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.2014 : WASP Gold Medal Award. To award a congressional gold medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (“WASP”).

Sponsor: Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (337) Companion Bill S.614

Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

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H.R.2017 : MOAA Federal Charter. To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (140) Companion Bill S.832 Related Bill S.1449

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 5/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

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H.R.2059 : SBP Disabled Child Trust. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment of monthly annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to a supplemental or special needs trust established for the sole benefit of a disabled dependent child of a participant in the Survivor Benefit Plan.

Sponsor: Rep Foster, Bill [IL-14] (introduced 4/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2127 : Veterans Travel Equity Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the income eligibility and service-connected disability rating requirements for the veterans beneficiary travel program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] (introduced 4/27/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/1/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2138 : Services, Education, and Rehabilitation for Veterans Act to provide grants to establish veteran’s treatment courts.

Sponsor: Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] (introduced 4/28/2009) Cosponsors (32) Related Bill S.902

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 5/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.

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H.R.2180 : Disabled Vet Housing Loan Fee Waiver. To amend title 38, United States Code, to waive housing loan fees for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities called to active service.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 4/29/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

House Reports: 111-163

Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 81.

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H.R.2243 : Surviving Spouses Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (77)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13303636&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.2244 : Single Parent Protection Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an individual who is entitled to receive child support a refundable credit equal to the amount of unpaid child support and to increase the tax liability of the individual required to pay such support by the amount of the unpaid child support.

Sponsor: Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.2254 : The Agent Orange Equity Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (257)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13301656&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.2257 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Eddie B [TX-30] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (None) – Related Bill S.315

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2263 : Disability Equity Act to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the waiting periods for people with disabilities for entitlement to disability benefits and Medicare, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.2270 : Benefits for Qualified World War II Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the establishment of a compensation fund to make payments to qualified World War II veterans on the basis of certain qualifying service.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/6/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.2302 : Military Retired Pay Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to limit recoupments of separation pay, special separation benefits, and voluntary separation incentive from members of the Armed Forces subsequently receiving retired or retainer pay.

Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (5) Companion bill S.1008

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13682556&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13967481&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.2342 : Wounded Warrior Project Family Caregiver Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a family caregiver program to furnish support services to family members certified as family caregivers who provide personal care services for certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2365 : Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009 to require the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits under titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act.

Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 5/12/2009) Cosponsors (60)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Education and Labor

Latest Major Action: 5/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor, 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.

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H.R.2379 : Veterans’ Group Life Insurance Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain veterans an opportunity to increase the amount of Veterans’ Group Life Insurance.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

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H.R.2389 : Veterans’ Group Life Insurance Improvement Act of 2009 to require the Secretary of Defense to establish registries of members and former members of the Armed Forces exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed to such hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] (introduced 5/13/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/12/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

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H.R.2405 : Richard Helm Veterans’ Access to Local Health Care Options and Resources Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans enrolled in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those of the Department.

Sponsor: Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2412 : Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas.

Sponsor: Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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H.R.2419 : Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Prevention Act to require the Secretary of Defense to establish a medical surveillance system to identify members of the Armed Forces exposed to chemical hazards resulting from the disposal of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan, to prohibit the disposal of waste by the Armed Forces in a manner that would produce dangerous levels of toxins, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (23)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

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H.R.2429 : Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009 to require the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act.

Sponsor: Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (21)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Education and Labor

Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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.

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H.R.2456 : Veterans Education Tuition Support Act of 2009 to amend section 484B of Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to students who withdraw from an institution of higher education to serve in the uniformed services, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] (introduced 5/18/2009) Cosponsors (34) Related Bills: H.R.2561, S.1603

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

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H.R.2474 : Veterans Educational Equity Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an individual entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance program who is enrolled at an institution of higher education in a State in which the public institutions charge only fees in lieu of tuition, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall allow the individual to use all or any portion of the amounts payable for the established charges for the program of education to pay any amount of the individual’s tuition or fees for that program of education.

Sponsor: Rep McKeon, Howard P. “Buck” [CA-25] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (48)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2486 : Vet Organization Funeral Detail Support. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for support of funeral ceremonies for veterans provided by details that consist solely of members of veterans organizations and other organizations, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Gohmert, Louie [TX-1] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2504 : Homeless Vet VA Appropriation Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.2505 : Reaching Rural Veterans through Telehealth Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to utilize tele-health platforms to assist in the treatment of veterans living in rural areas who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2506 : Veterans Hearing and Assessment Act to direct the Secretary of Defense to ensure the members of the Armed Forces receive mandatory hearing screenings before and after deployments and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to mandate that tinnitus be listed as a mandatory condition for treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs Auditory Centers of Excellence and that research on the preventing, treating, and curing of tinnitus be conducted.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2546 : Right to Display Service Flag. To ensure that the right of an individual to display the Service flag on residential property not be abridged.

Sponsor: Rep Boccieri, John A. [OH-16] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (56)

Committees: House Financial Services

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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H.R.2553 : Atomic Veterans Service Medal Act to authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other circumstances.

Sponsor: Rep Tiahrt, Todd [KS-4] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (16) Related bill S.1128

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2559 : Help Our Homeless Veterans Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a national media campaign directed at homeless veterans and veterans at risk for becoming homeless.

Sponsor: Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (13)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.2561 : Help Student Soldiers Act to amend section 484B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to forgive certain loans for servicemembers who withdraw from an institution of higher education as a result of service in the uniformed services, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (21) Related Bills: H.R.2456, S.1603

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

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H.R.2573 : Atomic Veterans Relief Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the eligibility criteria for presumption of service-connection of certain diseases and disabilities for veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during military service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (23)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2583 : Women Veterans Access to Care Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve health care for women veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2585 : Protecting the Retirement of Our Troops by Ensuring Compensation is Timely Act to delay any presumption of death in connection with the kidnapping in Iraq or Afghanistan of a retired member of the Armed Forces to ensure the continued payment of the member’s retired pay.

Sponsor: Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2586 : Honor Guard 13-fold Flag Recitation Option. To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from authorizing honor guards to participate in funerals of veterans interred in national cemeteries unless the honor guards may offer veterans’ families the option of having the honor guard perform a 13-fold flag recitation, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (46)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2594 : Dependent State Plot VA Allowance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in State cemeteries.

Sponsor: Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (48)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2598 : Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon Gold Medal. To grant a congressional gold medal to American military personnel who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon between December 7, 1941 and May 6, 1942.

Sponsor: Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (50)

Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

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H.R.2621 : Travel Expense Reimbursement Time Requirement. To amend title 10, United States Code, to use a time requirement for determining eligibility for the reimbursement of certain travel expenses.

Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Kevin [CA-22] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2638 : Veterans Stamp to Honor American Veterans Act to provide for the issuance of a veterans health care stamp.

Sponsor: Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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.

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H.R.2642 : Veterans Missing in America Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assist in the identification of unclaimed and abandoned human remains to determine if any such remains are eligible for burial in a national cemetery, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Tiberi, Patrick J. [OH-12] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.2647 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] (by request) (introduced 6/2/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.2990

Committees: House Armed Services

House Reports: 111-166, 111-166 Part 2

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-84

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H.R.2672 : Help Veterans Own Franchises Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow credits for the establishment of franchises with veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Schock, Aaron [IL-18] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (35)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.2673 : Surviving Spouse Pension Upgrade. To amend title 38, United States Code, to match the pension amount paid to surviving spouses of veterans who served during a period of war to the pension amount paid to such veterans.

Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.2683 : To establish the American Veterans Congressional Internship Program.

Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Administration

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

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H.R.2689 : D-Day Memorial. To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, as a unit of the National Park System.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related bill S.1207

Committees: House Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.2696 : Servicemembers’ Rights Protection Act to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the enforcement of rights afforded under that Act.

Sponsor: Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949 .

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H.R.2698 : Veterans’ and Survivors’ Behavioral Health Awareness Act to improve and enhance the mental health care benefits available to veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (48)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2699 : Armed Forces Behavioral Health Awareness Act to improve the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces, to enhance counseling available to family members of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (37)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2713 : Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Enhancement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the service disabled veterans’ insurance program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (13)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.2734 : Health Care for Family Caregivers Act of 2009 to amend section 1781 of title 38, United States Code, to provide medical care to family members of disabled veterans who serve as caregivers to such veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.2735 : Homeless Vet Service Program Improvements. To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to the comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

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H.R.2738 : Family Caregiver Travel Expense Compensation. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.2756 : Veterans Home Loan Refinance Opportunity Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow eligible veterans to use qualified veterans mortgage bonds to refinance home loans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] (introduced 6/8/2009) Cosponsors (16)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.2771 : Military Overpayment Fairness Act of 2009 to amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to provide a more equitable process by which the military departments may recover overpayments of military pay and allowances erroneously paid to a member of the Armed Forces when the overpayment is due to no fault of the member, to expand Department discretion regarding remission or cancellation of indebtedness, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 6/9/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2774 : Families of Veterans Financial Security Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent the extension of the duration of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance coverage for totally disabled veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 6/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

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H.R.2788 : Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act to designate a Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California.

Sponsor: Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] (introduced 6/10/2009) Cosponsors (48)

Committees: House Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 3/22/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

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H.R.2830 : Providing Access to Healthcare (PATH) for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to give priority to unemployed veterans in furnishing hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to certain veterans assigned to priority level 8.

Sponsor: Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/12/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2836 : National Guard and Reservist Suicide Prevention and Community Response Act to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to improve and expand suicide prevention and community healing and response training under the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

Sponsor: Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.2879 : Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans who live in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 6/15/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2898 : Wounded Warrior Caregiver Assistance Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide support services for family caregivers of disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 6/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.2926 : VA Special Care for Vietnam-era & Persian Gulf War Vets Exposed to Herbicides. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide, without expiration, hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain Vietnam-era veterans exposed to herbicide and veterans of the Persian Gulf War.

Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 6/17/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.2928: Post-9/11 GI Bill Apprenticeship/OJT Program. To amend title 38, United State Code, to provide for an apprenticeship and on-job training program under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/17/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.2965 : Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009 to amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, and for other purposes.: Amended with H.AMDT.291 by Rep. David Reichert, D-WA to give preference to organizations that are located in under represented states and regions, or are women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, or minority-owned when awarding grants for Small Business Administration (SBA) outreach efforts authorized under Title III (rural development and outreach).

Sponsor: Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Small Business; House Science and Technology

House Reports: 111-190 Part 1, 111-190 Part 2

Latest Major Action: 7/13/2009 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1233 with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

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H.R.2968 : SGLI/VGLI Accelerated Death Benefit. To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the required reduction in the amount of the accelerated death benefit payable to certain terminally-ill persons insured under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance or Veterans’ Group Life Insurance.

Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.2970 : Federal Law Enforcement Officer Vet Age Limit. To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the maximum age limit for an original appointment to a position as a Federal law enforcement officer in the case of any individual who has been discharged or released from active duty in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

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H.R.2974 : Disabled Vet Health Savings Account Eligibility. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals eligible for veterans health benefits to contribute to health savings accounts.

Sponsor: Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.2980 : Survivor Benefit Time Limit for 100% Disabled Vets. To amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce the period of time for which a veteran must be totally disabled before the veteran’s survivors are eligible for the benefits provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Latest Major Action: 6/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.2990 : Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act of 2009 to provide special pays and allowances to certain members of the Armed Forces, expand concurrent receipt of military retirement and VA disability benefits to disabled military retirees, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] (introduced 6/23/2009) Cosponsors (25) Related Bill H.R.2647

Committees: House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Natural Resources; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/25/2009 Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 572 , H.R. 2990 is laid on the table.

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H.R.3067 : Health Security for All Americans Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform Medicare payments to physicians and certain other providers and improve Medicare benefits, to encourage the offering of health coverage by small businesses, to provide tax incentives for the purchase of health insurance by individuals, to increase access to health care for veterans, to address the nursing shortage, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Education and Labor; House Ways and Means; House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 8/3/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.3073 : Pending Vet Homeless Grant Program. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs establish a grant program to provide assistance to veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.3087 : Establish VA Claim Decision Deadlines. To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a deadline for decisions with respect to claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/10/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3155 : Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain caregivers of veterans with training, support, and medical care, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/28/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.3199 : Emergency Medic Transition (EMT) Act of 2009 to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to State emergency medical service departments to provide for the expedited training and licensing of veterans with prior medical training, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce

Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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H.R.3200 : America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means; House Education and Labor; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Budget

Latest Major Action: 10/14/2009 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 168.

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H.R.3223 : Vet Owned Businesses VA Contracts. To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs contracting goals and preferences for small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 7/15/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.3266 : Veteran Assistance Dog Grant Program. To establish a grant program to encourage the use of assistance dogs by certain members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] (introduced 7/20/2009) Cosponsors (22) Related Bill S.1485

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3280 : Rural Vet Transportation Grant Program. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program to assist veterans in highly rural areas by providing transportation to medical centers.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3281 : Vet Care Rural Area Demonstration Project. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out demonstration projects related to providing care for veterans in rural areas.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3282 : Vet Readjustment and Mental Health Care Services. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide certain veterans with readjustment and mental health care services, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3283 : VA Travel Reimbursement for Veterans Annual Review. To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for reimbursement of certain travel at a set rate, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3324 : Stable Future for Veterans’ Children Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment of monthly annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to a supplemental or special needs trust established for the sole benefit of a disabled dependent child of a participant in the Survivor Benefit Plan.

Sponsor: Rep Cantor, Eric [VA-7] (introduced 7/24/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.3337 : Post-9/11 Veterans’ Job Training Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the use of entitlement under Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program for the pursuit of apprenticeships and on-job training.

Sponsor: Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] (introduced 7/24/2009) Cosponsors (16)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3349 : NAIV Charter. To grant a Federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related Bill S.1520

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 8/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

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H.R.3365 : Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009 to provide Medicare payments to Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for items and services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans for non-service-connected conditions.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (31)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3366 : Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act to prohibit the use of funds to promote the direct deposit of Veterans and Social Security benefits until adequate safeguards are established to prevent the attachment and garnishment of such benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3368 : Honor Act of 2009 to enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members of the Armed Forces with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to enhance availability and access to mental health counseling for members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Markey, Betsy [CO-4] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.3403 : Supporting Military Families Act of 2009 to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to provide leave for family members of members of regular components of the Armed Forces, and leave to care for covered veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Education and Labor; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

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H.R.3407 : Severely Injured Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to benefits for severely injured veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (27)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3441 : Combat Vet VA Enrollment. To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.3467 : Veterans Education Enhancement and Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs for individuals pursuing programs of education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (13)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3484 : VA Work Study Authority. To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority for certain qualifying work-study activities for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.3485 : Veterans Pensions Protection Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that monetary benefits paid to veterans by States and municipalities shall be excluded from consideration as income for purposes of pension benefits paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (14) Related Bill: S.3118

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .

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H.R.3491 : Thomas G. Schubert Agent Orange Fairness Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service connection for certain cancers occurring in veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam and were exposed to certain herbicide agents, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3507 : VA Survivor Education Rate Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the rates of survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Paulsen, Erik [MN-3] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3522 : Veterans Hardship Outreach for Priority Eights (HOPE) Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide grants and assistance to States to conduct outreach to veterans regarding hardship and priority under the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system.

Sponsor: Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3544 : National Cemeteries Expansion Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide guidelines for the establishment of new national cemeteries by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 9/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via

http://capwiz.com/ngaus/mail/compose/?mailid=14779496&azip=92571

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H.R.3554 : National Guard Education Equality Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] (introduced 9/10/2009) Cosponsors (99)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.3573 : Call to Service Homebuyer Credit Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent a change in residency as a result of extended official duty in the uniformed services, Foreign Service, or intelligence community from triggering the repayment provisions of the first time homebuyer credit, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related bills: H.R.2562

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 9/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.3575 : Vet Mortgage Life Insurance Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the maximum amount of veterans’ mortgage life insurance available under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.3577 : Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United State Code, to provide authority for certain members of the Armed Forces who have served 20 years on active duty to transfer entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to their dependents.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (24)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/4/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

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H.R.3620 : Hiring Heroes Tax Incentive Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for employing members of the Ready Reserve and National Guard and veterans recently separated from the Armed Forces.

Sponsor: Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] (introduced 9/22/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 9/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.3657 : USPHS & NOAA GI Bill Benefit Transfer. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for members of the United States Public Health Service and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Corps to transfer unused benefits under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program to family members, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 9/25/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3661 : GI Bill Housing Stipend. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for individuals pursuing programs of education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 9/29/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3672 : Social Security COLA Fix for 2010 Act to provide for an increase of $150 in Social Security benefits for one month in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for that year, and to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the requirement that there be a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for an adjustment in the contribution and benefit base to occur.

Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] (introduced 9/29/2009) Cosponsors (16)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 9/29/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.3677: Save Our Seniors’ Social Security Act of 2009 to provide $280 relief payments to recipients of Social Security and railroad retirement benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Granger, Kay [TX-12] (introduced 9/30/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Transportation and Infrastructure; House Appropriations

Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

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H.R.3685 : Inclusion of VetSuccess on VA Website. To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the main page of the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a hyperlink to the VetSuccess Internet website and to publicize such Internet website.

Sponsor: Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] (introduced 9/30/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3719 : Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 10/6/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

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H.R.3787 : Treat Certain Reserve Time as Active Duty Time. To amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] (introduced 10/8/2009) Cosponsors (39) Related bill: S.1780

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3796 : Homeless Vet Assistor’s Per Diem Grants. To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve per diem grant payments for organizations assisting homeless veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3813 : Veterans Training Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the approval of certain programs of education for purposes of the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (15) Related bills: S.3171

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/25/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.3843 : Transparency for America’s Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publish redacted medical quality-assurance records of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Internet website of the Department.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 10/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3885 : Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy.

Sponsor: Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] (introduced 10/21/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/26/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.3886 : Providing Military Honors for our Nation’s Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse certain volunteers who provide funeral honors details at the funerals of veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/23/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.3906 : Low Income Vet Family Permanent Housing. To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs program to provide financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 10/22/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/23/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.3908 : Families of Disabled Veterans Work Opportunity Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide the work opportunity tax credit with respect to a designated family member of a veteran with a service-connected disability if the veteran is unable to work.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 10/22/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.3926 : Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 10/26/2009) Cosponsors (45)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.3943 : Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (169) Related Bill S.

Committees: House Education and Labor; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

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H.R.3948 : Test Prep for Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for entitlement under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program to payment for test preparatory courses, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Putnam, Adam H. [FL-12] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (30)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/10/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

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H.R.3949 : Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, and the Servicemember Civil Relief Act, to make certain improvements in the laws relating to benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (22) Related Bill: H.R.761

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/4/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.3998 : Compensation for Combat Veterans Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the service treatable as service engaged in combat with the enemy for utilization of non-official evidence for proof of service-connection in a combat-related disease or injury.

Sponsor: Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] (introduced 11/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

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H.R.4006 : Rural, American Indian Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for Indian veterans health care coordinators, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 11/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

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H.R.4028 : Rural Veterans Services Outreach and Training Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve services for veterans residing in rural areas.

Sponsor: Rep Wu, David [OR-1] (introduced 11/5/2009) Cosponsors (21)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

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H.R.4043 : Military Spouse Pin Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to recognize the spouses of members of the Armed Forces who are serving in combat or have served in combat through the presentation of an official lapel button.

Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4044 : Vet Plot & Headstone/Marker Allowance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to restore plot allowance eligibility for veterans of any war and to restore the headstone or marker allowance for eligible persons.

