August 1, 2007
VA subcommittee members express bipartisan support for seven veterans’ bills
One area of concern among subcommittee Republicans is the lack of cost information now available, especially as much of the legislation considered involves the need for PAYGO mandatory funding offsets.
H.R. 2696, H.R. 2697, and H.R. 2346 each directly address how Congress determines the location of national cemeteries in a timely manner.
H.R. 2696, introduced by subcommittee ranking member Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), the Veterans Dignified Burial Assistance Act of 2007, contains provisions which would improve the VA burial benefit and state veteran’s cemeteries. This bill would increase the burial and plot allowance for a veteran’s burial in a private cemetery from $300 to $400.
The bill would also repeal the current time limitation for state reimbursement of interment costs by VA. Occasionally, a state locates the remains of veterans who were not buried. When states bury these veterans, VA may not be able to reimburse them because of a time limit on reimbursement.
The bill also would authorize the VA secretary to make additional grants to states for improving and expanding state veteran cemeteries. States would have to submit an application to the secretary, and could receive up to $5 million.
H.R. 2697, also introduced by Lamborn, would extend eligibility for Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) to members of the armed forces.
VMLI is a special type of life insurance that is only available to veterans who qualify for specially adapted housing grants. Many of our nation’s injured active duty servicemembers may eventually qualify for VMLI, and would benefit by having this eligibility.
H.R. 2346, introduced by Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.), would direct VA to establish a process to determine whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by existing veterans’ cemeteries. The process will take into account the following variables for each geographic area: (1) total number of veterans; (2) average distance a resident must travel to reach the nearest national cemetery; (3) population density; (4) average amount of time it takes a resident to travel to the nearest national cemetery; (5) availability of public transportation for purposes of traveling to national cemeteries; and (6) average amount of fees charged to an individual traveling on the major roads leading to the national cemeteries.
This process will be a departure from the current 175,000 population and 75-mile thresholds that the VA uses for determining the need of a national cemetery.
“I look forward to working with Mr. Fossella on H.R. 2346; this is an important bill that will help provide veterans and their families with greater access to national cemeteries. I believe it will help VA create an accurate and beneficial selection process,” said Lamborn.
H.R. 674, introduced by Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), would repeal the 2008 sunset provision on VA’s Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. The committee comprises representatives from minority groups, veterans’ service organizations, and representatives from many federal, state, and local government agencies.
The major functions include: (1) advising the VA secretary and Congress on VA’s administration of benefits and provisions of health care, benefits, and services to minority veterans; (2) providing an annual report to Congress outlining recommendations, concerns and observations on VA’s delivery of services to minority veterans; (3) meeting with VA officials, veteran service organizations, and other stakeholders to assess the department’s efforts in providing benefits and outreach to minority veterans; and (4) making periodic site visits and holding town hall meetings with veterans to address their concerns.
H.R. 1273, introduced by Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), extends eligibility for a $300 plot allowance for burial in a private cemetery who is eligible for burial in a national cemetery and who: (1) was discharged from active service for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; or (2) is a veteran of any war. Currently, a veteran is only eligible for this plot allowance if they were receiving VA compensation, pension benefits, or died of service-connected injuries.
The bill also authorizes the VA secretary to reimburse a veteran’s family for the cost of buying a non-governmental headstone. While this authorization would be of great help to families of deceased veterans, significant mandatory funding offsets would be required needed for its passage.
H.R. 1900, introduced by Nick Rahall (D-W.V.), would extend eligibility for pension benefits under laws administered by the VA secretary to veterans who received an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
The VA has designated “periods of war” to identify veterans who qualify for certain veterans’ pension benefits. However, these periods of war may differ from dates given in declarations of war, termination of hostility dates, proclamations, laws, or treaties; thus many veterans who served in hostile areas are not eligible for veterans’ pension benefits.
H.R. 1901, also introduced by Rahall, is similar to H.R. 1900, but would only extend the pension benefit to veterans who served during the following time periods: (1) the period beginning on February 1, 1955, and ending on August 4, 1964, in the case of active military, naval, or air service performed in the Republic of Korea; (2) the period beginning on May 8, 1975, and ending on August 1, 1990, in the case of active military, naval, or air service performed in the Republic of Korea; (3) the period beginning on August 24, 1982, and ending on July 31, 1984, in the case of active military, naval, or air service performed in Lebanon or Granada; and (4) the period beginning on December 20, 1989, and ending on January 31, 1990, in the case of active military, naval, or air service performed in Panama.
For more news from House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Republicans, please go to: