All Hands: This notice is to inform you of the Baguio Retiree Assistance Office (RAO) mission; the availability of informational assistance to fellow veterans; and the purpose of the Director's associated Newsletter. The service provides a POC for anyone who has queries on Veteran issues and/or residence in this Geographic area. It also provides a means for Veterans to keep abreast of benefit changes and/or pending Veteran related legislation.

    Bulletin Updates are sent twice a month...on the 1st & 15th. Twice a month allows time for readers to digest the info and make any inquiries they may have. It is understood that not every article that goes out is applicable to every reader but over a period of time every reader will find some article(s) of interest to him or her personally. Unfortunately, the Bulletin cannot be sent to some users of AOL and a few other servers. It does not meet their big Brother policy of deciding what their readers are allowed to receive. A few other servers such as Juno & Netzero allow their readers to receive the Bulletin but will not allow me to communicate with them. I can receive their messages but they cannot receive mine. Anyone currently in receipt of the Bulletin receiving duplicate copies let me know. Those who no longer want to receive it just click Reply and add the word “Remove” in the subject line. If you decide you no longer want the Bulletin feel free to drop me a line in the future if you ever need any assistance.

    The Baguio Retiree Assistance Office [RAO] is basically an "answer place" for all Veterans and Expats in addition to providing FPO mail services; Forms; U.S. & RP Government Services; etc. There are no longer any bases in the Philippines and the Embassy is 180 km away...so over the last 18 years it has become the unofficial source for just about everything related to Government Programs impacting on those residing in this Geographic area. Because of our remote location...the majority of Veterans' assistance is provided by email. All questions received via email are responded to with either an answer or a source of where to obtain an answer. If you do not receive an answer within 72 hours, your inquiry was probably never received...and you should re-transmit it. The variety of questions, and subsequent research to answer them, has resulted in the development of a 2500+ page Library of articles, a 70+ page index of article titles available upon request for recall, and a Email Directory of over 70,000 email addees for dissemination of the newsletter to other RAO/RSO's, Military Fraternal Organizations and interested Veterans worldwide. The objective is to provide Veteran related information to at least one member of every Veteran Group worldwide who can act as a point of contact to pass on any information felt germane to that Organization's membership. Through their involvement, the Bulletin info presently reaches approximately half a million Veterans and/or Dependents.

    Our RAO meets the criteria, and is recognized as an "Independent RAO" and source of Veteran related info. However the Bulletin is not an "Official" DoD sanctioned newsletter. The articles provide items taken from a wide variety of sources that have been edited or editorialized for retransmission. They also include info to ease transition into the Philippines for those who may be considering relocating there. The information contained therein is just that...informational (FYI). The objective is only to PASS THE WORD in order to keep our Military Community informed. It is the responsibility of readers to verify exactly how information applies to them if they intend to expend funds or time in following up on the data provided in the articles. Unless you have questions concerning Veteran's issues to be answered, there is no need for comments. Although it's nice to get the occasional "thanks for the info", it's not necessary, and just adds to the 50+ emails I receive daily. I do not send out jokes...prayers...religious material or music...chain letters...photos...etc., so please reciprocate by not sending these to me. Nor do I normally participate in "political stuff" unless it is essential to an article being presented in the Bulletin. I would greatly appreciate that you not forward personal political comments/beliefs/prejudices, but I am always open to anything that could benefit other Veterans.

    Updates are sent either Bcc or via a Newsletter Mailing List provider, so recipients are not bothered with large headers nor have their email addee revealed to others. If you want to know if anybody else in your organization is receiving the Bulletin just ask. Articles contain subjects of interest to all Veterans regardless of Geographic location. The existing addees on the directory are about 2%:98% local vs. worldwide. The Bulletin content is for use in any way you see fit and retransmit is encouraged. Sources are provided wherever possible so readers can re-validate info if they desire. The primary source is always listed first and if multiple sources are used it is indicated by "++" after the primary source in the source line. Sometimes my Internet servers are inhibited in their ability to send to other servers worldwide because of filters incorporated by these servers to block spam. However I can always receive incoming messages. If you do not receive your Bulletin just let me know. Request all communications be sent to my primary email addee raoemo@sbcglobal.net even though you may be receiving the Bulletin from some other addee. The email addee of any veteran or military fraternal organization can be added to the directory if desired. It only takes a click on the "Unsubscribe" line at the end of each Bulletin to drop anyone off later if they find the Updates are of no use to them. Of course, there are no charges, advertisements, or solicitations associated this service. Nor do we accept donations.

     If you are interested in other articles contained within the Bulletin, they can be forwarded via email. Attachments sent should be virus free, since it is our policy NEVER to open incoming attachments because they might contain a virus. My installed Norton Anti Virus program tells me about 1% do.

    At http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html you can view the current and review past Bulletins sent in the last 5 years. Bear in mind that the articles shown in these Bulletins were only valid at the time they were written (normally indicated in the source line) and may have since been updated. At this site, you can also find the Bulletin Index to identify any articles you may want to recall. They will be provided upon email request.

Bulletin Updates

1. Call their server and ask how to bypass the filters that are blocking their Bulletin;
2. Send a COA to another email addee that they can be reached at; or
3. Go to http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html on the 2nd and 16th of each month to read/download the Bulletin.

    This has happened over the years to other subscriber’s whose server’s decide to treat the Bulletin as spam because of its size. If this should happen to you they will not tell you they are doing it. To verify if Bulletins are being published go to http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html If you did not receive yours let me know on this end and I will respond on the action you should take. If I do not respond within three days it means your server is preventing you from receiving my response. In that case you need to contact your server as to what action you need to take to resume delivery of the Bulletin and communications with the RAO. For those JUNO and NETZERO subscribers currently being blocked I will continue to send the Bulletin until such time as I can confirm there is no way for them to receive it. [Source: Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, Director RAO Baguio 14 Jul 09 ++]

Veteran Employment Update 06: Last week, Steve Buyer, the senior Republican member on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, reached out to Democrat leaders to bring about a bipartisan, legislative effort to assist the record level numbers of unemployed veterans. The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 968,000 veterans are unemployed compared with 807,000 last year. The data also shows an alarming 18.3% unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 20 to 24.

“These numbers are inexcusable and reflect the problems that veterans of every age group face in today’s job market,” said Buyer. “Congress must act to approve a jobs bill for veterans that will help stimulate the economy by expanding opportunities for veteran owned small businesses.”

In December 2009, Buyer introduced H.R.4220, the Promoting Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to help veterans find meaningful
employment and career opportunities. “Addressing the high unemployment rate among veterans must be among Congress’ top priorities for the second session of the 111th Congress,” continued Buyer. “H.R. 4420 would reduce veterans’ unemployment through targeted incentives to provide job training and entrepreneurial opportunities to those went from the battlefield to the unemployment line.” The bill contains the following provisions:

* Re-authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Owned Small Business Loan Guaranty Program which would guarantee loans up to $500,000;
* Creates a new Troops-to-Teachers program to pay new teachers who are veterans, and teaching in a rural area, a $500 monthly stipend;
* Increases the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) authorization from $9 to $20 million;
* Increases the Vocational Rehabilitation monthly stipend to an amount equal to the maximum housing stipend under the post 9/11 GI Bill;
* Creates a two-year paid VA internship program for up to 2,000 vocational rehabilitation participants;
* Provides a zip code based housing stipend for unemployed veterans participating in a VA approved OJT/Apprenticeship program.
* Establishes a VA website link to reputable veteran employment websites and nationally advertise the “Vet-success” website created by the Vocation Rehabilitation Program;
* Expands VA authority to enter into sole source contracts with veteran owned small businesses;
* Raises the priority status for veteran owned small business...to attain government procurement contracts...to the same level as minority and women owned small businesses;
* Extends 8(a) eligibility for small businesses owned by individuals on active duty. On a sad note, word has been received that Congressman Steve Buyer (R-IN), Ranking Member on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and one of the principal leaders in establishing Tricare for Life, announced his retirement from Congress at the end of this term. Cong. Buyer will retire to assist his wife, Joni, who has been diagnosed with what doctors call an “incurable” autoimmune disease.

[Source: TREA Washington Update 29 Jan 2010 ++]

Tricare Regional Contracts Update 05: Tricare Regional Contracts Update 05: Millions of Tricare beneficiaries who were facing changes in support contractors on 1 APR will not have changes at all this year. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has upheld claims that the winning bids, worth $38 billion over five years, were unfair, which delays any changes in contractor until at least 1 MAR 2011. This means that no beneficiary will need to change phone numbers or Web sites to make appointments. The GAO found several points to uphold and further investigate the claims, the largest of which was concern that Aetna Government Health Plans, which won the bid against current north regional contractor Health Net, used proprietary information to form its bid, provided by a former chief of staff at Tricare Management Activity (TMA), who still had access to private information and sensitive documents. Humana, which currently serves the south region of Tricare, also won its protest of a $21 billion contract awarded to UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services, claiming that the contracting officer did not correctly weigh the value of fee discounts Humana was offering via its care providers. Both Humana and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, whose bid was not disputed, have had their contracts extended to March 31, 2011, as well.
[Source: NGAUS Leg Up 29 Jan 2010 ++]

NARA Data Breach: Personal information for 250,000 Clinton administration staff and White House visitors sent to the National Archives was compromised after a computer hard drive containing confidential material disappeared nearly a year ago, RollCall.com reported Wednesday. The National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) sent letters to former White House staff members and visitors during the Clinton era, informing them of the data breach and warning that highly sensitive information, like Social Security numbers, has been put in jeopardy, according to the newspaper. "NARA is attempting to inform all individuals whose personally identifiable information was contained on the missing hard drive," acting archivist Adrienne Thomas reportedly wrote in the letter. The hard drive was part of a storage collection containing contents of computers of former Clinton administration employees, including one of former Vice President Al Gore's daughters, whose Social Security number was on the drive. The hard drive was reported missing in March 2009, according to the newspaper. [Source: FOXNews.com 27 Jan 2010 ++]

Tennessee Veteran Cemetery: Tennessee has five National and three state veteran cemeteries. The Chattanooga and Mountain Home National facilities have space available to accommodate casketed and cremated remains. However the other national sites only have space available for cremated remains. They may be able to accommodate casketed remains in the same gravesite of previously interred family members. For space availability in state facilities call the numbers provided below. At state facilities there is a $300.00 fee for the interment of a veteran’s spouse or eligible dependent children that must be paid prior to or the day of the burial. Facilitieylocations are:
* Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Avenue, Chattanooga TN 37404 Tel: (423) 855-6590 or 6591 FAX: (423) 855-6597.
* Knoxville National Cemetery 939 Tyson Street, NW, Knoxville TN 37917 Tel: (423) 855-6590 or 6591 FAX: (423) 855-6597.
* Nashville National Cemetery, 1420 Gallatin Road, South, Madison TN 37115-4619 Tel: (615) 860-0086 or 0230 FAX: (615) 860-8691.
* Memphis National Cemetery, 3568 Townes Avenue, Memphis TN 38122 Tel: (901) 386-8311 FAX: (901) 382-0750.
* Mountain Home National Cemetery, P.O. Box 8, Mountain Home TN 37684 Tel: (423) 979-3535 FAX: (423) 979-3521.
* East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, 5901 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville TN 37917 Tel: (865) 594-6776.
* Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, 4000 Forest Hill Irene Rd, Memphis, TN 381254000 Forrest Hill/Irene, Memphis TN 38122 Tel: (901) 543-7005.
* Middle Tennessee State Veteran's Cemetery, 7931 McCrory Lane, Nashville TN (615) 532-2238 Internment eligibility in National cemeteries is in accordance with the guidelines provided at http://www.cem.va.gov/bbene/eligible.asp

    Internment eligibility in Tennessee's state veteran cemeteries extends to:• Any person who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps) who was discharged or released there from before 7 SEP 80 under conditions other than dishonorable.

* Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who died while on active duty.
* Any person who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States who entered active duty as an enlisted person after 7 SEP 80, and officers commissioned who entered active duty after 17 OCT 81, and whose discharge or separation from active military service was under "other than dishonorable'" conditions. A person whose first tour of duty began on or after the dates listed above is eligible if he or she completed a continuous period of active duty of at least 24 months or the full period for which called or ordered to active duty, whichever is shorter or was released because of a hardship discharge, or has a compensable service connected disability or was released because of a service connected disability.
* Reserve & National Guard members who are in receipt of compensation or pension from the VA are eligible for burial and do not have to pay the plot allowance, except when the claim is denied by the U. S. Department of Veterans of Affairs.
* Reserve & National Guard members who completed twenty or more years of reserve or guard service and are entitled to retirement pay. This category of veterans does not qualify for the $300.00 plot allowance, headstone and flag at government expense. Costs must be paid prior to burial.
* Reserve & National Guard members are also eligible for burial under the following five (5) categories and do not have to pay the plot allowance cost, except when the claim is denied by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. a. Dies under honorable conditions while undergoing active duty for training.b. If called to active duty, completes the full period for which called up.c. Dies under honorable conditions while performing full time AGR service.d. Completed at least 24 months of active service.e. Discharged due to service connected disability while on active duty.

For additional information on veteran burial in Tennessee refer to http://www.state.tn.us/veteran/burial.html

[Source: http://www.state.tn.us Jan 2010 ++]

Tennessee Veteran Cemetery Update 01: Local veterans concerned about the quality and accessibility of their final resting place voiced strong reservations 15 JAN about state officials' plans for a new veterans’ cemetery across the French Broad River from the blasting operations of a local quarry.
    Tennessee Veterans Affairs Commissioner John Keys didn't outright say that the 68-acre site in Southeast Knox County was a done deal, although he warned that any change of plans at this stage could jeopardize the project's approved federal funding. And the estimated $2.4 million cost of the cemetery's construction is solely federally funded. Keys said the current East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike is expected to reach its full capacity by next year. And the original plan to expand the cemetery across the road to Lakeshore Park was scrapped after federal officials deemed the expansion site unacceptable in NOV 09.
    Knoxville City Council members are set to vote on a tentative agreement to buy the newly proposed cemetery site off Gov. John Sevier Highway for $1.4 million and swap it with the state for 17.2 acres at Lakeshore Park.
    Some veterans worry about possible disturbances from weekly blasts at the gravel quarry, and that funeral processions to the former farmland site would have to unduly compete with traffic from the nearby Forks of the River Industrial Park. Noise and seismic monitoring data collected in and around the quarry since MAR 09 indicate that the blasting is well within state standards, said Helen Hennon of Quantum Environmental & Engineering Services, the firm that conducted the project's environmental assessment. Hennon said she heard many of the same stories some veterans had from residents adjacent to the site, who claimed to have cracked home foundations from the blasting. She said the quarry has refined its operations within the past year, though. Yet Hennon also said that the monitoring data cited in the environmental assessment were previously collected by a firm working under contract for the quarry owners. She said the assessment was due this month before any independent monitoring could be done.
    John Strange, a veteran of the US Navy, said he fears the quarry blasts could break monuments and burial vaults. "My daughter has had two or three wells have their bottoms knocked out up there. Pictures fall off the walls," Strange explained.
[Source: Knoxsville News Sentinel Hayes Hickman article 25 Jan 2010 ++]

Cold War Experiments Lawsuit Update 01: Morrison & Foerster has won the right to proceed with a case against the CIA, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Army, filed on behalf of veterans rights organizations Vietnam Veterans of America and Swords to Plowshares, along with six veterans with multiple diseases and ailments, tied to a secret testing program in which U.S. military personnel were deliberately exposed to chemical and biological weapons and other toxins without informed consent.
    Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief that would free them from their secrecy oaths and grant them healthcare that they were promised.
    On 19 JAN 2010, Judge Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, issued an order that overruled the government’s main arguments to dismiss the case, which were based upon lack of jurisdiction, failure to state a claim for relief, statute of limitations, sovereign immunity, and standing. “The victory obtained for us by our attorneys at Morrison & Foerster finally gives us a chance to redress one of the unfortunate decisions that has made veterans second class citizens,” said Paul Cox, Board of Directors Member at Swords to Plowshares.
    The court also dismissed a direct challenge to the Feres doctrine, which is an exception to the waiver of sovereign immunity that was created by the Supreme Court during the Cold War. According to Rick Weidman, Executive Director for Policy and Government Affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, “the government became immune to damages suits by military veterans after Feres so the use of soldiers became cheaper than using guinea pigs.”
    The human experimentation program launched in the early 1950s and continued through at least 1976 when it was suspended in response to hearings conducted by Congress. Thousands of experiments took place at the Edgewood Arsenal and Fort Detrick, as well as several universities and hospitals across America contracted by the Defendants. “Volunteers” were exposed to thousands of toxins under code names such as MKULTRA, including drugs such as LSD, mescaline, and cannabis; biological substances such as plague and anthrax; and noxious gases such as sarin, tabun, and nerve gases.
    “The government has long reconciled its war prosecutions and reliance on international treaties with secret actions on its part. As the case moves forward, perhaps we will finally learn an answer to why our vets were made victims at Edgewood,” said Michael Blecker, Executive Director at Swords to Plowshares.
    Morrison & Foerster Senior Counsel Gordon Erspamer is the lead attorney representing the veterans, along with partner Timothy Blakely and associates Stacey Sprenkel, Adriano Hrvatin, Tim Reed, and Jonathan McFarland. The case came on the heels of an earlier case the firm filed on behalf of veterans afflicted with Post-Traumatic Distress Disorder, which is now pending in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The firm is handling both cases pro bono.
    The trial should be held either this summer or this fall in San Francisco, hopefully it will be given class action to that it will represent the entire 7,120 veterans, their widows and their children, who have been deprived the veterans benefits the victims of these immoral and ill thought out hazards to human health.
    One of the litigants stated: The government has stated that this will never happen again, somehow I don’t trust them. The term “national security” has been used to hide many nasty things done in this nations name. Rendition, torture, up to and including abusing its own military personnel as this case shows. Then they use every means possible to deny it ever happened, they lie about it, they lie about the men who talk about it, they lie to us, they lie to Congress, they lie to Generals in charge, they lie to any and all involved in investigating them. I have been told I was NOT used in any “secret test programs” no I never claimed I was, I plainly stated I was used in a known classified project at Edgewood Arsenal, nothing more and nothing less. I have the files to prove I was there, can I prove what I was exposed to, no, I have had Congressman tell me that they have been informed by the Army that I was never there, I was not exposed to anything, I was sent home sick in JUL 74, despite Army records that prove I was at Edgewood Arsenal from 25 JUN thru 22 AUG 74.
    What took place during that 59 day period is classified, but it did happen. The law firm's position is that after decades of ignoring these veterans and their families, it is finally time for this nation to accept their responsibility for these men and women. We just went to war against Saddam Hussein for using WMDs primarily Sarin and Mustard agents against the Kurds, what did these 7120 soldiers do to the government of the US to deserve being used and abused by them? Justice demands that this nation give these men and women medical care and if appropriate compensation for their medical conditions caused by the “classified experiments” 35-55 years ago. It is time to honor these volunteers for the danger they placed themselves in to enable the development of chemical, biological safety equipment to protect today’s soldiers. They did not even give these men the promised Army Commendation or Soldiers medals they were promised, let alone the promotions we were promised. Maybe a federal court can make the military keep it’s “honor” since they decided to use and abuse and then ignore these men and women due to the true costs of doing the “right thing” decades ago.