Sponsor: Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (37)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4045 : Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (41)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4048 : Rural Area TBI Pilot Program. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on the provision of traumatic brain injury care in rural areas.

Sponsor: Rep Capito, Shelley Moore [WV-2] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4051 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (41) Related bill: S.2743

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4054 : Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veteran Entitlements Act of 2009. To amend titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of disability rated and certified as total by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as disability for purposes of such titles.

Sponsor: Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (71) Related Bill: S.2759

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.4058 : Veterans to Work Pilot Program Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to establish the Veterans to Work Program providing for the employment of individuals, especially veterans, who participate in apprenticeship programs on designated military construction projects, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

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H.R.4063 : WWII Messman/Steward Congressional Gold Medal. To grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the messman and steward branches of United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard that served during World War II.

Sponsor: Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] (introduced 11/7/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration

Latest Major Action: 11/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

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H.R.4064 : Post-9/11 EAP Improvements. To make certain improvements in the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program.

Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 11/7/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4073 : Rural Veterans Reimbursement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the payments to certain veterans for certain travel expenses.

Sponsor: Rep Minnick, Walter [ID-1] (introduced 11/16/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4121 : Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the appeals process of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish a commission to study judicial review of the determination of veterans’ benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 11/19/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4156 : Increasing Housing Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2009 to provide for certain improvements in the laws relating to housing for veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] (introduced 11/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: House Financial Services

Latest Major Action: 11/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

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H.R.4203 : Direct Deposit of Vet Education Payments. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans certain educational assistance payments through direct deposit.

Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 12/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/25/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4220 : Promoting Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to small business concerns and employment assistance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Education and Labor; House Small Business

Latest Major Action: 1/4/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

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H.R.4221 : Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improved acquisition practices by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.

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H.R.4241 : State Veteran Home Payments. To amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State veterans homes.

Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (43)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/3/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4279 : Vet Accelerated Educational Assistance Payments. To amend titles 38 and 10, United States Code, to authorize accelerated payments of educational assistance to certain veterans and members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces.

Sponsor: Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5] (introduced 12/10/2009) Cosponsors (9)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/12/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4319 : Specially Adapted Housing Assistance Enhancement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain improvements in the laws relating to specially adapted housing assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Moran, Jerry [KS-1] (introduced 12/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Latest Major Action: 12/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4320 : Post-9/11 GI Education Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the types of approved programs of education for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Murphy, Scott [NY-20] (introduced 12/15/2009) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 12/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4350 : Fallen Heroes Family Act of 2009 to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for nonimmigrant status for an alien who is the parent or legal guardian of a United States citizen child if the child was born abroad and is the child of a deceased member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Sponsor: Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 3/1/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

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H.R.4359 : WARMER Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to guarantee housing loans for the construction energy efficient dwellings, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/25/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4403 : SPACE-A Travel Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize space-available travel on military aircraft for unremarried surviving spouses of retired members of the uniformed services and the unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who died from a service-connected or compensable disability, and for the dependents of such spouses.

Sponsor: Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (25)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/21/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

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H.R.4429 : Restoring the Social Security COLA Act to provide for an increase of $250 in benefits under certain Federal cash benefit programs for one month in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for that year.

Sponsor: Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] (introduced 1/13/2010) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Ways and Means; House Appropriations; House Veterans’ Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Transportation and Infrastructure

Latest Major Action: 1/13/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.

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H.R.4443 : Veterans Employment Today Act of 2010 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the work opportunity tax credit for hiring veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 1/13/2010) Cosponsors (11) Related Bills: H.R.620, H.R.931, S.274

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/13/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

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H.R.4465 : Vet Financial Status for Hospital Care. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take into account each child a veteran has when determining the veteran’s financial status when receiving hospital care or medical services.

Sponsor: Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8] (introduced 1/19/2010) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/27/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4525 : Chapter 61 Concurrent Receipt Entitlement. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members’ disability rating percentage.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/26/2010) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Budget; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/18/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=15039641&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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H.R.4551 : Keep Our Promise to America’s Military Retirees Act to restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 1/27/2010) Cosponsors (32)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 2/25/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4555 : Janey Ensminger Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] (introduced 2/2/2010) Cosponsors (35)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/2/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4559 : State Disabled Vet Benefits Review. To establish a commission to review benefits provided by each State to disabled veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8] (introduced 2/2/2010) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/2/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4568 : TBI Treatment Act to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program under which the Secretaries make payments for certain treatments of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sponsor: Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] (introduced 2/2/2010) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/25/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4569 : Expanded Housing for America’s Veterans Act to amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 relating to the amount of rental assistance available under the veterans affairs supported housing program.

Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 2/2/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Financial Services

Latest Major Action: 2/2/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

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H.R.4592 : Vet Energy Related Jobs Pilot Program. To provide for the establishment of a pilot program to encourage the employment of veterans in energy-related positions.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 2/3/2010) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/24/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4593 : Keeping Faith With the Greatest Generation Military Retirees Act of 2010 to amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to waive Medicare part B premiums for certain military retirees (i.e. those who entered the service prior to December 7, 1956).

Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 2/3/2010) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 2/3/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

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H.R.4632 : Renovate and Enhance Veterans’ Meeting Halls and Posts Act of 2010 to amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to set-aside community development block grant amounts in each fiscal year for grants to local chapters of veterans service organizations for rehabilitation of their facilities.

Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] (introduced 2/22/2010) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: House Financial Services

Latest Major Action: 2/22/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

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H.R.4639 : Corporal Dustin Lee Memorial Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the adoption of a military working dog by the family of a deceased or seriously wounded member of the Armed Forces who was the handler of the dog.

Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 2/22/2010) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/5/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

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H.R.4656 : VA Child Care Center. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program establishing a child-care center for children of veterans receiving treatment and other individuals.

Sponsor: Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-13] (introduced 2/23/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/23/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4664 : OIF/OEF Survivor Mortgage Foreclosure Moratorium. To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for a one-year moratorium on the sale or foreclosure of property owned by surviving spouses of servicemembers killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sponsor: Rep Kratovil, Frank, Jr. [MD-1] (introduced 2/23/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4667 : Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010 to increase, effective as of December 1, 2010, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 2/23/2010) Cosponsors (8) Related bills: H.R.1513 & S.407 & S.3107

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/23/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4765 : VA Work Study Allowances. To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize individuals who are pursuing programs of rehabilitation, education, or training under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to receive work-study allowances for certain outreach services provided through congressional offices, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 3/4/2010) Cosponsors (12) Related bill: S.3082

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.

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H.R.4810 : End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2010. To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the services provided for homeless veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/10/2010) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/23/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4845 : VA Children Housing Loan Benefits. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide housing loan benefits for children of members of the Armed Forces and veterans who die from service-connected disabilities.

Sponsor: Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] (introduced 3/15/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/15/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.4887 : Tricare Affirmation Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that health coverage provided by the Department of Defense is treated as minimal essential coverage.

Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] (introduced 3/19/2010) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: House Ways and Means; Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 4/26/2010 Signed by President.

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H.R.4912 : CRSC Payments to Chap 61 Vets. To amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the required reduction in the amount of combat-related special compensation paid to disabled combat-related uniformed services retirees retired under chapter 61 of such title whose disability is attributable to an injury for which the members were awarded the Purple Heart.

Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 3/22/2010) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/8/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4923 : TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend TRICARE coverage to certain dependents under the age of 26.

Sponsor: Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] (introduced 3/24/2010) Cosponsors (89) Related bills: S.3201

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/23/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.4947 : Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the per-fiscal year calculation of days of certain active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of a reserve component of the uniformed services may retire for non-regular service.

Sponsor: Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] (introduced 3/25/2010) Cosponsors (35) Related bills: S.3406

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/23/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=14876641

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H.R.5014 : VA Minimal Essential Coverage. To clarify the health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that constitutes minimum essential coverage.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 4/14/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-173 [GPO: Text, PDF]

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H.R.5045 : Fair Access to Veterans Benefits Act of 2010 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of final decisions of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] (introduced 4/15/2010) Cosponsors (None) Related bills: S.3192, H.R.5064

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/15/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.5120 : Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010 to improve employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 4/22/2010) Cosponsors (16) Related bills: S.3234

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Education and Labor; House Small Business; House Energy and Commerce; House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/27/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

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H.R.5185 : Fair Health Care for Military Families Act to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under the TRICARE program and the CHAMPVA program.

Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 4/29/2010) Cosponsors (2) Related Bill H.R.5206

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/6/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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H.R.5225 : Improving Veterans’ Electronic Transition Services Act to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly develop and implement an electronic personnel file system, and to jointly conduct a study on improving the access of veterans to files related to military service and veterans benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] (introduced 5/5/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/5/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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.

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H.R.5226 : Appalachian Veterans Outreach Improvement Act to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out a program of outreach for veterans who reside in Appalachia, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6] (introduced 5/5/2010) Cosponsors (22) Related bill: S.3314

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Transportation and Infrastructure

Latest Major Action: 5/6/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

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H.R.5259 : Equal Access to Preseparation Counseling Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to require preseparation counseling for members of the reserve components upon their retirement or separation from service.

Sponsor: Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] (introduced 5/11/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/11/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.5303 : VA Post-9/11 EAP Housing Stipends. To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve housing stipends for veterans receiving educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program.

Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] (introduced 5/13/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.5360 : Blinded Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2010. To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the standard of visual acuity required for eligibility for specially adapted housing assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 5/20/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Hearings Held.

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H.R.5371 : William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act. To direct the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy to conduct a review of military service records of Jewish American veterans of World War I, including those previously awarded a military decoration, to determine whether any of the veterans should be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Luetkemeyer, Blaine [MO-9] (introduced 5/24/2010) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/24/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.5403 : Alaska Tricare Reimbursement Rates. To direct the Secretary of Defense to temporarily adjust the reimbursement rates for TRICARE claims in Alaska.

Sponsor: Rep Young, Don [AK] (introduced 5/26/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/26/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.5404 : Reserve Space A Travel. To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize space-available travel on military aircraft for a member or former member of a reserve component who is eligible for retired pay but for age and for dependents of the member who accompany the retiree.

Sponsor: Rep Young, Don [AK] (introduced 5/26/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/26/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.5428 : Disseminate Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights Info. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to educate certain staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to inform veterans about the Injured and Amputee Veterans Bill of Rights, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 5/27/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/27/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.5449 : Retroactive Stop-Loss Special Pay Extension. To amend section 310 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 to extend the period of time during which claims for retroactive stop-loss special pay may be submitted.

Sponsor: Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] (introduced 5/27/2010) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/27/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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H.R.5484 : VetStar Veteran-Friendly Business Act of 2010. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an annual award program to recognize businesses for their contributions to veterans’ employment, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 6/8/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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H.R.5516 : Vet Immunizations. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain requirements relating to the immunization of veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] (introduced 6/10/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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Senate

S.46 : Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.

Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (30) Related Bill: H.R.43

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via

http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14486941&type=CO

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S.66 : Disabled Vet Space A. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit former members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces are entitled to travel on such aircraft.

Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.67 : Disabled POW Commissary/Exchange Use. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.

Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.68 : Filipino Service Certification. A bill to require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II.

Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.94 : Long-Term Care Family Accessibility Act. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a nonrefundable tax credit for long-term care insurance premiums.

Sponsor: Sen Vitter, David [LA] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Major Action: 1/13/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.239 : Veterans Health Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State.

Sponsor: Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (1) Companion Bill H.R.190

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.246 : Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.252 : Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals, to improve the provision of health care veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/dav/issues/alert/?alertid=14008476&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.263 : Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1474.

Sponsor: Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.274 : Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an incentive to hire unemployed veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Baucus, Max [MT] (introduced 1/16/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill: H.R.4443

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 1/16/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.296 : Fair Tax Act of 2009. A bill to promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales tax to be administered primarily by the States.

Sponsor: Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.307 : Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2009. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program and to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans. Companion Bill H.R.668

Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.315 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.32

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 1/26/2009) Cosponsors (2) Related Bill H.R.2257

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.347 : Vet Hand Loss Traumatic Injury Protection. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to distinguish between the severity of a qualifying loss of a dominant hand and a qualifying loss of a non-dominant hand for purposes of traumatic injury protection under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 1/29/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.402 : Keeping Our Promise to America’s Military Veterans Act. A bill to improve the lives of our Nation’s veterans and their families and provide them with the opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.404 : Veterans’ Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand veteran eligibility for reimbursement by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished in a non-Department facility, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1377.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.407 : Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009. A bill to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (17) Related bill H.R.1513

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Senate Reports: 111-24

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-37 [GPO: Text, PDF]

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S.423 : Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize advance appropriations for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (56)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 8/6/2009 Senate floor actions. Status: Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 101.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12703276

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S.491 : Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums.

Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (48) Companion Bill H.R.1203

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.498 : Vet Dental Insurance. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize dental insurance for veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.514 : Veterans Rehabilitation and Training Improvements Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance vocational rehabilitation benefits for veterans, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.297.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.535 : SBP DIC Offset Elimination. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.775.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (56)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senator send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=14275496&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.543 : Veteran and Servicemember Family Caregiver Support Act of 2009. A bill to require a pilot program on training, certification, and support for family caregivers of seriously disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces to provide caregiver services to such veterans and members, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 3/6/2009) Cosponsors (14) Companion Bill H.R.785.

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.546 : Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service of Combat-Related Special Compensation. Companion Bill H.R.811.

Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (44)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/9/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12904686&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.572 : Purple Heart Forever Stamp. A bill to provide for the issuance of a “forever stamp” to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Companion Bill H.R.1305.

Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 3/11/2009) Cosponsors (17)

Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/23/2009 Referred to Senate subcommittee. Status: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.

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S.597 : Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1211

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.606 : Veterans Corps Program. A bill to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a Veterans Corps program.

Sponsor: Sen Warner, Mark R. [VA] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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S.614 : WASP Gold Medal Award. A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (“WASP”).

Sponsor: Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (75) Companion Bill H.R.2014

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-40 [GPO: Text, PDF]

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S.642 : Health Care for Members of the Armed Forces Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to establish registries of members and former members of the Armed Forces exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed to such hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.644 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Sponsor: Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (13) Companion Bill H.R.208 Related Bill S.831

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/ncoausa/issues/alert/?alertid=12995086&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12960556

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S.658 : Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans who live in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Tester, Jon [MT] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (10)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.663 : Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (51)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.669 : Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the conditions under which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent for certain purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 3/23/2009) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/16/2009 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 78.

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S.691 : Colorado National Cemetery for Veterans. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.699 : South Texas Veterans’ Hospital. A bill to provide for the construction by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a full service hospital in Far South Texas.

Sponsor: Sen Cornyn, John [TX] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.700 : Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1708.

Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (21)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.728 : Veterans’ Insurance and Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance veterans’ insurance benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/7/2009 Senate floor actions. Status: Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 155.

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S.731 : TRICARE Coverage For “Gray Area” Reservists. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve. Companion Bill H.R.270

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (23)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. ‘

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805&False&False

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S.734 : Rural Veterans Health Care Access and Quality Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain physicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas and to improve the provision of health care to veterans in rural areas, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/30/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.746 : Nebraska National Cemetery. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.760 : National World War I Memorial. A bill to designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the “National World War I Memorial”.

Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related Bill H.R.1849

Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 12/3/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

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S.768 : Bataan Gold Medal Initiative. A bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the soldiers from the United States who were prisoners of war at Bataan during World War II.

Sponsor: Sen Udall, Tom [NM] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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S.772 : Honor Act of 2009. A bill to enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members of the Armed Forces with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to enhance availability and access to mental health counseling for members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bond, Christopher S. [MO] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (12)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.793 : Department of Veterans Affairs Vision Scholars Act of 2009. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility.

Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.801 : Family Caregiver Program Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to waive charges for humanitarian care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to family members accompanying veterans severely injured after September 11, 2001, as they receive medical care from the Department and to provide assistance to family caregivers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (27)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/25/2009 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 167.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13104956&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.820 : Veterans Mobility Enhancement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the automobile assistance allowance for veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.821 : VA Copay Collection Prohibition. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read the second time and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.831 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/20/2009) Cosponsors (29) Related Bill S.644

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805

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S.832 : MOAA Federal Charter. A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 4/20/2009) Cosponsors (41) Companion Bill H.R.2017 Related Bill S.1449

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-95 [GPO: Text, PDF]

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S.842 : VA Home Loan Payoff to Mortgagers. A bill to repeal the sunset of certain enhancements of protections of servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay mortgage holders unpaid balances on housing loans guaranteed by Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.847 : SBP Education Assistance Limitation Exclusion. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that utilization of survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance shall not be subject to the 48-month limitation on the aggregate amount of assistance utilizable under multiple veterans and related educational assistance programs.

Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.883 : Medal of Honor Coin. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the Medal of Honor in 1861, America’s highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States, to honor the American military men and women who have been recipients of the Medal of Honor, and to promote awareness of what the Medal of Honor represents and how ordinary Americans, through courage, sacrifice, selfless service and patriotism, can challenge fate and change the course of history.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/23/2009) Cosponsors (85)

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/23/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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S.902 : Veteran’s Treatment Courts. A bill to provide grants to establish veteran’s treatment courts.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/27/2009) Cosponsors (4) Related Bill H.R.2127

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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S. 944 – The Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretaries of the military departments to give wounded members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces the option of remaining on active duty during the transition process in order to continue to receive military pay and allowances, to authorize members to reside at their permanent places of residence during the process, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 4/30/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13266571&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.977 : Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.998 : Arthur Woolweaver, Jr., Social Security Act Improvements for the Terminally Ill Act. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 5/7/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.1008 : Military Retired Pay Fairness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to limit requirements of separation pay, special separation benefits, and voluntary separation incentive from members of the Armed Forces subsequently receiving retired or retainer pay.

Sponsor: Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (7) Companion bill H.R.2302

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/7/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13682656&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13967481&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.1015 : Enhanced Disability Compensation for Certain Disabled Veterans. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance disability compensation for certain disabled veterans with difficulties using prostheses and disabled veterans in need of regular aid and attendance for residuals of traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/11/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1016 : Vet Disability Compensation Award upon Separation. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the commencement of the period of payment of original awards of compensation for veterans who are retired or separated from the Uniformed services for disability.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/11/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1042 : Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act. A bill to prohibit the use of funds to promote the direct deposit of Veterans and Social Security benefits until adequate safeguards are established to prevent the attachment and garnishment of such benefits.

Sponsor: Sen Kohl, Herb [WI] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.1055 : Gold Medal Award for 100th Inf Bn & 442nd RCT. A bill to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (58) Related bill H.R.347

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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S.1106 : Selected Reserve Continuum of Care Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the provision of medical and dental readiness services to certain members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve based on medical need, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 5/20/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.1109 : PRO-VETS Act of 2009. A bill to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes or the benefits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 5/20/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1118 : DIC Compensation Rate Increase to 55%. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1128 : Atomic Veterans Service Medal Act. A bill to authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other circumstances.

Sponsor: Sen Roberts, Pat [KS] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related bill H.R.2553

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.1160 : Homes for Heroes Act of 2009. A bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/1/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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S.1166 : Voluntary Support for Reservists and National Guard Members Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate part or all of any income tax refund to support reservists and National Guard members.

Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.1168 : Nationally Significant Battlefields Protection. A bill to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.1694

Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Latest Major Action: 7/15/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-92.

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S.1169 : Uniformed Services with Autism (USA) Heroes Act . A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.1204 : Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/8/2009) Cosponsors (9) Related bill H.R.1017

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1237 : Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents and to establish a grant program for reintegration of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2010 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 360.

