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As we take the time this Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice and courage of the men and women who have fought for our country, I wanted to take a moment to share with you the recent efforts Congress has made to ensure that those who serve receive the benefits and compensation they deserve.
We must do our very best to ensure that those who serve or have served have the support and tools they need to succeed when they return home. If you or anyone you know are ever experiencing trouble in securing your military or veterans benefits do not hesitate to contact my office at (586) 498-7122.
Funding for Veterans’ Health Care Congress has increased investment in veterans’ health care and service by 60 percent since January 2007 – including the largest single increase in the 78-year history of the VA. The new funding has led to 2,000 new doctors and 6,500 new nurses and the re-opening of the VA doors to veterans without service-connected disabilities who had previously been prohibited from enrolling. The funding has meant a 28 percent increase in medical research and an increased focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury.
An advanced appropriation of $48 billion was signed into law last year for veterans’ medical care for 2011. Later this year, Congress will consider health funding for 2012 in order to ensure the continuation of timely, predictable funding.
Supporting Veteran Caregivers Family members and other caregivers have quit jobs, delayed schooling, and made other difficult sacrifices to provide care for injured veterans. This year legislation passed to provide help to caregivers, including training, counseling, and respite care, and to eliminate copayments for catastrophically disabled veterans. The President signed the legislation into law on May 5, 2010.
Supporting our Female Veterans There are 45,300 women veterans in Michigan. Indeed, women are one of the fastest growing segments of our nation’s veteran population. Congress passed legislation to expand and improve health care services for women veterans, including providing up to seven days of care of newborn children and enhancing treatment for sexual trauma and PTSD. The President signed the legislation into law on May 5, 2010.
Homeownership and Housing Opportunities In 2008, Congress prohibited home foreclosures for nine months after military service, increased the VA home loan limit, and enabled more veterans to refinance their existing high-risk loans through VA home loans. This year the House built on this law by extending protections against foreclosure to veteran homeowners. The House passed the Helping Heroes Keep Their Homes Act on March 23, 2010.
In addition, the House took action on behalf of those veterans without homes. The End Veteran Homelessness Act will strengthen successful, comprehensive programs for homeless veterans with special attention to the needs of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. The House also passed this bill on March 23, 2010.
Employment and Education Opportunities for Veterans Many veterans have taken advantage of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill which provides stipends for as much as the most expensive in-state public school and also provides transferability of unused education benefits to spouses and children. This program began last August. In addition, the Recovery Act, signed into law last year, provides businesses a $2,400 tax credit for hiring unemployed veterans.
Recognizing that more must be done to provide employment opportunities for veterans, the House passed the Energy Jobs for Veterans Act that will reimburse employers for veterans’ on-the-job training in the energy sector. The House passed this bill on March 23, 2010.
Supporting Disabled Veterans The Recovery Act included a $250 payment to disabled veterans to help makes ends meet during the economic downturn. In addition, I introduced legislation this month with Senator Baucus to begin ending the unjust policy that penalizes medically retired servicemembers by taking away one dollar of their pension for every dollar of their disability pay. The House is expected to consider this legislation shortly.
Be assured I will continue to fight for the interests of our military and veterans.
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