Source: Morrison & Foerster Press release 20 Jan 2010 ++]

BrainPort Vision Project: For those who are blind, the non-surgical BrainPort vision device is an investigational assistive device for orientation, mobility, object identification, and spot reading. It enables perception of visual information using the tongue and camera system as a paired substitute for the eye. Visual information is collected from a video camera and translated into gentle electrical stimulation patterns on the surface of the tongue. Users describe it as pictures drawn on their tongue with champagne bubbles. With training, users may perceive shape, size, location, and motion of objects in their environment. The BrainPort vision device is intended to augment rather than replace other assistive technology such as the white cane or guide dog. The BrainPort device was demonstrated by Cpl. Mike Jernigan, a medically retired Marine who lost both eyes after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2004, during the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine First Open Meeting. The device could be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for market by the end of 2009 at a cost of about $10,000 per machine. Dr. Amy Nau, an optometrist and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Eye Center Contact Lens and Low Vision Services, is conducting a nationwide search for blind veterans of all ages to participate in a research study on BrainPort. Once study participants have been trained on the device, they will return home where they will be asked to use the BrainPort daily and document their experiences and findings. If you are a veteran of the U.S. military and are legally blind, you may qualify to participate in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's BrainPort study. For more information, contact the medical center at (412) 647-2481, or e-mail Gail Engleka at gle1@pitt.edu or visit the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine website http://www.mirm.pitt.edu/news/article.asp?qEmpID=476  [Source: Military.com Benefits article 4 Jan 2010 ++]

Credit Card Charges Update 04: The Federal Reserve’s new rules for credit card companies mean new credit card protections for you. Here are some key changes you should expect from your credit card company beginning on 22 FEB 2010:

* Rates, fees, and limits: Your credit card company has to tell you when they plan to increase your rate or other fees and how long it will take to pay off your balance. There can be no interest rate increase for the first year after you open an account. There are some exceptions including a late payment of more than 60 days or an introductory rate. If your credit card company does raise your interest rate after the first year, the new rate will apply to new charges you make. If you have a balance, your old interest rate will apply to that balance.
* Restrictions on over-the-limit transactions. You must tell your credit card company that you want it to allow transactions that will take you over your credit limit. Otherwise, if a transaction would take you over your limit, it may be turned down. If you do not opt-in to over-the-limit transactions and your credit card company allows one to go through, it cannot charge you an over-the-limit fee. If you opt-in to allowing transactions that take you over your credit limit, your credit card company can impose only one fee per billing cycle. You can revoke your opt-in at any time.
* Caps on high-fee cards. If your credit card company has an annual fee, the fee cannot total more than 25% of the initial credit card limit. For example, if your initial credit limit is $500, the fees for the first year cannot be more than $125. This limit does not apply to penalty fees, such as penalties for late payments.
* Protection for underage consumers. Cardholders under age 21 will need to show they are able to make payments; otherwise a cosigner may be required.
* Billing and payments. Your credit card company must mail or deliver your credit card bill at least 21 days before you payment due date. In addition, your due date must be the same date each month. The payment cut-off time cannot be earlier than 5 p.m. on the due date. If your payment due date is on a weekend or holiday (when the company does not process payments), you will have until the following business day to pay. If you make more than the minimum payment on your credit card bill, your credit card company must apply the excess amount to the balance with the highest interest rate. Finally, credit card companies can only impose interest charges on balances in the current billing cycle, thus eliminating “double-cycle” billing. Be an informed consumer and review your credit card statements and disclosures. Contact your credit card company with questions or seek guidance from a military aid society, your local military bank, credit union, or Military OneSource. For additional info on Federal Reserve's rules refer to http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/wyntk/creditcardrules.htm
[Source: NMFA Newsletter 26 Jan 2010 ++]

Telemarketing Call Elimination Update 08: Telemarketing Call Elimination Update 08: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as required by The Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007, has approved two reports to Congress: a biennial report focusing on the use of the Do Not Call Registry by both consumers and businesses, as well as the impact that new technologies have had on the Registry, and a one-time report on enforcement efforts and consumers’ perceptions of the Registry’s effectiveness.
    As detailed in the first report, the Do Not Call Registry now has more than 191 million active registrations, and more than 18 million new phone numbers were registered in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. During that time, approximately 45,000 sellers, telemarketers, and exempt organizations such as charities subscribed to access the Registry, paying fees totaling more than $15.5 million.
    In addition, during FY 2009, the FTC implemented a new procedure for tracking disconnected and reassigned phone numbers, which addresses problems that may arise as a result of new telecommunications technologies and the ease of transporting numbers from one telephone service provider to another.
    According to the second report, since 2003 when the Do Not Call Registry was put in place, research has consistently shown widespread public awareness of the program and a steady increase in the number of phone numbers registered.
    Together, the FTC and the Federal Communications Commission have collected penalties totaling over $22 million from Registry violators, and due to these enforcement actions and the agencies’ consumer education campaigns, consumers who have joined the Registry have reported dramatic reductions in the number of unwanted calls they receive. The FTC also has brought many enforcement actions against entities that have tried to circumvent the Registry’s rules by falsely claiming to have an established business relationship with consumers. Finally, both the FTC and FCC have adopted regulations that generally prohibit “abandoning” telephone calls...that is, delivering a pre-recorded message instead of connecting a consumer to a live representative when a consumer answer the call. Since DEC 03, the FTC also has brought 18 enforcement actions against telemarketers for unlawfully using pre-recorded mass “robocalls.”
    The Commission vote approving transmittal of the reports to Congress was 4-0. Both reports can be found on the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/os/2010/01/100104dncbiennialreport.pdf

    To be added to the National Do not Call registry go to https://www.donotcall.gov/faq/faqbusiness.aspx click the "Registry" tab, and complete the contact info requested .Check your email for a message from Register@donotcall.gov Open the email and click on the link to complete your registration.
    To file a complaint go to https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx?panel=2 and provide the info requested.
    You may file a complaint if you received an unwanted call after your number was on the National Registry for 31 days. You may also file a complaint if you received a call that used a recorded message instead of a live person (whether or not your number was on the Registry).      Even if your number is registered, charities, political organizations, and telephone surveyors may continue to call you. Companies with which you do business may also continue to call, unless you have asked them to stop calling you.
    If you have asked them to stop calling, keep a record of the date you made the request and include that information in the comment section of any complaint you submit against that company. Refer to http://www.donotcall.gov/faq/faqbusiness.aspx for more information about the companies that may continue to call the numbers on the Registry.

[Source: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/01/donotcall.shtm 4 Jan 2010 ++]

Seniors Healthcare Costs: Seniors received no annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2010, but drug costs and the premiums of prescription drug and Medicare Advantage plans are making some of the biggest jumps in years. Among those coping with the worst cost increases are nearly 11 million people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Premiums of those plans have increased from 25%-32% on average, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. But 667,000 people with Medicare Advantage plans had to find a new plan altogether for 2010. Insurers cancelled some plans in response to new government spending cuts and requirements.
    The average monthly premium of Part D drug plans also rose 12%, and many enrollees of those plans are paying higher co-payments or co-insurance costs. According to a study released in May 09 by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), seniors’ buying power has shrunk by 20% since 2000.
    If the Social Security COLA were based on the CPI-E, however, retirees with an average benefit of $460 in 1984 would have received about $12,856 more through the end of 2010.
    TSCL is highly concerned that seniors are getting put through the wringer and the situation will continue next year. Government economists predict that there may be no COLA again in 2011.
    Healthcare reform legislation would require even deeper cuts to Medicare Advantage and changes to Part D that would raise premiums for high-income seniors under pending healthcare reform legislation. Unlike other senior advocacy organizations, TSCL is strongly opposed to healthcare reform provisions that raise premiums, and out-of-pocket costs of beneficiaries. TSCL believes that the steep increase in healthcare costs over the past year while the CPI went down and was minus (-1.7) through September 2009 vs. September 2008 is proof that the annual method of calculating the COLA is broken and must be replaced.
    TSCL strongly supports new legislation that would more fairly and accurately base the annual COLA on a “seniors” CPI and guarantee that beneficiaries receive a minimum COLA of 3% every year.
    U.S. Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) introduced the “Guaranteed 3% COLA for Seniors Act of 2009" (H.R.4193) in Congress on 3 DEC 09. It has since been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Education and Labor, where it is pending further action.
    The bill, if signed into law, would amend the Social Security Act with regard to the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Social Security beneficiaries receive. Currently, the COLA is based upon the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W), which tracks the spending patterns of young, urban workers. This legislation would calculate the COLA based upon the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), which tracks the spending patterns of seniors. Also, the bill would guarantee that the Social Security COLA is never less than 3%.

[Source: TSCL Social Security and Medicare Advisor, Vol. 15, No. 2 dtd 25 Jan 2010 ++]

GI Bill Update 66: In a coordinated effort to speed up the processing of Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits this spring, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced 20 JAN that it has been reaching out to student Veterans, servicemembers, university officials and other partners to meet its commitment to an aggressive processing goal by 1 FEB 2010. That is the first date spring payments are due and presently VA has processed over 72,000 of the approximately 103,000 spring enrollments received. Since inception of the historic new program last year, VA has paid over $1.3 billion in benefits to more than 170,000 students. “Only by VA and all of our partners working together will students be better served,” said VA's Acting Under Secretary for Benefits Mike Walcoff. “We are making a concerted effort to reach out to everyone to provide the timely benefits that those who served our nation deserve.”Walcoff said there are “shared responsibilities” between VA, universities and the students to ensure the success of processing the education benefits on time.” To date:

* VA has sent letters to university presidents and school certifying officials, state Veterans affairs directors, and notified Veteran service organizations, congressional members and other education stakeholders highlighting VA’s emphasis on the importance of timely submission of school enrollment information.
* VA also released a "Hip Pocket" guide and checklist, with helpful tips to assist Veterans in the application process. The guide and checklist can be found on college campuses and VA’s GI Bill Web site, http://www.gibill.va.gov.
* VA is working to provide timely payments to all eligible Veterans to ensure that students are spared the financial hardships which some faced during the fall 2009 term.
* To help address the high volume of claims received for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA hired 530employees, bringing the total number of education claims processors to 1,200. Employees have been working mandatory overtime since AUG 09. Additionally, the department awarded a temporary contract to assist with education claims processing. Veterans, servicemembers, reservists, and members of the National Guard who served on active duty since September 11, 2001 are potentially eligible for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. It provides payments for tuition and fees, as well as a housing allowance and stipend for books and supplies for many participants.
Under the new GI Bill, some members of the armed forces may transfer benefits to a spouse or dependent children.

    Information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as VA’s other educational benefit programs, is available at VA’s Web site, http://www.gibill.va.gov or by calling 1(888) 442-4551).
[Source: VA News Release 20 Jan 2010 ++]

GI Bill Update 67: Roger Baker, chief information officer at VA, testifying 21 JAN before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity informed them of some slippage in deployment of the GI bill claims system. The Veterans Affairs Department is on track to unveil in late March the first version of a system to automate processing of educational benefit claims under the post-9/11 GI Bill, but its software capabilities will be more limited than originally planned. The first release of the rules-based software, which the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic is developing in four stages...will allow officials to manage simple claims, but not more complex ones, for example, the initial version will not be able to respond to situations in which veterans add or drop classes. The projected deployment schedule is:

* First release will be deployed to a limited number of claims examiners in March so they can gain real-world experience with the system while SPAWAR continues to develop additional rules to handle more complicated claims, according to Baker. Despite the more limited first release, VA expects to meet its original goal of having the system fully launched by DEC 2010. SPAWAR will have developed all the functionality originally intended for the first stage by JUN 2010.
* Second release in June will allow VA to move claims examiners off of an interim, semiautomated system launched in 2009.
* Third version of the software...which remains on target for a September release...will tie the claims processing technology to VA financial systems for payments to veterans, and the final step will provide a Web interface so veterans can manage their claims.

    The learning system was one of the 45 IT projects that Veterans Affairs' CIO Roger Baker suspended in 2009. Mark Krause, SPAWAR program manager for Veterans Affairs, said without the iterative development approach, VA could have faced a two-year delay in launching the system. "This is a good news story," he said.
    VA failed to quickly process post-9/11 GI Bill claims for the fall 2009 semester, requiring the authorization of emergency payments of up to $3,000 per veteran at the end of SEP 09.
    Keith Wilson, director of the Office of Education Service at the Veterans Benefits Administration, told lawmakers he does not expect any such problems in payments for veterans enrolled in college for the spring 2010 semester. As of last week, VA had received 115,000 claims for that semester, and it will have all those processed for payment by 1 FEB, according to Wilson.

[Source: NEXTGOV eNewsletter Bob Brewin article 22 Jan 2010 ++]

GI Bill Update 68: The Department of Veterans Affairs is beginning the process of recovering advance payments made available during the fall 2009 semester to Veterans and servicemembers who applied for education benefits. “The advance payments were a huge success and helped thousands of student Veterans during the first days of the historic Post-9/11 GI Bill focus on studies and not their finances,” said Keith Wilson, Director of Education Services at VA. “Now, we can get to the business of closing the books on advance payments and focus on supporting Veterans for the spring semester.” VA will begin sending out notification letters this week explaining the repayment process. In October VA instituted an advanced payment process for all eligible students who were currently enrolled in an institution of higher learning for the fall 2009 term to ensure that all Veterans and eligible students were able to focus on their academic studies and not be burdened with financial concerns. As part of that process, a web portal was established to allow electronic submission for advance payment. Advance payments were also made on-site at VA offices around the country. At that time student Veterans were told that advance payments would be deducted from future benefit payments. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, VA will also notify active duty service members who may have mistakenly applied for the advance payment of their options for returning un-cashed checks or reimbursing deposited funds. VA discontinued advance payments via the website portal following the conclusion of the fall 2009 semester. VA is currently processing approximately 7,000 education benefits daily, up from an average of 2,000 at the beginning of the fall 2009 term. As of 22 JAN the Department has processed more than 105,000 of the approximately 132,000 spring enrollments received. Since the inception of the historic new program last year, VA has paid out more than $1.3 billion in education benefits, and opened the door to higher education to more than 183,000 Veteran students. [Source: VA News Release 23 Jan 2010 ++]

GI Bill Update 69: If you have had trouble getting your question about GI Bill benefits answered when you call the Veterans Affairs Department’s education benefits call center, you are not alone. VA officials acknowledged almost 90% of calls to the Muskogee, Okla., center never connected between October and December. They either got a busy signal or a message that the call could not be completed. For those who did get through, about 30% of the calls were terminated before their question was answered, either because the caller hung up or was disconnected. Some of the missed calls were from the same person trying again and again to get through, according to VA sources. They base that possibility on statistics showing that there were 1.1 million attempted calls in December but only about 145,000 calls that ended up connecting with people at the call center. High call volume...about 3.5 million attempted calls from October to December...is largely to blame for the missed calls, but a troubled phone system and staffing decisions also were factors.
    VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said a decision to close the call center on Thursdays and Fridays to divert employees to process claims is part of the reason for missed calls. That move came after officials decided that processing a backlog of claims was the highest priority, she said.
    The call center remains closed two days a week while VA focuses on processing claims for the spring term, hoping to avoid a repeat of benefits delays that plagued the Post-9/11 GI Bill in its first semester. However, officials hope that blocked and lost calls will decrease simply because the total volume of calls is expected to be less as students and schools become more experienced with the new benefit, and because VA will improve its performance in quickly processing benefits and reducing questions about the status of claims.
    “We anticipate fewer calls coming into the education call center because fewer veterans will have questions about their claims,” Roberts said. “With fewer claims, we will be able to put education call center employees presently being used to process education claims back on the phones during Thursday and Friday.”
    VA is making progress on processing claims, she said. Last fall, the VA was able to process about 2,000 claims a day. That is up to 7,000 claims a day now, she said. Problems with the call center were raised 21 JAN by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., chairwoman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s economy opportunity panel, who urged VA officials to do something about the problem. Rep. Herseth Sandlin, whose panel has jurisdiction over the GI Bill, questioned the closure of the call center for two days each week. “While we understand the value of using call center staff to process education claims, VA can have the call center open five days per week by dispersing the same work hours throughout the week,” she said.
    Another issue is the telephone system itself, she said. When congressional staffers visited the call center, they were told equipment problems “create dropped calls and require constant maintenance,” Herseth Sandlin said. In a statement, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said they expect better from VA. “It is ridiculous that veterans aren’t able to get the answers they need,” the statement says. “IAVA continues to receive countless phone calls and emails from our members every week detailing problems accessing VA’s GI Bill hotline...".
    VA has not made any secret of the reduced hours for the call center hours, which is open M-W 07-1500 CST, VA officials said. People with questions also can try to send an electronic query online. The site accesses a database of answers to frequently asked questions and also allows specific questions to be asked. Limited hours on the days when the call center is open have drawn complaints from students in different time zones, especially on the West Coast. Rep. John Boozman of Arkansas, ranking Republican on the economic opportunity panel, said the hours also prevent students living outside the U.S. from having a reasonable opportunity to get help. He suggested that VA impose a staggered work schedule so the call center is open for more hours. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 24 Jan 2010 ++]

VA Blue Water Claims Update 10: The VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) Service has initiated a program to collect data on Vietnam naval operations for the purpose of providing regional offices with information to assist with development in Haas related disability claims based on herbicide exposure from Navy Veterans.
    To date, they have received verification from various sources showing that a number of offshore “blue water” naval vessels conducted operations on the inland “brown water” rivers and delta areas of Vietnam. They have also identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways. The ships and dates of inland waterway service are listed below. If a Veteran’s service aboard one of these ships can be confirmed through military records during the time frames specified, then exposure to herbicide agents can be presumed without further development:

* All vessels of Inshore Fire Support [IFS] Division 93 during their entire Vietnam toura.) USS Carronade (IFS 1)b.) USS Clarion River (LSMR 409) [Landing Ship, Medium, Rocket]c.) USS Francis River (LSMR 525)d.) USS White River (LSMR 536)
* All vessels with the designation LST [Landing Ship, Tank] during their entire tour [WWII ships converted to transport supplies on rivers and serve as barracks for brown water Mobile Riverine Forces]
* All vessels with the designation LCVP [Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel] during their entire tour.
* All vessels with the designation PCF [Patrol Craft, Fast] during their entire tour [Also called Swift Boats, operating for enemy interdiction on close coastal waters]
* All vessels with the designation PBR [Patrol Boat, River] during their entire tour [Also called River Patrol Boats as part of the Mobile Riverine Forces operating on inland waterways and featured in the Vietnam film “Apocalypse Now”]
* USS Ingersoll (DD-652) [Destroyer] [Operated on Saigon River, OCT 24-25, 1965]
* USS Mansfield (DD-728) [Destroyer] [Operated on Saigon River AUG 8-19, 1967 and DEC 21-24, 1968]
* USS Richard E. Kraus (DD-849) [Destroyer] [Operated on coastal inlet north of Da Nang, JUN 2-5, 1966, protecting Marines holding a bridge]
* USS Basilone (DD-824) [Destroyer] [Operated on Saigon River, MAY 24-25, 1966]
* USS Hamner (DD-718) [Destroyer] [Operated on Song Lon Tao and Long Song Tao Rivers, AUG 15-SEP 1, 1966]
* USS Conway (DD-507) [Destroyer] [Operated on Saigon River, early AUG 1966]
* USS Fiske (DD-842) [Destroyer] [Operated on Mekong River, JUN 16-21, 1966]
* USS Black (DD-666) [Destroyer] [Operated on Saigon River, JUL 13-19, 1966]
* USS Providence (CLG-6) [Cruiser, Light, Guided Missile] [Operated on Saigon River 3 days during JAN 1964]
* USS Mahan (DLG-11) [Guided Missile Frigate] [Operated on Saigon River OCT 24-28, 1964]
* USS Okanogan (APA-220) [Attack Transport] [Operated on Saigon River JUL 22-23, 29-30, 1968 and AUG 5-6, 1968]
* USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) [Combat Stores Ship] [Unloaded supplies on Saigon River and Cam Rahn Bay, APR 22-25, 1968].

    Also, Cam Ranh Bay is a qualifying location for "inland waterway" service. If you served on any of those vessels during the times specified, you will be granted, without further development and delay, a presumptive exposure to herbicides for the purpose of health care and monetary compensation. Note: This list is not complete. If you served on a ship that entered the inland waterways of Vietnam, please contact navy@bluewaternavy.org with as much detail as possible so they can provide this information to the DVA for processing and inclusion in their data base.

[Source: Compensation & Pension Service Bulletin Jan 2010 Policy 211 ++]

VA VLER (Vet Lifetime Electronic Record) (Overview)  President Barack Obama officially announced the lifetime record program in APR 09 to develop a comprehensive digital medical record (i.e. Veterans Lifetime Electronic Record) for every military service member. The VLER will contain information from both Defense Department health services and VA health services. The program is being implemented in three phases:

* A DOD/VA interagency office has been developing interoperability between DoD and VA medical record systems since 2007. In OCT 09 VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker said the interoperability work has been completed.

* In the second phase, DOD and VA health records for about 15 million people will be made available for secure exchange with public and private organizations, including health care providers and insurers through the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN).
The NHIN is a pilot project sponsored by the Health and Human Services Department to demonstrate national-level secure exchange of health data. The system currently is used by several federal agencies, state and local health agencies, and private providers and insurers. Baker said, "Moving the data to the NHIN is significant because it allows for exchange of medical information with private hospitals and doctors. For example, if a veteran receives treatment by a private doctor, eventually that record will be included in the lifetime record. A true lifetime virtual electronic record has to include the private sector.”

* The third and final phase for the system will be developing protocols to securely provide the DOD-VA patient's medical information at the point of care. For example, if a veteran who goes to a private hospital, the goal is that the hospital doctor will be able to access all, or parts of, the veteran's health record. Establishing an exchange at the point of care that can make the medical information available, while still honoring the patient’s privacy and consent agreements, securing classified information, and maintaining tight security, is a highly complex problem, he said.

    The VA and DOD published a sources sought notice on 12 JAN that seeks a health analyst willing to visit four to six communities to analyze how the information sharing is progressing. Responses were due by 26 JAN. The health data will be exchanged over the Health and Human Service Department’s Nationwide Health Information Network. The VA and DOD began identifying communities for the project in DEC 09. One of the communities has been chosen, and four to six more will be chosen this year. Preference goes to communities with a significant share of care provided to the military and veterans, ability to demonstrate health information technology and exchange, and a high concentration of federal health programs. “The VLER Health Communities Initiative is the first necessary step for the implementation and refinement of VLER,” states the notice. The communities will be evaluated on cost and quality outcomes, following a performance evaluation now under development. The evaluation plan will be provided to the contractor who will implement the plan in each community. The contractor may need to travel to one or more communities, and will need to evaluate the completeness of the data and the contribution of non-VA data, the notice said. The expected period of performance is to begin in APR 2010. The contract will have a single base year and two option years.

[Source: Federal Computer Week Alice Lipowicz article 14 Jan 2010 ++]

VA Claim Error Rate Update 02:  A new report from the Veterans Affairs Department inspector general will help fuel complaints about an error-filled disability claims process in need of a complete overhaul. Investigators looking at claims processing at the VA regional office in Roanoke, Va., found that 25% of the case files they closely studied had serious mistakes.
    Some veterans were denied benefits they deserved, and disability compensation was given to others who were not eligible. Many errors involved Vietnam veterans with disability claims related to exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange. In one case, a veteran was underpaid $21,857 because the claims staff did not properly consider a physician’s opinion that coronary artery disease was a complication of service-connected diabetes. In another, a veteran was overpaid $15,640 for a diabetes-related amputation below the knee that he said was related to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. His claims folder contained no evidence that he had served in Vietnam, the IG report says.      The report, released in mid-JAN, found similar problems with claims involving traumatic brain injuries. In addition to reviewing claims, investigators looked at the work stations of claims employees to determine if they were following strict rules to protect veterans’ personal information, and they also looked at mail handling procedures. Problems were discovered in both areas, the report says. Thirty percent of the desks inspected contained information that should not have been left unsecured.
     Investigators found six boxes of unsecured returned mail, about 4,200 pieces in all, containing personal information on veterans. In response to the report, VA officials provided refresher training on handling personal information and stepped up inspections of work stations to make sure policies are followed. More training also is being arranged for claims processors, the report says.
[Source: ArmyTimes Rick Maze article 20 Jan 2010 ++]

USERRA Update 10: Though active-duty guard members/reservists are covered by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and given active-duty benefits like basic pay, housing allowance and medical benefits, most take a 10% to 50% pay cut when mobilized. So any additional rights or protections from the federal government are helpful and often essential to reservists going on or coming off active duty. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 is a federal law intended to ensure that persons who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other uniformed services are not penalized or discriminated against based on past, present, or future military service. It provides following basic protections for reservists: In the Courts...
* Default judgments: Court can't enter a default judgment for failure to appear at trial or respond to a lawsuit during a period of active duty. * Stay of Execution of Judgments: Court may stay execution of judgments, court actions, attachments and garnishments, unless guard members/reservist's ability to comply is not affected by service.
* Stay of proceedings: Court may stay civil court proceedings during a period of active duty plus 60 days. Other Civil Situations.

