Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tuesday the House passed overwhelmingly a year-end compromise package combining major elements of VA health care and benefits bills that address the needs of veterans in the new millennium.
The Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act would provide for improved long-term care and other reforms of the VA health care system, new veterans' cemeteries, speedier construction of the national World War II Memorial, and an array of enhanced veterans' benefits. The amended H.R. 2116 combines provisions from the health care and benefits bills passed by the House earlier this year (see H.R. 2116 and H.R. 2280). It also includes provisions from earlier passed Senate bills (S. 695, S. 1076 and S. 1402). A 2.4 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for disability compensation and survivors' benefits was passed by the House last week. Final Senate passage of both the amended H.R. 2116 and COLA is expected soon, and would send both measures to the White House for the President's signature.
"The benefits provisions honor commitments to men and women who served their country and the health provisions prepare us for the medical needs of veterans in the 21st century," said House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Stump (R-AZ). "This ends the century with one of the most productive legislative years for veterans in a long time."
"We have just adopted a significant bill for veterans," said the Committee's Ranking Democratic Member Lane Evans (D-IL). "Passing this legislation, Congress has proudly supported a strong reaffirmation of our commitment to our nation's veterans."
The health provisions would improve access to long-term care for the most severely disabled veterans and expand VA's obligation to provide alternatives to nursing home care.
The measure would authorize the VA to pay reasonable emergency care costs for veterans who obtain their general medical care from the VA. It would establish new authority for VA to provide care to TRICARE-eligible military retirees and Purple Heart recipients who otherwise lack priority for VA care. It would also expand VA's flexibility to generate new revenue and spend it on health care for veterans and extend the VA's authority to make grants for homeless veterans.
The benefits provisions would expand the fundraising authorities of the American Battle Monuments Commission, making it more likely that construction of the World War II Memorial can begin next year. It would direct the VA Secretary to obligate Advance Planning Funds for six new national veterans' cemeteries and to contract for a study of existing national cemeteries.
In addition, H.R. 2216 makes surviving spouses of former prisoners of war who die with a service-connected disability (rated totally disabling at least one year before death) eligible for DIC payments. The package also restores CHAMP VA medical care, education, and housing loans to surviving spouses following termination of a subsequent marriage. Those benefits would be added to the DIC eligibility already restored by legislation enacted in 1998. The package also adds bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer not associated with tobacco use, to the list of diseases presumed to be service connected for certain radiation-exposed veterans.
Another provision would extend until 2007 the housing loan program for members of the Reserves and National Guard who serve at least six years. The current program expires in 2003. The compromise also authorizes $65 million in fiscal years 2000 to 2003 for homeless veterans' programs administered by the Department of Labor, and extends and expands VA's authority to make grants to community-based organizations serving homeless veterans.
The package would encourage staggered retirement of the current judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and bring their retirement and survivor annuity programs into line with those of other federal judges.
Finally, it would require VA to develop and implement quality assurance measures for its benefits programs.
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