Veterans

• Concurrent Receipt

John is a longtime supporter of concurrent receipt legislation, and is once again co-sponsor of the “Retired Pay Restoration Act” (S. 558), legislation to permanently end the 1890’s law requiring the dollar-for-dollar reduction of retirement pay by disability benefit payments received by military retirees.

Each year he also supports an amendment to the annual Department of Defense Authorization Act to require full concurrent receipt for all military retirees with a service-connected disability, regardless of their disability rating.

Although much progress has been made on this issue over the past few years, John will continue to fight for passage of full concurrent receipt for disabled military retirees.

• Disabled Veterans

Out-of-date regulations should not be an obstacle to veterans receiving their well-deserved benefits. That is why John continues to work on behalf of our nation’s disabled veterans to upgrade eligibility criteria for housing assistance grants to help them move home from medical facilities as quickly as possible, and to modify their residences to better accommodate their disabilities.

On November 3, 2005, the United States Senate approved an amendment offered by John to the Omnibus Reconciliation Bill that would establish a five-year pilot program to extend the eligibility for housing grants to veterans who live with their families. Additionally, the measure would allow veterans to receive up to three grants in their lifetime so that if a veteran were to move, they could modify their new home. The measure, based on his bipartisan “Specially Adapted Housing Grants Improvements Act of 2005” (S. 1947) - received the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Currently, a disabled veteran must at least partly own his or her residence to receive VA housing assistance grants to perform necessary residence modifications, such as installing wheelchair ramps or railings. However, many younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have not yet had the opportunity to become homeowners. Current law also allows for only a one-time grant, which means if a veteran were to move, he or she would be forced to pay for home modifications out of their own pocket. Both John’s bill and his amendment address these shortcomings in current law by establishing a five-year pilot program that extends eligibility for the grants to veterans who live with their families, and allows veterans to receive more than one grant to modify future homes.

S. 1947 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. An identical provision to John’s bill and amendment is expected to be included in a bipartisan House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees bill this year.

• Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity

John was pleased to co-sponsor and support legislation to eliminate the so-called “widow tax” on survivors of military retirees age 62 and up. The Fiscal Year 2005 Department of Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law by President Bush on October 28, 2004, contained a provision to increase, over three fiscal years, the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity to the 55% originally promised to survivors of military personnel. The law also allows for a Survivor Benefit Plan open enrollment.

John is also a co-sponsor and supporter of legislation that would repeal the dollar for dollar offset of SBP annuities by Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). These measures also would change the “paid up” date from October 1, 2008, to October 1, 2005, meaning at that time, retirees will no longer have to pay premiums and will retain full coverage for their survivors, if they are age 70 and have paid premiums for at least 30 years.

• Veterans Health Care

As New Hampshire veterans increasingly find themselves waiting longer for access to care and traveling longer distances to receive care, John will continue to make sure the New England VA healthcare system receives its fair share of resources.

John has been a strong supporter of increased funding for VA healthcare services and VA benefits since he came to Congress in 1997. Adequate funding is more important than ever as younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan access VA healthcare services. John’s efforts have resulted in a nearly 45% increase in VA healthcare funding since 2001.

Additionally, John is a long-time co-sponsor of legislation to allow military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis and allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums.   

Further information regarding United States Department of Veterans Affairs can be obtained at: www.va.gov