Foreclosure:
Guard Members/Reservists are protected against mortgage foreclosures provided certain conditions are met.
* Installment Contracts: Guard Members/Reservists are protected from rescission or termination of contract for purchase of real or personal property if deposit is paid before service begins and ability to pay is "materially affected" by service.
* Interest Rates: Guard Members/Reservists can petition lenders (loan, credit card, mortgage) to drop rate to 6% for period of active duty.
* Life Insurance: Guard Members/Reservists are protected against lapse, termination and forfeiture for nonpayment of premiums for period of military service plus two years.
* Taxes: State of residence can tax military income and personal property, but collection of taxes may be deferred for period of active duty plus six months.
* Termination of Lease: (One of the most-used provisions of the Act.) Guard Members/Reservists may terminate lease for house or business if lease was entered before active duty and premises are occupied by member or dependents. Leave• Verbal notification is sufficient for reserve training and military missions.
* State missions, such as disaster relief, are not covered, though many states have similar laws of their own.

Employment:
* Reservists may not be denied employment because of military status.
* Employers must reinstate Reservists to their jobs upon return with accrued seniority, promotions or pay raises they would have earned had they not left. For service of less than 31 days, Guard Members/Reservists must return to work at the beginning of the next regularly scheduled shift after travel home and an eight-hour rest period. For service of 31-180 days, Guard Members/Reservists must return no later than 14 days after release. For service of more than 180 days, reservists have up to 90 days to ask for their jobs back.
* Employers are not required to pay Guard Members/Reservists while they are gone, but Reservists may use vacation leave.
* Employers are required to keep health insurance available. For less than 31 days' service, insurance must stay in place. For more than 30 days, it may be continued, but reservists may have to pay up to 102% of the premium. Guard Members/Reservists not electing to continue coverage may resume it immediately upon return, with no waiting period or exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
* Guard Members/Reservists have protection against job termination for a minimum of six months.

Training:
* Employers must train or retrain returning Reservists.
* Employers must accommodate those returning with disabilities due to service.

Employer/Reservist Disputes:
* National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), supported by the Defense Department, mediates disputes between reservists and employers. Some 4,500 volunteers making up 55 committees are available, and, according to the committee, able to mediate a solution in about 90% of the cases they handle.
* Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), part of the Department of Labor, handles cases that cannot be resolved by ESGR. It employs 120 investigators who have the authority to issue subpoenas, and if necessary, refer cases for consideration of representation. Service members are encouraged to contact ESGR first with employment-related issues.
* Soldiers' & Sailors' Civil Relief Act, in addition to USERRA, also protects military members of the military. The Soldier's and Sailors' Civil Relief Act was created in 1940 to postpone or suspend certain civil obligations with which military service could interfere.

     For more information on your rights, contact: National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve,1555 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2405 Tel: 1(800)336-4590 or Veterans Employment and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW Room S-1316, Washington, DC 20210 DOL website
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.magDtl&dtl=1&mid=940

[Source: EANGUS Minuteman Update 21 Jan 2010 ++]

Vet Jobs Update 13: On 9 NOV 09, OPM Director John Berry joined President Obama as he signed the Executive Order on the Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, which established the Veterans Employment Initiative for the executive branch and the Council on Veterans Employment. The Executive Order underscores to Federal agencies the importance of recruiting and employing Veterans, and assisting transitioning service members seeking employment with the Federal Civil Service.
    The Council on Veterans Employment, consists of 24 Executive Branch agencies and is chaired by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki; OPM Director Berry serves as the Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Council.
    On 21 JAN, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the official launch of http://www.FedsHireVets.gov a critical component of President Obama’s Veterans Employment Initiative that will makes it easier to find federal employment resources. This site helps Veterans, transitioning military service members, their families, HR professionals, and hiring managers to receive accurate and consistent information regarding Veterans employment in the Executive Branch. John Berry, Director of OPM, stated “FedsHireVets.gov will be a one-stop gateway to Veterans employment resources throughout the government. Our goal is to honor Veterans service by helping them find good Federal jobs when they lay the uniform down.”
    Information on the site will help you understand veterans' preference, how Federal jobs are filled, and unique veteran appointing authorities designed to help you find a job. The Government invests several billion dollars in the training and development of military service personnel. At the end of Fiscal Year 2008, there were approximately 480,000 Veterans working within the Federal Executive Branch. [Source: OPM News Release 21 Jan 2010 ++]

Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 Update 03: A group of national organizations warned 21 JAN that If Congress doesn't intervene, a funding formula will trigger a 21% cut in reimbursements to doctors in the Medicare and Tricare programs on 1 MAR. That, the group said, will force doctors to drop out of the programs and make it tougher for elderly and military beneficiaries to get health care. Representatives of the groups...AARP, the American Medical Association and the Military Officers Association of America...appeared in a videoconference from five cities.
    Speaking at the Harbor's Edge retirement home in Norfolk VA, retired Navy Capt. Kathy Beasley said: "The last thing our troops in combat should have to worry about is whether a sick spouse or child can find a doctor to treat them." Beasley is deputy director of government relations for the military officers association (MOAA).
    For about a decade, reimbursements in Medicare and Tricare have been governed by the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, which cuts payments when the economy contracts. Congress usually has stepped in to make up the difference when payment rates are set to drop. The groups said Washington needs to devise a permanent fix, though they didn't offer a specific alternative.
    "Congress has decided the formula," said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, a past president of the American Medical Association. "Congress has to fix the problem." The issue is separate from, but related to, the health-care reform bill in Washington, said Nielsen, who spoke in Washington. "People need the assurance that they can see a doctor of their choice," she said.
    Officials of AARP and the American Medical Association said they remain supportive of health care reform legislation. The MOAA has not taken a position on the bills but is monitoring issues that would affect its members, Beasley said. Bobbi Andrews, a Harbor's Edge resident who attended the videoconference, wasn't convinced. Health care professionals, like everyone else, should be expected to cut back, she said. "The hospitals and physicians are all making too much money." Another resident, retired Navy Capt. James Van Pelt, said he wasn't well-versed with payment rates. But he's noticed that "doctors are spending less time with their patients and a lot of money on clerical help." [Source: Virginian-Pilot article 22 Jan 2010 ++]

Medicare Reimbursement Rates 2010 Update 04: It appears that, once again, Congress will act at virtually the last minute to stop a 21% cut in Medicare and Tricare payments to doctors scheduled to take effect on 1 MAR. On 28 JAN the Senate amended and passed by a vote of 60-40, H. J. Res. 45, which would raise the debt ceiling by $1.9 Trillion to a total of $14.3 Trillion. Senators adopted an amendment by Sen. Reid that would codify the PAYGO principle. This amendment would allow: (1) Permanent extension without offsets of the middle class tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003.(2) A two year extension of current estate tax law, and (3) A two year extension of current Alternative Minimum Tax. (4) Most important to military retirees and Medicare beneficiaries is that Reid's amendment would extend by five years, the soon-to-expire moratorium on the Sustained Growth Rate (SGR) mandated cuts of 21 percent to Medicare/Tricare physician reimbursements which will otherwise take effect on 1 MAR 2010. This extended moratorium of SGR mandated cuts should allow continued access to health care for military retirees and Medicare beneficiaries. If approved by the House of Representatives as expected next week, it would put an end (for a while, anyway) to annual threats that big Medicare/Tricare payment cuts would cause doctors to drop those programs' beneficiaries as patients. Previously, legislators had been considering yet another one-year "patch". But because the payment cuts compound each year, a one-year fix would have meant facing an even larger 26% cut for January 2011. The new legislation would buy Congress five years to come up with a permanent fix. Readers who would like to ensure their representatives vote favorably on this legislation are encouraged to go to http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=14630896&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] to review an editable message for forwarding to their legislators requesting their support.
[Source: MOAA Leg Up & USDR Leg Alert 29 & 30 Jan 2010 ++]

TSP Update 26: For the second consecutive month 9 of the 10 Thrift Savings Plan funds posted gains in December. Overall all of the funds showed growth in 2009.
* The S Fund, which invests in small- and mid-size companies and tracks the Dow Jones Wilshire 4500 Index, had the largest gain in DEC after posting the biggest gains in NOV. The fund's value increased 6.57%. Since the beginning of 2009 the S Fund's value is still up 34.85%.
* The I Fund, invested in overseas companies, grew 1.43% in DEC and for the year is up 30.04%.
* The C Fund, which invests in common stocks of large companies on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, grew 1.94% in DEC and is up 26.68% for the year.
* The F Fund, which invests in fixed-income bonds, rose 0.25%, and is up 2.46 in 2009.
* The G fund, government securities, declined 1.55% from NOV but was up 5.99% overall for 2009. All the life-cycle funds, which are designed to move participants from riskier to safer investment balances as they near retirement, had gains in DEC and for the year.
* The L 2040 Fund grew 2.12% in DEC and 25.19% for the year.
* The L 2030 Fund grew 1.85% in DEC and 22.48% for the year.
* The L 2020 Fund grew 1.50% in DEC and 19.14% for the year.
* The L 2010 Fund grew 0.70% in DEC and 10.03% for the year.
* The L Income Fund grew 0.59% in DEC and 8.57 % for the year.
[Source: My Federal Retirement 21 Jan 2010 ++]

VA Health Care Enrollment Update 02: Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1722(c) requires that on 1 JAN of each year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs increase the means test (MT) threshold amounts by the same percentage the maximum rates of pension benefits were increased under 38 U.S.C. Section 5312(a) during the preceding calendar year. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has announced that there will be no increase in VA pension for 2010. Thus, there will be no increase in VA Means test thresholds in Calendar Year 2010.

The following new Means Test (MT) Thresholds are effective 1 JAN 2010, through 31 DEC 2010:

* Veterans with No Dependents:(a) Below MT Threshold: $29,402.(b) Above MT Threshold; $29,403.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $32,342.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than 10%: $32,343.(e) Above GMT (i.e. household income amount that is below the geographically-based income threshold for their resident location) Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/library/pubs/gmtincomethresholds/

* Veterans with One Dependent:(a) Below MT Threshold: $35,284.(b) Above MT Threshold: $35,285.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $38,812.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than 10%: $38,813.(e) Above GMT Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site.

* Veterans with Two Dependents:(a) Below MT Threshold: $37,304.(b) Above MT Threshold: $37,305.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $41,034.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than 10%: $41,035.(e) Above GMT Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site.

* Veterans with Three Dependents:(a) Below MT Threshold: $39,324.(b) Above MT Threshold: $39,325.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $43,256.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than10%: $43,257.(e) Above GMT Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site.

* Veterans with Four Dependents:(a) Below MT Threshold: $41,344.(b) Above MT Threshold: $41,345.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $45,478.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than 10%: $45,479.(e) Above GMT Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site.

* Veterans with Five Dependents:(a) Below MT Threshold: $43,364.(b) Above MT Threshold: $43,365.(c) Above MT Threshold by 10% or Less: $47,700.(d) Above MT Threshold by more than 10%: $47,701.(e) Above GMT Threshold by more or less than 10%: Calculate using GMT Threshold at GMT Web site.Note: Veterans with over Five Dependents add $2,020 for each additional dependent.

    Veterans who qualify under Title 38 U.S.C. 1710(e)(1)(D) as combat Veterans are not required to report their financial information for conditions potentially related to their combat service. However, unless otherwise exempted, combat Veterans must either provide their financial information or decline to provide their financial information and agree to make applicable co-payments for hospital and outpatient care that VA determines to have resulted from a cause other than their combat service. (NOTE: While income disclosure by a recently discharged combat Veteran is not a requirement, this disclosure may permit VA to determine if the Veteran is eligible for additional benefits such as beneficiary travel reimbursement, cost-free medication and/or cost-free outpatient or hospital care for services unrelated to combat). On 15 MAY 09, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a rule in the Federal Register which added additional sub-priorities within enrollment priority category 8.
    This rule became effective on 15 JUN 09, and required VA to begin enrolling Veterans into priority category 8 whose income exceeded VA’s National or geographically-based income thresholds by 10% or less.

[Source: VHA Directive 2009-072 dtd 29 Dec 09 ++]

VA Pension Update 01: Pension is a benefit paid to wartime veterans who have limited or no income, and who are age 65 or older, or, if under 65, who are permanently and totally disabled. For eligibility countable income includes income received by the veteran and his or her dependents, if any, from most sources. It includes earnings, disability and retirement payments, interest and dividends, and net income from farming or business. There is a presumption that all of a child's income is available to or for the veteran. VA may grant an exception in hardship cases. There is no set limit on how much net worth a veteran and his dependents can have, but net worth cannot be excessive. The decision as to whether a claimant's net worth is excessive depends on the facts of each individual case. Veterans who are more seriously disabled may qualify for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits. These are benefits that are paid in addition to the basic pension rate. The base rate alone is used to determine if certain Veterans are subject to co-payments for Extended Care Services. The base rate plus increases for eligible dependents and for Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Benefits (HB) is used to determine if certain Veterans are exempt from co-payments for Outpatient Medication and to establish eligibility for Beneficiary Travel. Under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Section 5312, the VA is required to increase the benefit rates and income limitations in the pension by the same percentage and effective date as increases in the benefit amounts payable under Title II of the Social Security Act. For 2010 there was no increase. Thus, the 2010 pension base rates remain the same as they were in 2009 which are:

* Pension Only - Single veteran with no dependents $11,830; with one dependent $15,493; add $2,020 for each additional dependent.
* Pension Plus A&A Rate: Single Veteran with no dependents $19,736; with one dependent $23,396; add $2,020 for each additional dependent.
* Pension Plus HB Rate: Single Veteran with no dependents $14,457; with one dependent $18,120; add $2,020 for each additional dependent.

[Source: VHA Directive 2009-072 dtd 29 Dec 09 ++]

Mobilized Reserve 26 JAN 2010: The Department of Defense announced the current number of reservists on active duty as of 26 JAN 2010. The net collective result is 7,704 more reservists mobilized than last reported in the for 29 DEC 09 Bulletin. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 112,553; Navy Reserve, 6,988; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 16,604; Marine Corps Reserve, 6,392; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 771. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 143,308, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at http://www.defense.gov/news/Jan2010/d20100126ngr.pdf [Source: DoD News Release No. 72-10 dtd 27 Jan 2010 ++]

Tricare Social Media: Tricare is taking the plunge into social media to uncover what issues matter most to its beneficiaries around the world. Social media channels and networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr continue to transform how healthcare information...and information in general...is consumed by the public. Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the Tricare Management Activity said, “Social media is changing the way we communicate. These powerful tools give us an opportunity to join the conversation surrounding Tricare and military health.” The ability to share healthcare information and receive feedback helps Tricare identify and address beneficiary concerns. Instead of deciding what information to share with beneficiaries, Tricare can ask for their input, identify what they want to know more about and respond accordingly. Recommendations from service members and their families have the potential to influence policy decisions and improve overall satisfaction with military healthcare. “We understand the value social media can bring to the organization, and we invite beneficiaries to talk to us about how we can improve their health care experience,” Hunter said. Tricare is active on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, and is getting ready to launch a new media center Web page in MAR 2010. The media center will include Tricare news and links to Tricare’s social media channels. It will also allow beneficiaries to “share” benefit information with their friends and families online. Before launching the new media center Web page, Tricare wants to hear from the military men and women who use its benefits everyday. In the coming weeks Tricare will ask beneficiaries for feedback on the issues they want to know more about through Tricare’s Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/Tricare, or Twitter account at http://twitter.com/Tricare Beneficiaries are also encouraged to visit https://service.govdelivery.com/service/multi_subscribe.html?code=USMHSTMA to sign up for e-alerts about Tricare benefits and news. [Source: TMA Press Release No. 10-08 dtd 19 Jan 2010 ++]

PTSD Update 36: Minnesota researchers say they may know how to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder much more reliably...a breakthrough that could help many Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. However, the diagnosis comes through a magnetic imaging machine that costs in the millions and only exists now in 40 or so U.S. hospitals and research facilities. A scan that detects magnetic signatures in the brain that are unique to the disorder could nonetheless give psychiatrists a more reliable measuring stick for PTSD, which forces people to re-live the emotions of traumatic events over and over. Doctors presently diagnose the disorder through interviews of patients and analysis of their symptoms. "We rely on circumstantial evidence or good faith or whatever," said Dr. Apostolos Georgopoulos, director of the brain sciences center at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. "But there's no marker. There's not a test."

    Researchers affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Minnesota used an experimental scanner to analyze magnetic patterns in the brains of 74 people with PTSD and 250 healthy people. With 90% accuracy, the scans identified those with PTSD. The scans revealed brain functioning in PTSD patients that was separate and distinct from typical brain activity. That supports the theory that traumatic memory uses pathways in the brain separate from those of normal memory and thought. The scans also found these unique patterns of brain activity were more intense in people with the worst PTSD symptoms, which include flashbacks, recurring nightmares, anger and hypersensitivity. That raises the possibility of using imaging to evaluate the severity of the disorder, the effectiveness of treatment and the progress patients make toward recovery.

    For the military, which has seen rising PTSD rates among returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan, the imaging results could help determine when or if troops are fit for redeployment, the researchers said. "It is going to be fantastic when we want to look at recovery and treatment in a systematic way," said Brian Engdahl, a rehabilitation psychologist at the Minneapolis VA and a co-author of the study. The limiting factor is the million-dollar cost of the so-called MEG scanner. (MEG stands for magnetoencephalography.) To pick up the faint magnetic signals in the brain, the scanner must work at ultra-low temperatures and be cooled with liquid helium.

    The VA, which funded the PTSD study, plans follow-up research with more patients as a next step toward making MEG available for clinical use. Engdahl said this study featured a variety of veterans, mostly from the Vietnam era but also from World War II and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. About half the PTSD cases emerged from combat-related trauma. Some patients who were scanned had recovered from their PTSD symptoms, yet they still showed faint levels of the unique brain activity associated with the disorder. That is consistent with existing knowledge of the disorder, Engdahl said. "You will never forget what you went through," he said. "Traumatic memory is forever."

[Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press Jeremy Olson article 20 Jan 2010 ++]

PTSD Update 37: More than 4,300 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who were diagnosed in service as suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but got low military disability ratings, have won an agreement with the Department of Defense to upgrade those ratings retroactively to 50%.The higher rating will represent an important win for this group of veterans mentally scarred by war. It will mean, from date of discharge, eligibility for disability retirement and access to Tricare, the military’s triple health insurance option, for the veterans, spouses and dependent children. Any out-of-pocket medical costs since discharge also could be paid retroactively, and these soon-to-be-designated disabled “retirees” will gain access to discounted shopping and recreational services on base.
    Sparking the agreement is a class action lawsuit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) which contends that the services illegally denied retiree status and medical benefits for years to these veterans who were diagnosed with PTSD then separated as unfit for service. Service Physical Evaluation Boards (PEBs) would ignore the disability rating schedule used by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which requires a minimum 50%rating for PTSD victims, and routinely separate their members with ratings as low as 10%. A board decision that keeps ratings below 30% lowers personnel costs. Instead of immediate annuity and lifetime Tricare coverage, veterans rated below 30% get only a lump sum severance pay.
    Judge George W. Miller of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims agreed to stay a final ruling in the case of Sabo, et al v. United States after Department of Defense agreed to cut a deal. Seven veterans were named as original plaintiffs in Sabo but the claims court expanded the scope of the lawsuit to a class action.
    Defense officials gave NVLSP the names of 4300 veterans who should be invited to apply to have their ratings reviewed and upgraded, but there could be more. Misty Sabo, wife of former Army Sgt. Michael Sabo, an original plaintiff, said she was “totally excited” to learn of the agreement this week. Five of their six children are disabled with bilateral cleft lip and palate, which creates hearing, dental and speech problems and requires multiple surgeries. Family medical bills, said Misty, are enormous. Michael Sabo, 31, had served in the Army more than a decade when he was diagnosed with PTSD after two tours in Iraq where he routinely went on patrols that exposed him to multiple explosions and live enemy fire. After Sabo’s first 13-month tour in 2003-2004 he suffered recurring nightmares, severe headaches and mood swings. In the middle of his second tour, which again exposed him to explosions, mortar attacks and small arms fire, he returned home on emergency leave to care for his children while Misty underwent surgery. While home, in Fountain, Colo., near Fort Carson, Sabo nightmares, severe headaches and violent mood swings intensified and, the lawsuit contends, “severely impacted him and his family.” He sought medical help and was diagnosed with PTSD and Post-Concussive Syndrome. In FEB 08, the Army separated him as unfit with a 10% disability rating and a modest lump-sum severance. Misty said she was stunned that the Army rating was only 10% for a condition that ended his career and changed his life so dramatically. Though he is able to work, every day remains a struggle due to memory loss, headaches and nightmares.   Misty said a doctor at Fort Carson finally prescribed proper medication for Michael after some terrible times.
    At the urging of a local advocate for veterans in Fort Carson area, Sabo agreed to have his name added to the NVLSP lawsuit being prepared.
    By OCT 08, under pressure from Congress, Department of Defense did revise its guidance to the services on rating PTSD to adhere to the VA rating schedule. Meanwhile, Congress ordered Department of Defense to create a special board to review any service-generated disability ratings of 20% or less brought forth by veterans who were separated as medically unfit since Sept. 11, 2001.
    Thousands have applied to this panel, called the Physical Disability Board of Review. So why bring a class action lawsuit specifically on behalf service members separated for PTSD? Bart Stichman, co-executive director of NVLSP, said the deal with Department of Defense forced by the court will expedite the rating review process for these PTSD cases upon application, and will guarantee those 4300-plus veterans a rating upgrade to 50% for at least six months. After that, the case will be reviewed again and the disability rating confirmed, increased or reduced.
    A Class Action Opt-In Notice Form is being mailed to these veterans and must be returned either by fax or postmarked before 24 JUL 10. Veterans who don’t get a notice by mail but believe they might be eligible can get more information online at: http://www.ptsdlawsuit.com The deal will not benefit tens of thousands of veterans diagnosed with PTSD over the last 30 years, only those discharged with a rating for PTSD of less than 50% after 17 DEC 02 and before 14 OCT 08. As the dates indicate, the deal doesn’t include even all PTSD veterans discharged since Sept. 11, 2001. That’s because the lawsuit was brought under the Tucker Act, which has a six-year statute of limitation from the date a complaint is filed against the government, which was in December 2008.

[Source: Mil.com Tom Philpott article 30 Jan 2010 ++]

VA Claims Backlog Update 33: Florida veterans are urging Congress to shorten the backlog for disability claims and to eliminate an overlap in survivors' benefits. These were among the top concerns that advocacy groups will raise at a roundtable with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Florida is second only to California as a home for veterans, with 1.9 million, according to the U.S. Census.

