House Panel Approves Omnibus Veterans Benefits Legislation
July 15, 2009
House Panel Approves Omnibus Veterans Benefits Legislation
By Matthew M. Johnson, CQ Staff
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved four bills Wednesday, including an omnibus draft bill that aims to improve the insurance and medical benefits made available to vets.
The draft legislation, sponsored by Bob Filner, D-Calif., combines language from nine bills that were previously approved by two subcommittees: Health and Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
The omnibus draft bill was amended to include language from a measure (HR 2270) by Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, the ranking Republican on the panel, that would make $1,000 monthly payments to members of 28 groups that fought on behalf of the United States during World War II, including the Flying Tigers and the Women Airforce Service Pilots. The language would cost $855 million over five years, Buyer said.
The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Language was pulled from eight other measures, including:
• HR 2379, a bill by Buyer that would allow veterans younger than 60 to increase the amount of Veterans’ Group Life Insurance they carry by as much as $25,000 once every five years, until they reach the maximum coverage amount of $400,000.
• HR 1197, a bill by Harry E. Mitchell, D-Ariz., that would give certain recipients of the Medal of Honor higher priority when seeking veterans hospital care and medical services.
• HR 1302, a bill by Phil Hare, D-Ill., that would establish a new director of physician assistant services position in the department, which would be responsible for the education and training, employment, appropriate utilization, and optimal participation of physician assistants.
• HR 1546, a bill by Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., that would establish the “Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury,” which would be responsible for assessing and making recommendations about the Veterans Health Administration’s ability to treat and rehabilitate veterans with traumatic brain injury.
The measure was approved by voice vote.
The committee also approved by voice vote a measure (HR 3155), by Michael H. Michaud, D-Maine, that would authorize more training, support and medical care to professional and family caregivers who treat veterans.
Michaud offered a substitute amendment that added language to create a monthly stipend payment to cover lodging and subsistence expenses incurred by primary caregivers attending to veterans. The substitute amendment was adopted by voice vote.
The panel also approved by voice vote legislation (HR 2770), sponsored by Filner, that would update the law applicable to Veteran Affairs Department-affiliated nonprofit research and education corporations.
One key provision would authorize a single corporation to facilitate the conduct of department-approved research and education at more than one veterans medical center.
The committee adopted by voice vote an amendment by Michaud that changed the bill language to require that corporations with annual revenue between $100,000 and $500,000 to receive an audit at least once every three years. The bill previously required companies with as little as $10,000 in revenue to get the audits.
The committee also approved by voice vote legislation (HR 1293), by Buyer, that would increase the amount veterans receive for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services. Veterans with service-connected disabilities would be entitled to $6,800 and those with non-service connected disabilities would receive $2,000.
Source: CQ Today Online News
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July 15, 2009 – 2:23 p.m.
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved four bills Wednesday, including an omnibus draft bill that aims to improve the insurance and medical benefits made available to vets.
The draft legislation, sponsored by Bob Filner, D-Calif., combines language from nine bills that were previously approved by two subcommittees: Health and Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
The omnibus draft bill was amended to include language from a measure (HR 2270) by Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, the ranking Republican on the panel, that would make $1,000 monthly payments to members of 28 groups that fought on behalf of the United States during World War II, including the Flying Tigers and the Women Airforce Service Pilots. The language would cost $855 million over five years, Buyer said.
The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Language was pulled from eight other measures, including:
• HR 2379, a bill by Buyer that would allow veterans younger than 60 to increase the amount of Veterans’ Group Life Insurance they carry by as much as $25,000 once every five years, until they reach the maximum coverage amount of $400,000.
• HR 1197, a bill by Harry E. Mitchell, D-Ariz., that would give certain recipients of the Medal of Honor higher priority when seeking veterans hospital care and medical services.
• HR 1302, a bill by Phil Hare, D-Ill., that would establish a new director of physician assistant services position in the department, which would be responsible for the education and training, employment, appropriate utilization, and optimal participation of physician assistants.
• HR 1546, a bill by Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., that would establish the “Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury,” which would be responsible for assessing and making recommendations about the Veterans Health Administration’s ability to treat and rehabilitate veterans with traumatic brain injury.
The measure was approved by voice vote.
The committee also approved by voice vote a measure (HR 3155), by Michael H. Michaud, D-Maine, that would authorize more training, support and medical care to professional and family caregivers who treat veterans.
Michaud offered a substitute amendment that added language to create a monthly stipend payment to cover lodging and subsistence expenses incurred by primary caregivers attending to veterans. The substitute amendment was adopted by voice vote.
The panel also approved by voice vote legislation (HR 2770), sponsored by Filner, that would update the law applicable to Veteran Affairs Department-affiliated nonprofit research and education corporations.
One key provision would authorize a single corporation to facilitate the conduct of department-approved research and education at more than one veterans medical center.
The committee adopted by voice vote an amendment by Michaud that changed the bill language to require that corporations with annual revenue between $100,000 and $500,000 to receive an audit at least once every three years. The bill previously required companies with as little as $10,000 in revenue to get the audits.
The committee also approved by voice vote legislation (HR 1293), by Buyer, that would increase the amount veterans receive for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services. Veterans with service-connected disabilities would be entitled to $6,800 and those with non-service connected disabilities would receive $2,000.
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