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S.1337 : Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2009. A bill to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 6/24/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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S.1347 : Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009. A bill to amend chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to allow members of the Armed Forces to sue the United States for damages for certain injuries caused by improper medical care, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/24/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13791596&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

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S.1394 : Veterans Entitlement to Service Act of 2009. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by claimants, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 7/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1427 : Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1429 : Servicemembers Mental Health Care Commission Act. A bill to establish a commission on veterans and members of the Armed Forces with post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or other mental health disorders, to enhance the capacity of mental health care providers to assist such veterans and members, to ensure such veterans are not discriminated against, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1449 : MOAA Federal Charter. A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related Bill H.R.2017 & S.832

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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S.1450 : Deceased Servicemen Parental Nursing Home Care. A bill to enable State homes to furnish nursing home care to parents any of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces.

Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1452 : COMBAT PTSD Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of “combat with the enemy” for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1467 : Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide coverage under Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance for adverse reactions to vaccinations administered by the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 7/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1495 : Service Dogs for Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using service dogs for the treatment or rehabilitation of veterans with physical or mental injuries or disabilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Franken, Al [MN] (introduced 7/22/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related Bill H.R.3266

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1518 : Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1520 : NAIV Charter. A bill to grant a Federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated.

Sponsor: Sen Johnson, Tim [SD] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.3349

Committees: Senate Judiciary

Latest Major Action: 7/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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S.1543 : Supporting Military Families Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to provide leave for family members of members of regular components of the Armed Forces, and leave to care for covered veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Latest Major Action: 7/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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S.1547 : Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing Act of 1937 to enhance and expand the assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Reed, Jack [RI] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (19)

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1556 : Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 8/3/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1558 : Travel Reimbursement for Inactive Duty Training Personnel (TRIP) Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 37, United States Code, to provide travel and transportation allowances for members of the reserve components for long distance and certain other travel to inactive duty training.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 8/3/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 8/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.1668 : National Guard Education Equality Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 9/14/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/ngaus/mail/compose/?mailid=14779496&azip=92571

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S.1685 : Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2009. A bill to provide an emergency benefit of $250 to seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for such year, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 9/17/2009) Cosponsors (10) Related Bills: H.R.3597

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 9/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.1695 : Congressional Gold Medal Award. A bill to authorize the award of a Congressional gold medal to the Montford Point Marines of World War II.

Sponsor: Sen Burris, Roland [IL] (introduced 9/23/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/23/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

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S.1717 : VA Facility Leases. A bill to authorize major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 9/25/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill S.1310

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-82

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S.1752 : Parkinson’s Disease VA Compensation. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson’s disease.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1753 : Disabled Veteran Caregiver Housing Assistance Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase assistance for disabled veterans who are temporarily residing in housing owned by a family member, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/5/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1779 : Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1780 : Honor America’s Guard-Reserve Retirees Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (9) Related bill: H.R.3787

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1798 : Automatic Reserve Component Enrollment Act of 2009. A bill to provide for the automatic enrollment of demobilizing members of the National Guard and Reserve in health care and dental care programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.1932 : Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Latest Major Action:

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S.1939 : Vet Presumptive Exposure in Vietnam. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (19)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.1963 : Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide assistance to caregivers of veterans, to improve the provision of health care to veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-163 [GPO: Text, PDF]

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S.2096 : Parent VA Burial Eligibility. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility of parents of certain deceased veterans for interment in national cemeteries.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 10/29/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/29/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.2743 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 11/5/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related bill: H.R.4051

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.2759 : Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veteran Entitlements Act of 2009. A bill to amend title II and XVI of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of disability rated and certified as total by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as disability for purposes of such titles.

Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related Bill: H.R.4054

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.2760 : VA Homeless Vets Appropriations. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Udall, Tom [NM] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.2769 : Post-9/11 Veterans’ Job Training Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the use of entitlement under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance for the pursuit of apprenticeships and on-job training, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Klobuchar, Amy [MN] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (2)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.2770 : Veterans Business Center Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Small Business Act to establish a Veterans Business Center program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

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S.3082 : VA Work Study Allowances. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize individuals who are pursuing programs of rehabilitation, education, or training under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to receive work-study allowances for certain outreach services provided through congressional offices, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 3/5/2010) Cosponsors (1) Related bill: H.R.4765

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/5/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3107 : Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2010. A bill to amend title 38 , United States Code, to provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2010, in the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/11/2010) Cosponsors (11) Related Bill: H.R.4667

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.3118 : Veterans Pensions Protection Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that monetary benefits paid to veterans by States and municipalities shall be excluded from consideration as income for purposes of pension benefits paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 3/16/2010) Cosponsors (None) Related Bill: H.R.3485

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3162 : VA Minimum Essential Coverage. A bill to clarify the health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that constitutes minimum essential coverage.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/24/2010) Cosponsors (59) Related bills: H.R.5014

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/13/2010 Held at the desk.

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S.3171 : Veterans Training Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the approval of certain programs of education for purposes of the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 3/25/2010) Cosponsors (9) Related bills: H.R. 3813

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3192 : Fair Access to Veterans Benefits Act of 2010. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of final decisions of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] (introduced 4/12/2010) Cosponsors (None) Related bills: H.R.5045, H.R.5064

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 4/12/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3201 : TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend TRICARE coverage to certain dependents under the age of 26.

Sponsor: Sen Udall, Mark [CO] (introduced 4/14/2010) Cosponsors (31) Related bills: H.R.4923

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/14/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.3234 : Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010. A bill to improve employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 4/20/2010) Cosponsors (11) Related bills: H.R.5120

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.3286 : VA Vet Claim Assistance Pilot Program. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on the award of grants to State and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide assistance to veterans with their submittal of claims to the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] (introduced 4/29/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.3356 : CHAMPVA Children Maximum Age increase. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under the CHAMPVA program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 5/13/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3359 : Veterans’ Disability Compensation Automatic COLA Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Thune, John [SD] (introduced 5/13/2010) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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S.3367 : VA Pension Increase for Disabled Couples. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the rate of pension for disabled veterans who are married to one another and both of whom require regular aid and attendance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 5/13/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/19/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

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S.3371 : TRICARE Mental Health Care Access Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve access to mental health care counselors under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 5/13/2010) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.3378 : Examination of Exposures to Environmental Hazards During Military Service and Health Care for Camp Lejeune and Atsugi Naval Air Facility Veterans and their Families Act of 2010. An original bill to authorize health care for individuals exposed to environmental hazards at Camp Lejeune and the Atsugi Naval Air Facility, to establish an advisory board to examine exposures to environmental hazards during military service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 5/17/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Senate Reports: 111-189

Latest Major Action: 5/17/2010 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 377.

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S.3394 : Strengthening Entrepreneurship for America’s Veterans Act of 2010. A bill to establish the veterans’ business center program, to improve the programs for veterans of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA] (introduced 5/20/2010) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

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S.3398 : Veteran Employment Transition Act of 2010. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the work opportunity credit to certain recently discharged veterans.

Sponsor: Sen Baucus, Max [MT] (introduced 5/24/2010) Cosponsors (3) Related bills: H.R.5400

Committees: Senate Finance

Latest Major Action: 5/24/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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S.3406 : Reserve Retirement Deployment Credit Correction Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the per-fiscal year calculation of days of certain active duty or active service used to reduce the minimum age at which a member of a reserve component of the uniformed services may retire for non-regular service.

Sponsor: Sen Hagan, Kay [NC] (introduced 5/24/2010) Cosponsors (None) Related bills: H.R.4947

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 5/24/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

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S.3447 : Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve educational assistance for veterans who served in the Armed Forces after September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 5/27/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/27/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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[Source: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/LegislativeData.php?n=Browse 13 Jun 09 ++]

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

== ISP’s Blocking RAO Bulletin [04] — (More AOL Deletions)

== Mobilized Reserve 8 JUN 2010 ————— (3,967 Decrease)

== Medicare Part D [34] ——————- (Donut Hole Phase out)

== Connecticut Veteran’ Home [01] ———- (Prescription Drugs)

== Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 [13] – (Vote Imminent)

== VA Copay [10] ——————————– (PRI 7/8 Increase)

== USFSPA & Divorce [14] ————— (Oklahoma H.B.1053)

== VA Claim Form ——————————– (New 21-526EZ)

== Arlington National Cemetery [09] ——– (Corrective Action)

== Health Care Fraud & Abuse ———— (HCFAC 2009 Report)

== Space “A” Travel Policy [02] ———————— (H.R.5404)

== Sleep Apnea [02] ————————– (VA Sees Sharp Rise)

== PTSD [49] ———————————– (Iraqi Freedom Vets)

== AmeriCorps ——————————- (Vet Programs Added)

== Nebraska Vet Cemetery [02] ——- (VA Accepting Proposals)

== Mental Illness Education Program ——— (Family to Family)

== VA Homeless Vets [17] ——————————— (Hotline)

== VA Homeless Vets [18] ————– (HUD Voucher Program)

== Florida State Park Vet Passes ———– (Available 1 Jul 2010)

== VA Vocational Rehabilitation [04] — (Claim Submission Tips)

== Health Care Reform [35] ———– (W-2 Benefit Value Entry)

== VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases [05] —— (Spending Hold)

== NDAA 2011 [03] —————– (Military Hospital Abortions)

== GI BILL [78] ————————– (Change Hold Requested)

== Florida Vet Legislation [01] ——————— (3 Bills Signed)

== Washington Vet Cemetery [01] — (1st State Cemetery Opens)

== Virginia Vet Cemetery [01] ————- (Struggle to Maintain)

== Minnesota Vet Cemetery [01] —————– (3 More Planned)

== SBA Vet Issues [11] ———— (Owner Verification Problems)

== California Vet Home [07] ————- (3 New Homes Planned)

== AO Thailand & Korea ————- (Claim Handling Procedure)

== Vaccination Schedules for Children —— (Infant Delay Study)

== Thrift Savings Plan YTD 2010 ——————– (Dismal May)

== New Jersey Disabled Vet Benefit ———- (Hunting & Fishing)

== Vietnam Memorial Wall [06] ———————– (Virtual Wall)

== Seniors Benefit Checkup [01] ————– (Web-based Service)

== Funeral Honors [05] ——————————- (How to Obtain)

== Debt Collector’s Rules [01] ———————- (FDCPA Rights)

== IRS Tax Return Penalties ———————————— (2009)

== National Park Passports [03] —————- (Non-Senior Passes)

== Medicare Fraud [41] —————————— (1-15 Jun 2010)

== Medicad Fraud [15] ——————————- (1-15 Jun 2010)

== State Veteran’s Benefits ——————————— (Alabama)

== Military History ——————- (WWII Japan Invasion Plans)

== Military History Anniversaries ———– (Jun 15-30 Summary)

== Military Trivia 6 ————————————— (Number 06)

== Tax Burden for New Hampshire Retirees —————– (2009)

== Congressional Alphalist ———————————- (Index B)

== Veteran Legislation Status 13 JUN 2010 — (Where we stand)

== Have You Heard? ——————————- (Late at WalMart)

Attachment – Alabama State Veteran’s Benefits

Attachment – WWII Japan Invasion Plans

Attachment – Veteran Legislation

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ISP’s Blocking RAO Bulletin Update 04: There were no additional blockages of Juno & Netzero email addees on the 1 JUN Bulletin. However, AOL’s response to the 1 JUN transmission reaffirmed their policy of blocking it. I received back an additional 1146 AOL addees that stated, “Email address does not exist or has been cancelled”. To these addees I sent two separate messages asking for confirmation and apparently none got past AOL’s filters as none were responded to. Since I could no longer communicate with these subscribers I deleted them all bringing the total AOL deletions to over 4,000 in the last six weeks. Not sure what will happen with this Bulletin but the remaining 9000 AOL subscribers should be aware that they may be deleted if I do not have an alternate non-AOL email addee on file to send their Bulletin to. Especially if I can no longer communicate with them as happened on the last Bulletin.

Those deleted who see this notice on the website http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html who want to be reinstated need to send me an email that addresses the following questions:

* Do you have a non-AOL email addee for me to use or can you obtain one?

* If not, have you contacted AOL to find out what to do to continue to get Bulletins?

* If so, what did they tell you? Others would be interested.

Be aware that I most likely will not be able to get past AOL’s spam filter to give you an email response so if you do not receive one give me a call at (951) 238-1246. [Source: RAO Bulletin Editor/Publisher 14 Jun 2010 ++]

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Mobilized Reserve 8 JUN 2010: The Department of Defense announced the current number of reservists on active duty as of 8 JUN 2010. The net collective result is 3.967 fewer reservists mobilized than last reported in the 1 JUN 2010 RAO Bulletin. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 93,476; Navy Reserve, 6,225; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 18,359; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,193; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 841. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 129,061 including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/d20100608ngr.pdf. [Source: DoD News Release No. 474-10 dtd 9 Jun 2010 ++]

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Medicare Part D Update 34: Medicare beneficiaries who enter the prescription drug Donut Hole anytime before the end 2010 should receive a onetime $250 rebate check from Medicare. The first checks, for people who hit the Donut Hole by 31 MAR should arrive around 10 JUN 2010, according to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Under current law through the end of 2010, if beneficiaries enter the Donut Hole, they have to pay 100% of the cost of covered drugs until they reach the catastrophic threshold, at which point cost-sharing is reduced to $2.50 (generic)/$6.30 (brand name) or 5% co-insurance, whichever is greater. In essence, the benefit structure for Part D remains the same this year as it has been since Part D first went into effect in 2006. The Affordable Care Act took a small step to mitigate the effects of the Donut Hole in 2010 by providing the one-time $250 rebate check to anyone entering the gap. Although the law itself gives the Secretary about two-and-a-half months after the end of the quarter in which the individual enters the gap to get the rebate check out, the Secretary and CMS are expecting checks to go out monthly, shortly after an individual enters the Donut Hole. Generally speaking, individuals should receive their checks within 45 days of entering the Donut Hole. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency that administers Medicare, estimates that about four million individuals will receive such checks this year. Important points to remember about the one-time rebate program are:

* Beneficiaries do not have to sign up for the one-time $250 rebate check or take any particular steps other than to have incurred Part D prescription drug costs that have landed them in the Donut Hole for 2010.

* In determining whether a beneficiary is eligible for the rebate check, Medicare will review records sent from the beneficiary’s pharmacy to his/her Part D prescription drug plan.

* The rebate checks will come from Medicare and not from an eligible beneficiary’s prescription drug plan.

* The rebate checks are not available to anyone receiving “Extra Help,” that is, the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, because those individuals never have a gap in their Part D coverage.

CMS has created a consumer brochure in English and Spanish describing the rebate program which is available at www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11464.pdf . The brochure emphasizes the ease of getting this rebate: the beneficiary does not need to take any action to get the rebate. Highlighted in the brochure is CMS’s warning “Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls you about the $250 rebate check.” It encourages the reader to report anyone who seeks such information by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.) According to a recent e-mail from CMS, the envelope in which the check is mailed will have the US Department of Health and Human Services symbol on it and will say ‘Medicare Part D.’ Beneficiaries don’t need to provide any personal information such as Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check.” The $250 is not taxable. CMS has not issued guidance on whether its value is counted in determining eligibility for public benefits. Nor has CMS issued a clear statement to nursing facilities, as it did with stimulus checks mailed out under authority of the Recovery Act last year, that the checks belong to nursing facility residents who have the right to determine how the money is spent. Another unresolved question relates to whether the amount is protected from recoupment by creditors who have judgments against a recipient after it has been deposited into a bank account.

The checks will be mailed (not deposited electronically into bank accounts) to the individual beneficiary at the address that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has on record. Beneficiaries should know when they have entered the Donut Hole by the monthly Explanation of Benefits sent by their Part D plan. If they do not receive the check within about 45 days of entering the Donut Hole, they should check with their plan to see if it has sent the information to CMS and check with SSA to be sure it has the correct address. If the answers from both are yes, they should call 1-800-MEDICARE. Beginning in 2011, the Donut Hole will slowly shrink:

* Beneficiaries will get a 50% discount on brand-name and biologic prescription drugs purchased while in the Donut Hole in 2011.

* Starting in 2013, the federal government will gradually add to the discount so that by 2020, beneficiaries will be paying no more than 25% of the cost of brand-name and biologic prescription drugs while in the Donut Hole.

* Beneficiaries purchasing generic prescription drugs will get a 7% price-cut starting in 2011. By 2020, the federal government will cover 75% of the cost of these drugs.

* Thus, by 2020, the Donut Hole will disappear for all drugs, both generic and brand name. It is important to note that the discounts do not affect a beneficiary’s ability to qualify for Part D catastrophic coverage if the actual costs of the individual’s drugs are high enough to reach that level.

[Source: www.medicareadvocacy.org/InfoByTopic/Reform/10_06.10.DonutHole.htm Jun 2010 ++]

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Connecticut Veteran’ Home Update 01: Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell on 10 JUN signed into law a bill that prohibits nursing homes from restricting patient access to prescription drugs from any U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs prescription drug program or health plan. “The federal VA has a unique ability to negotiate costs with pharmaceutical companies to provide veterans with lower cost prescription drugs,” Governor Rell said. “This bill ensures our veterans – who deserve our eternal gratitude for their service – can take advantage of this discount, no matter where they live. Considering everything they have laid on the line for us, this seems like the least we can do in return.” Previous state law had required drugs administered at a nursing home to come from an “institutional pharmacy” – that is, an on-site pharmacy at the nursing home – or a community pharmacy with a written agreement with the nursing home. Under the new bill, nursing homes would still administer drugs obtained through the VA discount programs. Nursing homes could also dispense medications obtained from other sources if the patient needs them before they can be obtained through the VA. The legislation – House Bill 5351, An Act Concerning Prescription Drug Benefits for Veterans in Nursing Home Facilities – takes effect 1 OCT 2010. [Source: CT American Legion Dept News Release 10 Jan 2010 ++].

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Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 Update 13: A Senate vote on H.R.4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, is expected to occur sometime in mid-JUN. This important legislation postpones a scheduled 21.2% cut in payments to doctors who treat Medicare and Tricare patients through DEC 2011. Some Hill sources report that the Senate may amend H.R.4213 to go beyond the 19-month period provided in the bill, possibly up to three-and-a-half years. Should this occur, the measure would then have to be reapproved by the House before becoming law, which likely means that Congress will fail to act in time, due to delays in the Senate. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have delayed claims processing to give Congress additional time to correct the problem. CMS has authority to delay processing for 10 business days, which puts the deadline at 14 JUN. The Tricare Management Activity has taken similar action. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 11 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Copay Update 10: On 9 JUN, the VA announced that veterans who generally have higher income and no service-connected disabilities – referred to as Priority Groups 7 and 8 veterans – will now pay an additional $1 for each 30-day supply of outpatient medications. Taking effect on 1 JUL, the increase to $9 from $8 is the first change in VA medication copay since 1 JAN 06. Veterans in Priority groups 2-6 will have NO increase in their copay. When asked why this increase was necessary the VA replied that the CPI for medication was increasing at a higher rate than the rest of the economy and this increase was deemed necessary. The prices will hold steady for the next 18 months and will again be looked at in JAN 2012. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 11 Jun 2010 ++]

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USFSPA & Divorce Update 14: Divorce courts in Oklahoma, as in many other states, often treat military retirement benefits as a marital asset, dividing the portion of the benefits accrued during the marriage equitably if the parties cannot agree to a division. The Oklahoma bill H.B.1053 sought changes to the current method used in awarding marital assets, such as military retired pay. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to vote on the bill thus ending any chances of revising the law this year. The bill will need to be reintroduced in the next session in 2011. [Source: AFSA eNewsletter 11 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Claim Form: After years of complaints from veterans about having to fill out a 26-page-long benefits claims form for the Veterans Affairs Department, the Office of Management and Budget has approved VA’s new six-page form. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have progressed, the 26-page application became particularly troublesome for veterans dealing with traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder, both of which can cause short-term memory loss and other cognitive issues. “It’s a good thing and we’re pleased,” said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense. “In our view, the current form is burdensome. It’s too long.” VA spokesman Steve Westerfeld confirmed in a voicemail that VA had shortened VA Form 21-526, as well as creating a new “express claim” form, or 21-526EZ, which is six pages long and requires that the veteran provide his own medical and military records, rather than waiting for VA to gather them. The EZ form comes as a result of a pilot program mandated by the Veterans’ Benefit Improvement Act of 2008. That pilot program will now be expanded to include everyone, according to VA’s May Compensation & Pension Service Bulletin. Sullivan, along with other veterans’ service groups and several members of congress, have pushed for the shorter form.