The issues are:

* Disability Claim Backlog - Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL-01), a committee member, recently met with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki about the claim backlog that is surging with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. "The disability-claims backlog has become a deteriorating issue for the Department of Veterans Affairs and is in need of much improvement," Miller said. The department's spending bill that Congress approved in DEC 09 included $1.7 billion to hire 1,200 new claims processors, in an effort to reduce a backlog with nearly 397,000 claims pending, according to the Disabled American Veterans. But veterans seek more help for a system that has suffered for years. Claims grew by almost half between 2003 and 2006, when appeals averaged 657 days to resolve, according to the Governmental Accountability Office.

* SBP/DIC - The perennial dispute about survivor benefits, nicknamed the "widow's tax," bridges the departments of Veterans' Affairs and Defense. Basically, the government seeks to prevent spouses from double-dipping on retirement and disability benefits, but advocacy groups contend that veterans earned and deserve both benefits. Presently survivors of deceased retirees who have made monthly payments into the survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and died as a result of their service connected disability have to forfeit dollar for dollar the benefit received under DIC. Nationwide, 320,975 spouses, children and parents of veterans received $4.6 billion from DIC in 2008, according to the Congressional Research Service.

* Medicare Cuts - Veterans are wary of cuts in Medicare for the elderly and disabled that could ripple through the military health-care system Tricare for troops, their dependents and retirees. Because Tricare reimburses doctors the same as Medicare for services, the concern is that if Medicare payments go down, Tricare will also suffer. As payments go down, doctors could refuse to treat Medicare and Tricare patients. Even though national lobbyists note that Congress routinely reverses potential cuts in Medicare, the concern lingers. [Source: Tallahassee.com Bart Jansen article 19 Jan 2010 ++]

VA VLER  (Veterans Lifetime Electronic Record) President Barack Obama officially announced the lifetime record program in APR 09 to develop a comprehensive digital medical record (i.e. Veterans Lifetime Electronic Record) for every military service member. The VLER will contain information from both Defense Department health services and VA health services. The program is being implemented in three phases:

* A DOD/VA interagency office has been developing interoperability between DoD and VA medical record systems since 2007. In OCT 09 VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker said the interoperability work has been completed.

* In the second phase, DOD and VA health records for about 15 million people will be made available for secure exchange with public and private organizations, including health care providers and insurers through the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). The NHIN is a pilot project sponsored by the Health and Human Services Department to demonstrate national-level secure exchange of health data. The system currently is used by several federal agencies, state and local health agencies, and private providers and insurers. Baker said, "Moving the data to the NHIN is significant because it allows for exchange of medical information with private hospitals and doctors. For example, if a veteran receives treatment by a private doctor, eventually that record will be included in the lifetime record. A true lifetime virtual electronic record has to include the private sector.”

* The third and final phase for the system will be developing protocols to securely provide the DOD-VA patient's medical information at the point of care. For example, if a veteran who goes to a private hospital, the goal is that the hospital doctor will be able to access all, or parts of, the veteran's health record.

    Establishing an exchange at the point of care that can make the medical information available, while still honoring the patient’s privacy and consent agreements, securing classified information, and maintaining tight security, is a highly complex problem, he said. The VA and DOD published a sources sought notice on 12 JAN that seeks a health analyst willing to visit four to six communities to analyze how the information sharing is progressing.
    Responses were due by 26 JAN. The health data will be exchanged over the Health and Human Service Department’s Nationwide Health Information Network.
    The VA and DOD began identifying communities for the project in DEC 09. One of the communities has been chosen, and four to six more will be chosen this year. Preference goes to communities with a significant share of care provided to the military and veterans, ability to demonstrate health information technology and exchange, and a high concentration of federal health programs.
    “The VLER Health Communities Initiative is the first necessary step for the implementation and refinement of VLER,” states the notice. The communities will be evaluated on cost and quality outcomes, following a performance evaluation now under development. The evaluation plan will be provided to the contractor who will implement the plan in each community. The contractor may need to travel to one or more communities, and will need to evaluate the completeness of the data and the contribution of non-VA data, the notice said. The expected period of performance is to begin in APR 2010. The contract will have a single base year and two option years.
[Source: Federal Computer Week Alice Lipowicz article 14 Jan 2010 ++]

VA VLER (Vet Lifetime Electronic Record): President Barack Obama officially announced the lifetime record program in APR 09 to develop a comprehensive digital medical record (i.e. Veterans Lifetime Electronic Record) for every military service member. The VLER will contain information from both Defense Department health services and VA health services. The program is being implemented in three phases:

* A DOD/VA interagency office has been developing interoperability between DoD and VA medical record systems since 2007. In OCT 09 VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker said the interoperability work has been completed.
* In the second phase, DOD and VA health records for about 15 million people will be made available for secure exchange with public and private organizations, including health care providers and insurers through the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). The NHIN is a pilot project sponsored by the Health and Human Services Department to demonstrate national-level secure exchange of health data. The system currently is used by several federal agencies, state and local health agencies, and private providers and insurers. Baker said, "Moving the data to the NHIN is significant because it allows for exchange of medical information with private hospitals and doctors. For example, if a veteran receives treatment by a private doctor, eventually that record will be included in the lifetime record. A true lifetime virtual electronic record has to include the private sector.”
* The third and final phase for the system will be developing protocols to securely provide the DOD-VA patient's medical information at the point of care. For example, if a veteran who goes to a private hospital, the goal is that the hospital doctor will be able to access all, or parts of, the veteran's health record.

    Establishing an exchange at the point of care that can make the medical information available, while still honoring the patient’s privacy and consent agreements, securing classified information, and maintaining tight security, is a highly complex problem, he said. The VA and DOD published a sources sought notice on 12 JAN that seeks a health analyst willing to visit four to six communities to analyze how the information sharing is progressing. Responses were due by 26 JAN. The health data will be exchanged over the Health and Human Service Department’s Nationwide Health Information Network. The VA and DOD began identifying communities for the project in DEC 09. One of the communities has been chosen, and four to six more will be chosen this year. Preference goes to communities with a significant share of care provided to the military and veterans, ability to demonstrate health information technology and exchange, and a high concentration of federal health programs. “The VLER Health Communities Initiative is the first necessary step for the implementation and refinement of VLER,” states the notice. The communities will be evaluated on cost and quality outcomes, following a performance evaluation now under development. The evaluation plan will be provided to the contractor who will implement the plan in each community. The contractor may need to travel to one or more communities, and will need to evaluate the completeness of the data and the contribution of non-VA data, the notice said. The expected period of performance is to begin in APR 2010. The contract will have a single base year and two option years.
[Source: Federal Computer Week Alice Lipowicz article 14 Jan 2010 ++]

VA VLER Update 01: As the federal government prepares to spend up to $27 billion in stimulus funds to promote electronic health records (EHR), a health technology industry survey suggests that a number of hospitals, health clinics, and insurance firms are violating federal security rules on patient data and putting sensitive health information at risk. The NOV 09 survey by the health technology trade association Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) found that one in four of the 196 health organizations that responded do not conduct a formal risk analysis to identify security gaps in electronic patient data . The survey results were first reported last last year, but widely overlooked is that failure to conduct a formal risk analysis is a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which became law in 1996. Performing a risk analysis is crucial to assuring that patient information does not fall into the wrong hands, experts say. “This is a fundamental activity,” said Lisa Gallagher, senior director of privacy and security at HIMSS. “Everything they do [to mitigate the risk of a data breach] should be based on this security assessment.” In addition to poor patient data controls, the HIMSS survey highlights other privacy failures by the medical industry: inadequate data security controls, cases of medical identity theft, and insufficient budgets for information security. The prospect of data breaches is not merely a theoretical concern. In 2009, hospitals and insurance companies were plagued by high-profile losses of sensitive patient data.
    In November, the insurer Health Net announced that a portable hard drive containing medical claims of as many as 1.5 million members in Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York had been lost or stolen. In OCT 09, a laptop containing social security numbers and other personal information of patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was stolen from a car parked at a hospital employee’s home. Despite the recent cases...and the survey’s findings of substantial lapses...no organization has ever been punished for violations of HIPAA’s data risk analysis provision, which is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Since 1996, the agency has received approximately ten complaints that noted possible failure to perform risk analysis or risk management, according to Susan McAndrew, deputy director for health information privacy at HHS’s Office for Civil Rights; the civil rights office took over enforcement of HIPAA data security rules last July from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. None of the cases has resulted in penalties, which potentially range from $100 to $50,000 for a single violation and up to $1.5 million a year for multiple violations. McAndrew said the agency hasn’t issued any fines because the goal of enforcement is to nudge doctors, hospitals, and insurers into compliance, not to punish them. “We have not needed to evoke a penalty scheme in order to get the corrective action,” McAndrew said.

    However, the office has so far declined to make public the names of any medical entities that have been pushed into compliance. McAndrew said the health care information society’s survey shows that the Office for Civil Rights needs to provide training on data security, but does not amount to a report card on the agency. “I don’t think under any measure that you can say enforcement in this office is lax in terms of HIPAA,” she said. “This is a top priority.” But industry insiders characterize the situation differently. They say there have been few patient data security cases at HHS because the agency relies on media reports, complaints, and referrals from other agencies to learn of potential HIPAA rules violations, which has not generated a wide number of leads or investigations. “There has been some perception that organizations have under-resourced this since they view it as not being actively enforced,” said Gallagher of the health care information society. “The HIPAA police are not coming around.” [Source: The Center for Public Integrity Joe Eaton article 19 Jan 2010 ++]

DFAS Retiree Pay Statement Update 01: On 28 DEC 09, the Document Automation & Production Service (DAPS) printed Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay annual increases information to military retirees on behalf of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). The statements were subsequently mailed to retirees by a DFAS vendor beginning 6 JAN 2010. During the printing of one file containing the statements, the document duplicating system malfunctioned. The malfunction was fixed, but upon restarting the printing run the data streams, with information for the front and back of the statement forms, were no longer synchronized correctly. As a result, approximately 18,000 recipients of the statements in the Norfolk, Virginia area received letters containing another retiree's data on Page 2 of their form. The other retiree was not fully identified on the Page 2 but the information included data such as allotment type (insurance, savings bonds, etc.) the name of the payee (bank name, insurance company name, etc.) and the amount of the allotment. There is no indication that anyone other than the intended recipients received privacy data such as Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers or phone numbers. Recipients of the misprinted statements will be asked to destroy the erroneous statements and corrected forms will be reissued. Maintaining the privacy of customers is of the utmost importance to DAPS and DFAS who proudly serve our nation's military personnel. Both organizations regret the error and will work to ensure quality control procedures are improved and followed. Retirees that have any questions regarding their accounts should contact DFAS at 1(800) 321-1080.
[Source: DFAS Press Release 0110-002 dtd 13 Jan 2010 ++]

Medicare Rates 2010 Update 03: The Medicare Part B Premium Costs have been established for 2010. The Part B premium is increased each year, if necessary, to fund about 25% of the projected cost of Part B. In 2010, most people will continue to pay the 2009 Part B premium of $96.40 even though the 2010 standard monthly premium is $110.50. Some people will pay the $110.50, or more for Part B. The scheduled 2010 categories for Medicare Part B premiums are: 1. Social Security Recipients NO CHANGE in Premiums for most recipients. Most people have their Part B premiums deducted from their monthly Social Security Benefit Check. Since there was no Cost of Living Increase for 2010 their benefits will not increase. The Social Security Act protects most people from having a decrease in their Social Security benefits from one year to the next because of an increase in the Part B premium. This means that for most people who have the Part B premium deducted from their Social Security benefit check that they will continue to pay the $96.40 each month. 2. People who get Part B beginning January 1, 2010 or later will pay the increased premium of $110.50 BUT may pay more based on their income. Medicare goes back 2 years as a matter of policy so this will be your yearly Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in 2008. Thus payers Medicare Part B will have the following monthly premiums obligation as indicated at http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11444.pdf

* $154.70 on single AGI of $85,001 - $107,000 or joint return of $170,001 - $214,000.• $221.00 on single return of $107,001 - $160,000 or joint return of $214,001 - $320,000.
* $287.30 on single return of $160,001 - $214,000 or joint return of $320,001 - $428,000.
* $353.60 on single return above $214,000 or joint return above $428,000 .
* People who have Part B but don't get Social Security benefits will pay the increased Part B premium.
* States that pay the Part B premium on behalf of people with Medicaid will pay the increased Part B premium.

     The Non Commissioned Officers Association and others are urging veterans to write their Senators and share the perspective that there should not be a Medicare Part B Premium increase in 2010 for any individual eligible for the Medicare Program based on the reality that there was no COLA increase for 2010. The House has already approved legislation, H.R. 3631 to provide for the application of a consistent Medicare Part B Premium for all Medicare beneficiaries in a budget neutral manner in 2010. Ask your Senators to vote to pass H.R. 3631.

     To facilitate this go to http://capwiz.com/ncoausa/issues/alert/?alertid=14557751&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] and review an editable message that can be automatically forwarded to your Senators. [Source: NCOA Legislative Alert 14 Jan 2010 ++]

Health Care Reform Update 22: Among other similar claims, a column in the Wall Street Journal in mid-JAN by former Senate Majority Leader (and Republican Presidential nominee) Bob Dole asserted that the Senate-passed national health reform bill would tax Tricare for military families when delivered by a private-sector plan. A White House blog post at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/13/reality-check-tricare-and-our-veterans-have-nothing-worry-about-health-reform strongly refuted this claim, asserting, "There is absolutely nothing in health reform that will affect Tricare beneficiaries." To clarify further, there are two types of taxes at issue in the Senate health bill.

* One is an excise tax on individuals who have high-cost plans (the so-called "Cadillac tax"). The legislative language of the Senate bill specifically excludes Tricare, TFL, and VA coverage from this tax.

* The other tax is an insurance provider fee that would be levied on all insurance companies in America, proportional to their share of the covered population. It appears that the Dole column was talking about the latter tax. As the WSJ column acknowledged, the proposed legislation would exempt all government entities from the tax.

    MOAA contacted the Senate Finance Committee staff to reconfirm their understanding of exactly how the plan would work for care delivered through Tricare's civilian contractors. They were assured (again) that the non-partisan House/Senate Joint Tax Committee has indeed issued a ruling that this tax would not apply to Tricare contractors since, under the new contracts, the contractors are not underwriting coverage, but only administering the government program. One can accept this at face value, but also recognize that no one can ever guarantee that proposed legislation won't be changed or interpreted ultimately in a different way than expected. This is why MOAA continues to ask veterans to use their Action alert at http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14513626&type=CO to urge their legislators to ensure military and VA health benefits are explicitly protected, and not subject to any taxation, in whatever health care legislation Congress may consider.
    To date, veterans have generated nearly 80,000 messages to Congress on this topic. Not part of the Health Care Reform bills are two issues that will also impact Tricare users, the scheduled cuts in Medicare payment levels for Physicians and the Deficit. The present law requires yearly cuts in the Medicare payment levels for doctors however year after year those cuts have been delayed. So now we have reached the point that the present statute calls for a 21% cut. If this is put into effect, no one knows how many doctors would stop taking Medicare and Tricare all together. Certainly many doctors would likely stop accepting NEW Medicare and Tricare patients. It is, obviously of special concern to anyone with TFL because Medicare is first payer to Tricare for Life. However, it is a serious concern to everyone who is a Tricare beneficiary since Tricare payments rates are initially set by Medicare rates. While the health care reform bill is everyone's focus we should all remember that the more dramatic danger for military retirees' benefits is the huge deficit we see on the horizon. With the projected deficit everyone (especially the Department of Defense) will be looking for places to cut costs or raise fees (practically the same thing) Co-pays and deductibles, enrollment fees, etc. will all be in play. This is important to remember and to gear up to contact your members of Congress and the White House when necessary.

[Source: MOAA Leg Up & TREA Washington Update 5 Jan 2010 ++]

Health Care Reform Update 23: As House and Senate Democrats negotiate a final compromise national health care reform bill, military people across the nation...and their advocates in Washington D.C. ...remain vigilant for side effects. The Obama administration and Democratic congressional leaders have tried to reassure military members, retirees and veterans that national health care reform won't negatively impact them...in fact will help veterans. Democrats contend that if the Senate-passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) becomes law, many of 16 million veterans not enrolled in VA health care "will have access to quality, affordable health insurance choices through [new] health insurance Exchanges…and may be eligible for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions as well."

A two-page list of reassurances from the Senate Finance Committee can be read online at: http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill51.pdf

    Many military retirees and veterans don't believe it. Their skepticism is reinforced by statements from Republicans who oppose the president's health initiative, and by scary e-mails including one from a retired brigadier general who wrongly asserts that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) already has drafted a bill to eliminate Tricare for Life. It has not.

    Scott Brown, who has won the U.S. Senate seat for Massachusetts that Ted Kennedy filled until his death last year, claims Tricare is at risk. A lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, Brown hasn't explained his worry in detail but he expressed it again last in early JAN on a Fox News program. "If you hear a politician telling voters that health reform will hurt Tricare, don't believe him," said Matt Flavin, White House director of veterans and wounded warrior policy, on the White House Blog 13 JAN. "If you rely on Tricare, you have nothing to worry about." The House-passed Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) states in Section 311 that nothing in the bill "shall be construed as affecting" authority of the Defense or Veterans Affairs department to provide Tricare or VA health care.

    The final compromise is almost certain to include this language to protecting Tricare and veterans' health care, Capitol Hill sources said. They will be protected from any excise tax that Senate Democrats want to levy on so-called "Cadillac" health insurance. However, concerns from veteran associations include:

* FRA: Behind the anxiety of many older retirees is memory of a broken promise over free health care for life, said Joe Barnes, national executive director of the Fleet Reserve Association. That, combined with the endless loop of misinformation on the internet, has deepened concerns, Barnes said.

* TMC: Bob Washington, co-chair of the health care committee of The Military Coalition, an umbrella group of service associations, also points to the false report involving CBO. Many older retirees also fear for their Tricare for Life benefits from the spectacle of lawmakers each year having to block an automatic cut in Medicare doctor fees ordered by an earlier Congress. More anxiety arises because Democrats say they pay for health reform with billions of dollars in Medicare savings, something Republicans contend will put Medicare at risk though most military associations disagree.

* NMFA: Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association, believes legitimate concerns do remain for the military community. They flow from the plans' promise to make affordable health insurance available to 31 million Americans who currently are uninsured. Health reform plans would create health insurance exchanges from which individuals and small business will buy coverage. Raezer wants to know what will happen if participating insurance companies try to entice physicians to be part of these plans by paying fees higher than Medicare allows. Tricare fees, by law, are tied to Medicare reimbursement rates. So Raezer worries that Tricare beneficiaries will see access to civilian providers tighten, particularly access to family physicians who serve as gatekeepers to specialty care. Some primary care doctors already set limits on the number of Tricare and Medicare patient they take on, she said. "What's going to happen if reimbursements don't change for Tricare? Are we're going to continue to depend on patriotic doctors to take Tricare beneficiaries when all of these other people are jostling for care?" She urges the military community needs to remain wary. "Folks hear that the legislation isn't touching Tricare, isn't involving VA, and they say, ‘Okay, we're safe,' " Raezer said. "I'm relieved that members of Congress don't want to [pull] Tricare benefits into all of this [and will] let DoD run its health care program…But I don't think that's enough for us to say ‘Don't worry.' We still have to watch for unintended consequences."

    Told of Raezer's concern, a Democratic aide to the Senate Finance Committee said the Senate bill does include a 10% increase in Medicare fees for primary care physicians. Also, she said, insurance exchanges won't compete for providers any differently than insurers do now. A House staff member who works with Tricare agreed. Insurers, he said, won't compete by "ratcheting up rates for doctors." Most companies already have large physician networks. The competition will occur in knocking down doctor reimbursements to keep beneficiary premiums low. "It's going to be almost a race to the bottom," he said. "These companies are going to offer the cheapest packages possible. That's how you're going to get these [31 million] people into insurance." They "aren't going to be looking at plans saying, ‘This one has 220 doctors in my area but this one has 235.' No. They're going to say, ‘This one is $5 a month cheaper. I'll take it.' " Some civilian physicians do turn Medicare and Tricare patients away because of reimbursement levels, he said. But other doctors prefer Tricare because it pays most claims fast, "typically within 36 hours of when a claim is submitted versus 240 days for your average health insurance company."

