Omnibus Veterans’ Bills Cleared by Senate

CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS – VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
Sept. 27, 2008 – 6:38 p.m.

Omnibus Veterans’ Bills Cleared by Senate

By Matthew M. Johnson, CQ Staff

The Senate cleared legislation Saturday bundling up numerous measures aimed at improving veterans’ health care, housing, education and other benefits.

Provisions covering a range of programs for veterans were packaged into two big bills (S 2162, S 3023) that were sent to the White House for the president’s signature.

As introduced by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the first bill (S 2162) would have authorized programs intended to improve treatment for veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental illnesses. The Senate passed that version in June.

However, the House amended it with multiple other veterans’ provisions before passing it by voice vote Sept. 24. The final measure incorporated a compromise negotiated by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner, D-Calif., and Akaka.

As cleared, the bill would authorize:

• $1.9 billion for Veterans Administration (VA) medical facility projects and major medical facility leases around the country.

• $60 million through fiscal 2011 for the VA to provide financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that support very low-income veteran families residing in permanent housing.

• $30 million for the VA to designate between four and six health care facilities as locations for epilepsy centers and to designate an individual in the Veterans Health Administration as a national coordinator for VHA epilepsy programs.

• $8 million through fiscal 2012 for the VA to carry out research into PTSD through the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• $3 million for a two-year VA pilot program to test the feasibility and advisability of providing assessment, education and treatment of substance abuse via the Internet.

Second Package

The Senate also cleared another broad veterans’ measure that among other things would require the VA to implement regulations for notifying veterans who claim medical benefits about the status of their requests in simple terms.

Like the first package, this measure (S 3023) was sponsored by Akaka. It was passed by the Senate Sept. 16 and subsequently amended on the House floor by Filner and passed Sept. 24. Akaka negotiated with Filner on the amendments.

The base bill would require notifications to include information about whether a claim is new or old, the evidence generally required to substantiate that type of claim, and the timing of the notice.

The department could provide additional or alternative notice information if it would be relevant to benefits or services sought by veterans.

As amended, the bill included numerous other provisions to expand compensation and pension, housing, labor, education and insurance benefits for veterans, including ones that would:

• Increase, for a limited time, the amount of money a veteran can borrow for certain guaranteed housing loans. The new maximum guaranty would be one of three options: 25 percent of $417,000, where the median area single-family housing price is less than $417,000; 25 percent of the median price for a single-family home in localities where houses generally cost between $417,000 and $729,750; or 25 percent of $729,750 where the median area single-family housing price is greater than $729,750.

• Eliminate a requirement that a veteran’s severance pay for a combat-related disability be deducted from the disability compensation provided by the department.

• Give the VA authority to assign qualified veterans temporary disability ratings within 365 days of receiving an application.

• Allow a qualified dependent survivor to receive and update evidence for benefits that were requested by a veteran before their death.

• Create a new office to assist qualified dependent survivors to receive benefits and investigate issues.

• Require the department to redevelop its certification exam to test appropriate Veterans’ Benefits Administration employees and managers.

• Require an information technology plan for all aspects of the VBA disability claims processing system to reduce processing times.

• Extend the period of eligibility for dependent survivors to receive educational assistance to allow spouses of veterans with a service-connected disability to redeem the benefits within a 20-year window.

• Allow the department to award grants to establish a sports program for disabled veterans to participate in U.S. Paralympics competitions and establish an Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events.