Tom Staudter, spokesman for Rep. John Hall, D-N.Y., said Hall had talked with several veterans who said they couldn’t fill out the lengthy form, and therefore never received any disability compensation. Hall is chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee on disability affairs and memorial assistance. When Hall met with veterans again last week and told them about the new six-page form, “they were absolutely pleased to hear it’s on the horizon,” Staudter said. Sullivan said that, by reducing the form from 26 pages to 6 pages, VA could kill about 20 million pages of paperwork, per the 1 million claims expected this year. “Filing a 26-page disability claim is undoubtedly a daunting process for veterans, particularly those who have traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Amy Fairweather, policy director for Swords to Plowshares, an organization that provides counseling, case management, and job training to veterans in San Francisco, and which has argued for a shorter form. “The change to a simpler six-page application will certainly break down barriers not only for veterans, but also for advocates and VA staff.”

Several other veterans service groups, such as Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion, have also argued for the shorter forms during congressional hearings. Sullivan said the 26-page form creates a barrier for the veterans that, in turn, creates an adversarial atmosphere. For example, the old form asks a veteran to detail his or her military service, which seems like finding a lot of details that are already readily available to VA. “The guys say, ‘Doesn’t the government know when I served?’” Sullivan said. VA officials had not yet indicated any form details or when it will be implemented. [Source: NavyTimes Kelly Kennedy article 10 Jun 2010 ++]

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Arlington National Cemetery Update 09: The top two officials in charge of Arlington National Cemetery were disciplined after an Army investigation found the cemetery’s management to be “dysfunctional,” Army Secretary John M. McHugh announced at a 10 JUN 2010 Pentagon press conference. In light of findings of inappropriate practices and mismanagement at Arlington National Cemetery, he is relieving the cemetery’s current superintendent and deputy superintendent of their duties and placing Kathryn Condon in the newly created role of Executive Director of the Army National Cemeteries Program. The Army inspector general completed a months-long report on 8 JUNthat identified 76 separate deficiencies as well as 101 recommendations to improve operations at Arlington National Cemetery. Most significantly, the report found poor recordkeeping allowed occupied gravesites to be improperly marked or often not marked at all. The Army stripped Superintendent John Metzler of all authority, but he will remain on staff until his retirement July 2. His deputy, Thurman Higgenbotham, was placed on administrative leave pending additional personnel actions. Both are career federal civil servants.

“A majority of these findings are deeply troubling and unacceptable,” McHugh told reporters today at a Pentagon news conference. “The [inspector general] found Arlington’s mission hampered by dysfunctional management, by a lack of established policies and procedures and an overall unhealthy organizational environment. The report determined the improper internment of remains, including the loss of accountability for remains, names and graves listed as empty, he said. McHugh also cited improper maintenance and cleaning of graves. “That all ends today,” he said firmly, later adding that “there’s simply no excuse” for the negative findings in the report. McHugh established a new position to oversee the Army National Cemeteries Program. Katherine Condon was appointed executive director of the cemeteries program and she “has total supervisory powers pertaining to all business and operational activities associated with Army cemeteries,” the secretary said. Condon served as the senior civilian for the Army Material Command before accepting the position. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki also agreed to lend his department’s expertise in cemetery operations. Patrick K. Hallinan, director of the Office of Field Programs for the VA, will be temporarily reassigned as Arlington’s superintendent. Hallinan currently oversees 130 national cemeteries.

Also, McHugh established an Army National Cemetery Advisory Commission. Former Sens. Bob Dole and Max Cleland are charged with leading the group. Both former legislators have the experience for the job. Dole co-chaired a commission that investigated deficiencies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007, and Cleland is a former VA secretary. McHugh said he’s “deeply grateful” for the help he’s enlisted. But more noticeably, the former New York congressman said he was battered with guilt and expressed his apologies to the families of the fallen buried in Arlington. “On behalf of the United States Army and on behalf of myself, I deeply apologize to the families of the honored fallen resting in that hallowed ground who may now question the care afforded to their loved ones,” he said. The Army and Arlington National Cemetery will bounce back, McHugh said. “The Army owes better,” he said. “I’m unable to explain the past, but I can promise this about the future. The United States Army will take every step necessary to fully ensure that every challenge, every need at Arlington is clearly understood and effectively addressed. “We owe no less to our departed heroes, no less to the loved ones of this nation who, when the call was sounded, stepped forward to serve,” McHugh continued. “The better tomorrows for Arlington National Cemetery begin today.” [Source: AFPS Michael J. Carden article 10 Jun 2010 ++]

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Health Care Fraud & Abuse: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) established a national Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program (HCFAC) under the joint direction of the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Inspector General, designed to coordinate federal, state and local law enforcement activities with respect to health care fraud and abuse. In fiscal year 2009, HCFAC reported, among other things, $1.63 billion in judgments and settlements, the transfer of $2.51 billion to the Medicare Trust Fund, the transfer of $441 million in federal Medicaid money to the Treasury, the opening of 1,014 new criminal health care fraud investigations involving 1,786 potential defendants, and a total of 583 defendants who were convicted for health care fraud-related crimes. The report provides the following details on antifraud accomplishments during the 2009 fiscal year:

Monetary results. In FY 2009, $2.576 billion were: deposited with the Department of the Treasury and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); transferred to other federal agencies administering health care programs; or paid to private persons during the fiscal year. The amounts included:

* Gifts and bequests made unconditionally to the Medicare Trust Fund;

* Criminal fines recovered in cases involving a federal health care offense;

* Civil monetary penalties in cases involving a federal health care offense;

* Amounts resulting from the forfeiture of property by reason of a federal health care offense; and

* Penalties and damages obtained and otherwise creditable to miscellaneous receipts of the general fund of the Treasury obtained under 31 U.S.C. §3729-§3733 (known as the False Claims Act) in cases involving claims related to the provision of health care items and services.

HHS fraud efforts. The Office of Inspector General of HHS (OIG) participated in investigations or other inquiries that resulted in 1,065 prosecutions or settlements, of which 902 were health care cases. The OIG excluded a total of 2,556 individuals and entities. Among these were:

* Exclusions based on criminal convictions for crimes related to Medicare and Medicaid, or to other health care programs;

* Patient abuse or neglect; and

* Licensure revocations.

DOJ fraud efforts. In FY 2009, the United States Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) received 1,014 new criminal matters involving 1,786 defendants, and had 1,621 health care fraud criminal matters pending involving 2,706 defendants. Civil U.S. Attorneys litigated a wide variety of health care fraud matters including false billings by doctors and other providers of medical services, overcharges by hospitals, Medicaid fraud, kickbacks to induce referrals of Medicare or Medicaid patients, and fraud by pharmaceutical companies. The DOJ opened 886 new civil health care fraud investigations.

[Source: HCFAC Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2009, May 2010, Health Care Compliance Reporter ++]

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Space “A” Travel Policy Update 02: A bill introduced by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) on 26 MAY would make space-available travel on military flights easier for retired reserve component members and their family members. H.R.5404 would make travel available to those people on the same basis as it is now for retired members of the active component. Currently, restrictions are greater for reserve component retirees and their families. In a press release, Young said, “Currently, if a Guardsman or Reservist retires before the age of 60, their dependents cannot fly space available on military aircraft. With a large number of Guardsmen and Reservists serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a good way to show our support and appreciation for the men and women of our armed forces and the families that support them and support this country with all they have.” The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. [Source: NGAUS Washington report 8 Jun 2010 ++]

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Sleep Apnea Update 02: The number of veterans receiving disability benefits for a sleeping disorder has increased 61% in the past two years and now costs taxpayers more than $500 million per year, according to Veterans Affairs data. More than 63,000 veterans receive benefits for sleep apnea, a disorder that causes a sleeping person to gasp for breath and awaken frequently. It is linked to problems ranging from daytime drowsiness to heart disease. The top risk factor for contracting the disorder appears to be obesity, though a sleep expert at the VA and a veteran’s advocacy organization cite troops’ exposure to dust and smoke in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq as contributing factors. More claims are likely to be made in the future as Baby Boomers age and get heavier, says Max Hirshkowitz, director of the Sleep Disorder Center at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Veterans are four times more likely than other Americans to suffer from sleep apnea and about 5% of Americans have the disorder, he said, compared with 20% of veterans. Veterans benefits for sleep apnea are more generous than those for workers in the private sector, records show. For example, Elaine Fischer, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, which handles workers’ compensation in that state, said the department is not aware of any occupational exposure that would cause sleep apnea. “We’re unaware of it being directly caused by something work related,” she said.

The Social Security Administration recognizes sleep apnea as a disability. It pays benefits to those who can’t work because of a disability that is likely to last at least one year or will kill them. The VA says veterans, however, can receive benefits and hold jobs.In 2007, Congress asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay closer attention to sleep apnea among veterans. Greater awareness of the disorder has prompted more veterans to seek treatment, Hirshkowitz said. The result has been a sharp increase in claims and disability payments to veterans. According to data provided by Veterans Affairs:

* The number of veterans claiming sleep apnea as a disability has jumped to 63,118 in 2010 from 39,145 in 2008, a 61% increase.

* Payments to apnea patients with a disability rating of 50 — by far the largest group receiving benefits — rose to a minimum of $534 million in 2010 from $306 million in 2008. The minimum payment for a disability with a rating of 50 is $9,240 a year but increases if a veteran is married and has children.

Some veterans may be predisposed to sleep apnea, Hirshkowitz said, because many are built like football players. They’re big men, and as they age, many “become sedentary” and gain “an enormous amount of weight,” he said. “When you get to middle age or late middle age your level of exercise does not maintain particularly when you have knee problems and hip problems.” Daniel Chapman, a psychiatric epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agreed: “I really can’t think of a reason other than what’s happening in the general population, which is that we’re growing increasingly obese.” Chapman and Hirshkowitz said some sleep apnea cases may be caused by exposure to toxins from smoke or fires. Along with increased screening, the rise in sleep apnea cases may also be due to exposure to dust, sand and grit in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Thom Wilborn, a spokesman for the Disabled American Veterans organization. “Give a guy a rifle and put him in a desert, and he’s going to suffer some respiratory issues,” Wilborn said. According to Hirshkowitz losing weight can help some people with sleep apnea, though he notes that some thin men and some women also have the disorder. Veterans with a disability rating of 50% require breathing assistance with the airway pressure device, the VA said. The breathing machines work well and can prevent veterans from developing more serious heart and lung problems. [Source: USA Today Tom Vanden Brook article 6 Jun 2010 ++]

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PTSD Update 49: A study published 8 JUN by Archives of General Psychiatry examines how many soldiers develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders after deployment. Researchers from the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command examined 13,226 anonymous surveys completed by veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The investigators found that roughly one in 10 survey-takers had PTSD that was severe enough to cause ‘serious functional impairment. Between 9% and 14% of the soldiers were diagnosed with PTSD or depression resulting in serious impairment, while 23% to 31% were deemed to have some impairment. CNN /Health.com (6/7 Gardner) reported. Notably, the risk of mental health problems may be more persistent among National Guard soldiers, the study suggests. A greater proportion of men and women in the National Guard than in the Army were diagnosed with PTSD and depression one year after their return, although the two groups had similar rates at the three-month mark.

The researchers conclude that it’s clear even a year after deployment many combat soldiers have not psychologically recovered. And, because the time between deployments is often only a year to 18 months for active soldiers, a sizable proportion are likely returning to with lingering mental health issues. According to HealthDay approximately 50% of those with strictly defined depression or PTSD also admitted to alcohol misuse or physical aggression. The study’s findings suggest a need for improved post-deployment screening, the researchers said. A related study has found that veterans over the age of 55 with PTSD may be almost twice as likely to become demented as veterans who did not have PTSD. Researchers from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco arrived at that conclusion after tracking some 180,000 veterans over the age of 55 for some seven years. The researchers theorized that years of prolonged stress may cause changes in the brain leading to dementia. [Source: Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Cnn News, and HealthDay articles 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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AmeriCorps: The government took the first step Monday in expanding the AmeriCorps program, awarding grants to nonprofits and other organizations to put 57,000 AmeriCorps members to work in communities around the country. The grants, totaling $234 million, are the first to be released under a new law aimed at tripling the national service program by 2017. States and territories will also get an additional $129 million for AmeriCorps slots. Officials expect to have a total of 85,000 people enrolled in the program this year. AmeriCorps participants mentor children, clean up parks or buildings and weatherize homes for the poor among other activities. Some get a living stipend while they are working for up to a year. Most participants, who are predominantly 18 to 26, get about $11,800. Teach for America, the program that trains top college students to teach in poor communities, received the largest grant — $11.4 million for 6,621 AmeriCorps members. It’s just one of hundreds of national and local organizations, state service commissions, religious groups and other institutions getting the awards from the federal Corporation for National and Community Service.

In APR 09 President Obama signed a law to gradually increase the size of the Clinton-era AmeriCorps to 250,000 enrollees from 75,000. The measure outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: helping the poor, improving education, encouraging energy efficiency, strengthening access to health care and assisting veterans. Because of the law’s focus, programs that help veterans were among the newest recipients of AmeriCorps grants. Operation Welcome Home, run by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, will get almost $560,000 for 80 AmeriCorps members who will help returning service members in California with the transition back to civilian life. [Source: AP Ann Sanner article 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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Nebraska Vet Cemetery Update 02: Several different locations around the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area apparently are in the running as the Department of Veterans Affairs begins to shop for a site for a new national veterans cemetery. One group that has advocated for a location in Bellevue not far from Offutt Air Force Base may be willing to donate land for the cemetery, partly in hopes of improving the chance that its favored site will be chosen. President Barack Obama earlier this year budgeted authorization and planning funds for a national cemetery to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. If all goes according to plan, the new VA cemetery would be open to burials by 2013. The VA last month began accepting proposals of land to be either sold or donated to the federal government for the cemetery. And though the deadline passed last week, VA officials now have extended it in hopes of getting more proposals. U.S. Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) said he had no knowledge of what specific proposals were submitted and he supports the VA’s plan to extend the deadline. He also said he thinks the Memorial Ridge group’s push to donate land could be persuasive for the VA. The agency has a limited budget from which to make land purchases for as many as five new cemeteries across the nation this year. “Price does matter,” Terry said. “There’s no doubt that would make it more attractive to the VA.” Terry is encouraged that the cemetery proposal seems to be moving forward so quickly, less than four months after Obama submitted his budget proposal. The VA’s request for land proposals sets several criteria: at least 200 acres; location in Douglas, Sarpy or Saunders County in Nebraska or Pottawattamie County in Iowa; within 25 miles of the Interstate 80-680 interchange; and easily accessible by highway. [Source: Omaha World-Herald Henry Cordes article 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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Mental Illness Education Program: While there is clear evidence that families have a major impact on the health outcomes of adults with serious mental illnesses, little is known about the effectiveness of education and support groups in helping family members cope with having a relative with mental illness. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have received a $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health to study the benefits of participating in a peer-directed family-to-family education program to enable people to effectively handle the mental illness of a relative or loved one. “It can be very difficult when a loved one is mentally ill,” says Lisa Dixon, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and principal investigator for the study. “Some of the stressful aspects of helping a relative with a serious mental illness are disrupted family roles and schedules, drains on time and energy, financial difficulties and involvement in the often complex mental health system. These challenges are often so great that relationships are compromised and the well-being of the patient can be at risk.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has developed a program called the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program, a no cost 12-week class with a highly-structured standardized curriculum, conducted entirely by trained family members of those with a mental illness. The goal is to provide education about mental illness and treatments, emotional and practical support, and problem solving and communication skills for those dealing with the mental illness of a family member. To date, this course, taught by NAMI volunteers in communities across the country, has enrolled and graduated over 100,000 family members. “We hear regularly from participants that the course has helped them better understand their family member’s illness and enabled them to empathize with their struggle,” says Joyce Burland, Ph.D., program author and director of NAMI’s Education, Training and Peer Support Center. “We are optimistic that this study will expand the evidence base for the Family-to-Family program and will show that the program works.” Over 115,000 family members have graduated from this national program. The course covers the following to assist family members in dealing with their loved ones:

* Current information about schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders.

* Up-to-date information about medications, side effects, and strategies for medication adherence.

* Current research related to the biology of brain disorders and the evidence-based, most effective treatments to promote recovery.

* Gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness.

* Learning in special workshops for problem solving, listening, and communication techniques.

* Acquiring strategies for handling crises and relapse.

* Focusing on care for the caregiver: coping with worry, stress, and emotional overload.

* Guidance on locating appropriate supports and services within the community.

* Information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and expand services

Family-to-Family classes are offered in hundreds of communities across the country, in two Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Refer to http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=family-to-family&template=/customsource/classlisters/coursepicker.cfm&targetpage=ftflistdetail.cfm

and select your state to obtain locations, course start dates, and contact information. [Source: www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Family-to-Family&lstid=605 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Homeless Vets Update 17: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced the creation of a new telephone hotline to provide emergency support and resources to homeless veterans. The number is 1(877) 4AID VET [i.e. 1-877-444-3838]. “It is unacceptable for a single veteran to spend the night on the streets of America,” said Shinseki, who added that the new National Call Center for Homeless Veterans hotline will be staffed by experts 24/7, and complement the services already provided by the VA’s Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). [Source: VFW Washington Weekly 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Homeless Vets Update 18: A program announced 3 JUN by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $58.6 million to get homeless veterans off the streets this year. Vouchers will be provided to some 8,000 displaced veterans and their families across the country through the department’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, offering long-lasting support to the housing needs of veterans, “Though they served and sacrificed so much for our country, too many of our veterans find themselves on the streets and in homeless shelters,” Donovan said. “Thankfully, these vouchers will provide a more-permanent solution to housing and services these veterans need.” The program is in its third year and is a joint endeavor between HUD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ending homelessness among veterans is a top priority for VA. The issue has been the topic of numerous public forums and working groups since VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki took the department’s helm in JAN 09. Shinseki announced the framework for a plan in NOV 09 that would end homelessness among veterans within five years. The plan outlined his desire to attack homelessness at the top of the “downward spiral,” addressing mental health, substance abuse and unemployment before veterans become homeless.