[Source: Military.com Tom Philpott article 14 Jan 2010 ++]

Health Care Reform Update 24: House leaders plan to bring small-scale health care legislation to the floor before the chamber leaves for its Presidents Day recess on 11 FEB, aides to Speaker Nancy Pelosi said 28 JAN. The legislation, which may consist of more than one bill, will include proposals that can win quick majority approval. But they would not be a substitute for the broad health care overhaul, which has stalled in prolonged negotiations between top House and Senate Democrats. Pelosi (D-CA) reiterated her position that the big bill, which was sidetracked last week after Republican Scott P. Brown’s victory in a Massachusetts special Senate election stripped Democrats of their 60-vote margin in the Senate, will eventually pass. “We must pass health care reform,” she said. “The problem is still there . . . We can’t sustain the current system.”“Some things we can do on the side,” Pelosi added. “But it’s not a substitute for comprehensive reform.” Pelosi has said she doesn’t have the votes to simply pass the Senate bill and send it on to President Obama. She said that negotiations will continue to find a compromise, but she wouldn’t give a timetable for reaching a deal. She also would not say whether Democrats would use the budget reconciliation process to advance the lion’s share of a health care overhaul. That process bars filibusters, requiring only 51 votes to move through the Senate. But measures moved under reconciliation cannot include policy provisions unrelated to revenues and entitlement program expenditures. The simplest option for Democrats to complete the stalled health care overhaul would be for the House to send President Obama the version passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve, and then to use the reconciliation process to pass a second bill that incorporates House-Senate compromises on all issues that could be dealt with through that process. So far, House Democrats have been unwilling to pursue that course. And with no final agreement on the parameters of a compromise version of the overhaul, neither Obama nor party leaders are demanding that they do so. [Source: CQ TODAY Midday Update 28 Jan 2010 ++]

Utah Veterans Homes Update 01: Veterans advocates will push Utah lawmakers to fund at least one more nursing home, now that the state can seek nearly $13 million in federal funding as reimbursement for the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home that opened in Ogden in November. This project was more than six years in he making. The state paid for the facility up front to get the job done but anticipated two-thirds reimbursement from the federal government. To win support for the bill that seeded the construction of the Ogden home, legislators who supported it agreed no additional homes would be funded until the federal government paid up. Stimulus funds routed to federal construction budgets sped up that timetable -- on 13 JAN, the state received a letter from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki indicating it can now submit claims for reimbursement. The reimbursement had been promised, but Utah's homes were low on the Department of Veterans Affairs priority list. Advocates anticipated it might be several years before they could secure state funding for homes needed in Washington, Utah and Tooele counties. By law, the federal reimbursement dollars will go back into Utah's general fund. But Rep. Curtis Oda (R-Clearfield) wants to use the money to immediately seed the construction of another home. Oda said he might drop a non-binding resolution he has sponsored expressing support for such a plan in favor of legislation that actually directs the money to construction. His only concern is that fellow legislators might decide the money could be used elsewhere. The Ogden home brought to 200 the number of beds available for veterans in the state, including an 80-bed facility in Salt Lake City. But that's not even half of what the federal government has rated the state as needing, and many times less than advocates say is needed. Oda noted, for instance, that Idaho has fewer veterans than Utah but has one more home. Yet it took four years to get the state Senate to agree to pre-fund the Ogden home, so supporters aren't claiming victory just yet. Sen. Pete Knudson (R-Brigham City), a former Army officer who sponsored the Ogden funding bill that passed the Senate last year, said he would take "a good hard look" at the option of reinvesting the federal money in another veterans home. But he said veterans advocates "have got some salesmanship to so do to a certain extent because of the current budget situation."
[Source: The Salt Lake Tribune Matthew LaPlante article 15 Jan 2010 ++]

Military Stolen Valor Update 14: Military Stolen Valor Update 14: A 69-year-old San Diego County man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge for posing as a decorated Marine major general. David Weber entered the plea 14 JAN to a misdemeanor charge of making false claims about military decorations or medals. Weber, who has prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, is expected to be sentenced to a year of probation. Authorities say Weber had been a Marine staff sergeant but he claimed to be a retired major general last November at a Veterans of Foreign Wars party in Ramona. Prosecutors say he wore a full dress uniform with five Legion of Merit medals, two Purple Hearts and a Distinguished Service Cross. Weber, posing as the highest-ranking officer, got the first piece of cake at the party, which honored the birthday of the Corps. [Source: NavyTimes AP article 14 Jan 2010 ++]

Tricare Gray Area Retirees Update 03: To get an update from Congress on the implementation date of Tricare for Gray Area Retirees, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) met with legislative assistants for Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Rep. Robert Latta R-OH) , the two senators who led the effort to authorize the coverage in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislative assistants indicated that the monthly premium for Tricare coverage was still being determined by the Defense Department. They did not expect the coverage to be available until 1 OCT. Tricare Management Activity had reported last month that the coverage would not be available for another 11 to18 months because pricing for the coverage had yet to be determined. Congress was able to include Tricare for Gray Area retiree coverage in the 2010 NDAA because it was reported as cost neutral to the government. The new law requires beneficiaries to pay the full cost for Tricare Standard coverage incurred by DoD, with the monthly premium to be equal to the cost of coverage that the defense secretary determines on "an appropriate actuarial basis." The secretary, through his staff, has been engaged for the last two months in an extended process to determine that cost of coverage. When the bill was passed, the hope was that the price for the Tricare Standard coverage for this new group would be in the range of the full cost of Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) to the DoD. However, it appears that the pricing formula will most likely produce a cost higher than the base cost of TRS because of the older demographics of the covered group of Gray Area retirees. How much higher the monthly premium will be is unknown , but NGAUS would like to find out as soon as possible or at least monitor the process to make sure the pricing mechanism is fair. As you may recall, Congress had to correct the initial overpricing of Tricare Reserve Select premiums in 2008 after the Government Accountability Office reported a significant pricing error. Unfortunately, DoD is not making its premium pricing determination process transparent to Congress or the public.
[Source: NGAUS Leg Up 15 Jan 2010 ++]

Enlistment Update 08: The United States Military does not condone the illegal or improper use of drugs or alcohol. All applicants for enlistment are carefully screened concerning drug and alcohol involvement. As a minimum, you can expect the recruiter to ask: a. "Have you ever used drugs?" b. "Have you been charged with or convicted of a drug or drug related offense?" c. "Have you ever been psychologically or physically dependent upon any drug or alcohol?" d. "Have you ever trafficked, sold, or traded in illegal drugs for profit?" If the answer to the last two questions is "yes," then you can expect to be ineligible for enlistment. If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then you can expect to have to complete a drug abuse screening form, detailing the specific circumstances of your drug usage. The military service will then make a determination as to whether or not your previous drug usage is a bar to service in that particular branch of the military. In most cases, a person who experimented with "non-hard" drugs in the past will be allowed to enlist. Anything more than experimentation may very well be a bar to enlistment. An "experimenter" is defined as: .."one who has illegally, wrongfully, or improperly used any narcotic substance, marijuana, or dangerous drug, for reasons of curiosity, peer pressure, or other similar reason. The exact number of times drugs were used, is not necessarily as important as determining the category of use and the impact of the drug use on the user's lifestyle, the intent of the user, the circumstances of use, and the psychological makeup of the user. An individual whose drug experimentation/use has resulted in some form of medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment; a conviction or adverse juvenile adjudication; or loss of employment does not fall within the limits of this category. For administrative purposes, determination of the category should be within the judgment of either the district or recruiting station commanding officer, aided by medical, legal, and moral advice, with information as available from investigative sources." While not a "hard and fast" rule, one can expect that any admitted use of marijuana over 15 or so times, or any admitted use of "hard drugs," will be disqualifying, and require a waiver. In any case: 1. Dependency on illegal drugs is disqualifying. 2. Any history of drug use is potentially disqualifying. 3. Any history of dependency on alcohol is disqualifying. Even if enlistment is authorized, many sensitive military jobs will be closed to individuals who have any past association with illegal drug or alcohol use. In the Air Force, anyone who admits to smoking marijuana less than 15 times does not require a waiver. More than 15 times, but less than 25 requires a Drug Eligibility Determination (basically, a trained Drug & Alcohol Specialist will examine the exact circumstances of the use). An approved Drug Eligibility Determination is not the same thing as a "waiver," in that it will not preclude enlistment in most Air Force Jobs. 25 or more uses of Marijuana in a lifetime is disqualifying, and requires a waiver. As a minimum, recruits will undergo a urinalysis test, when at the Military Entrance Processing Station, (MEPs) for their initial processing, and again when reporting for basic training. [Source: About.com: U.S. Military Rod Powers article 19 Sep 09 ++]

Medicare Fraud Update 31:

* Detroit MI - The Detroit area has emerged as a national "hot spot" for health care fraud, with 84 people indicted on charges of bilking the system of $85 million in the last eight months, officials say. Those numbers include two physicians and 11 other people arrested in a 14 JAN sweep, accused of billing Medicare for $14.5 million in services that were never provided. High, and in some cases chronic, unemployment means Detroit is rife with people willing to give up their Medicare billing numbers for $50 to $100 or perhaps a free painkiller prescription, officials say. In the latest case, two physicians -- one licensed and one not -- are accused of working with home health care companies, two adult foster care home owners and others to fraudulently bill for home health services. The foster care operators are accused of providing their residents' Medicare billing numbers in exchange for kickbacks. Of the 84 people indicted, 33 have pleaded guilty and some are facing lengthy prison sentences under federal sentencing guidelines. Federal officials are also using forfeiture laws to recover money bilked from the system.

* Miami FL - Since 2004, a Miami psychiatrist has prescribed almost 14 million pills to Medicaid patients at a cost to taxpayers of $43 million, a state agency says. Fernando Mendez-Villamil would have had to issue 4,000 prescriptions a month, or 1,000 a week, to keep up that pace, according to the report released this week by the Agency for Health Care Administration. Altogether in the six years from 2004-09, he issued nearly 285,000 prescriptions, the AHCA report showed. The mental health drugs that he frequently prescribes are expensive even at the online Drugstore.com: Zyprexa, about $842 a month for 30 days; Abilify, $634; and Seroquel, $430. The agency referred a complaint about Mendez-Villamil to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in 2007, a timeline shows, and a spokeswoman for that office said the investigation is still ongoing. Sen. Don Gaetz, chairman of the health regulation committee, said Mendez-Villamil “appears to be taking advantage of the taxpayers of Florida and draining money away from legitimate patients. He should be the poster boy for tougher enforcement actions.”

* Towson MD - Maryland's top cardiac-care hospital is in a soup after a federal investigation established an insurance fraud going on. Several patients had coronary stents implanted in their arteries that were actually not needed. For reimbursing the procedure cost that can cost $10,000 or more from Medicare or private insurers it is necessary to have at least 70% blockage. If a patient reports 50% or less blockage then he can not get the amount reimbursed. The stents were received by about 369 patients at the St. Joseph Medical Center. A majority of these patients were informed that their arteries were severely blocked.

* Brevard County FL - Following up on a whistleblower's complaint, the federal government spent more than a year investigating billing practices and medical records of Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates' cancer treatment center. The government filed its complaint in federal court in October and lawyers asked for extra time to finalize a settlement agreement with MIMA. The terms of the settlement are not known. The government is seeking to recover losses from false Medicare claims submitted "as a result of the sustained fraudulent course of conduct of MIMA and Dr. Todd Scarbrough, the former medical director of its cancer center. The government alleges the cancer center had "defrauded Medicare and Tricare through various schemes designed to improperly inflate the claims that MIMA submitted on behalf of (the cancer center) to Medicare." The investigation started with allegations made by Fred Fangman, the former director of radiation oncology at MIMA Cancer Center, in a whistleblower complaint in JUL 08. Fangman claimed Scarbrough filed thousands of false claims...worth at least $8 million and perhaps more...in unnecessary radiation procedures from the time the cancer center opened in 2003 through 2008.

* Troy MI - Physician Toe Myint was convicted 22 JAN by a Detroit jury of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a $4.2 million Medicare Fraud scheme. The conspiracy count carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Prior to trial, 10 of Dr. Myint’s co-conspirator defendants pleaded guilty to a variety of Medicare fraud related charges. Evidence at trial showed that Dr. Myint was the physician at Sacred Hope Center, a Southfield, Mich., clinic that purported to specialize in providing infusion therapy to Medicare beneficiaries. Evidence established that Dr. Myint ordered medications for patients that he knew were not needed. Specifically, Dr. Myint signed patient files ordering infusions and injections of corticosteroids and other medications, despite being aware that the patients did not need the drugs and that Medicare was being billed for the drugs. Patients were not referred to Sacred Hope Center or Dr. Myint by their real physicians for any legitimate purpose, but rather were recruited to come to the clinic through the payment of kickbacks.

* Houston TX - Valley Medical Foot Care owner Franklin Beltre appeared before a federal U.S. District Court Judge Randy Crane in McAllen on Wednesday morning. The 39-year-old podiatrist admitted to submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Beltre billed Medicare and Medicaid for services performed while he was vacationing outside of Texas. Prosecutors said the services were actually performed by Manuela K. Alana, a 40-year-old unlicensed podiatrist working for him. Court records show that Beltre filed more than $536,000 dollars worth of false claims were submitted since AUG 04. Alana pleaded guilty in her case in DEC 09 and is scheduled to be sentenced on 9 MAR. Both Alana and Beltre have been permitted to remain on bond until their sentencing.

* Miami FL - Michel De Jesus Huarteman who used his chain of Medicare clinics to commit fraud and exported the business to other Southern states was sentenced 27 JAN in federal court to 22 years in prison. The local organization which submitted about $100 million in bogus Medicare bills for HIV therapy and other services...expanded to Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina by using empty storefronts and post office boxes. Huarte and his associates, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and other fraud charges last year, collected about $25 million from the federal healthcare program for the elderly and disabled, the indictment says. Lesser sentences were imposed on Huarte's co-defendants: Alyd Dazza, 15 years; Ricco Dazza, 10 years; Dayron Porrata, seven years; Monika Blacio, 6 ½ years; and Wally Proenza, 1½ years. The seventh defendant, Vicente Gonzalez, is set for sentencing 1 FEB.

[Source: Fraud News Daily reports 16-31 Jan 2010 ++]

Medicaid Fraud Update 07:

* Lockport NY - A Niagara County Court jury Tuesday night convicted two Erie County women of committing two felonies in their effort to collect Medicaid benefits for a Lewiston man who failed to pay a hospital bill. Deborah A. Kantor, 55, and Amy L. Gardner, 31, of the Town of Tonawanda, and Kantor’s company, HIS Holdings, were found guilty of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and attempted third-degree grand larceny. They were charged with trying to get the Niagara County Social Services Department to pay $5,379 in bills from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center in 2006 by filling out a form with a false address for the patient. His claim was denied by the county. Kantor and HIS face an upcoming trial on charges of bribing a Social Services caseworker to obtain Medicaid information numbers of clients.

* Trenton NJ - Two pharmacy technicians pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme in which pharmacy owners and employees bought completed prescription forms for HIV/AIDS drugs from indigent patients so Medicaid could be billed for drugs that were never actually dispensed. Each pleaded guilty on 20 JAN to third-degree Medicaid fraud. They admitted that between 11 MAY 06 and 15 OCT 08, they paid Medicaid beneficiaries for prescriptions and subsequently billed the Medicaid Program. The crime of third-degree Medicaid fraud carries a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and a criminal fine of $10,000. The defendants were charged as a result of Operation PharmScam, an ongoing investigation targeting Medicaid fraud that began in 2008. On 26 OCT 09, a total of 10 defendants were indicted as a result of the investigation into Pharmacy of America and other pharmacies that were buying prescriptions from patients and billing the Medicaid Program for medicines that were never dispensed.

* Sherman TX – Two Dallas County men were arrested 6 JAN in a health care fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas. Brandon Allen Ray, 30, on charges of health care fraud, conspiracy and embezzlement in connection with health care. Stewart Powers, 56, on charges of conspiracy and embezzlement in connection with health care. According to the indictment, from 2005 to 2007, Ray, a registered nurse, is alleged to have billed Medicaid $280,550 for private-duty nursing services he did not actually provide to an invalid patient. Additionally, from 2005 to 2006, Ray was employed as a part time registered nurse for Senior Health Services, Inc., d/b/a Community Specialty Hospital and Powers was the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital. During this time, Ray and Powers are alleged to have conspired to embezzle funds from the hospital in a scheme which involved Ray submitting false work-and-time records to the hospital for payment and Powers approving the false records and directing hospital personnel to process time cards and write payroll checks. The loss to the hospital is estimated to be $54,000. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.

* Westfield NJ: Kevin Clark, 53, the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Westfield, pleaded guilty 25 JAN to third-degree Medicaid fraud and third-degree tampering with public records. Third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison a fine of up to $15,000. Clark admitted that on17 NOV 04, he knowingly and falsely completed, signed and submitted a Medicaid application on behalf of an elderly parishioner. The Medicaid application required Clark to list the sale of all real property by the parishioner and any cash given away by the parishioner within the past three years. Clark admitted that he failed to list on the Medicaid application that the parishioner had sold a parcel of real property for $183,038. He further admitted that cash from the sale of the real property was given to him.[Source: Fraud News Daily reports 16-31 Jan 2010 ++]

Military History Anniversaries:

* Feb 01 1848 - Mexican-American War: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed.
* Feb 01 1909 - U.S. troops leave Cuba after installing Jose Miguel Gomez as president.
* Feb 01 1943 - WWII: The last German forces surrender to the Soviets after the Battle of Stalingrad.
* Feb 01 1945 - WWII: U.S. Rangers and Filipino guerrillas rescue 513 American survivors of the Bataan Death March.
* Feb 01 1968 - Vietnam: U.S. troops drive the North Vietnamese out of Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon.
* Feb 02 1848 - The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo formally ends the Mexican War.
* Feb 03 1904 - Colombian troops clash with U.S. Marines in Panama.
* Feb 03 1917 - WWII: The U.S. breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany a day after the former announced a new policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.
* Feb 03 1944 - WWII: Beginning of the German Army offensive against the Anzio bridgehead in Italy.
* Feb 03 1944 - WWII: United States troops capture the Marshall Islands.
* Feb 03 1944 - WWII: The United States shells the Japanese homeland for the first time at Kurile Islands.
* Feb 03 1945 - WWII: As part of Operation Thunderclap, 1,000 B-17's of the Eighth Air Force bomb Berlin.
* Feb 03 1945 - WWII: Sinking of allied troop ship Dorchester results in Congress declaring this as Four Chaplains Day.
* Feb 04 1899 - The Philippine-American War begins.
* Feb 04 1941 - WWII: The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops.
* Feb 04 1945 - WWII: American, British and Soviet leaders meet in Yalta to discuss the war aims.
* Feb 04 1957 - The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), logs its 60,000th nautical mile.
* Feb 05 1918 - WWI: Stephen W. Thompson shot down a German airplane. It was the first aerial victory.
* Feb 05 1945 - WWII: General Douglas MacArthur returns to Manila.
* Feb 05 1958 - A hydrogen bomb known as the Tybee Bomb is lost by the US Air Force off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, never to be recovered.
* Feb 05 1968 - Vietnam War: Battle of Khe Sanh begins.
* Feb 06 1862 - Civil War: Ulysses S. Grant gives the United States its first victory of the war, by capturing Fort Henry, Tennessee, known as the Battle of Fort Henry.
* Feb 06 1899 - Spanish-American War: The Treaty of Paris (1898), a peace treaty between the United States and Spain, is ratified by the United States Senate.
* Feb 06 1922 - The Washington Naval Treaty was signed in Washington, DC, limiting the naval armaments of United States, Britain, Japan, France, and Italy.
* Feb 06 1945 - WWII: MacArthur reports the fall of Manila, and the liberation of 5,000 prisoners.
* Feb 07 1968 - Vietnam: North Vietnamese use 11 Soviet-built light tanks to overrun the U.S. Special Forces camp at Lang Vei at the end of an 18-hour long siege.
* Feb 08 1971 - Vietnam: South Vietnamese ground forces, backed by American air power, begin Operation Lam Son 719, a 17,000 man incursion into Laos that ends three weeks later in a disaster.
* Feb 09 1775- Revolutionary War: British Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion.
* Feb 09 1943 - WWII: Allied authorities declare Guadalcanal secure after Imperial Japan evacuates its remaining forces from the island, ending the Battle of Guadalcanal.
* Feb 09 1965 - Vietnam: The first United States combat troops are sent to South Vietnam.
* Feb 10 1763 - French and Indian War: The 1763 Treaty of Paris ends the war and France cedes Quebec to Great Britain.
* Feb 10 1954 - President Dwight Eisenhower warns against United States intervention in Vietnam.
* Feb 11 1938 - Japan refuses to reveal naval data requested by the U.S. and Britain.
* Feb 11 1942 - WWII: The Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore.
* Feb 11 1943 - WWII: General Dwight Eisenhower is selected to command the allied armies in Europe.
* Feb 11 1973 - Vietnam: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.
* Feb 12 1946 - WWII: Operation Deadlight ends after scuttling 121 of 154 captured U-boats.
* Feb 12 1951 - Korea: U.N. forces push north across the 38th parallel for the second time.
* Feb 13 1991 - Gulf War: Two laser-guided "smart bombs" destroy a bunker in Baghdad. It was being used as a military communications outpost and unknown to allied forces, as a shelter for Iraqi civilians.
* Feb 14 1945 - WWII: 800 Allied aircraft firebomb the German city of Dresden. Smaller follow-up bombing raids last until April with a total death toll of between 35,000 to 130,000 civilians.
* Feb 14 1979 - Armed guerrillas attack the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
* Feb 15 1898 - U.S. battleship Maine mysteriously blows up in Havana Harbor, Cuba killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the United States closer to war with Spain.
* Feb 15 1943 – WWII: The Germans break the American Army’s lines at the Fanid-Sened Sector in Tunisia, North Africa. • Feb 15 1967 – Vietnam: Thirteen U.S. helicopters are shot down in one day in Vietnam.

[Source: Various Jan 2010 ++]

Tax Deduction Wisdom Update 01: Many taxpayers take the standard deduction rather than itemizing their tax deductions, even though some taxpayers with mortgages or home equity loans could have saved money by itemizing. Consider how well you will do with itemized deductions in the following areas:

Property Tax

* For those that do not itemize the standard deduction amount is increased by $500 ($1,000 for married couples filing jointly) if they paid at least that much in property taxes during the year. This break allows those who do not itemize to get some tax benefit for the property taxes they pay.
* Many lenders provide a year-end tax summary that includes any real estate taxes and insurance paid through escrow accounts. The real estate taxes are deductible, but homeowner's insurance and homeowner's association fees are not. If your real estate taxes aren't paid through an escrow account, review your property tax bills and cancelled checks and add up what you paid. You can't deduct any penalties you paid for late payment of property taxes; you can only deduct the actual taxes assessed and paid.

Interest/Points

* If you have a mortgage or home equity loan on your home, fill out Schedule A to see if your itemized tax deductions are larger than the standard tax deduction to which you're entitled. In January, your mortgage lender should provide the amount of mortgage interest you paid during the previous year. Look for Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement. If you paid points as part of the financing for your home, the points will also be shown on that form. Mortgage lenders sometimes attach Form 1098 to your December or January mortgage bill.

* A quick rule of thumb: Compare your mortgage interest (plus any points paid on the purchase of your residence) with your standard deduction. If you have refinanced your mortgage, points on the refinancing are deducted gradually over the life of the loan...1/30th a year on a 30-year mortgage, for example. Don't forget to add each year's share to your deductions. For more information, consult IRS Publication 936: Home Mortgage Interest Deduction.

* If the interest you paid on your mortgage is larger than your standard tax deduction, you definitely benefit by itemizing...and all the rest of your deductible expenses (including real estate taxes, state and local income taxes, and charitable donations) are frosting on the cake. Homeowners Insurance - If you closed on a home mortgage in 2009 and had to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), the premiums you paid in 2009 can be deducted if your adjusted gross income falls below a certain level. This write-off phases out as income rises between $100,000 and $110,000 (except on married filing separate returns, for which the phase out zone is $50,000 to $55,000). If you're paying PMI on a mortgage issued before 2008, you're out of luck on this one. This deduction, which applies only to mortgages used to purchase a home (rather than refinance), is effective through December 31, 2010.

[Source: Military.com Taxes Jan 2010 ++]

Tax Burden for Maryland Retirees: Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a retirement destination. This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than offset the lack of a state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax burden. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in Maryland: State Sales Tax: 6.0% (food, prescription and non-prescription drugs exempt)

Fuel & Cigarette Tax:
* Gasoline Tax: 23.5 cents/gallon.
* Diesel Fuel Tax: 24.3 cents/gallon.
* Cigarette Tax: $2.00/pack of 20 Personal Income TaxesTax Rate Range: Low - 2%; High - 6.25%;
Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City may levy an income tax ranging from 1.25% to 3.15% of taxable income. For local rates refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/incometax/localtax.asp

Income Brackets: 8 (Lowest - $1,000; Highest - $1,000,000). For joint returns, the taxes are twice the tax imposed on half the income.Personal Exemptions: Single - $3,200; Married - $6,400; Dependents - $3,200.Additional Exemptions: 65 or older - $1,000 each additional dependent.Standard Deduction: $1,500 or 15% of Maryland adjusted gross income to maximum of $3,000 for single returns; $2,000 to $4,000 for married filing jointly.Additional Deductions: (2009) Single or head of household over 65 - $1,250; One spouse over 65 - $950; Both over 65 - $1,900; If over 65 and blind - add $2,500.Medical/Dental Deduction: Federal amount. If you purchase a long-term care insurance contract for yourself or certain members of your family, you may be eligible for a credit of up to $500 for each insured. To qualify for the credit, the insured must be all of the following: A spouse, parent, stepparent, child or stepchild; A Maryland resident; Not covered by long-term care insurance before July 1, 2000. For tax year 2008, you can claim a credit equal to the premiums paid, up to a maximum of $290 for each insured person 40 years of age or younger, and up to a maximum of $500 for each insured person 41 or older.Federal Income Tax Deduction: None.Retirement Income Taxes: Social Security and Railroad Retirement income are not taxed. If you are 65 or older or totally disabled (or your spouse is totally disabled), you may qualify for Maryland's maximum pension exclusion of $23,600 under certain conditions. If you're eligible, you may be able to subtract some of your taxable pension and retirement annuity income from your federal adjusted gross income. Out-of-state government pensions do not qualify for the exemption. For details refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/seniors/default.asp

Retired Military Pay: If you are a retired member of the military, you may be able to subtract up to $5,000 of your military retirement income from your federal adjusted gross income before determining your Maryland tax for tax year 2008. This benefit is now applied to qualifying individuals who retired before July 1, 1991. To qualify, you must have been a member of an active or reserve component of the U.S. armed forces, a member of the Maryland National Guard, or you must have retired from active duty with the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Coast and Geodetic Survey. For details refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/incometax/military/retirement.asp

Military Disability Retired Pay: Retirees who entered the military before Sept. 24, 1975, and members receiving disability retirements based on combat injuries or who could receive disability payments from the VA are covered by laws giving disability broad exemption from federal income tax. Most military retired pay based on service-related disabilities also is free from federal income tax, but there is no guarantee of total protection.

VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: VA benefits are not taxable because they generally are for disabilities and are not subject to federal or state taxes.Military SBP/SSBP/RCSBP/RSFPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax. Check with state department of revenue office.

Property Taxes

* Real property is valued at its full cash value. Property tax rate, found at http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/taxrate.html vary widely. No restrictions or limitations on property taxes are imposed by the state, meaning cities and counties can set tax rates at the level they deem necessary to fund governmental services. These rates can increase, decrease or remain the same from year to year.

* The Homeowners' Property Tax Credit Program allows credits against the homeowner's property tax bill if the property taxes exceed a fixed percentage of the person's gross income. In other words, it sets a limit on the amount of property taxes any homeowner must pay based upon his or her income. The plan was called circuit breaker because it shut off the property tax at a certain point just like an electric circuit breaker shuts off the current when the circuit becomes overloaded. It provides annual property tax credits to homeowners who qualify by reason of income. It has no relationship to age. To be eligible, a person must own their property, live in it for at least six months a year, and have a net worth, not including the value of the property on which you are seeking the credit, of less than $300,000.

* A property tax deferral program allows property owners 65 or over to defer the increase in their property tax bill. Local governments must approve the program. The deferred taxes become a lien on the property and must be repaid when the property is transferred. A Renters' Tax Credit program provides up to $750 a year for those age 60 and over or 100% disabled if they qualify on the basis of income.

* For details on property taxes refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/property/default.asp or call 410-767-1184.

Inheritance and Estate Taxes:

* Maryland collects an inheritance tax. Property passing to a spouse, child or other lineal descendent, spouse of a child or other lineal descendant, parent, grandparent or sibling, is exempt from taxation. Property passing to other individuals is subject to a 10% tax rate. Currently, a Maryland estate tax return must be filed if the decedent's federal gross estate, plus adjusted taxable gifts, is $1,000,000 or greater, and the decedent was either a resident of Maryland at the time of death or a nonresident who owned real or tangible personal property in Maryland. The tax rate is limited to 16 percent of the amount that the estate value exceeds $1,000,000. Law changes enacted in 2006 affected the estate tax calculation, filing requirements, extension requests and interest and penalties. The estate tax is limited to federal estate tax collection.

Refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/estatetax/inherit.asp for more information on inheritance taxes.

Refer to http://individuals.marylandtaxes.com/estatetax/default.asp for estate tax information,

For further information on Maryland taxes in general, visit the Maryland Comptroller of the Treasury site at http://www.comp.state.md.us

[Source: http://www.retirementliving.com Jan 2010 ++]

Have You Heard?:
How to give a pet a pill Cats...
* Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
* Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
* Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
* Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
* Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden. • Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.
* Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
* Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
* Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
* Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
* Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
* Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
* Tie the little bastard’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
* Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
* Arrange for SPCA to come collect this mutant cat from hell and call the local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
* Accidentally drop pill on floor. Watch cat pounce on the pill and devour it.

Dogs

* Wrap it in bacon.
* Toss it in the air.

Veteran Legislation Status 28 Jan 10: For or a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 111th Congress refer to the Bulletin’s Veteran Legislation attachment. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication on that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html Grassroots lobbying is perhaps the most effective way to let your Representative and Senators know your opinion. Whether you are calling into a local or Washington, D.C. office; sending a letter or e-mail; signing a petition; or making a personal visit, Members of Congress are the most receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov your legislator’s phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making. Refer to http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_schedule.html for dates that you can access your legislators on their home turf.

[Source: RAO Bulletin Attachment 28 Jan 2010 ++]

Veteran Legislation Status 28 January 2010: Of the 4551 House pieces of legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to date, the following are of interest to the non-active duty veteran community. Bill titles in green (if any) are new additions to this summary. A good indication on the likelihood a bill of being forwarded to the House or Senate for passage and subsequently being signed into law by the President is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. An alternate way for it to become law is if it is added as an addendum to another bill such as the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and survives the conference committee assigned to iron out the difference between the House and Senate bills. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s text, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To separately determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html
    To review a numerical list of all bills introduced refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/111search.html The key to increasing cosponsorship is letting legislators know of their constituent’s views on issues. Those bills that include a website in red are being pushed by various veterans groups for passage and by clicking on that website you can forward a preformatted message to your legislator requesting he/she support the bill.

House:

United States House website: http://www.house.gov/
To contact Members of the U.S House, go to: http://www.house.gov/Welcome.shtml

H.R.23 : Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (168)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/13/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=12497121

H.R.32 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.315
Sponsor: Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (41)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949.

H.R.33 : Disability Benefit Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 5-month waiting period for entitlement to disability benefits and to eliminate reconsideration as an intervening step between initial benefit entitlement decisions and subsequent hearings on the record on such decisions.
Sponsor: Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.43 : Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.
Sponsor: Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (139) Related bill S.46
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14486941&type=CO

H.R.82 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to expand retroactive eligibility of the Army Combat Action Badge to include members of the Army who participated in combat during which they personally engaged, or were personally engaged by, the enemy at any time on or after December 7, 1941.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (18)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.84 : Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.108 : Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend military commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability and to their dependents.
Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.114 : Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Business Benefit Act to allow veterans to elect to use, with the approval of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, certain financial educational assistance to establish and operate certain business, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.147 : Designate a Portion of Tax Payment for Homeless Vets. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (87)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12922516&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.161 : Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.162 : Senior Citizens' Tax Elimination Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income of Social Security benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.174 : Colorado Vet Cemetery. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region.
Sponsor: Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 11/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.177 : Depleted Uranium Screening and Testing Act to provide for identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during military service to depleted uranium, to provide for health testing of such members, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.190 : Veterans Health Equity Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State. Companion Bill S.239.
Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.198 : Health Care Tax Deduction Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals.
Sponsor: Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.208 : National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who have served on active duty or performed active service since September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.644.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (122)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials and /or
http://capwiz.com/ngaus/mail/compose/?mailid=13672261&azip=92571&bzip=7311

H.R.210 : Vet Cemetery South Carolina Land Acquisition Study. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the acquisition of a parcel of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.217 : Vet Cemetery South Carolina Land Acquisition Purchase. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acquire a parcel of land adjacent to Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, South Carolina.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.228 : Visual Impairment VA Scholarship Program to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility.
Sponsor: Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949.

H.R.236 : Social Security Protection Act to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to protect Social Security beneficiaries against any reduction in benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Rules; House Budget
Latest Major Action: 1/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.237 : Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a refundable credit to military retirees for premiums paid for coverage under Medicare Part B.
Sponsor: Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12921516&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.247 : Protect Our Veterans Memorials Act of 2009 to amend section 1369 of title 18, United States Code, to extend Federal jurisdiction over destruction of veterans' memorials on State or local government property.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

H.R.270 : TRICARE Continuity of Coverage for National Guard and Reserve Families Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve. Companion Bill S.731.
Sponsor: Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5] (introduced 1/7/2009) Cosponsors (71)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12923561&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or
http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805&False&False

H.R.293 : Homeless Women Veteran and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Program Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a grant program to provide reintegration services through programs and facilities that emphasize services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.294 : Veteran Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the reauthorization of the Department of Veterans Affairs small business loan program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.295 : More Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to authorize appropriations for the veterans' workforce investment programs.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

H.R.296 : Armed Forces Disability Retirement Enhancement Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to revise the process by which a member of the Armed Forces is retired for disability and becomes eligible for retirement pay, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.297 : Veteran Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Subsistence Allowance Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of subsistence allowance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans participating in vocational rehabilitation programs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.514
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.303 : Retired Pay Restoration Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation and to eliminate the phase-in period under current law with respect to such concurrent receipt.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (122)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.309 : American Heroes' Homeownership Assistance Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain current and former service members to receive a refundable credit for the purchase of a principal residence.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.333 : Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (122)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12406456&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] and
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12888756

H.R.341 : Suspend Limitations Period for Tax Refund on VA Retroactive Payments. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to suspend the running of periods of limitation for credit or refund of overpayment of Federal income tax by veterans while their service-connected compensation determinations are pending with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.347 : Congressional Gold Medal Award. To grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
Sponsor: Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (297) – Related bill S.1055
Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration
Latest Major Action: 5/18/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

H.R.379 : State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Expansion Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that all taxpayers have the ability to deduct State and local general sales taxes. Companion Bill S.35.
Sponsor: Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (26)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.394 : Medal of Honor Pension. To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the amount of the Medal of Honor special pension provided under that title by up to $1,000.
Sponsor: Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.403 : Homes for Heroes Act of 2009 to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Al [TX-9] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (41)
Committees: House Financial Services; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 6/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

H.R.423 : Samuel B. Moody Bataan Death March Compensation Act to provide compensation for certain World War II veterans who survived the Bataan Death March and were held as prisoners of war by the Japanese.
Sponsor: Rep Mica, John L. [FL-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.433 : Ready Employers Willing to Assist Reservists' Deployment (REWARD) Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax equal to 50 percent of the compensation paid to employees while they are performing active duty service as members of the Ready Reserve or the National Guard and of the compensation paid to temporary replacement employees.
Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (40)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.442 : Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2009 to provide an amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register certain firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (135)
Committees: House Judiciary; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

H.R.449 : Health Care for America's Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the availability of health care provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by adjusting the income level for certain priority veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.456 : Disabled Veteran Small Business Eligibility Expansion Act of 2009 to amend the Small Business Act to make service-disabled veterans eligible under the 8(a) business development program.
Sponsor: Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Small Business
Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

H.R.466 : Wounded Veteran Job Security Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination and acts of reprisal against persons who receive treatment for illnesses, injuries, and disabilities incurred in or aggravated by service in the uniformed services.
Sponsor: Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/9/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.482 : Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act to authorize the rededication of the District of Columbia War Memorial as a National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial to honor the sacrifices made by American veterans of World War I.
Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (39)
Committees: House Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

H.R.484 : Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act to require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain new beneficiaries as part of the TRICARE program.
Sponsor: Rep Rogers, Mike D. [AL-3] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (38)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.531 : Social Security Number Fraudulent Use Notification Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to require that the Commissioner of Social Security notify individuals of improper use of their Social Security account numbers.
Sponsor: Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.568 : Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 1/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.593 : CRSC for DoD Disability Severances Pay. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the authorized concurrent receipt of disability severance pay from the Department of Defense and compensation for the same disability under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover all veterans who have a combat-related disability, as defined under section 1413a of such title.
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (44)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12918951&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.598 : American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 to provide for a portion of the economic recovery package relating to revenue measures, unemployment, and health.
Sponsor: Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] (introduced 1/16/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Science and Technology; House Education and Labor; House Financial Services
House Reports: 111-8 Part 1, 111-8 Part 2
Latest Major Action: 1/28/2009 Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Ways and Means, H. Rept. 111-8, Part II.
Note: For further action, see H.R.1, which became Public Law 111-5 on 2/17/2009.

H.R.612 : Disabled Veterans Insurance Act of 2009 to amend section 1922A of title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of supplemental insurance available for totally disabled veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.613 : Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for forgiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following their death.
Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (60)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12489731&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.620 : Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an increased work opportunity credit with respect to recent veterans.
Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 1/21/2009) Cosponsors (13) Related Bill: H.R.4443
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.627 : Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009 to amend the Truth in Lending Act to establish fair and transparent practices relating to the extension of credit under an open end consumer credit plan, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (128) Related Bill S.235 Companion Bill S.414
Committees: House Financial Services
House Reports: 111-88
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-24

H.R.656 : Unemployed Early Retirement Plan Withdrawal without Penalty. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain individuals who have attained age 50 and who are unemployed to receive distributions from qualified retirement plans without incurring a 10 percent additional tax.
Sponsor: Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.667 : Heroes at Home Act of 2009 to improve the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury in members and former members of the Armed Forces, to review and expand telehealth and telemental health programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] (introduced 1/23/2009) Cosponsors (43)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.668 : Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare Program and to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans. Companion Bill S.307
Sponsor: Rep Walden, Greg [OR-2] (introduced 1/23/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.671 : In Memory Medal for Forgotten Veterans Act to direct the Secretary of Defense to issue a medal to certain veterans who died after their service in the Vietnam War as a direct result of that service.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 1/26/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.731 : Jenny's Law to amend title 38, United States Code, to exclude individuals who have been convicted of committing certain sex offenses from receiving certain burial-related benefits and funeral honors which are otherwise available to certain veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and related individuals, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] (introduced 1/27/2009) Cosponsors (25)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/27/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.746 : Safeguarding America's Seniors and Veterans Act of 2009 to provide for economic recovery payments to recipients of Social Security, railroad retirement, and veterans disability benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/28/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.761 : Parental Burial in National Cemeteries (Corey Shea Act). To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility of parents of certain deceased veterans for interment in national cemeteries.
Sponsor: Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related Bill H.R.3949
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R.3949.

H.R.775 : Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation.
Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (318) Companion Bill S.535
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/17/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via or http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12541746

H.R.784 : VA Reports to Congress. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress quarterly reports on vacancies in mental health professional positions in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
Sponsor: Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.785 : VA Outreach Training. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide outreach and training to certain college and university mental health centers relating to the mental health of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.543
Sponsor: Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.806 : TRICARE Mail-Order Pharmacy Pilot Program Act to establish a mail-order pharmacy pilot program for TRICARE beneficiaries.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.809 : Widow Remarriage Age Decrease for DIC. To amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce from age 57 to age 55 the age after which the remarriage of the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran shall not result in termination of dependency and indemnity compensation otherwise payable to that surviving spouse.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12993371

H.R.811 : Retired Pay Restoration Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation. Companion Bill S.546
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.816 : Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit certain increases in fees for military health care.
Sponsor: Rep Edwards, Chet [TX-17] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (193)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12591151&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12603596 or
http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=12607551 or
http://capwiz.com/trea/issues/alert/?alertid=12710751

H.R.819 : POW DIC Eligibility Date. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who died on or before September 30, 1999, under the same eligibility conditions as apply to payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who die after that date.
Sponsor: Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.870 : Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under part B for medically necessary dental procedures.
Sponsor: Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.879 : Affordable Health Care Expansion Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a refundable credit against income tax for the purchase of private health insurance.
Sponsor: Rep Granger, Kay [TX-12] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.883 : Social Security 1993 Tax Increase Repeal. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in income taxes on Social Security benefits.
Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 2/4/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.917 : Combat-Related Injury Death Dependent Health Benefits. To increase the health benefits of dependents of members of the Armed Forces who die because of a combat-related injury.
Sponsor: Rep Guthrie, Brett [KY-2] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.919 : Veterans' Medical Personnel Recruitment and Retention Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.929 : VA Vet Training Program. To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of training to provide eligible veterans with skills relevant to the job market, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Welch, Peter [VT] (introduced 2/9/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.931 : Veterans Employment Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the work opportunity credit with respect to certain unemployed veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related bill: H.R.4443
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.942 : Veterans Self-Employment Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot project on the use of educational assistance under programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs to defray training costs associated with the purchase of certain franchise enterprises.
Sponsor: Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.944 : Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.950 : Vet Distance Learning Assistance. To amend chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code, to increase educational assistance for certain veterans pursuing a program of education offered through distance learning.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.952 : Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.
Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (94)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.953 : Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a deduction for travel expenses to medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs in connection with examinations or treatments relating to service-connected disabilities.
Sponsor: Rep Heller, Dean [NV-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (54)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.954 : Social Security Benefits Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that a monthly insurance benefit thereunder shall be paid for the month in which the recipient dies, subject to a reduction of 50 percent if the recipient dies during the first 15 days of such month, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.972 : Retired Reserve Age for Health Benefits. To amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the requirement that certain former members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces be at least 60 years of age in order to be eligible to receive health care benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12992881

H.R.1004 : Veterans Health Care Full Funding Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide an enhanced funding process to ensure an adequate level of funding for veterans health care programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] (introduced 2/11/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/11/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1016 : Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide advance appropriations authority for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (125)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
House Reports: 111-171
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-81
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12704096

H.R.1017 : Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 and title 38, United States Code, to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and to expand access to such care and services.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (27) Related bill S.1204
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.1036 : Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director of Physical Therapy Service within the Veterans Health Administration and to establish a fellowship program for physical therapists in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.1037 : Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of certain qualifying work-study activities under title 38, United States Code.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
House Reports: 111-162
Latest Major 10/7/2009 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

H.R.1038 : Shingles Prevention Act to amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for the shingles vaccine under the Medicare Program.
Sponsor: Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.1042 : Enemy POW Hospitalization Policy. To prohibit the provision of medical treatment to enemy combatants detained by the United States at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the same facility as a member of the Armed Forces or Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility.
Sponsor: Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.1075 : Restoring Essential Care for Our Veterans for Effective Recovery (RECOVER) Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access to hospital care for veterans in major disaster areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/13/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1088 : Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a one-year period for the training of new disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives by National Veterans' Employment and Training Services Institute.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1089 : Veterans Employment Rights to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the enforcement through the Office of Special Counsel of the employment and unemployment rights of veterans and members of the Armed Forces employed by Federal executive agencies, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1098 : Veterans' Worker Retraining Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of educational assistance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certain individuals pursuing internships or on-job training.
Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.1114 : National Cemetery Availability. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a process for determining whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by the national cemeteries located in that geographic area.
Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 2/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/23/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1163 : Establish Nebraska National Cemetery. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri.
Sponsor: Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] (introduced 2/24/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 2/24/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.1168 : Veterans Retraining Act of 2009 to amend chapter 42 of title 38, United States Code, to provide certain veterans with employment training assistance.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1169 : VA Adapted Housing/Automobile Assistance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount of assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disabled veterans for specially adapted housing and automobiles and adapted equipment.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.1170 : Adapted Housing Technology Grants. To amend chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1171 : Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1172 : VA Website Scholarship Info Addition. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
House Reports: 111-164
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1182 : Military Spouses Residency Relief Act to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Carter, John R. [TX-31] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (208)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.1197 : Medal of Honor Health Care Equity Act of 2009 to assign a higher priority status for hospital care and medical services provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain veterans who are recipients of the medal of honor.
Sponsor: Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (15)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.1203 : Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums. Companion Bill S.491
Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 2/25/2009) Cosponsors (204)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12787701&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.1211: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.597
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (51)
House Reports: 111-165
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12833716&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.1232 : Far South Texas Veterans Medical Center Act of 2009 to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a full service hospital in Far South Texas.
Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.1263 : Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009 to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of new participants in the Thrift Savings Plan, and to clarify the method for computing certain annuities based on part-time service; to allow certain employees of the District of Columbia to have certain periods of service credited for purposes relating to retirement eligibility; and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.1289 : Social Security Fairness for the Terminally Ill Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1293 : Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans for improvements and structural alterations furnished as part of home health services.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/29/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1305 : Perpetual Purple Heart Stamp Act to provide for the issuance of a forever stamp to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Companion Bill S.572
Sponsor: Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (78)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

H.R.1317 : Mortgage Payment Tax Credit. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to individuals who pay their mortgages on time.
Sponsor: Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] (introduced 3/4/2009) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1335 : VA Catastrophically Disabled Copay. To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled.
Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (40)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.1336 : Veterans Education Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the basic educational assistance program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1377 : VA Emergency Treatment Reimbursement to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand veteran eligibility for reimbursement by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished in a non-Department facility, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/6/2009) Cosponsors (2) Companion Bill S.404.
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1388 : Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act to reauthorize and reform the national service laws. Passed 321-105 and placed on the Senate calendar.
Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (37) Related Bills: H.RES.250, H.RES.296, S.277
Committees: House Education and Labor,
House Reports: 111-37
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-13

H.R.1401 : VET Corps Act of 2009 to create a service corps of veterans called Veterans Engaged for Tomorrow (VET) Corps focused on promoting and improving the service opportunities for veterans and retired members of the military by engaging such veterans and retired members in projects designed to meet identifiable public needs with a specific emphasis on projects to support veterans, including disabled and older veterans and retired members of the military.
Sponsor: Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

H.R.1416 : Southern New Jersey Veterans Comprehensive Health Care Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand the capability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide for the medical-care needs of veterans in southern New Jersey.
Sponsor: Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] (introduced 3/10/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.1428 : VA Parkinson's Disease Compensation. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson's disease.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/11/2009) Cosponsors (82)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12986021&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.1474 : Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.263.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (28)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1478 : Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009 to amend chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to allow members of the Armed Forces to sue the United States for damages for certain injuries caused by improper medical care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 10/7/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 12.

H.R.1496 : Child Health Care Affordability Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a credit against income tax for medical expenses for dependents.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1513 : Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (10) Related bill S.407
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13048376&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.1519 : Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Sam [TX-3] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1522 : United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act to provide that service of the members of the organization known as the United States Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II constituted active military service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (21)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.1532 : CMOH Statute of Limitations Elimination. To amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate the statute of limitations on the award of the congressional medal of honor.
Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1544 : Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during certain periods of hostilities and war.
Sponsor: Rep Driehaus, Steve [OH-1] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1546 : Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Sponsor: Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.1592 : Pay Increase Guarantee. To amend title 37, United States Code, to guarantee a pay increase for members of the uniformed services for fiscal years 2011 through 2014 of one-half of one percentage point higher than the Employment Cost Index.
Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=13002241

H.R.1600 : TRICARE Autism Care. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE.
Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (22)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1647 : Veterans' Employment Transition Support Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for hiring veterans.
Sponsor: Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1657 : Notification of Exposure to Harmful Material/Contaminants. To direct the Secretary of Defense to notify members of the Armed Forces and State military departments of exposure to potentially harmful materials and contaminants.
Sponsor: Rep Schrader, Kurt [OR-5] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1658 : Veterans Healthcare Commitment Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the recovery by the United States of charges from a third party for hospital care or medical services furnished to a veteran for a service-connected disability.
Sponsor: Rep Tiahrt, Todd [KS-4] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.1681 : Veterans Transitional Assistance Act of 2009 to improve the coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to better provide care to members and the Armed Forces and veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1694 : Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.
Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (12) Related Bill S.1168
Committees: House Natural Resources; Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 12/16/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

H.R.1695 : Reserve Retired Pay Age Reduction. To amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service from 60 to 55.
Sponsor: Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1701 : PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review For Heroes Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a special review board for certain former members of the Armed Forces with post-traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1708 : Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.700.
Sponsor: Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (105)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

H.R.1712 : Savings for Seniors Act of 2009 to amend title II of the Social Security Act to establish a Social Security Surplus Protection Account in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund to hold the Social Security surplus, to provide for suspension of investment of amounts held in the Account until enactment of legislation providing for investment of the Trust Fund in investment vehicles other than obligations of the United States, and to establish a Social Security Investment Commission to make recommendations for alternative forms of investment of the Social Security surplus in the Trust Fund.
Sponsor: Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (20)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1716 : Property Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the deduction for real property taxes on the principal residences to all individuals whether or not they itemize other deductions.
Sponsor: Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1767 : Fair Housing Tax Credit Extension Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the first-time homebuyer credit retroactive to the beginning of 2008 and to permanently extend the credit.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1804 : Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009 to amend title 5, United States Code, to make certain modifications in the Thrift Savings Plan, the Civil Service Retirement System, and the Federal Employees' Retirement System, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (4) Related Bill H.R.108
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 307 , H.R. 1804 is laid on the table.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13048556&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.1809 : TRICARE Prime Geographic Expansion. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the geographical coverage of TRICARE Prime to include Puerto Rico and Guam.
Sponsor: Rep Pierluisi, Pedro R. [PR] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1818 : Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend military commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability and to their dependents.
Sponsor: Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1849 : World War I Memorial and Centennial Act of 2009 to designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National World War I Memorial, to establish the World War I centennial commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (101) Related Bill S.760
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

H.R.1851 : DOL Transitional Services. To amend title 10, United States Code, to require that certain members of the Armed Forces receive employment assistance, job training assistance, and other transitional services provided by the Secretary of Labor before separating from active duty service.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1872 : Secure Electronic Military Separation Act to require the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to develop and implement a secure electronic method of forwarding the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) to the appropriate office of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the State or other locality in which a member of the Armed Forces will first reside after the discharge or release of the member from active duty.
Sponsor: Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1879 : National Guard Employment Protection Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for employment and reemployment rights for certain individuals ordered to full-time National Guard duty.
Sponsor: Rep Coffman, Mike [CO-6] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805

H.R.1902 : Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2009 to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes for the benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1919 : Federal Withholding Tax Repeal Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the withholding of income and social security taxes.
Sponsor: Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1963 : Military Separation Transitional Services. To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the Armed Forces who are being separated from active duty receive comprehensive employment assistance, job training assistance, and other transitional services, to require that such members receive a psychological evaluation in addition to the physical examination they receive as part of their separation from active duty, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.1982 : Veterans Entitlement to Service (VETS) Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.1994 : Citizen Soldier Equality Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide equity between active and reserve component members of the Armed Forces in the computation of disability retired pay for members wounded in action.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Geoff [KY-4] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

H.R.2014 : WASP Gold Medal Award. To award a congressional gold medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots ("WASP").
Sponsor: Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (335) Companion Bill S.614
Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration
Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.2017 : MOAA Federal Charter. To amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (140) Companion Bill S.832 Related Bill S.1449
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 5/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

H.R.2059 : SBP Disabled Child Trust. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment of monthly annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to a supplemental or special needs trust established for the sole benefit of a disabled dependent child of a participant in the Survivor Benefit Plan.
Sponsor: Rep Foster, Bill [IL-14] (introduced 4/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2127 : Veterans Travel Equity Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the income eligibility and service-connected disability rating requirements for the veterans beneficiary travel program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] (introduced 4/27/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/1/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.2138 : Services, Education, and Rehabilitation for Veterans Act to provide grants to establish veteran's treatment courts.
Sponsor: Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] (introduced 4/28/2009) Cosponsors (29) Related Bill S.902
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 5/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.

H.R.2180 : Disabled Vet Housing Loan Fee Waiver. To amend title 38, United States Code, to waive housing loan fees for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities called to active service.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 4/29/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
House Reports: 111-163
Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 81.

H.R.2243 : Surviving Spouses Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (73)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13303636&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.2244 : Single Parent Protection Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an individual who is entitled to receive child support a refundable credit equal to the amount of unpaid child support and to increase the tax liability of the individual required to pay such support by the amount of the unpaid child support.
Sponsor: Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2254 : The Agent Orange Equity Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (238)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13301656&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.2257 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Eddie B [TX-30] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (None) - Related Bill S.315
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2263 : Disability Equity Act to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the waiting periods for people with disabilities for entitlement to disability benefits and Medicare, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 5/5/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2270 : Benefits for Qualified World War II Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the establishment of a compensation fund to make payments to qualified World War II veterans on the basis of certain qualifying service.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/6/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.2302 : Military Retired Pay Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to limit recoupments of separation pay, special separation benefits, and voluntary separation incentive from members of the Armed Forces subsequently receiving retired or retainer pay.
Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (5) Companion bill S.1008
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13682556&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13967481&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.2342 : Wounded Warrior Project Family Caregiver Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a family caregiver program to furnish support services to family members certified as family caregivers who provide personal care services for certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.2365 : Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009 to require the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits under titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act.
Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 5/12/2009) Cosponsors (58)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: 5/12/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.2379 : Veterans' Group Life Insurance Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain veterans an opportunity to increase the amount of Veterans' Group Life Insurance.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.2389 : Veterans' Group Life Insurance Improvement Act of 2009 to require the Secretary of Defense to establish registries of members and former members of the Armed Forces exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed to such hazards, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] (introduced 5/13/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/12/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

H.R.2405 : Richard Helm Veterans' Access to Local Health Care Options and Resources Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans enrolled in the health system of the Department of Veterans Affairs the option of receiving covered health services through facilities other than those of the Department.
Sponsor: Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.2412 : Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas.
Sponsor: Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.2419 : Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Prevention Act to require the Secretary of Defense to establish a medical surveillance system to identify members of the Armed Forces exposed to chemical hazards resulting from the disposal of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan, to prohibit the disposal of waste by the Armed Forces in a manner that would produce dangerous levels of toxins, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (23)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

H.R.2429 : Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009 to require the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act.
Sponsor: Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (20)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.2456 : Veterans Education Tuition Support Act of 2009 to amend section 484B of Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to students who withdraw from an institution of higher education to serve in the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] (introduced 5/18/2009) Cosponsors (33) Related Bills: H.R.2561, S.1603
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

H.R.2474 : Veterans Educational Equity Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an individual entitled to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance program who is enrolled at an institution of higher education in a State in which the public institutions charge only fees in lieu of tuition, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall allow the individual to use all or any portion of the amounts payable for the established charges for the program of education to pay any amount of the individual's tuition or fees for that program of education.
Sponsor: Rep McKeon, Howard P. "Buck" [CA-25] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2486 : Vet Organization Funeral Detail Support. To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for support of funeral ceremonies for veterans provided by details that consist solely of members of veterans organizations and other organizations, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Gohmert, Louie [TX-1] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2504 : Homeless Vet VA Appropriation Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.2505 : Reaching Rural Veterans through Telehealth Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to utilize tele-health platforms to assist in the treatment of veterans living in rural areas who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2506 : Veterans Hearing and Assessment Act to direct the Secretary of Defense to ensure the members of the Armed Forces receive mandatory hearing screenings before and after deployments and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to mandate that tinnitus be listed as a mandatory condition for treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs Auditory Centers of Excellence and that research on the preventing, treating, and curing of tinnitus be conducted.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 5/19/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2546 : Right to Display Service Flag. To ensure that the right of an individual to display the Service flag on residential property not be abridged.
Sponsor: Rep Boccieri, John A. [OH-16] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (38)
Committees: House Financial Services
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

H.R.2553 : Atomic Veterans Service Medal Act to authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other circumstances.
Sponsor: Rep Tiahrt, Todd [KS-4] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (14) Related bill S.1128
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2559 : Help Our Homeless Veterans Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a national media campaign directed at homeless veterans and veterans at risk for becoming homeless.
Sponsor: Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.2561 : Help Student Soldiers Act to amend section 484B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to forgive certain loans for servicemembers who withdraw from an institution of higher education as a result of service in the uniformed services, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (20) Related Bills: H.R.2456, S.1603
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

H.R.2573 : Atomic Veterans Relief Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the eligibility criteria for presumption of service-connection of certain diseases and disabilities for veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during military service, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (23)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2583 : Women Veterans Access to Care Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve health care for women veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2585 : Protecting the Retirement of Our Troops by Ensuring Compensation is Timely Act to delay any presumption of death in connection with the kidnapping in Iraq or Afghanistan of a retired member of the Armed Forces to ensure the continued payment of the member's retired pay.
Sponsor: Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2586 : Honor Guard 13-fold Flag Recitation Option. To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from authorizing honor guards to participate in funerals of veterans interred in national cemeteries unless the honor guards may offer veterans' families the option of having the honor guard perform a 13-fold flag recitation, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (46)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2594 : Dependent State Plot VA Allowance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in State cemeteries.
Sponsor: Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2598 : Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon Gold Medal. To grant a congressional gold medal to American military personnel who fought in defense of Bataan/Corregidor/Luzon between December 7, 1941 and May 6, 1942.
Sponsor: Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (23)
Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.2621 : Travel Expense Reimbursement Time Requirement. To amend title 10, United States Code, to use a time requirement for determining eligibility for the reimbursement of certain travel expenses.
Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Kevin [CA-22] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2638 : Veterans Stamp to Honor American Veterans Act to provide for the issuance of a veterans health care stamp.
Sponsor: Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.2642 : Veterans Missing in America Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assist in the identification of unclaimed and abandoned human remains to determine if any such remains are eligible for burial in a national cemetery, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Tiberi, Patrick J. [OH-12] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.2647 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] (by request) (introduced 6/2/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.2990
Committees: House Armed Services
House Reports: 111-166, 111-166 Part 2
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-84

H.R.2672 : Help Veterans Own Franchises Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow credits for the establishment of franchises with veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Schock, Aaron [IL-18] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (26)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2673 : Surviving Spouse Pension Upgrade. To amend title 38, United States Code, to match the pension amount paid to surviving spouses of veterans who served during a period of war to the pension amount paid to such veterans.
Sponsor: Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.2683 : To establish the American Veterans Congressional Internship Program.
Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Administration
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
 
H.R.2689 : D-Day Memorial. To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, as a unit of the National Park System.
Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related bill S.1207
Committees: House Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.2696 : Servicemembers’ Rights Protection Act to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the enforcement of rights afforded under that Act.
Sponsor: Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949.

H.R.2698 : Veterans’ and Survivors’ Behavioral Health Awareness Act to improve and enhance the mental health care benefits available to veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (46)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.2699 : Armed Forces Behavioral Health Awareness Act to improve the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces, to enhance counseling available to family members of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (36)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2713 : Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Enhancement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the service disabled veterans' insurance program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
  
H.R.2734 : Health Care for Family Caregivers Act of 2009 to amend section 1781 of title 38, United States Code, to provide medical care to family members of disabled veterans who serve as caregivers to such veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.2735 : Homeless Vet Service Program Improvements. To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to the comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.2738 : Family Caregiver Travel Expense Compensation. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 6/4/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/18/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.2756 : Veterans Home Loan Refinance Opportunity Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow eligible veterans to use qualified veterans mortgage bonds to refinance home loans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] (introduced 6/8/2009) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
 
H.R.2771 : Military Overpayment Fairness Act of 2009 to amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to provide a more equitable process by which the military departments may recover overpayments of military pay and allowances erroneously paid to a member of the Armed Forces when the overpayment is due to no fault of the member, to expand Department discretion regarding remission or cancellation of indebtedness, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 6/9/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2774 : Families of Veterans Financial Security Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent the extension of the duration of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage for totally disabled veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 6/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
 
H.R.2788 : Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act to designate a Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California.
Sponsor: Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] (introduced 6/10/2009) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 6/12/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

H.R.2830 : Providing Access to Healthcare (PATH) for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to give priority to unemployed veterans in furnishing hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to certain veterans assigned to priority level 8.
Sponsor: Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/12/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 H.R.2836 : National Guard and Reservist Suicide Prevention and Community Response Act to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to improve and expand suicide prevention and community healing and response training under the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
Sponsor: Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2879 : Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans who live in rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 6/15/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. 

H.R.2898 : Wounded Warrior Caregiver Assistance Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide support services for family caregivers of disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 6/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.2926 : VA Special Care for Vietnam-era & Persian Gulf War Vets Exposed to Herbicides. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide, without expiration, hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain Vietnam-era veterans exposed to herbicide and veterans of the Persian Gulf War.
Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 6/17/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.2928: Post-9/11 GI Bill Apprenticeship/OJT Program. To amend title 38, United State Code, to provide for an apprenticeship and on-job training program under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program.
Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 6/17/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.2965 : Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009 to amend the Small Business Act with respect to the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, and for other purposes.: Amended with H.AMDT.291 by Rep. David Reichert, D-WA to give preference to organizations that are located in under represented states and regions, or are women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, or minority-owned when awarding grants for Small Business Administration (SBA) outreach efforts authorized under Title III (rural development and outreach).
Sponsor: Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Small Business; House Science and Technology
House Reports: 111-190 Part 1, 111-190 Part 2
Latest Major Action: 7/13/2009 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1233 with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. 

H.R.2968 : SGLI/VGLI Accelerated Death Benefit. To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate the required reduction in the amount of the accelerated death benefit payable to certain terminally-ill persons insured under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance or Veterans' Group Life Insurance.
Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.2970 : Federal Law Enforcement Officer Vet Age Limit. To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the maximum age limit for an original appointment to a position as a Federal law enforcement officer in the case of any individual who has been discharged or released from active duty in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

H.R.2974 : Disabled Vet Health Savings Account Eligibility. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals eligible for veterans health benefits to contribute to health savings accounts.
Sponsor: Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.2980 : Survivor Benefit Time Limit for 100% Disabled Vets. To amend title 38, United States Code, to reduce the period of time for which a veteran must be totally disabled before the veteran's survivors are eligible for the benefits provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 6/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.2990 : Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act of 2009 to provide special pays and allowances to certain members of the Armed Forces, expand concurrent receipt of military retirement and VA disability benefits to disabled military retirees, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] (introduced 6/23/2009) Cosponsors (25) Related Bill H.R.2647
Committees: House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Natural Resources; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/25/2009 Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 572 , H.R. 2990 is laid on the table.

H.R.3067 : Health Security for All Americans Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform Medicare payments to physicians and certain other providers and improve Medicare benefits, to encourage the offering of health coverage by small businesses, to provide tax incentives for the purchase of health insurance by individuals, to increase access to health care for veterans, to address the nursing shortage, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Education and Labor; House Ways and Means; House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 8/3/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.3073 : Pending Vet Homeless Grant Program. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs establish a grant program to provide assistance to veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless.
Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.3087 : Establish VA Claim Decision Deadlines. To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a deadline for decisions with respect to claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1] (introduced 6/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/10/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

 H.R.3155 : Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain caregivers of veterans with training, support, and medical care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/28/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. 

H.R.3199 : Emergency Medic Transition (EMT) Act of 2009 to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to State emergency medical service departments to provide for the expedited training and licensing of veterans with prior medical training, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R.3200 : America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Ways and Means; House Education and Labor; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Budget
Latest Major Action: 10/14/2009 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 168.

H.R.3223 : Vet Owned Businesses VA Contracts. To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs contracting goals and preferences for small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 7/15/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.3266 : Veteran Assistance Dog Grant Program. To establish a grant program to encourage the use of assistance dogs by certain members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] (introduced 7/20/2009) Cosponsors (21) Related Bill S.1485
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3280 : Rural Vet Transportation Grant Program. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program to assist veterans in highly rural areas by providing transportation to medical centers.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3281 : Vet Care Rural Area Demonstration Project. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out demonstration projects related to providing care for veterans in rural areas.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3282 : Vet Readjustment and Mental Health Care Services. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide certain veterans with readjustment and mental health care services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3283 : VA Travel Reimbursement for Veterans Annual Review. To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for reimbursement of certain travel at a set rate, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3324 : Stable Future for Veterans' Children Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the payment of monthly annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to a supplemental or special needs trust established for the sole benefit of a disabled dependent child of a participant in the Survivor Benefit Plan.
Sponsor: Rep Cantor, Eric [VA-7] (introduced 7/24/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

H.R.3337 : Post-9/11 Veterans' Job Training Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the use of entitlement under Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program for the pursuit of apprenticeships and on-job training.
Sponsor: Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] (introduced 7/24/2009) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3349 : NAIV Charter. To grant a Federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill S.1520
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 8/19/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

H.R.3365 : Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009 to provide Medicare payments to Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for items and services provided to Medicare-eligible veterans for non-service-connected conditions.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (28)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Energy and Commerce; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3366 : Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act to prohibit the use of funds to promote the direct deposit of Veterans and Social Security benefits until adequate safeguards are established to prevent the attachment and garnishment of such benefits.
Sponsor: Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.3368 : Honor Act of 2009 to enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members of the Armed Forces with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to enhance availability and access to mental health counseling for members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Markey, Betsy [CO-4] (introduced 7/28/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services; House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.3403 : Supporting Military Families Act of 2009 to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to provide leave for family members of members of regular components of the Armed Forces, and leave to care for covered veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Education and Labor; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

H.R.3407 : Severely Injured Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to benefits for severely injured veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (21)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/31/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

 H.R.3441 : Combat Vet VA Enrollment. To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
 
H.R.3467 : Veterans Education Enhancement and Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs for individuals pursuing programs of education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3484 : VA Work Study Authority. To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority for certain qualifying work-study activities for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3485 : Veterans Pensions Protection Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that monetary benefits paid to veterans by States and municipalities shall be excluded from consideration as income for purposes of pension benefits paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.3491 : Thomas G. Schubert Agent Orange Fairness Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service connection for certain cancers occurring in veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam and were exposed to certain herbicide agents, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
 
 H.R.3507 : VA Survivor Education Rate Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the rates of survivors' and dependents' educational assistance payable by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Paulsen, Erik [MN-3] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
 
H.R.3522 : Veterans Hardship Outreach for Priority Eights (HOPE) Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide grants and assistance to States to conduct outreach to veterans regarding hardship and priority under the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system.
Sponsor: Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3544 : National Cemeteries Expansion Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide guidelines for the establishment of new national cemeteries by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 9/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.3554 : National Guard Education Equality Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] (introduced 9/10/2009) Cosponsors (85)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.3573 : Call to Service Homebuyer Credit Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent a change in residency as a result of extended official duty in the uniformed services, Foreign Service, or intelligence community from triggering the repayment provisions of the first time homebuyer credit, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related bills: H.R.2562
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 9/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.3575 : Vet Mortgage Life Insurance Increase. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the maximum amount of veterans' mortgage life insurance available under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.3577 : Education Assistance to Realign New Eligibilities for Dependents (EARNED) Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United State Code, to provide authority for certain members of the Armed Forces who have served 20 years on active duty to transfer entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to their dependents.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 9/15/2009) Cosponsors (16)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/24/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.3620 : Hiring Heroes Tax Incentive Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for employing members of the Ready Reserve and National Guard and veterans recently separated from the Armed Forces.
Sponsor: Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] (introduced 9/22/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 9/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.3657 : USPHS & NOAA GI Bill Benefit Transfer. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for members of the United States Public Health Service and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Corps to transfer unused benefits under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program to family members, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] (introduced 9/25/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3661 : GI Bill Housing Stipend. To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a monthly housing stipend under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program for individuals pursuing programs of education offered through distance learning, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] (introduced 9/29/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3672 : Social Security COLA Fix for 2010 Act to provide for an increase of $150 in Social Security benefits for one month in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for that year, and to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the requirement that there be a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for an adjustment in the contribution and benefit base to occur.
Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] (introduced 9/29/2009) Cosponsors (15)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 9/29/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.3677: Save Our Seniors' Social Security Act of 2009 to provide $280 relief payments to recipients of Social Security and railroad retirement benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Granger, Kay [TX-12] (introduced 9/30/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Transportation and Infrastructure; House Appropriations
Latest Major Action: 10/1/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

H.R.3685 : Inclusion of VetSuccess on VA Website. To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the main page of the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a hyperlink to the VetSuccess Internet website and to publicize such Internet website.
Sponsor: Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] (introduced 9/30/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/2/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3719 : Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 10/6/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3787 : Treat Certain Reserve Time as Active Duty Time. To amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] (introduced 10/8/2009) Cosponsors (30) Related bill: S.1780
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/9/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. 

