RURAL SECURITY

Agriculture, Farmers, Ranchers

Banking

Drought

Energy

Ethanol

Rural Air Service

Rural Health Care

Seniors Health

Sportsmens Caucus

Trade

Transportation & Infrastructure

NATIONAL SECURITY

Border Security

First Responders

Law Enforcement

Military Families

National Guard

Strengthening the Military

Veterans

ECONOMIC SECURITY

Education

Health Insurance

Insurance

Tax Relief

Welfare Reform

Working Families

LEGISLATION

Veterans

The United States prides itself on having the world’s greatest military. Our nation understands that military men and women are the backbone of our national security so it is imperative to provide them with the tools and resources they need as they defend America.

But our commitment to these brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines does not end on battlefields. It is also crucial that we fulfill our promises to those who have served so ably in the past.

That is why Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson works for our military veterans to ensure that they receive the benefits they deserve. Today, and as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee from 2001 through 2004 and the Senate Armed Services Committee since then, Nelson has worked to enhance veterans’ benefits while collaborating with the Veterans Administration to ensure veterans health care is accessible and available throughout Nebraska.

Working for Veterans

In Nebraska:

Senator Nelson supported recommendations to create three new Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) to serve Nebraska veterans in the Holdrege, O’Neill and Bellevue areas. Nelson urged the VA to accept this recommendation after the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commission originally rejected the proposal. The Commission subsequently adopted Nelson’s recommendation.

In Washington:

1. Senator Nelson has consistently urged full funding for veterans programs. Nelson has written to President Bush in support of full funding and in opposition to higher co-payments and new fees for veteran’s health services.
2. Senator Nelson cosponsored the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2007 (S. 439) that will allow disabled veterans to receive compensation without having to sacrifice part of their retirement pay.
3. Senator Nelson supports and has cosponsored legislation to repeal the requirement for the reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation.
4. Senator Nelson introduced the Emergency Energy Assistance for Disabled Veterans Act (S. 3276) in 2006 to increase the VA mileage reimbursement rate for rural area veterans from 11 cents to 44 cents – the same rate as federal employees are reimbursed.
5. Senator Nelson supports designating veterans' healthcare funding as mandatory spending just as veterans' compensation and pension payments are mandatory.
6. Senator Nelson sponsored an amendment encouraging companies to employ America’s veterans as part of the Tax Reconciliation Act of 2005
7. Senator Nelson supported extending an increase in TRICARE fees for retirees and reservists and increasing funds for the Defense Health Program. He introduced S.731 to amend Title 10, U.S. Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve.
   
8. Senator Nelson advocated for authorizing payment of combat-related special compensation to service members medically retired for a combat-related disability. As part of this program, payment is equal to the amount of retired pay forfeited because of the prohibition on concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation.

As a response to the inadequate health care for our returning veterans and wounded warriors, the Senate passed the Wounded Warriors Act, which was included in the Defense Authorization Act signed by then President Bush in January 2008. The Wounded Warriors Act included provisions that would:

• Require DOD and VA to jointly develop a comprehensive policy on improvements to care, management, and transition of recovering service members in an outpatient status;
• Require DOD to develop a comprehensive plan on prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of, and research on, traumatic brain injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other mental health conditions in members of the armed forces; and
• Authorize Centers of Excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic eye injuries.

 

Updated: May 2009