VA estimates that more than 131,000 veterans and their families are without homes. Without the help of other federal departments, government agencies and community outreach, Shinseki’s goals can’t be met, he said in a statement released by HUD. However, efforts like HUD’s program are “a critical, long-term investment” toward helping those already homeless, Shinseki said. The program is the largest permanent housing initiative in the nation. “The most-effective option to providing veterans permanent shelter is HUD-VA Supportive Housing,” he said. “We owe determination that matches theirs as we work to end veteran homelessness. [The program] is immensely important and effective to reaching our goal.” Homeless veterans can receive the rental vouchers through their local VA medical center. Case managers at each hospital refer eligible veterans to local housing authorities, which will then assist veterans in finding adequate homes.

Eligibility for the vouchers is determined on a case-by-case basis, and requirements vary by metropolitan area, Brian Sullivan, a spokesman for HUD, explained. The dollar amount allocated to each local housing agency is based on the number of reported homeless veterans and the fair market rental system. The individual vouchers will cover at least 70% of a veteran’s rent. Also, once veterans are deemed eligible for the voucher, they stay in HUD’s voucher system until they can be financially stable. “Veterans will permanently have support and housing through this program,” Sullivan said. “That is until they’re able to stand on their own and continue to increase their income, which is our ultimate goal.” HUD plans to announce another $17 million for an additional 1,355 rental vouchers next month as well as 400 project-based vouchers later this summer, he said. [Source: AFPS Michael J. Carden article 8 Jun 2010 ++]

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Florida State Park Vet Passes: State Park Fees for Veterans S.B.2256 introduced by Sen. Andy Gardiner (R-9) and H.B.1145 introduced by Rep. Leonard Bembry (D-70) has been passed and sent to the and or gratus Entrance Passes to eligible members of the military community who present proof of eligibility:

* 25% discounted Annual Entrance Passes for active duty and honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces, National Guard or reserve units of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard.

* No cost Life Entrance Passes for veterans with service related disabilities and surviving spouses of members of the US military who have fallen in combat.

The discounted Florida State Parks Annual Entrance Pass is only available for purchase at any Florida State Park staffed ranger station. The no cost annual Life pass can only be obtained at a staffed ranger station. A list of staffed ranger stations can be found at www.floridastateparks.org/thingstoknow/doc/annualpass/staffedrangerstations.pdf . Satisfactory written documentation to prove eligibility includes current military identification card showing the bearer as active duty, reserve or retired member of a branch of the Department of Defense, or Personal identification (i.e.: driver license) and:

* Most recent DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, showing the named individual’s Character of Service as Honorable, or

* Other current official documentation from the Department of Defense, or one of its branches, naming the bearer as active duty, reserve, veteran or retired military, or

* Current official documentation from the Department of Defense, or one of its branches, naming the bearer as having sustained a service-related disability, or

* The final DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, showing the date of death as the same date as the date of separation, and Marriage certificate or license, or death certificate showing the bearer as the spouse of the military member who has fallen in combat.

[Source: Veterans Corner Michael Isam article 5 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Vocational Rehabilitation Update 04: Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab) is many things to many people. To some, it’s not worth the headache. For others, it’s a chance of a lifetime. The program has its flaws, like many other programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are many layers to the process that, if completed, can result in a win for any veteran. Unfortunately, the vast program majority of veterans who apply for the program drop out prior to developing an Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP). For a comprehensive guide on what needs to be done refer to www.disabledveterans.org. As a quick guide, if you follow the below five steps in order you will likely succeed in receiving the training you wish for the ideal job you want:

1. Apply for the benefit. The first step to any application for benefits can be found on the VA’s own website www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre. Look over these pages. They are the only source of information you will get directly from the VA prior to the first meeting. After a week, you will receive a notice as to whether or not you meet the initial requirements. Then, you will receive a notice of your first appointment.

2. Research the regulations. If you’re applying for benefits, it’s important to do your research prior to your first meeting. Start by reading the regulations. These can be found online and are called the 38 CFR Part 21 http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title38/38cfr21_main_02.tpl and the VA’s own M28 www.warms.vba.va.gov/M28.html . Between these two sources, you will be able to understand the process more fully. Read over them and put your own situation into the context of those regulations. Your own case must make sense within the criteria of the regulations or it will get denied. Be real with yourself and with your counselor. If the regulations do not support your case, it is likely you will be denied.

3. Find appeals cases that are similar to your situation. Once you get through this portion, turn to the VA’s Board of Veteran appeals site www.bva.va.gov. Search for instances where the Board had to review a Voc Rehab case. Read what you can find and compare it to your own situation. This will allow you to see how the CFR applies to real veterans’ issues. Simply enter into the search “Chapter 31” and the relevant regulation to your case, say “21.50” since that’s the relevant regulation for someone seeking initial approval for entry into Chapter 31. To see what an approved appeal case looks out you might want to check out http://www4.va.gov/vetapp10/files1/1003094.txt where the person wanted training to become a dog trainer.

4. Search the internet for your ideal job. Do a little job market research of your own. A great website for this can be found on O*Net at http://online.onetcenter.org. Try to take a step back to see what type of career you may be aptly suited for. Then, do the research to see if you could realistically complete the training requirements. If you have a hard time reading, becoming a lawyer or doctor may not be likely. Now, if you struggle with reading because of a learning disability or cognitive disorder, that’s a very complicated set of issues to work through, but not impossible. Voc Rehab has a myriad of tests at the disposal of the professionals working within the department that can help distill the issues.

5. Put together your presentation. The more grandiose your training request, the more difficult it will be to gain approval. It is much easier to gain approval for an undergraduate degree in business than to gain approval to become a psychologist. If you get a denial, it does not mean you should stop pushing. On the other hand, it may mean you need to look for different ways to finance your training:

o Most law school universities will give their students around $50,000 per year in scholarships and student loans to cover tuition and living expenses. Similarly, the process of completing an MBA or PhD can be financed.

o PhD’s at the best schools go along with some other graduate programs. At no additional cost. Princeton has a great Master’s in Public Policy program that is available at no cost for qualified applicants.

If your goal is to better yourself with further training to get that dream job, versus merely wanting more free benefits, there is always a way to make it happen. The only question is whether or not Vocational Rehabilitation will be your partner in the process. Good luck! [Source: Military.com Ben Krause article 20 May 2010 ++]

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Health Care Reform Update 35: A chain e-mail floating around the internet asserts employer W-2s will have to show the value of employer-provided health coverage and that workers will have to pay taxes on that benefit value. It’s true that the new law requires an entry on the W-2 showing the cost of employer-provided care. But employees won’t be taxed on it. The purpose of including it on the W-2 is to show employees what the benefit value is (much as the military services provide an annual statement of military benefits value to currently serving personnel). The facts are:

* It’s not the employees, but the insurance companies providing those plans (and employers that self-insure) that could be subject to taxation on part of such value – several years downstream.

* There isn’t any tax on health benefits value before 2018.

* There won’t be any taxes imposed on plans that aren’t deemed “Cadillac” plans (which are defined as costing more than $10,200 for individual coverage or $27,500 for a family plan).

* The tax won’t be on the total value of the plan. Insurers will be assessed 40% of whatever share of the value exceeds the $27,500 threshold. (i.e., if the value of a plan is $30,000, the insurer will be taxed 40% of $2,500 = $1,000).

[Source: MOAA Leg Up 4 Jun 2010 ++]

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VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases Update 05: Before leaving for the Memorial Day break Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) had language included in the 2010 War Supplemental Bill (H.R.4899). This bill, passed by the Senate last week, includes language to freeze the payments of funds for the new illnesses that the VA decided (last October) would be added to the list of presumptive illnesses from exposure to Agent Orange. They are B cell leukemia, Parkinson’s disease and certain heart diseases. The VA has been hiring new people and gearing up for the expected 200,000+ new claims that they are expecting because of this change. However Senator Webb says that he thinks the VA may be moving too quickly and is basing his amendment on the Congressional Review Act (PL 104-121) which allows Congress to put a 60 day hold on spending appropriated money for major new agency initiatives to allow Congress time to review them. During that period, Congress can pass a joint resolution to block the initiatives. This would hold the $13.4 billion that has been appropriated for this program until Congress’ 60 day review is complete. The Senator (a Vietnam vet, a former Navy Secretary and a present member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee) said: “I take a back seat to no one in my concern for our veterans. But I do think we need to have practical, proper procedures here.” He said that the VA needs “an accountable standard” for deciding which health claims should be causally linked to exposure to Agent Orange.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki met with Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, last month to ask that he cancel a hearing on the secretary’s controversial decision to add three diseases to the list of Vietnam veteran illnesses presumed caused by exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used in that war. Akaka and Webb are pressing Shinseki outside of the hearing process to explain last October’s decision to add heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and B-cell leukemia to the list of illnesses presumed caused by Agent Orange. It is not clear if this will slow down (or even stop) these new claims. [Source: TREA Washington Update and tom Philpott articles 4 & 10 Jun 2010 ++]

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Climate Change: Sea levels could rise as much as six feet this century, and the oceans’ acidity is growing at an unprecedented rate, according to the Navy’s Climate Change Roadmap. These are but two climate issues now driving research into the lasting geographic, political, environmental and strategic issues that will result.

Approved 21 MAY by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, the guidance was designed to “observe, predict and adapt to climate change,” said Rear Adm. David Titley, oceanographer of the Navy. Titley also heads Task Force Climate Change, a gathering of 450 experts representing 120 organizations. “Climate change is not coming. It’s here,” he told reporters May 27. “This is one of the long-term strategic challenges of the 21st century.” Titley acknowledged that climate change is “a story that doesn’t break, but it seeps out.” But he was quick to add that “if we ignore climate change, we ignore it at our peril.” He said his office is “pacing the threat” to ensure what is urgent today doesn’t become a crisis tomorrow.

A large number of scientists agree that melting glaciers and ice caps combined with ocean warming will cause a rise in sea levels 10 times greater than was seen in the 20th century. This is affecting, and will continue to affect, naval installations and infrastructure. “Even an increase of four feet would be a huge issue to any port,” Titley said. When storm surge and waves are added, the Navy could have piers underwater for weeks at a time. Titley would not point to any one port as his greatest concern, but he said adaptation strategies would differ from port to port because of unique factors such as bedrock and surrounding geography. A rise in sea level could have an impact on more than infrastructure. It would greatly affect near-shore areas, home to the majority of the world’s population. Some islands, particularly in the South China Sea, could virtually disappear, bringing sovereignty claims into question. Rainfall patterns also would change. In areas already laden with hunger and poverty, alterations to water resources could cause greater instability and lead to a change in the type, scope and location of Navy missions, the report said.

Titley also focused on the effects of ocean acidification, what he called the “silent partner” of climate change.

Half of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans, which results in measurable acidity. Those levels have changed more in the past 150 years than in the previous 500,000 years, he said, and the change is having a measurable effect on the ecosystem. He pointed to oyster farming off the coast of Oregon, which has seen a 29% decrease directly related to the rise in ocean acidity. Because 1 billion people get their primary protein from the ocean, such changes could become a “huge accelerant to potential instabilities, and that’s something that we in the Navy would want to understand. These are questions and scenarios we want to think through. You don’t want your senior decision-makers surprised. You want to have a game plan on the shelf so you have a starting point for when the world is changing.” To do this, the task force is taking a three-phased approach:

* Phase 1, already underway, officials are seeking funding in fiscal 2012 that will allow in-depth scientific analysis of climate change, determine impacts on national security and help develop environmental prediction capabilities. Titley would not say how much money is being sought, calling the amount predecisional.

* In Phase 2 (fiscal 2011-12), findings will be incorporated into strategic guidance and addressed in fleet training and planning.

* In Phase 3 (fiscal 2013-14), Navy leadership will have the necessary data to “make no-kidding decisions about what kind of no-kidding money we need to invest,” Titley said. This money will then be used to prepare infrastructure and address force structure issues relating to or resulting from the climate change.

[Source: NavyTimes Lance M. Bacon article 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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NDAA 2011 Update 03: Abortions would be allowed in U.S. military hospitals as long as patients pay for the procedures, under legislation approved by a Senate committee. The Senate Armed Services Committee’s legislation, attached to its version of the 2011 defense authorization bill, would restore a Clinton-era policy that allowed abortions as long as taxpayer funding was not involved. Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) is chief sponsor of the amendment, approved by a 16-10 vote. Policies on abortions in military medical facilities have changed many times over the years, with the issue getting more attention as the number of women in the military has risen. Abortions were allowed in military hospitals until 1979, when Congress first banned the procedure except in cases of rape, incest, when a woman’s life was at risk, or other serious health consequences. In 1988, the law was narrowed to remove serious health consequences short of death as exceptions, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which urged Burris to offer the amendment. In 1993, the same year that the military’s ban on open service by gays became law, President Clinton issued an executive order allowing abortions in military hospitals as long as private funds paid for the procedure. Congress ordered an end to privately funded abortions in 1996 and also allowed military medical personnel to refuse on personal or religious grounds to be involved in an abortion — even in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is endangered.

Burris’ amendment would repeal the prohibition and return to the Clinton-era policy under which private funds could pay for abortions in military hospitals. The fate of the legislation will depend on what happens as Congress continues working on the annual defense policy bill. Abortion opponents are expected to try to get the Burris provision removed when the measure comes up for debate later this year on the Senate floor. If it survives the Senate, House and Senate negotiators would have to determine whether to keep the provision in the final bill. The House version of the bill has no similar language. “Allowing American service women to use their own private funds to obtain abortion care at U.S. military facilities is fundamental and should never have been questioned in the first place,” said Vania Leveille, a legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. Lifting the ban would be especially important for military women based overseas who may not have local access to an abortion from a private facility, she said. U.S. military policy in such cases is to provide transportation to a location where the woman can pay for an abortion. But that requires them to inform someone in their chain of command that they wish to terminate a pregnancy, which some women fear could hurt their careers. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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GI Bill Update 78: Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) introduced S.3447 on 27 MAY, a bill to improve the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits program. The bill includes six major changes that will be welcomed by veteran students, school officials, and veterans service organizations. “With ten months of experience under the new program, I believe it is time to look at what improvements and modifications need to be made in order for the program to reach its potential,” said Akaka. Akaka’s proposed Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 is designed to make a number of modifications to the new program of educational assistance which became effective on 1 AUG 09. The following provisions will impact on current and future student veterans, many of which are considered long overdue:

* Members of the National Guard and Reserve who were inadvertently omitted from inclusion would be fully eligible for benefits.

* Include all vocational programs, OJT and apprenticeship training, flight, all types of non-college degree training and more. Effectively eliminating the need to make an irreversible decision as to whether or not to receive benefits under the old Montgomery GI Bill or under the new program.

* Veterans attending vocational schools would receive the national yearly average for tuition/fee payments, plus housing stipend based upon regular rate of the military’s BHA (basic housing allowance).

* On-the-job training and apprenticeships will be paid for on a prorated schedule of 75% of costs for the first six months, 55% for the next six months, and 35% for each subsequent month up to 24 additional months; benefits also include housing stipend and $1,000 annual book stipend.

* 60% of charges for flight training and 55% for correspondence courses will be covered, based on the national average of established cost at all institutions of higher learning.

* Eliminate the complicated, confusing and, in some cases, inequitable calculation of State-by-State tuition and fee caps to determine benefits for individuals enrolled in degree programs. Effectively ensuring that individuals enrolled in degree granting programs of study at public colleges and universities in the U.S. would pay little, if any, out of pocket. Those enrolled in private colleges and universities would receive the national average cost of education.

* Housing allowance for distance-learning (on-line education programs) students and those attending schools overseas will receive 50% of the established rate (which would become prorated, based on a veteran’s actual course load).

* Payment of up to $1,000 for a book allowance for servicemembers and their spouses enrolled while on active duty

* Eliminate the need for veterans to choose between Voc-Rehab and the Post-9/11 GI Bill enabling service-connected disabled OEF/OIF veterans to elect the program from which to receive their subsistence allowance. Ensuring that veterans would not be forced to pass on valuable counseling and support services to access the more generous Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

* Servicemembers who retired after Sept. 11, 2001, but before the Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect would be able to transfer current veterans education benefits to their family members (this provision would be paid for by DoD and other federal agencies).

* Instead of paying up to $2,000 for a one-time test for licensure or certification, an unlimited number of tests will be allowed, with charges being deducted from a veteran’s monthly benefits.

* Authority for uniformed members of the U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA Corps to transfer GI Bill benefits to family members.

* Make DoD and the other Federal agencies responsible for funding the transfer-of-benefits program for spouses and dependents

In his statement on the Senate floor, Akaka noted that “this will not be a simple process. Nor will it be quickly and easily accomplished. There are issues that we can readily see need to be addressed.” He added, “There are others, however, that are only just now coming to our attention as the program is implemented and veterans, servicemembers, and their families begin to receive benefits under the program.” According to Senator Akaka, the measure is intended to serve as a starting point to move and that he believes the actions taken to improve the Post-9/11 GI Bill need to be “full and deliberative.” [Source: Military.com Terry Howell article 2 Jun 2010 ++]

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GI BILL Update 79: The Post-9/11 GI Bill is likely to see only modest changes this year because lawmakers say they don’t want to be accused of holding up payments for the fall semester, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman said in an interview. Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) said he and other lawmakers would like to make a lot of changes to the education benefit, but for now he will accept only technical fixes and some small benefits expansions. The window for quick passage is small because the Veterans Affairs Department will begin processing claims for fall benefits in August. Filner and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman, have separately been preparing packages of changes, but there has been little talk about working out differences, if any, between their plans. VA officials, in the process of shifting the claims process from a paper based to a fully automated system by December, have pleaded with lawmakers to hold off on anything that would change the way basic calculations are made because the software being developed for phased deployment through the end of this year cannot accommodate major benefits revisions without the risk of missing deadlines.

VA’s warning has led Filner to reduce his wish list for changes this year to: paying living stipends to distance-learning students, covering vocational training and apprenticeships, and propping up tuition in states that heavily subsidize public colleges and universities. “Distance-learning living stipends is something we definitely want to do,” he said. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides monthly living stipends to those whose course loads make them more than half-time students, but people taking distance-learning classes are ineligible unless they are taking at least one class at a brick-and-mortar campus. GI Bill living stipends are paid based on the military’s basic allowance for housing for the ZIP code where the school is located, but a different approach is expected for distance learners to prevent students or schools from moving to high-cost areas to get more money. Living stipends for distance-learning students are likely to be based on where students lived at the time they applied for benefits. But there has also been talk of a payment equal to the average stipend for all other students , congressional aides said. The GI Bill provides no benefits for apprenticeships or on-the-job training, and limited benefits for vocational training. “We need to do something about this, and we need to do it this year,” Filner said. The third change would raise the cap on tuition and fees in states where tuition at public institutions is heavily subsidized. Those subsidies end up hurting students who use the new GI Bill for private schools, who take graduate-level courses at public institutions or who pay nonresident tuition at public colleges, because their tuition and fee reimbursements are capped at the tuition and fee rates for the undergraduate instate tuition at the most expensive public school in a state. [Source: NavyTimes Rick maze article 7 Jun 2010 ++]

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Florida Vet Legislation Update 01: Three bills recognizing service by U.S. military veterans are now law with signatures from Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist signed the bills Monday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2185 in Panama City after a round-table meeting with members of the Florida National Guard. One bill (HB 5) memorializes military veterans on highways, bridges and roads throughout the state. The second (HB 1145) provides discounts on annual passes for veterans at state parks. The third (HB 1455) makes it a felony to misrepresent military or veteran status while fundraising. During the round-table meeting, Crist praised the Florida National Guard’s cooperation with state agencies in preparing to deal with potential effects from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. [Source: AP article 1 Jun 2010 ++]

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Clark AFB Vet Cemetery: As Americans marked Memorial Day, a small band of veterans on the other side of the globe are waging a long-shot campaign on behalf of a silent constituency: thousands of U.S. service members, civilians and dependents buried in a largely forgotten American military cemetery in the Philippines. The veterans want the federal government to take responsibility for Clark Cemetery, a burial ground on a former U.S. military installation that contains remains dating to 1900. Among the more than 8,600 people buried there are at least 2,250 who were members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Philippine Scouts, a branch of the Army when the United States ruled the Philippines in the first half of the last century. Those buried at Clark include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, World War I, World War II and the wars in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. But the cemetery has fallen through the cracks of the U.S. bureaucracy, leaving its upkeep to volunteers led by a local post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a U.S. company based in Kuwait.

“These veterans have all but been forgotten on this special day we honor and memorialize those who have served our country,” said Larry Heilhecker, commander of VFW Post 2485 and chairman of a group that has stepped in to manage Clark Cemetery. “It is a shame that this cemetery has been long neglected by our government.” Heilhecker and others attributed the problem to an oversight when the U.S. government was negotiating with the Philippines 20 years ago on new long-term leases for Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base — two of the most prized U.S. military installations in Asia. Those talks broke down in 1991 after the eruption of the Mount Pinatubo volcano heavily damaged both bases, forcing major evacuations by the Air Force and Navy. The Air Force formally handed Clark over to the Philippine government in November 1991, and the Navy sailed out of Subic a year later. Clark Air Base and its cemetery became the responsibility of the Philippine air force, which ceded control to the government’s Clark Development Corp. But neither showed any interest in maintaining Clark Cemetery, which soon fell into disrepair. Grass was not mowed, bushes were not trimmed, flags were not flown, and vandals and looters descended on the 20-acre site. A monument was destroyed, and metal fencing around the cemetery was stolen. The air base itself fared worse, with looters hauling away everything from toilets to landing lights.

Faced with what it viewed as conditions that dishonored those buried there, the local VFW post negotiated an agreement in 1994 to manage the cemetery and set to work restoring it. With no funding from the U.S. or Philippine governments, the post assembled volunteers for an initial cleanup and collected donations for ongoing maintenance. Peregrine Development International, a U.S. company based in Kuwait and headed by Navy veteran Dennis L. Wright, provided new cemetery fencing and funded a full-time security service to prevent more looting. The company is involved in a $2 billion project to develop an aviation-oriented business and logistics park at the former air base. U.S. veterans and former Philippine Scouts are still being buried at Clark at the rate of three or four a month. Most are Americans who retired in the Philippines and died there, but two were killed in Iraq — a Filipino American soldier and a civilian Defense Department employee. The VFW spends about $1,000 a month to maintain the cemetery and pay the salaries of four full-time Filipino employees, Heilhecker said. But he estimated that it would cost about $500,000 to bring Clark Cemetery up to U.S. standards and at least $3,000 a month to properly maintain. Matthew P. Daley, a former U.S. diplomat who has taken an interest in the cemetery, said: “A first-class job could be done for $100,000 a year, which is not even spare change as our budgets go.”

The VFW and its supporters want the cemetery to be administered by either the American Battle Monuments Commission, a federal agency, or the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs. But spokesmen for both said Clark Cemetery did not seem to fit their criteria. The commission maintains U.S. military cemeteries overseas — including the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines — that are closed to new burials. The National Cemetery Administration maintains 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico but none on foreign soil. Ike Puzon, a former Navy officer of Philippine descent who is helping to raise awareness of the issue in Washington, said negotiators should have tied the Clark graveyard to the Manila cemetery during the base talks two decades ago. “It’s just an oversight that happened,” Puzon said. “It was one of the issues that fell through the cracks.” Now, he said, the solution may require an agreement between the U.S. and Philippine governments, such as a long-term U.S. lease of the cemetery, and congressional action directing the monuments commission to make an exception and administer it. “There are some jurisdictional issues, but we’ve gotten around these in the past when our veterans are engaged,” Puzon said. “Anybody who says this is impossible is not saying the right thing.” [Source: Washington Post William Branigin article 31 May 2010 ++]

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Washington Vet Cemetery Update 01: On Memorial Day, Washington’s first State Veterans Cemetery was dedicated in Medical Lake. Until now, the nearest veteran’s cemetery was nearly 300 miles away at Tahoma National Cemetery near Kent WA which is about a four-hour drive from Spokane. About 140,000 veterans live within 75 miles of the new cemetery. A Federal Grant helped pay for the $8 million, 80 acre site in West medical lake, surrounded by sprawling farms. Groundbreaking was last Memorial Day and now, only one year later, the site is ready for veterans and their families. The project includes a committal shelter, pre-placed crypts, standard burial areas, columbarium, in-ground cremains burial areas, roads, a maintenance facility, an assembly area and supporting infrastructure. Interment areas and facilities include 1,280 standard burial plots; 2,000 pre-placed crypts; 1,370 in-ground cremain sites and 2,240 columbarium niches. First interments are expected to take place beginning 7 JUN with the initial capacity for 10,700 and ultimate capacity of 70,000. Operating costs for the cemetery are a state expense, but much of it will be covered with the sale of veterans license plates. Veterans’ families do not pay burial fees, and concrete casket liners and memorial stones are provided.

Eligibility for interment in the Washington State Veterans Cemetery mirrors National Veterans Cemetery

eligibility requirements. In general all U.S. Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable; Spouses; and Dependent Children. Eligible spouses and children of veterans will be charged $300 for interment.

The Washington State Veterans Cemetery will serve veterans and other eligible individuals from Washington and other States. Veterans who are eligible for interment are also eligible for a Federal VA Plot Allowance. The State

Veterans Cemetery Office applies for and collects this plot allowance. Neither the State nor the Federal VA pay for other funeral expenses, such as preparation. These fees are paid by the Veteran’s family or estate. Some Veterans or their widows/widowers are eligible for Federal VA benefits in addition to the plot allowance. To determine whether the veteran or family member is eligible for additional benefits call 1-800-562-2308.

Pre-registration allows a Veteran, Spouse or Dependent Child to establish in advance, eligibility for interment in the Washington State Veterans Cemetery. Documentation such as a Form DD-214 for veterans and a marriage license for spouses is required during the pre-registration process. Individuals who pre-register are provided with a letter confirming their eligibility and are advised to file it with their other important documents. The letter includes a confirmation number which allows the Cemetery Office to easily access the eligibility file. Pre-registering offers a way for a veteran or family member to make final arrangements; however it is understood that circumstances may change and pre-registering does not override other decisions made as a result of estate planning or Next-of-Kin authorizations. The actual Application for Interment is not submitted until the eligible Veteran, Spouse, or Dependent Child is to be interred. Applications and pre-registrations can be completed and downloaded at www.dva.wa.gov/PDF%20files/cemetery%20Interment%20Application.pdf and www.dva.wa.gov/PDF%20files/cemetery%20preregistration.pdf . More information on the National Veterans Cemetery Eligibility Requirements is available at: http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/bbene/eligible.asp or by contacting a WDVA Benefits Specialist directly at 1(800) 562-2308. [Source: www.dva.wa.gov Jun 2010 ++]

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Virginia Vet Cemetery Update 01: Virginia, which is home to more military cemeteries than any other state, faces an annual struggle to preserve and maintain its sacred acres of white grave markers at state-operated facilities. Fifteen federally managed historic cemeteries crisscross the state, from Hopewell to Hampton, from Sandston to Staunton. Most of these sites do not accept new burials, and funding is less of a concern. “Quite a few of our federal cemeteries received stimulus money last year, and across the board our budgets have only gone up,” said Jo Schuda of the National Cemetery Administration. “We’re really in a good situation.” The situation is different for Virginia’s two state-run cemeteries. “The national cemeteries are closed, which is why it so important that our state cemeteries remain open,” said Annie Atkins, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk and the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia County are the two state-operated sites. More than 1,000 veterans are interred on average every year at the two cemeteries.

The cemetery division of Veterans Services has an annual budget of $811,000, a figure that has not increased in recent years. “Each year, the number of the gravesites increases, which requires more maintenance. You have more mowing, trimming, leveling of stones,” Atkins said. “We have not gotten any increase in our maintenance staff, and the number of burials has been going up each year as well.” Paul Galanti, a retired Navy commander who spent nearly seven years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, serves as director of Virginia’s Department of Veteran Services. Galanti, who lives in Richmond, said military cemeteries are essential to preserving honor and respect for America’s veterans. “We are trying hard to limit the budgetary effect to our veterans,” he said. “Some of our equipment for maintenance in the cemeteries is worn out. We are slowly trying to overhaul and replace those.” In NOV 2010, a new state-operated veterans cemetery will open in the Southwest Virginia town of Dublin, not far from Blacksburg. The $7.2 million site was primarily constructed with federal funds. Galanti said plans are under way for a fourth facility, perhaps in Northern Virginia.

State Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, whose district includes the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, said he believes that maintenance of military burial plots and construction of new cemeteries should be a federal responsibility, not a state obligation. “The federal government is supposed to provide for U.S. veterans. Obviously they have not met that obligation, as with many other things that they promise,” said Watkins, citing Virginia’s high concentration of military retirees and active-duty servicemen as a contributing factor in the high demand for cemetery space. Amid jurisdictional debates and budget struggles, Virginians continue to support veterans cemeteries through volunteer service. Both state cemeteries frequently rely on volunteer support for programming and special events, such as Christmas wreath laying and Memorial Day commemorations. “This is the best year we’ve ever had as far as volunteers, but it’s our worst year with the budget,” Jones said. [Source: Richmond Times Dispatch Danny C. Yates Article 31 May 2010 ++]

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Minnesota Vet Cemetery Update 01: State legislators this year passed a bill instructing Minnesota Veterans Affairs officials to plan three new veterans cemeteries in northeast, southeast and southwest Minnesota. VA officials hope the new cemeteries will enable broader use of what is often the only VA benefit that active-duty veterans ever use: burial at a veterans cemetery. The Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery has grown steadily since it was established in 1994, accommodating about 350 burials a year, cemetery director David Swantek said. But use of the state cemetery is effectively limited to Central Minnesota veterans, he said. A recent Minnesota VA report also showed few veterans choose to be buried more than 75 miles from home. For those reasons the proposed new cemeteries would have little effect on the one in Little Falls. “It’s simply an expansion of our program,” Swantek said. In Minnesota many veterans do opt to be buried in a national or state veteran’s cemetery. Many veterans and their families are unaware that they can apply for a $200 burial allowance if they are buried in a private cemetery. Often widows and children survivors don’t know and don’t apply.

Expansion is driven by a goal established by the VA National Cemetery Administration, which calls for 90% of U.S. veterans to have a state or national cemetery within 75 miles of their home. Minnesota has the state cemetery in Little Falls and the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2008 called for a new veterans cemetery near Duluth. Under an expected agreement with the National Cemetery Administration, federal grants will pay $8 million in construction costs at each of the new veterans cemeteries. The state must supply the land and roughly $500,000 in annual maintenance costs at each cemetery. A 2009 state bonding bill allotted $1.5 million to plan cemeteries in northeast Minnesota and in Redwood County in southwest Minnesota. This year’s legislation called for an additional cemetery to be planned in southeast Minnesota. The locations of the new cemeteries aren’t yet fixed, but Swantek says he’s been combing the state in search of sites. [Source: St. Cloud times Mark Sommerhauser article 31 May 2010 ++]

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SBA Vet Issues Update 11: A new report says the Veterans Affairs Department is struggling to verify the ownership of a growing number of small businesses supposedly owned by veterans. To date, the VA has verified roughly 2,900 businesses in its Vetbiz.gov database of companies described as veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. That’s about 14% of businesses in the database, according to a Government Accountability Office report released 28 MAY. In response, VA officials wrote the backlog has reached more than 5,000, but the VA has verified 3,000 companies as of 1 MAY. GAO said the backlog is increasing despite a large number of business-owners lying, claiming to be veteran-owned to get special treatment. They have exposed fraud in several of the Small Business Administration’s small-business programs, including the program that sets aside contracts for small companies owned by service-disabled veterans. In 2009, GAO said at least 10 fake service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses had swindled roughly $100 million from SBA’s set-aside contracts. For example, one company wasn’t owned by a service-disabled veteran, and another subcontracted all of its work to a large foreign company.

In its new report on the VA, GAO pinpointed a several specific problems with the VA’s verifications. Department officials were missing files of required information and explanations of how staff members determined that the companies were owned and controlled by veterans. In addition, officials have an increasing backlog of site visits, as called for in the VA’s procedures. The VA has denied verification to more than 150 businesses but lacks a way to make sure contracting officers don’t award those companies contracts under veteran preferences authorities, according to the report. The Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 requires the VA to give priority to small businesses owned by veterans when awarding contracts to small businesses. However, VA officials only finalized rules on verification procedures in FEB 2010. GAO’s report states that leadership vacancies and the overall number of employees are major reasons for the delays.

Meanwhile, VA officials said during a congressional hearing that they have placed a lot of pressure on the department to award contracts only to veteran-owned companies that it has verified, the report states. GAO recommends that VA officials lay out a way to overcome the backlog of verifications and then set up procedures for barring companies that failed their verification from getting any special preferences. VA officials agreed with the recommendations. In a letter to GAO, officials said the department is increasing its number of employees, both in overall leadership positions and in jobs to help the verification process. To avoid awarding contracts to companies that failed verifications, the VA has begun removing its Vendor Information Page from public view. By not seeing the name as an option, the contracting officers are less likely to consider the company for an award, the VA’s letter states. The VA is also training contracting officers about the preference authority, according to the letter. [Source: Federal Computer Week Matthew Weigelt article 1 Jun 2010 ++]

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California Vet Home Update 07: California has approximately 2.1 million veterans, more than any other state. The state will opening three new veterans homes to serve them. One of them is in Redding, the others in Fresno and West Los Angeles. The Redding and Fresno locations were chosen because veterans are underserved in those areas, according to California Department of Veterans Affairs representative J. P. Tremblay. “The ones that we’re building now are all residential care for the elderly or up to skilled nursing and memory care, Alzheimer’s units,” Tremblay said. Up until 1996, California had just one home in Yountville in Napa County for aged or disabled veterans needing care. Since then, facilities have been built in Barstow, Chula Vista, Lancaster, and Ventura. State bonds are paying for about 40% of the cost and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is funding about 60 percent, Tremblay said. [Source: ABC News10.net article 1 Jun 2010 ++]

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AO Thailand & Korea: Effective immediately, when regional offices (ROs) receive disability claims based on exposure to tactical herbicides, such as Agent Orange, from veterans who served in Thailand or Korea during the Vietnam era, there is no longer a requirement to send an inquiry to the Compensation & Pension (C&P) Service Agent Orange Mailbox. Development inquiries can be sent directly to the Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) when the available evidence does not indicate tactical herbicide exposure. This will reduce processing time and provide better service to Veterans.

Thailand Service:

* After reviewing documents related to herbicide use in Vietnam and Thailand, C&P Service has determined that there was significant use of herbicides on the fenced in perimeters of military bases in Thailand intended to eliminate vegetation and ground cover for base security purposes. Evidence of this can be found in a declassified Vietnam era Department of Defense (DoD) document titled Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report: Base Defense in Thailand. Therefore, when herbicide related claims from Veterans with Thailand service are received, RO personnel should now evaluate the treatment and personnel records to determine whether the Veteran’s service activities involved duty on or near the perimeter of the military base where the Veteran was stationed.

* DoD has provided information that commercial herbicides, rather than tactical herbicides, were used within the confines of Thailand bases to control weeds. These commercial herbicides have been, and continue to be, used on all military bases worldwide. They do not fall under the VA regulations governing exposure to tactical herbicides such as Agent Orange. However, there is some evidence that the herbicides used on the Thailand base perimeters may have been either tactical, procured from Vietnam, or a commercial variant of much greater strength and with characteristics of tactical herbicides. Therefore, C&P Service has determined that a special consideration of herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis should be extended to those Veterans whose duties placed them on or near the perimeters of Thailand military bases. This allows for presumptive service connection of the diseases associated with herbicide exposure.

* The majority of troops in Thailand during the Vietnam era were stationed at the Royal Thai Air Force Bases of U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang. If a US Air Force Veteran served on one of these air bases as a security policeman, security patrol dog handler, member of a security police squadron, or otherwise served near the air base perimeter, as shown by MOS (military occupational specialty), performance evaluations, or other credible evidence, then herbicide exposure should be acknowledged on a facts found or direct basis. However, this applies only during the Vietnam era, from 28 FEB 61 to 7 MAY 75.

* Along with air bases, there were some small Army installations established in Thailand during this period, which may also have used perimeter herbicides in the same manner as the air bases. Therefore, if a US Army Veteran claims a disability based on herbicide exposure and the Veteran was a member of a military police (MP) unit or was assigned an MP MOS and states that his duty placed him at or near the base perimeter, Veteran was a member of a military police (MP) unit or was assigned an MP MOS and states that his duty placed him at or near the base perimeter, then herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis should be acknowledged for this Veteran.

* The difference in approach for US Army Veterans is based on the fact that some MPs had criminal investigation duties rather than base security duties. Therefore, the Veteran’s lay statement is required to establish security duty on the base perimeter. This also applies to US Army personnel who served on air bases in Thailand. During the early years of the war in Vietnam, before Air Force security units were fully established on air bases in Thailand, US Army personnel may have provided perimeter security. In such cases, if the Veteran provides a lay statement that he was involved with perimeter security duty and there is additional credible evidence supporting this statement, then herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis can be acknowledged for this Veteran.

* If evidence shows that the Veteran performed duties along the military base perimeter, ROs should acknowledge herbicide exposure on a facts found or direct basis.

Korean Service – Currently, tactical herbicide exposure can be presumed for Veterans who served in specific US Army units that operated along the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) from APR 1968 through JUL 1969. These

units were identified by DoD documents and are listed in M21-1MR IV.ii.2.C.10.o. When service treatment or personnel records show that a Veteran was assigned to one of these units during the time frame of tactical herbicide use, the Veteran qualifies for the presumption of exposure.

[Source: DVA Compensation & Pension Service Bulletin May 2010 ++]

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Vaccination Schedules for Children: Researchers from the University of Louisville have compared more than 40 variables related to mental and neurological function among a large group of children. The study was done to explore whether it is safer to follow the recommended vaccine schedule or to spread out receipt over a longer period of time as recommended by maverick physicians and celebrities who would like the public to believe that vaccines cause problems such as autism. After finding no statistically significant differences that favored the less-vaccinated children the researchers concluded: “Timely vaccination during infancy has no adverse effect on neuropsychological outcomes 7 to 10 years later. These data may reassure parents who are concerned that children receive too many vaccines too soon. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-2489v1. The scientific consensus remains that delays gain nothing and leave children unnecessarily vulnerable to serious infection during infancy. [Source: Pediatrics Journal article 28 May 2010 ++]

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Thrift Savings Plan YTD 2010: Only two funds in the Thrift Savings Plan grew in May — and it was modest growth at that. The F Fund, invested in fixed-income bonds, had the largest increase among the plan’s 10 funds. It grew 0.85% in May, while the Thrift Savings Plan’s most stable offering, the G Fund, inched up 0.28%. Since the beginning of 2010, the F Fund has climbed 3.78% while the G Fund has grown 1.37%. All the other funds fell in May, with the TSP’s international fund taking an 11.20% nose dive. The ongoing debt crisis in Europe and catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico adversely affected last month’s rates of return. In addition to the I Fund, the C and S funds reported negative returns, as did the five life-cycle funds. The C Fund, invested in common stocks of large companies on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, dropped 7.99% in May; the S Fund, which invests in small and mid-size companies and tracks the Dow Jones Wilshire 4500 Index, fell 7.51% in May. During the past year, however, both funds have produced healthy returns, with the C Fund increasing 21.09% and the S Fund gaining 34.21% — the most gains of any TSP fund in the past 12 months.

