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Congressman Berman speaks at the groundbreaking for the 405 freeway northbound carpool lane as Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa and California Governor Schwarzenegger look on. The groundbreaking is the culmination of years of work by Rep. Berman, who obtained significant federal funding for this project, which is critical to relieving congestion on the 405.
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NEW DIRECTION FOR VETERANS & TROOPS
Under
Democratic leadership since 2007, New Direction Congresses have made historic
gains for America's Troops, Veterans, and Military Families.
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STATUS
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| EXPAND
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY |
New
GI Bill for the 21st Century takes effect August 1 to restore promise
of a full, four-year college education for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan;
veterans can sign up for now.
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Give
businesses a $2,400 tax credit for hiring unemployed veterans.
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Provide
nearly 2 million disabled veterans a $250 Economic Recovery payment.
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Help
military family homeowners harmed by the housing crisis.
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Expand
relief, homeownership
opportunities, and refinancing options for returning veterans through
VA home loans.
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| Create
a new Veterans Corps to provide services to veterans and military families,
as well create volunteer opportunities for veterans to put them back to
work. |
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STRENGTHEN
HEALTH CARE
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Increase
funding for veterans' health care and other services by $17.7 billion
(more than 40%) since January 2007 --
including the largest single increase in the history of the VA. This
is more of an increase in less than three years than the GOP-controlled
Congress provided in 12 years.
Strengthened
quality health care for 5.8 million patients -- adding more than 8,000
new doctors and nurses since 2007
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Veterans'
budget this year hailed as "cause for celebration" by American Legion,
provides veterans' health care and other services the largest funding
increase (nearly 12%) ever requested by a President.
Expands
mental health screening and treatment
Ends
Bush's ban on enrolling modest-income veterans for VA health care
Allows
Congress to provide VA medical investments one year in advance to ensure
sufficient, timely and predictable funding
Strongly
supported by major veterans' organizations, including the Veterans of
Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans,
Vietnam Veterans of America, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
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Clean
up the scandal of inadequate support for our wounded soldiers at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center and facilities nationwide.
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Improve
outpatient medical care, restore integrity and efficiency to disability
evaluations, cut red-tape
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Smooth
the transition from the Armed Forces to VA system— implementing
a single, accurate paperless health record from enlistment through retirement
years
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Rebuild
and renovate VA and military hospitals
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Strengthen
mental health services critical to the estimated 620,000 returning troops
suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, or traumatic
brain injuries (TBI) from Iraq or Afghanistan.
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Expand
VA mental health care services, invest one-third more than in FY 2006,
and provide three years of more VA health care eligibility for Iraq
and Afghanistan veterans
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Require
comprehensive DOD policy to address TBI and PTSD, establish a DOD Center
of Excellence on Psychological Health and TBI, guarantee veterans a
mental health assessment within 30 days, expand hiring of mental health
professionals, and strengthen DOD training for better detection of PTSD
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Invest
in DOD research for TBI and PTSD, along with counseling, suicide prevention,
tele-health and risk reduction efforts for troops and families
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Establish
comprehensive suicide prevention services for veterans and a 24-hour
toll- free suicide hotline, helping to prevent an estimated 1,200 suicides
in first year
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Prevent
TRICARE and veterans health care fee increases proposed by President
Bush.
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| IMPROVE
BENEFITS FOR TROOPS AND MILITARY FAMILIES |
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Give
troops a pay raise of 3.5 percent in 2008 and 3.9 percent in 2009 -- larger
than Bush budget in both years.
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Retroactively
provide more than 170,000 service members and veterans with $500 for every
month they were forced to serve under stop-loss orders since 2001.
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Address
the 396,000 veterans' claim backlog and the 177 day average wait for veterans
to access earned benefits by adding 7,100 new claims processors.
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Build
new transition centers for wounded warriors, more military child care
centers, and better barracks and military family housing.
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Provide
Family Medical Leave for families of soldiers wounded in combat.
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Reduce
Military Families Tax on surviving spouses.
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REBUILD
THE AMERICAN MILITARY
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Provide
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with better equipment, including Mine Resistant
Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles proven to save lives.
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Create
Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund to rapidly address military equipment
shortfalls.
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Ensure
more equipment, training, and body armor for troops.
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Strengthen
National Guard preparedness for disaster response here at home, including
providing more equipment.
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Signed Into Law, 110th Congress
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Signed Into Law, 111th Congress
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Passed House, 111th Congress
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