All five life-cycle funds, designed to shift investors from a more aggressive portfolio earlier in their careers to more stable investments as they near retirement, fell in May. The L Income Fund dropped 1.50%, but since January has gained 0.70%. During the past year, it has picked up 6.84%. The L 2040 Fund dropped 6.97% last month and has increased 16.89% during the past year. The L 2030 Fund decreased 6.07% in May and has grown 15.21% during the past 12 months. The L 2020 Fund was down 4.98% in May, but up 13.01% over the past year. And the L 2010 Fund dipped 1.64% last month, growing 8% in the past 12 months. Since January, only the L Income and L 2010 funds have experienced positive returns — 0.70% and 0.68%, respectively. [Source: GovExec.com Kellie Lunney article 1 Jun 2010 ++]

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New Jersey Disabled Vet Benefit: Honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability who are New Jersey residents are entitled to New Jersey hunting and fishing licenses, permits and stamps without charge. Resident veterans of any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States declared by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to have a service-connected disability of any degree qualify for the licenses, permits and stamps. The Division of Fish and Wildlife is reimbursed for the cost of licenses, permits and stamps issued to certified disabled veterans from the state’s General Fund. Eligible veterans must initially be certified by the Division of Fish and Wildlife to receive the no cost licenses, permits and stamps. ‘Disabled veteran certification’ can not be done online or at license agent locations. The required one-time certification can only be done at the Division’s Request Trout Hatchery & Natural Resource Education Center, the Central Region Office and the Southern Region Office. Initial certification can also be done by mailing the required documentation and license application available at www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/disvetli.pdf . Documents required for initial certification at Division of Fish and Wildlife offices:

1. Proof of service – connected disability (i.e. Letter of certification of service-connected disability from Veterans Affairs or wallet sized card from the VA indicating service-connected disability, or photocopy of monthly disability check showing service-connected disability).

2. Proof of honorable discharge (DD-214 or similar document).

3. Proof of residency or New Jersey driver’s license.

Once certified, disabled veterans can obtain their licenses, permits and stamps at no cost online or from license agents. Disabled veterans do not pay any transaction fee to license agents. However, when obtaining licenses, stamps and permits through the Internet sales site, a small shipping and handling fee is charged by the online license vendor. The first-time issue of a firearm or bow and arrow hunting license requires showing proof of a prior year resident hunting license from any state, or a hunter education course completion card, to the Division or license agent. Once the prior year license or hunter education information is entered into the license system database, proof is not required to obtain subsequent year hunting licenses. All New Jersey license and permit buyers, including disabled veterans, are required to complete a Child Support certification each year. This certification can be done online, at license agent locations or by completing and submitting the required form when requesting licenses and stamps through the mail during the initial disabled veteran certification process.

Properly licensed certified disabled veterans are entitled to unlimited antlerless permits for the Permit Bow Deer Season, the Permit Shotgun Deer Season and the Permit Muzzleloader Deer Season. One Antlered Deer Permit can be issued for each season as well. Information on obtaining deer permits is provided in the Hunting Issue of the Fish and Wildlife DIGEST at www.njfishandwildlife.com/dighnt.htm and on the Permit Information page at www.njfishandwildlife.com/permit_info.htm. Certified veterans must apply for lottery zones in the regular lottery. Certified veterans do not receive preference in any lottery. Properly licensed certified disabled veterans are also entitled to two spring turkey permits and one fall turkey permit during the lottery and additional permits when leftover permit sales begin. Information on obtaining turkey permits is also provided on the Permit Information page. Questions can be directed to Sylvia Hall at (908) 637-4125 or [email protected]. [Source: NJ Division of fish 7 wildlife www.njfishandwildlife.com Jun 2010 ++]

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Vietnam Memorial Wall Update 06: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC honors the fallen of the Vietnam War. The Virtual Wall at www.virtualwall.org contains elaborating information on those listed. It has memorial pages honoring the 58,261 women and men who are named on the Memorial’s wall. The Washington memorial was built from private donations collected by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. The Wall was dedicated in 1982, and completed in 1984 with the addition of the “Three Servicemen Statue.” Since its completion, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington has belonged to the people of the United States of America and has been maintained by the U.S. National Park Service. The Virtual Wall web site is not affiliated with the U.S. NPS.

On The Virtual Wall, visitors may leave tributes, letters, poems, photos, and other memorials to someone named on The Wall for other visitors to view. The goal is to provide an environment like The Wall itself, with the dignity and respect those named on The Wall have earned. There are no flashy or noisy distractions, no commercials, no fee to publish a memorial, and no hand held out for donations. Each name on the index pages of The Virtual Wall leads to a memorial for that person, a memorial written by someone who had a personal connection to the man or woman being remembered. Memorial Pages can be located by Last Name, State & City of record, or Military Unit. Additional information available on the virtual Wall includes:

* The wall panel on which a name appears. Listing is sequential by death or missing in action date. The earliest casualties are named on line 1 of panel 1 East, at the center of the Wall. The list of names goes down panel 1 East, then to the right to line 1 of panel 2 East. That sequence moves to the right to panel 70 East, at the east end of the Wall, which has one row of names of those killed on May 25, 1968. That date continues at the opposite end of the Wall, on panel 70 West. The names then continue to the right to panel 1 West, which is adjacent to panel 1 East.

* Faces of Freedom. Photos of those listed.

* Height of Valor. An Index of those who earned awards for valor in combat – the Medal of Honor, the appropriate Service Cross, and the Silver Star Medal. Separate index pages list those who died and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star Medal for Valor. The names listed here link to personal memorial pages on The Virtual Wall.

* Missing in Action status. The most recent status for the Wall’s 2,539 MIA servicemen.

* Information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.

* Information on the Virtual Wall’s origin and its administration.

[Source: www.virtualwall.org Jun 2010 ++]

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Seniors Benefit Checkup Update 01: Since 2001, BenefitsCheckUp has enabled 2.3 million people to access $7.7 billion worth of public and private senior benefits, according to the Winter 2009 issue of Innovations, the magazine published by the National Council on Aging. Today, nearly one-third of Americans aged 65 and older are economically insecure, living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Other seniors saw their dreams of retirement disappear as the global economic recession shattered their nest eggs and wiped out their life savings. At the same time, unemployment for seniors 55 and older is at an all-time high. BenefitsCheckUp is a no cost, comprehensive Web-based service that helps to match older adults who have limited income and resources with more than 2,000 federal, state and local senior benefits programs where they can get help with the cost of health care, prescriptions drugs, food, housing, utility bills, in-home services and many other needs. BenefitsCheckUp also helps seniors locate programs that offer assistance with education, employment, tax relief, transportation, and volunteer services. In addition, local and state agencies nationwide provide screenings and support for seniors who use BenefitsCheckUp. To review the services and benefit programs available refer to http://benefitscheckup.org. The site is set up for you to click on the following tabs that will take you to details on how to obtain assistance

* Find Benefits Programs. Locate and enroll in federal, state, local and private programs that help pay for prescription drugs, utility bills, meals, health care and other needs. Find easy-to-understand information about Medicare’s prescription drug coverage (Part D) and learn about services Medicare pays for to keep you healthy. Also includes a Senior Housing Locator to find senior housing options, including assisted living, residential care, nursing & rehabilitation homes, CCRCs and independent living retirement communities.

* Apply for Medicare Rx Extra Help. If you are one of millions of people with Medicare who have limited income and resources, apply now for Extra Help through Medicare’s Prescription Drug Coverage. At the same time, you can also start an application for the Medicare Savings Programs and find out if you qualify for other valuable benefits programs. Even if you weren’t eligible before, 2010 is the time to check again – some of the Extra Help rules have changed.

* Help Paying for Food. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (the new name for the federal Food Stamp Program) helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need for good health. Visit the SNAP Application Forms Service to find the program in your state, get an application and apply today!

* Get Eldercare Assistance. Caring for aging parents, elders, and loved ones is challenging. Caring.com provides the expert advice, practical information, easy-to-use tools, and person-to-person support you need to make the journey easier.

[Source: About.com | Senior Living Sharon O’Brien article 26 May 2010 ++]

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Funeral Honors Update 05: Military Funeral Honors have always been provided whenever possible. However, the law now mandates the rendering of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran if requested by the family. As provided by law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the Armed Forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent Service of the deceased veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps. Taps will be played by a bugler, if available, or by electronic recording. Today, there are so few buglers available that the Military Services often cannot provide one. Funeral Honors are provided by the Department of Defense at no cost to the family. The Services request at least 48 hours in order to organize the funeral honors detail. Military families of eligible veterans request funeral honors through their funeral director. The funeral director will contact the appropriate Military Service to arrange for the funeral honors detail. The core elements of the funeral honors ceremony, which will be conducted on request, include Flag folding, Flag presentation, and Playing of Taps. The veteran’s parent Service representative will present the flag. The Veterans Administration establishes eligibility. Your funeral director will assist you in obtaining a flag. Additionally:

* A list of funeral directors by state and service is available at www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil/hnrs/owa/director.show_select.

* More information on burial flags is available at: www.cem.va.gov/bflags.htm .

* A Presidential Memorial Certificate will be provided upon request. This is a parchment certificate with a calligrahpic inscription expressing the nation’s grateful recognition of an honorably discharged, deceased veteran’s service in the Armed Forces. The veteran’s name is inscribed and the certificate bears the signature of the President. Next of kin, other relatives and friends may request the certificates in person at any VA regional office or by mail. For information about requesting a Presidential Memorial Certificate and additional information refer to www.cem.va.gov/pmc.htm.

* Your funeral director will assist you or if you have questions about grave markers. Family members can write to the VA at: Memorial Programs Service (41A1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 5109 Russell Road, Quantico, VA 22134-3903. For more information refer to http://www.cem.va.gov/hm.htm.

* Those eligible for military funeral honors include:

1. Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.

2. Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.

3. Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.

4. Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

5. Members of the Commissioned Officer Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

* Those not eligible for military funeral honors include:

1. Any person separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions or whose character of service results in a bar to veteran’s benefits.

2. Any person who was ordered to report to an induction station, but was not actually inducted into military service.

3. Any person discharged from the Selected Reserve prior to completing one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service for reasons other than a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

4. Any person convicted of a Federal or State capital crime sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

[Source: www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil Jun 2010 ++]

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Debt Collector’s Rules Update 01: Debt collectors have rules that must be followed when they contact you about a debt. Debt collectors’ guidelines are outlined in the federal law known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, aka the FDCPA. When your rights under the FDCPA have been violated, you can file a lawsuit against the collector in state or federal court. Before you file suit, make sure you have solid proof of the violation. These are things a debt collector can’t do. If you need to reference the law, citations have been provided.

1. Ask you to pay more than you owe – The collector cannot misrepresent the amount you owe. [15 USC 1692e] § 807(2)(a)

2. Ask you to pay interest, fees, or expenses that are not allowed by law – The collector can’t add on any extra fees that your original credit or loan agreement doesn’t allow. [15 USC 1692f] § 808(1)

3. Call repeatedly or continuously – The FDCPA considers repeat calls as harassment. [15 USC 1692d] § 806(5)

4. Use obscene, profane, or abusive language – Using this kind of language is considered harassment. [15 USC 1692d] § 806(2)

5. Call before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm – Calls during these times are considered harassment. [15 USC 1692c] § 805(a)(1)

6. Call at times the collector knew or should know are inconvenient – Calls at these times are considered harassment. [15 USC 1692c] § 805(a)(1)

7. Use or threaten to use violence if you don’t pay the debt – Collectors can’t threaten violence against you. [15 USC 1692d] § 806(1)

8. Threaten action they cannot or will not take – Collectors can’t threaten to sue or file charges against you, garnish wages, take property, cause job loss, or ruin your credit when the collector cannot or does not intend to take the action. [15 USC 1692e] § 807(5)

9. Illegally inform a third party about your alleged debt – Unless you have expressly given permission, collectors are not allowed to inform anyone about your debt except your attorney; the creditor; the creditor’s attorney; a credit reporting agency; your spouse; your parent (if you are a minor) [15 USC 1692c] § 805(b)

10. Repeatedly call a third party to get your location information – The collector can only contact a third party once unless it has reason to believe the information previously provided is false. [15 USC 1692b] § 804(1)

11. Contact you at work knowing your employer doesn’t approve – A collector is not allowed to contact you at work if you’ve let them know your employer doesn’t approve of these calls. [15 USC 1692c] § 805(a)(3)

12. Fail to send a written debt validation notice – Within five days of the collector’s initial communication, it must send you a notice include the amount of the debt, name of the creditor, and notice of your right to dispute the debt within 30 days. [15 USC 1692g] § 809(a)

13. Ignore your written request to verify the debt and continue to collect – A collector can’t continue to collect on a debt after you’ve made a written request to verify the debt as long as the request was made within 30 days of the collector’s written notice. [15 USC 1692g] § 809(b)

14. Continue to collect on the debt before providing verification – After receiving your written dispute, the collector must stop collecting on the debt until you have received verification. [15 USC 1692g] § 809(b)

15. Continue collection attempts after receiving a cease communication notice – If you make a written request for the collector to cease communication, it can only contact you one more time, via mail to let you know one of the following: that further efforts to collect the debt are terminated, that certain actions may be taken by the collector, or that the collector is definitely going to take certain actions. [15 USC 1692c] § 805(c)

[Source: About.com Credit/Debt Management LaToya Irby article 22 May 2010 ++]

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IRS Tax Return Penalties: The Internal Revenue Service on its website www.irs.gov states that the penalty for late-filing a tax return is usually 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month that the return is late. This penalty will not exceed 25%. In addition a penalty of 1/2 of 1% is assessed against unpaid taxes to a maximum of 25%. In the event that both penalties apply in any one month, IRS will reduce the failure to file penalty by 0.5%. Interest at the Applicable Federal Rate (adjusted quarterly) is also assessed on unpaid taxes. Should a tax filer show a reduced amount of tax owed, a 20% penalty will be applied against the understatement, which is the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000. If IRS determines that the understatement is due to fraud, a penalty of up to 75% will be assessed. [Source: The Tax Barron Report Spring 2010 ++]

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National Park Passports Update 03: In addition to the senior pass available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are at least 62 years old for a one-time processing fee of $10, the following can be obtained:

* Access Pass: A Free Pass for People with Disabilities. It is a special permit for people of any age who are medically determined to be blind or have other permanent disabilities. It offers the same benefits as the Senior Pass, but it is completely without charge. No processing fee is charged for the Access Pass. Like the Senior Pass to national parks, the Access Pass cannot be purchased by mail or online. It must be obtained in person at a federal area where an entrance fee is charged. To qualify for the free Access Pass to national parks, you will need to provide one of the following: a statement from a licensed physician, a document issued by a Federal agency such as the Veteran’s Administration, proof of Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security Income, or a document issued by a state agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency.

* A One-Year National Parks Pass for People Under Age 62. If you are under age 62 and do not qualify for a Senior Pass to national parks, you can still save money by purchasing an Annual Pass, which costs $80 and is good for one year from the date of purchase. At national parks, monuments and recreation areas that charge a per-vehicle fee, the Annual Pass to national parks admits you and your passengers without charge. Where a per-person fee is charged, the pass admits you plus three other adults (children under 16 are not subject to charges). There are three ways to purchase an Annual Pass to U.S. National Parks. In person at a national park that charges an entrance fee, online from the National Park Service Annual Pass site http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html , or by calling 1-888-ASK-USGS, Ext. 1

* Volunteer Pass. If you enjoy the national parks and want to help out by becoming a volunteer you can get an complementary annual pass for your efforts. You’ll receive the same discounts and national park benefits as the Annual Pass described above, but the Volunteer Pass is available to volunteers who provide 500 hours of cumulative service. For more information about the Volunteer Pass to our national parks, call 1-888-ASK-USGS.

[Source: About.com Senior Living Sharon O’Brien article 17 May 2010 ++]

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Medicare Fraud Update 41:

* Grahamsville NY – June Smith, 72 and posthysterectomy, was no candidate for motherhood. Or fatherhood. Her quarterly Medicare billings – contradicting anatomy, gender and common sense – showed otherwise. The paperwork asserted the senior citizen submitted to a pregnancy test, semen analysis and prostate exams. The pricey lab work was handled in far-flung locales: Florida, California, Arizona and New Mexico. For more than three years, scammers using Smith’s stolen ID number ripped off Medicare for close to $50,000 in patently bogus billings – despite the retiree’s efforts to alert workers about the ongoing theft. “It’s just people behind a desk, I understand,” Smith said. “But when you pay for testing of the male anatomy on a woman, I don’t know what kind of dumbbells they’re hiring.” Nobody listened when she made phone calls, wrote letters and tried to alert somebody – anybody – about the scam. Her story is hardly surprising. An estimated $60 billion a year in federal health care money is stolen, making medical fraud one of the nation’s most lucrative crimes. Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, confirmed Smith’s story but insisted the agency was on the case. An investigator from IDTheft911 who she hired found there was no record that a billing doctor in Arizona even existed. they determoined the Florida business, Safe Medical, was little more than a storefront with an answering machine. In one case, Smith recalled, her quarterly Medicare statement showed the government had finally rejected a submission. Three months later, the bill was resubmitted – and paid in full.

* Houston TX – Franklin Beltre D.P.M ., 40, was sentenced on 30 MAY to 36 months prison. He and a co-defendant committed more than $1 million in Health Care Fraud by submitting false and fraudulent claims to both the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs. In addition Beltre was ordered to pay $691,128.04 in restitution, which represents the amount he was paid for the false and fraudulent claims he had submitted to both programs. Beltre admitted to defrauding Medicaid and Medicare, by means of false and fraudulent claims in connection with the use of unqualified, unlicensed medical personal and for billing for medical services not rendered. In 2006, while vacationing in Fort Lauderdale FL, Beltre submitted claims to both Medicare and Medicaid for podiatric services he never performed and that were actually performed by co-defendant Manuela Alana, an unlicensed, unsupervised podiatrist. Alana will be serving a 24-month term of incarceration to be followed by a three-year-term of supervised release.

* New York NY – David Ibragimov, 49, his son Arthur Ibragimov, 26, his son-in-law Mikhail Isakov, 27, and dentist Bruce Speiser, 49, were charged 2 JUN with running a Medicad scam. The suspects allegedly paid recruiters to bring Medicaid recipients, many of whom were lured from homeless shelters and methadone clinics, to their crooked clinics. Patients received as much as $20, as well as CD players and McDonald’s gift certificates, depending on their treatments they often didn’t need. The swindle, which stretched from JAN 06 to APR 2010, was allegedly carried out in three locations: 165-10 Jamaica Ave. in Queens, 575 Fulton Ave. in Brooklyn and the clinic in the Bronx. The Ibragimovs and Isakov allegedly directed the dentists they hired to pay two-thirds of their Medicaid billings to shell corporations they controlled. The recruiters, or “flyer boys,” earned $10 to $30 per person, depending on the price of the procedures the patients agreed to receive. All four men pleaded not guilty to insurance fraud and grand larceny charges. A civil suit was filed against the Ibragimovs and Isakov that is seeking to recoup $7 million in phony billing.

* Jacksonville FL – Bryan S. Russell, 52, was charged 3 JUN with second-degree grand larceny, a felony. While acting as the executor of his mother’s estate, he failed to pay Medicaid the money owed by the estate. He is accused of defrauding Medicaid out of more than $50,000 between 2004 and 2009. His mother had lived in Wyoming County and died in January 2004.

* New York NY – Metropolitan Ambulance & First Aid Corp. (now known as SEZ Metro Corp.), Metro North Ambulance Corp. (now known as SEZ North Corp.) and Big Apple Ambulance Service Inc. (formerly known as United Ambulance) have paid the United States $2.85 million to resolve false claims made to Medicare. the companies used, or caused the use of, falsified records to appeal a Medicare program refund demand. Medicare had demanded the companies return millions of dollars they had been paid for medically unnecessary ambulance trips. Under Medicare rules, the companies could bill for these expensive non-emergency transports only if the patient could not be transported by any other means, such as by car or by wheelchair van. Medicare audited the companies’ past billings and concluded that the companies had charged Medicare tens of millions of dollars for ambulance trips that did not meet this standard. Medicare demanded a refund and afforded the companies an extensive informal and formal appeals process to prove that their billings were proper. They in turn caused the use of, hundreds of letters attesting to the need for an ambulance that were forged or otherwise purported to come from some neutral, disinterested health care provider when they in fact did not.

* Detroit MI – On 8 JUN Timothy Pierce was sentenced to 48 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release following his prison term and ordered to pay $6.09 million in restitution for his participation in a fraudulent Medicare infusion scheme and Troy Michigan was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release following his prison term, and ordered to pay $772,800 in restitution for his participation in a separate fraudulent physical therapy scheme. In MAR 06 Pierce entered into an agreement with the owners of Dearborn Medical Rehabilitation Center (DMRC) to recruit patients for DMRC, a business that purported to provide infusion and injection therapy services to Medicare patients. Pierce admitted that he was hired to recruit, drive and pay kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries to induce them to visit DMRC. Jha, a licensed physical therapist began working in FEB 03 as a contract therapist for a co-conspirator who owned and controlled several companies operating in the Detroit area that purported to provide physical and occupational therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. He, his co-conspirator and others created fictitious therapy files appearing to document physical and occupational therapy services provided to Medicare beneficiaries, when in fact no such services had been provided. The fictitious services reflected in the files were billed to Medicare through sham Medicare providers controlled by co-conspirators.

[Source: Fraud News Daily reports 1-15 Jun 2010 ++]

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Medicad Fraud Update 15:

* Hoboken NJ – Babak Bamdad, 42, of Hoboken, pleaded guilty 2 JUN to a criminal accusation charging him with third-degree Medicaid fraud. Third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $10,000. Deputy Attorney General Debra A. Conrad represented the state at the guilty plea hearing. Bamdad, a pharmacist in charge at Tucker Drugs, 1000 Washington St., Hoboken, admitted that between JAN & OCT 09 he submitted claims to the Medicaid program for prescription drugs allegedly dispensed to Medicaid beneficiaries, even though the prescription drugs were never dispensed. The claims were subsequently paid out by the Medicaid program. Since October 09, more than 32 people, including doctors and pharmacists, have been arrested in the joint investigation, which uncovered a major criminal narcotics network based in Hudson County that distributed thousands of black market prescription pain pills such as OxyContin and Percocet. The network was obtaining fraudulent narcotics prescriptions and filling them at various pharmacies. At the same time, Medicaid was being billed for phony doctor visits and prescription medicines that were never dispensed. The network allegedly distributed the prescription pain pills throughout Hudson County and other parts of the state, including Bergen, Ocean, Morris and Monmouth counties. A single 30 milligram OxyContin pill, known as a “blue,” typically sells for $10 to $20 on the street, while a10 milligram Percocet pill sells for $5 to $8.

* Houston TX – Edward Birts, 51, on 2 JUN pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Birts operated a behavioral counseling company called Courage to Change. He had purchased a degree online awarding himself bogus professional certifications in counseling and then billed Medicad and Medicare $1.2 million for nonexistent psychological treatments and received more than $968,500 in payments. Birts acquired beneficiaries’ names, addresses and account numbers which he would use to file false claims. Prosecutors said he claimed he employed a nonexistent doctor who ran nonexistent group therapy sessions. The billing spanned from January 2003 through September 2006.

* Newark NJ – The state Medicaid inspector general on 10 JUN demanded Garden Adult Medical Day Care Center pay a $5.6 million civil penalty after allegedly submitting false claims. The Center billed the state for providing medical services it never rendered, such as testing patients’ blood pressure and blood sugar levels and dispensing medication, according to a report on the inspector’s civil investigation. The for-profit facility wrongly pocketed $1.87 million, but the IG is demanding the owners pay three times that amount for “intentionally submitting Medicaid claims for the 50 recipients when it knew it did not render the services, or submitted the claims in reckless disregard of whether the services were rendered,’’ according to the report. The state pays the centers $78.50 a day for each of the roughly 12,000 people who suffer from chronic health conditions that require close management, or need help getting dressed, bathing, taking their medications or performing other “activities of daily living.” The service is regarded as a cost-effective way to help the elderly maintain their independence, but state officials have said the industry is vulnerable to abuse.

* Springfield MO – Kevin Louderback, an insurance broker received 12 years in state prison for misappropriating more than $700,000 from Medicaid. Louderback furnished applications with false information to the Missouri Health Insurance Premium Payment Program, which pays private health insurance premiums for certain individuals with high medical costs. He told customers that the monthly insurance premium rates were higher than they actually were and pocketed the overpayment, as offering kickbacks to get people to enroll in insurance programs. The sentence is the longest in state history for Medicaid fraud.

[Source: Fraud News Daily reports 1-15 Jun 2010 ++]

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State Veteran’s Benefits: The state of Alabama provides several benefits to veterans. To obtain information on these refer to this Bulletin’s Attachment for an overview of those listed below. Benefits are available to veterans who are residents of the state. For a more detailed explanation of each click on “Learn more about …” wording highlighted in blue on the attachment.

* Housing Benefits

* Financial Assistance Benefits

* Employment Benefits

* Veterans Business Benefits

* Education Benefits

* Other State Veteran Benefits

[Source: www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/alabama-state-veterans-benefits Jun 2010 ++]

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Military History: Deep in the recesses of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., hidden for nearly four decades lie thousands of pages of yellowing and dusty documents stamped “Top Secret”. These documents, now declassified, are the plans for Operation Downfall, the invasion of Japan during World War II. Only a few Americans in 1945 were aware of the elaborate plans that had been prepared for the Allied Invasion of the Japanese home islands. Even fewer today are aware of the defenses the Japanese had prepared to counter the invasion had it been launched. Operation Downfall was finalized during the spring and summer of 1945. It called for two massive military undertakings to be carried out in succession and aimed at the heart of the Japanese Empire: Operation Olympic and Operation Coronet. Had the invasion come about, the Japanese civilian population, inflamed by a national slogan “One Hundred Million Will Die for the Emperor and Nation” were prepared to fight to the death. Twenty Eight Million Japanese had become a part of the National Volunteer Combat Force. They were armed with ancient rifles, lunge mines, satchel charges, Molotov cocktails and one-shot black powder mortars. Others were armed with swords, long bows, axes and bamboo spears. The civilian units were to be used in nighttime attacks, hit and run maneuvers, delaying actions and massive suicide charges at the weaker American positions. Admiral William Leahy estimated that there would be more than 250,000 Americans killed or wounded on Kyushu alone. General Charles Willoughby, chief of intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific, estimated American casualties would be one million men by the fall of 1946. Willoughby’s own intelligence staff considered this to be a conservative estimate. In retrospect, the 1 million American men who were to be the casualties of the invasion, were instead lucky enough to survive the war. The world was spared the cost of Operation Downfall because Japan formally surrendered to the United Nations September 2, 1945, and World War II was over. For a more detailed summary of the invasion plans refer to the attachment to this Bulletin. [Source: Omaha World Herald James Martin Davis article Nov 08 ++]

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Military History Anniversaries:

* Jun 17 1775 – Revolutionary War: Battle of Bunker Hill (actually it was Breed’s Hill)

* Jun 17 1942 – WWII: 1st American expeditionary force lands in Africa (Gold Coast)

* Jun 18 1812 – War of 1812: The U.S. Congress declares war on the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

* Jun 19 1944 – WWII: First day of the Battle of the Philippine Sea. 300 Japanese aircrafts shot down

* Jun 21 1945 – WWII: US defeat Japanese forces on Okinawa.

* Jun 23 1945 – WWII: Last organized Japanese defiance broken (Tarakan)

* Jun 24 1952 – Korean War: US airplanes bomb energy centers at Yalu Korea

* Jun 25 1876 – Custer & 7th Cavalry wiped out by Sioux & Cheyenne at Little Big Horn

* Jun 25 1948 – Cold war: The Berlin Airlift begins.

* Jun 25 1950 – Korean War: Conflict begins with the invasion of South Korea by North Korea.

* Jun 25 1996 – The Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia kills 19 U.S. servicemen.

* Jun 26 1918 – WWI: Western Front Battle for Belleau Wood – Allied Forces under John J. Pershing and James Harbord defeat Imperial German Forces under Wilhelm German Crown Prince.

* Jun 26 1924 – Latin America Interventions: After 8 years of occupation US troops leave Dominican Republic

* Jun 26 1993 – The U.S. launches a missile attack targeting Baghdad intelligence headquarters in retaliation for a thwarted assassination attempt against former President George H.W. Bush in April in Kuwait.

* Jun 27 1944 – WWII: Cherbourg, France liberated by Allies

* Jun 27 1950 – Korean War: North Koreans troop reach Seoul, UN asks members to aid South Korea, Truman orders Air Force & Navy into Korean conflict

* Jun 28 1919 – WWI: Treaty of Versailles ending war signed in France

* Jun 28 1965 – Vietnam: 1st U.S. ground combat forces authorized by Pres Johnson

* Jun 29 1943 – WWII: Germany begins withdrawing U-boats from North Atlantic in anticipation of the Allied invasion of Europe

* Jun 29 1949 – US troops withdraw from Korea after WW II

* Jun 29 1966 – Vietnam: U.S. planes bomb Hanoi & Haiphong for 1st time

* Jun 30 1815 – US naval hero Stephen Decatur ends attacks by Algerian pirates

* Jun 30 1943 – WWII: Gen MacArthur begins Operation Cartwheel (island-hopping)

[Source: Various Jun 09 ++]

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Military Trivia 6:

* The name of the barbaric German tribe that overran Gaul, Spain and North Africa and sacked Rome in the fifth century was the ‘Vandals’.

* The U.S. secret agents abandon plans–approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt–to drop live bats from airplanes to frighten the Japanese during World War II because the bats froze at high altitudes, before they could be released.

* The unsung role played in American history role of William Dawes and Samuel Prescott was to accompany Paul Revere on his celebrated midnight ride to warn their countrymen that “the British are coming.”

* The infantryman (and actor-to-be) James Arness was picked to go first when the troops aboard his landing craft splashed ashore during the Allied attack at Anzio during World War II because at 6 feet 6, he was the tallest man in his outfit–and his commanding officer wanted to know just how deep the water was.

* The profession of Hitler’s mistress, Eva Braun was Photographer’s assistant.

* During the Civil War, 23 states fought for the Union and 11 for the Confederacy.

* The two nations involved in a year-long conflict that was popularly know as the Pastry War were France and Mexico in 1838. It was triggered by Mexico’s refusal to pay for damage done by Mexican army officers to a restaurant run by a French pastry chef in Tacubaya, now a section of Mexico City.

* It was President Harry S. Truman who ordered the integration of America’s armed forces in 1948.

* The famous American who signed the Treaty of Kanagawa was Commodore Matthew C. Perry, on March 31, 1854. The treaty opened Japan to western trade.

* While Adolf Hitler called his country home Eagle’s Nest, Winston Churchill called his Cosy Pig, although it was formally known as Chartwell.

* The American billionaire who tried to airlift 28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to American POWs in North Vietnam n 1969 was Ross Perot.

* Charles de Gaulle served as ghost-writer of the book “The Soldier”. It was about the famous World War I military hero Marshal Philippe Petain, whose 1945 death sentence for collaboration during WWII was commuted by de Gaulle to life imprisonment.

* The Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought in June 1775 on Breed’s Hill, southeast of Bunker Hill.

* The Allies’ password on D-Day was “Mickey Mouse”.

* Gen. Black Jack Pershing, arriving in France in 1917 after the U.S. entered WWI was the American military leader who said, “Lafayette we are here.”

* The physical ailment that was said to have contributed to Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo was hemorrhoids, which prevented him from surveying the battlefield on horseback.

* The Boer War (1899-1902) was the first to have authorized film coverage?

* Caedwalla, King of Gwynedd (north Wales), ordered his soldiers to wear leeks fastened to their helmets when they battled the troops of Kind Edwin of Northumbria in 632 A.D. so he could tell his men from the enemy. Caedwalla was victorious, Edwin was slain, and the leek later became the national emblem of Wales.

[Source: www.triviacountry.com/19_Military_Trivia.htm Jun 2010 ++]

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Tax Burden for New Hampshire Retirees: Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a retirement destination. This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than offset the lack of a state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax burden. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in New Hampshire:

State Sales Tax: None. There is an 8% tax on lodging and restaurant meals and a 7% tax on two-way communications.

Gasoline Tax: 19.6 cents/gallon

Diesel Fuel Tax: 19.6 cents/gallon

Cigarette Tax: $1.78 cents/pack of 20

Personal Income Taxes – New Hampshire depends more upon real property taxes for revenue than most states since there are no general income, sales or use taxes. The state also receives substantial revenue from taxes on motor fuels, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages sold through the state liquor stores, and pari-mutuel betting. The state income tax is limited to a 5% tax on dividends and interest income of more than $2,400 ($4,800 for joint filers). A $1,200 exemption is available for residents who are 65 years of age or older. For an overview of New Hampshire taxes refer to www.nh.gov/revenue/faq/gti-rev.htm .

Retirement Income: Not taxed.

Property Taxes

Local property taxes, based upon assessed valuation, are assessed, levied and collected by municipalities. A state education property tax rate of $2.135 (2009) per $1,000 of total equalized valuation is assessed on all New Hampshire property owners. An elderly exemption for property taxes can be age, net income limits, including Social Security income, and net asset limits. Property taxes can be deferred but accrue interest at the rate of 5% per annum. The deferred property tax may not exceed more than 85% of the equity value of the residence. The deferral is available (if granted) by the assessing officials, to any resident property owner who is at least 65 years old. For single homeowners 65 and older who earn less than $5,000 and married couples who earn less than $6,000, $5,000 of their property’s assessed value is exempt from taxes. In addition, the homeowner’s other assets besides the home must be worth less than $35,000.

There is a Low & Moderate Income Homeowner’s Property Tax Relief program in New Hampshire. For details refer to www.nh.gov/revenue/forms/low_mod_program.htm. You must own a homestead subject to the state education property tax; reside in such homestead as of April 1 of the year for which the claim for relief is made; have a total household income of (1) $20,000 or less if a single person or (2) $40,000 or less if married or head of a New Hampshire household. Call 603-271-2687 for details on property taxes or go to http://www.nh.gov/revenue/munc_prop/municipalservices.htm .

Inheritance and Estate Taxes – New Hampshire’s Legacy & Succession Tax was repealed in 2002 and is effective for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2003. As a result there is no inheritance or estate tax.

For further information, visit the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration site www.nh.gov/revenue/index.htm or call 603-271-2318. [Source: www.retirementliving.com Jun 2010 ++]

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Congressional Alphalist: To better understand what is happening to veteran legislation as it proceeds through Congress it is useful to know the language used by our representatives as they conduct business. Following are some of the words or expressions you will see while reading about or listening to House and Senate sessions:

* BASELINE. This is the standard used to assess how bills, if enacted, would change current budgetary levels. Baselines must assume projected levels of federal spending and revenue, so they are often disputed.

* THE BELTWAY. This is an interstate highway encircling Washington, DC & passing through Maryland and Virginia suburbs. “Inside the Beltway” Asserts that an issue is only of interest to Washington, DC residents and workers.

* BILL. A Bill is a legislative proposal which would make law if it passes both the House and Senate and if it receives Presidential approval. Bills are introduced as “H.R.” in the House, and as “S.” in the Senate. Besides bills, joint resolutions are the only other type of legislation which makes law [H.J.Res. or S.J.Res.]

* BLOCK GRANTS. These are funds given states by the federal government to run programs within defined guidelines.

* BLUE DOG DEMOCRAT. One of 51 conservative Democratic Members of the House of Representatives who have banded together to support a more centrist position on economic issues than that held by their party’s leadership.

* BUDGET ACT. Refers to the 1974 Congressional Budget Act. It created the current budget process. It also created the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the House and Senate Budget Committees. The annual budget resolution and reconciliation bills are processed under the terms of the 1974 Budget Act.

* BUDGET RESOLUTION. This is the annual decision made by Congress to set spending and revenue levels. It provides a voluntary framework within which Congress agrees to limit subsequent money bills. The Budget Resolution may also instruct committees to change current law in order to save money.

* BULLY PULPIT. This term stems from President Theodore Roosevelt’s reference to the White House as a “bully pulpit,” meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word “bully” as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful. Roosevelt also had political affiliation with the Progressive Party, nicknamed the “Bull Moose” party. It got the moniker when Roosevelt ran for President as its candidate in 1912, after declaring himself as “fit as a bull moose.”

* BYRD RULE. This is used on the Senate floor to challenge certain language added to a reconciliation bill. The purpose of reconciliation bills is to reconcile spending levels with revenue levels. If proposed language steps outside of this primary purpose, it can be challenged on a point of order. The Byrd rule can be set aside by a 3/5 vote. It is named after its author, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV).

[Source: C-SPAN Congressional Glossary Jun 2010 ++]

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Veteran Legislation Status 13 JUN 2010: For or a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 111th Congress refer to the Bulletin’s Veteran Legislation attachment. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication on that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html.

Grassroots lobbying is perhaps the most effective way to let your Representative and Senators know your opinion. Whether you are calling into a local or Washington, D.C. office; sending a letter or e-mail; signing a petition; or making a personal visit, Members of Congress are the most receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov your legislator’s phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making. Refer to http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_schedule.html for dates that you can access your legislators on their home turf. [Source: RAO Bulletin Attachment 13 Jun 2010 ++]

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Have You Heard?

Charlie, a new retiree greeter at Walmart, just couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their “Older Person Friendly” policies. One day the boss called him into the office for a talk.

“Charlie, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang up job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome.”

“Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it.”

”Well good, you are a team player. That’s what I like to hear. It’s odd though your coming in late. I know you’re retired from the Air Force.

What did they say if you came in late there?”

”They said, ‘Good morning, General, can I get you coffee, sir?”’

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“Happiness depends more on how life strikes you than on what happens.”

Andy Rooney of 60 minutes fame

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Lt. James “EMO” Tichacek, USN (Ret)

Associate Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio City RP

PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517

Tel: (951) 238-1246 in U.S. or Cell: 0915-361-3503 in the Philippines.

Email: [email protected] Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html

AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member

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