H.R.3796 : Homeless Vet Assistor’s Per Diem Grants. To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve per diem grant payments for organizations assisting homeless veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3813 : Veterans Training Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the approval of certain programs of education for purposes of the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program.
Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

H.R.3843 : Transparency for America's Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publish redacted medical quality-assurance records of the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Internet website of the Department.
Sponsor: Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] (introduced 10/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3885 : Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy.
Sponsor: Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] (introduced 10/21/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

H.R.3886 : Providing Military Honors for our Nation's Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse certain volunteers who provide funeral honors details at the funerals of veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/23/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.3906 : Low Income Vet Family Permanent Housing. To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs program to provide financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing.
Sponsor: Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] (introduced 10/22/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/23/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.3908 : Families of Disabled Veterans Work Opportunity Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide the work opportunity tax credit with respect to a designated family member of a veteran with a service-connected disability if the veteran is unable to work.
Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 10/22/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 10/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.3926 : Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 10/26/2009) Cosponsors (43)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.3943 : Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (149) Related Bill S.
Committees: House Education and Labor; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

H.R.3948 : Test Prep for Heroes Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for entitlement under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program to payment for test preparatory courses, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Putnam, Adam H. [FL-12] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (28)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.3949 : Veterans' Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, and the Servicemember Civil Relief Act, to make certain improvements in the laws relating to benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (22) Related Bill: H.R.761
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/4/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.3998 : Compensation for Combat Veterans Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the service treatable as service engaged in combat with the enemy for utilization of non-official evidence for proof of service-connection in a combat-related disease or injury.
Sponsor: Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] (introduced 11/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.4006 : Rural, American Indian Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for Indian veterans health care coordinators, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 11/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.4028 : Rural Veterans Services Outreach and Training Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve services for veterans residing in rural areas.
Sponsor: Rep Wu, David [OR-1] (introduced 11/5/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

H.R.4043 : Military Spouse Pin Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to recognize the spouses of members of the Armed Forces who are serving in combat or have served in combat through the presentation of an official lapel button.
Sponsor: Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.4044 : Vet Plot & Headstone/Marker Allowance. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to restore plot allowance eligibility for veterans of any war and to restore the headstone or marker allowance for eligible persons.
Sponsor: Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (37)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4045 : Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase burial benefits for veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (40)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4048 : Rural Area TBI Pilot Program. To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on the provision of traumatic brain injury care in rural areas.
Sponsor: Rep Capito, Shelley Moore [WV-2] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4051 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (13) Related bill: S.2743
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.4054 : Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veteran Entitlements Act of 2009. To amend titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of disability rated and certified as total by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as disability for purposes of such titles.
Sponsor: Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (56) Related Bill: S.2759
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 11/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.4058 : Veterans to Work Pilot Program Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to establish the Veterans to Work Program providing for the employment of individuals, especially veterans, who participate in apprenticeship programs on designated military construction projects, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

H.R.4063 : WWII Messman/Steward Congressional Gold Medal. To grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the messman and steward branches of United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard that served during World War II.
Sponsor: Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] (introduced 11/7/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Financial Services; House Administration
Latest Major Action: 11/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.4064 : Post-9/11 EAP Improvements. To make certain improvements in the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program.
Sponsor: Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] (introduced 11/7/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/7/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4073 : Rural Veterans Reimbursement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the payments to certain veterans for certain travel expenses.
Sponsor: Rep Minnick, Walter [ID-1] (introduced 11/16/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4121 : Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the appeals process of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to establish a commission to study judicial review of the determination of veterans' benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 11/19/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4156 : Increasing Housing Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2009 to provide for certain improvements in the laws relating to housing for veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] (introduced 11/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Financial Services
Latest Major Action: 11/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

H.R.4203 : Direct Deposit of Vet Education Payments. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans certain educational assistance payments through direct deposit.
Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 12/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 12/3/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4220 : Promoting Jobs for Veterans Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to small business concerns and employment assistance, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (15)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Education and Labor; House Small Business
Latest Major Action: 1/4/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

H.R.4221 : Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improved acquisition practices by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.4241 : State Veteran Home Payments. To amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State veterans homes.
Sponsor: Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] (introduced 12/8/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 12/8/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4279 : Vet Accelerated Educational Assistance Payments. To amend titles 38 and 10, United States Code, to authorize accelerated payments of educational assistance to certain veterans and members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces.
Sponsor: Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5] (introduced 12/10/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/12/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.4319 : Specially Adapted Housing Assistance Enhancement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain improvements in the laws relating to specially adapted housing assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Moran, Jerry [KS-1] (introduced 12/15/2009)      Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 12/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4320 : Post-9/11 GI Education Fairness Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the types of approved programs of education for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Rep Murphy, Scott [NY-20] (introduced 12/15/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 12/15/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4350 : Fallen Heroes Family Act of 2009 to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for nonimmigrant status for an alien who is the parent or legal guardian of a United States citizen child if the child was born abroad and is the child of a deceased member of the Armed Forces of the United States.
Sponsor: Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 12/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R.4359 : WARMER Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to guarantee housing loans for the construction energy efficient dwellings, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 12/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4403 : SPACE-A Travel Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize space-available travel on military aircraft for unremarried surviving spouses of retired members of the uniformed services and the unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who died from a service-connected or compensable disability, and for the dependents of such spouses.
Sponsor: Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] (introduced 12/16/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/21/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

H.R.4429 : Restoring the Social Security COLA Act to provide for an increase of $250 in benefits under certain Federal cash benefit programs for one month in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for that year.
Sponsor: Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] (introduced 1/13/2010) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Ways and Means; House Appropriations; House Veterans' Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Major Action: 1/13/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Appropriations, Veterans' Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.4443 : Veterans Employment Today Act of 2010 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the work opportunity tax credit for hiring veterans.
Sponsor: Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] (introduced 1/13/2010) Cosponsors (None) Related Bills: H.R.620, H.R.931, S.274
Committees: House Ways and Means
Latest Major Action: 1/13/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.4465 : Vet Financial Status for Hospital Care. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take into account each child a veteran has when determining the veteran's financial status when receiving hospital care or medical services.
Sponsor: Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8] (introduced 1/19/2010) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/19/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R.4525 : Chapter 61 Concurrent Receipt Entitlement. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members' disability rating percentage.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/26/2010) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Budget; House Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/26/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

H.R.4551 : Retiree Restoration of Health Care Coverage. To restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] (introduced 1/27/2010) Cosponsors (30)
Committees: House Armed Services; House Oversight and Government Reform
Latest Major Action: 1/27/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Senate: Veteran Legislation Status 28 January 2010: Of the 2959 Senate pieces of legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to date, the following are of interest to the non-active duty veteran community. Bill titles in green (if any) are new additions to this summary. A good indication on the likelihood a bill of being forwarded to the House or Senate for passage and subsequently being signed into law by the President is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. An alternate way for it to become law is if it is added as an addendum to another bill such as the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and survives the conference committee assigned to iron out the difference between the House and Senate bills. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s text, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To separately determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html To review a numerical list of all bills introduced refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/111search.html The key to increasing cosponsorship is letting legislators know of their constituent’s views on issues. Those bills that include a website in red are being pushed by various veterans groups for passage and by clicking on that website you can forward a preformatted message to your legislator requesting he/she support the bill.

United States Senate website:http://www.senate.gov/
To contact Members of the U.S Senate, go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

S.35 : IRS Sales Tax Permanent Deduction. A bill to provide a permanent deduction for State and local general sales taxes. Companion Bill H.R.369.
Sponsor: Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.46 : Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2009 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.
Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (26) Related Bill: H.R.43
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14486941&type=CO

S.66 : Disabled Vet Space A. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit former members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces are entitled to travel on such aircraft.
Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.67 : Disabled POW Commissary/Exchange Use. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.
Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.68 : Filipino Service Certification. A bill to require the Secretary of the Army to determine the validity of the claims of certain Filipinos that they performed military service on behalf of the United States during World War II.
Sponsor: Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.94 : Long-Term Care Family Accessibility Act. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a nonrefundable tax credit for long-term care insurance premiums.
Sponsor: Sen Vitter, David [LA] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Major Action: 1/13/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.239 : Veterans Health Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that veterans in each of the 48 contiguous States are able to receive services in at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the State or receive comparable services provided by contract in the State.
Sponsor: Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (1) Companion Bill H.R.190
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.246 : Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 1/14/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.252 : Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals, to improve the provision of health care veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (11)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/dav/issues/alert/?alertid=14008476&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.263 : Servicemembers Access to Justice Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1474.
Sponsor: Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.274 : Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an incentive to hire unemployed veterans.
Sponsor: Sen Baucus, Max [MT] (introduced 1/16/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill: H.R.4443
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/16/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.296 : Fair Tax Act of 2009. A bill to promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national sales tax to be administered primarily by the States.
Sponsor: Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.307 : Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2009. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program and to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans. Companion Bill H.R.668
Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 1/22/2009) Cosponsors (15)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.315 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.32
Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 1/26/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.2257
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.347 : Vet Hand Loss Traumatic Injury Protection. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to distinguish between the severity of a qualifying loss of a dominant hand and a qualifying loss of a non-dominant hand for purposes of traumatic injury protection under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 1/29/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.402 : Keeping Our Promise to America's Military Veterans Act. A bill to improve the lives of our Nation's veterans and their families and provide them with the opportunity to achieve the American dream.
Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.404 : Veterans' Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand veteran eligibility for reimbursement by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for emergency treatment furnished in a non-Department facility, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1377.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.407 : Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009. A bill to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (17) Related bill H.R.1513
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Senate Reports: 111-24
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-37 [GPO: Text, PDF]

S.423 : Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize advance appropriations for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 2/12/2009) Cosponsors (56)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 8/6/2009 Senate floor actions. Status: Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 101.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12703276

S.491 : Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums.
Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (47) Companion Bill H.R.1203
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.498 : Vet Dental Insurance. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize dental insurance for veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.514 : Veterans Rehabilitation and Training Improvements Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance vocational rehabilitation benefits for veterans, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.297.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.535 : SBP DIC Offset Elimination. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.775.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (54)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senator send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=14275496&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.543 : Veteran and Servicemember Family Caregiver Support Act of 2009. A bill to require a pilot program on training, certification, and support for family caregivers of seriously disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces to provide caregiver services to such veterans and members, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 3/6/2009) Cosponsors (14) Companion Bill H.R.785.
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.546 : Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service of Combat-Related Special Compensation. Companion Bill H.R.811.
Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 3/9/2009) Cosponsors (44)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/9/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12904686&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.572 : Purple Heart Forever Stamp. A bill to provide for the issuance of a "forever stamp" to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart. Companion Bill H.R.1305.
Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 3/11/2009) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/23/2009 Referred to Senate subcommittee. Status: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security.

S.597 : Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1211
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (20)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.606 : Veterans Corps Program. A bill to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a Veterans Corps program.
Sponsor: Sen Warner, Mark R. [VA] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.614 : WASP Gold Medal Award. A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots ("WASP").
Sponsor: Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey [TX] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (75) Companion Bill H.R.2014
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-40 [GPO: Text, PDF]

S.642 : Health Care for Members of the Armed Forces Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to establish registries of members and former members of the Armed Forces exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed to such hazards, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.644 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.
Sponsor: Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (13) Companion Bill H.R.208 Related Bill S.831
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/ncoausa/issues/alert/?alertid=12995086&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or
http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12960556

S.658 : Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans who live in rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Tester, Jon [MT] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.663 : Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (50)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.669 : Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the conditions under which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent for certain purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 3/23/2009) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/16/2009 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 78.

S.691 : Colorado National Cemetery for Veterans. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.699 : South Texas Veterans' Hospital. A bill to provide for the construction by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a full service hospital in Far South Texas.
Sponsor: Sen Cornyn, John [TX] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.700 : Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1708.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (19)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.728 : Veterans' Insurance and Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance veterans' insurance benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/7/2009 Senate floor actions. Status: Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 155.

S.731 : TRICARE Coverage For "Gray Area" Reservists. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve. Companion Bill H.R.270
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/26/2009) Cosponsors (23)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 3/26/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via  http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805&False&False

S.734 : Rural Veterans Health Care Access and Quality Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain physicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas and to improve the provision of health care to veterans in rural areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 3/30/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.746 : Nebraska National Cemetery. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, E. Benjamin [NE] (introduced 3/31/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.760 : National World War I Memorial. A bill to designate the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the "National World War I Memorial".
Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related Bill H.R.1849
Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 12/3/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.

S.768 : Bataan Gold Medal Initiative. A bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the soldiers from the United States who were prisoners of war at Bataan during World War II.
Sponsor: Sen Udall, Tom [NM] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

S.772 : Honor Act of 2009. A bill to enhance benefits for survivors of certain former members of the Armed Forces with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to enhance availability and access to mental health counseling for members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bond, Christopher S. [MO] (introduced 4/1/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.793 : Department of Veterans Affairs Vision Scholars Act of 2009. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility.
Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.801 : Family Caregiver Program Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to waive charges for humanitarian care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to family members accompanying veterans severely injured after September 11, 2001, as they receive medical care from the Department and to provide assistance to family caregivers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (27)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/25/2009 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 167.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13104956&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.820 : Veterans Mobility Enhancement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the automobile assistance allowance for veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.821 : VA Copay Collection Prohibition. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read the second time and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.831 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/20/2009) Cosponsors (27) Related Bill S.644
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805

S.832 : MOAA Federal Charter. A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 4/20/2009) Cosponsors (41) Companion Bill H.R.2017 Related Bill S.1449
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-95 [GPO: Text, PDF]

S.842 : VA Home Loan Payoff to Mortgagers. A bill to repeal the sunset of certain enhancements of protections of servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay mortgage holders unpaid balances on housing loans guaranteed by Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.847 : SBP Education Assistance Limitation Exclusion. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that utilization of survivors' and dependents' educational assistance shall not be subject to the 48-month limitation on the aggregate amount of assistance utilizable under multiple veterans and related educational assistance programs.
Sponsor: Sen Webb, Jim [VA] (introduced 4/21/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.883 : Medal of Honor Coin. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the Medal of Honor in 1861, America's highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States, to honor the American military men and women who have been recipients of the Medal of Honor, and to promote awareness of what the Medal of Honor represents and how ordinary Americans, through courage, sacrifice, selfless service and patriotism, can challenge fate and change the course of history.
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/23/2009) Cosponsors (85)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/23/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

S.902 : Veteran's Treatment Courts. A bill to provide grants to establish veteran's treatment courts.
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/27/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related Bill H.R.2127
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S. 944 - The Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the Secretaries of the military departments to give wounded members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces the option of remaining on active duty during the transition process in order to continue to receive military pay and allowances, to authorize members to reside at their permanent places of residence during the process, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] (introduced 4/30/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 4/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13266571&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.977 : Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.998 : Arthur Woolweaver, Jr., Social Security Act Improvements for the Terminally Ill Act. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 5/7/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1008 : Military Retired Pay Fairness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to limit requirements of separation pay, special separation benefits, and voluntary separation incentive from members of the Armed Forces subsequently receiving retired or retainer pay.
Sponsor: Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] (introduced 5/7/2009) Cosponsors (7) Companion bill H.R.2302
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/7/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13682656&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13967481&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.1015 : Enhanced Disability Compensation for Certain Disabled Veterans. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance disability compensation for certain disabled veterans with difficulties using prostheses and disabled veterans in need of regular aid and attendance for residuals of traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/11/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1016 : Vet Disability Compensation Award upon Separation. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the commencement of the period of payment of original awards of compensation for veterans who are retired or separated from the Uniformed services for disability.
Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 5/11/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/11/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1042 : Illegal Garnishment Prevention Act. A bill to prohibit the use of funds to promote the direct deposit of Veterans and Social Security benefits until adequate safeguards are established to prevent the attachment and garnishment of such benefits.
Sponsor: Sen Kohl, Herb [WI] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1055 : Gold Medal Award for 100th Inf Bn & 442nd RCT. A bill to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (37) Related bill H.R.347
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

S.1106 : Selected Reserve Continuum of Care Act. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to require the provision of medical and dental readiness services to certain members of the Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve based on medical need, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 5/20/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1109 : PRO-VETS Act of 2009. A bill to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes or the benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 5/20/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1118 : DIC Compensation Rate Increase to 55%. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1128 : Atomic Veterans Service Medal Act. A bill to authorize the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participation in the testing of nuclear weapons or under other circumstances.
Sponsor: Sen Roberts, Pat [KS] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (3) Related bill H.R.2553
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1160 : Homes for Heroes Act of 2009. A bill to provide housing assistance for very low-income veterans.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/1/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/1/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

S.1166 : Voluntary Support for Reservists and National Guard Members Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to designate part or all of any income tax refund to support reservists and National Guard members.
Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 S.1168 : Nationally Significant Battlefields Protection. A bill to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.1694
Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Latest Major Action: 7/15/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-92.

S.1169 : Uniformed Services with Autism (USA) Heroes Act . A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 6/3/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 6/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1204 : Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/8/2009) Cosponsors (6) Related bill H.R.1017
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1237 : Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents and to establish a grant program for reintegration of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 1/28/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Date of scheduled consideration. SR-418. 9:30 a.m.

S.1337 : Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2009. A bill to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from the numerical limitations on immigrant visas.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 6/24/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.1347 : Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009. A bill to amend chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to allow members of the Armed Forces to sue the United States for damages for certain injuries caused by improper medical care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 6/24/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via
http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13791596&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.1394 : Veterans Entitlement to Service Act of 2009. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by claimants, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 7/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1427 : Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1429 : Servicemembers Mental Health Care Commission Act. A bill to establish a commission on veterans and members of the Armed Forces with post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or other mental health disorders, to enhance the capacity of mental health care providers to assist such veterans and members, to ensure such veterans are not discriminated against, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 7/9/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

 S.1449 : MOAA Federal Charter. A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to grant a Federal charter to the Military Officers Association of America, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related Bill H.R.2017 & S,832
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
 
 S.1450 : Deceased Servicemen Parental Nursing Home Care. A bill to enable State homes to furnish nursing home care to parents any of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces.
Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
 
S.1452 : COMBAT PTSD Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1467 : Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide coverage under Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance for adverse reactions to vaccinations administered by the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 7/16/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1495 : Service Dogs for Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using service dogs for the treatment or rehabilitation of veterans with physical or mental injuries or disabilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Franken, Al [MN] (introduced 7/22/2009) Cosponsors (7) Related Bill H.R.3266
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/22/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1518 : Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.
Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1520 : NAIV Charter. A bill to grant a Federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated.
Sponsor: Sen Johnson, Tim [SD] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill H.R.3349
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 7/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

S.1543 : Supporting Military Families Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to provide leave for family members of members of regular components of the Armed Forces, and leave to care for covered veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 7/30/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.1547 : Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing Act of 1937 to enhance and expand the assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Reed, Jack [RI] (introduced 7/30/2009) Cosponsors (17)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

 S.1556 : Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 8/3/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1558 : Travel Reimbursement for Inactive Duty Training Personnel (TRIP) Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 37, United States Code, to provide travel and transportation allowances for members of the reserve components for long distance and certain other travel to inactive duty training.
Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 8/3/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 8/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1603 : Veterans Education Tuition Support Act of 2009. A bill to amend section 484B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to students who withdraw from an institution of higher education to serve in the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 8/6/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related Bills: H.R.2456, H.R.2561
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 8/6/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.1668 : National Guard Education Equality Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 9/14/2009) Cosponsors (12)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1685 : Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2009. A bill to provide an emergency benefit of $250 to seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for such year, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 9/17/2009) Cosponsors (10) Related Bills: H.R.3597
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 9/17/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1695 : Congressional Gold Medal Award. A bill to authorize the award of a Congressional gold medal to the Montford Point Marines of World War II.
Sponsor: Sen Burris, Roland [IL] (introduced 9/23/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/23/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

S.1717 : VA Facility Leases. A bill to authorize major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 9/25/2009) Cosponsors (1) Related Bill S.1310
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-82

S.1752 : Parkinson’s Disease VA Compensation. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson's disease.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1753 : Disabled Veteran Caregiver Housing Assistance Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase assistance for disabled veterans who are temporarily residing in housing owned by a family member, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/5/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1779 : Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1780 : Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (8) Related bill: H.R.3787
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1798 : Automatic Reserve Component Enrollment Act of 2009. A bill to provide for the automatic enrollment of demobilizing members of the National Guard and Reserve in health care and dental care programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/19/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1932 : Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 10/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.1939 : Vet Presumptive Exposure in Vietnam. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.1963 : Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide assistance to caregivers of veterans, to improve the provision of health care to veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] (introduced 10/28/2009) Cosponsors (5)
Latest Major Action: 11/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.2096 : Parent VA Burial Eligibility. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility of parents of certain deceased veterans for interment in national cemeteries.
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 10/29/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 10/29/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.2743 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 11/5/2009) Cosponsors (6) Related bill: H.R.4051
Committees: Senate Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 11/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.2759 : Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veteran Entitlements Act of 2009. A bill to amend title II and XVI of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of disability rated and certified as total by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as disability for purposes of such titles.
Sponsor: Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (None) Related Bill: H.R.4054
Committees: Senate Finance
Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.2760 : VA Homeless Vets Appropriations. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans.
Sponsor: Sen Udall, Tom [NM] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (7)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.2769 : Post-9/11 Veterans' Job Training Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the use of entitlement under Post-9/11 Educational Assistance for the pursuit of apprenticeships and on-job training, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Klobuchar, Amy [MN] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Veterans' Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.2770 : Veterans Business Center Act of 2009. A bill to amend the Small Business Act to establish a Veterans Business Center program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 11/10/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Latest Major Action: 11/10/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

[Source: http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/111search.html 28 Jan 09 ++]

Back to Top of Page

All Hands: This notice is to inform you of the Baguio Retiree Assistance Office (RAO) mission; the availability of informational assistance to fellow veterans; and the purpose of the Director's associated Newsletter. The service provides a POC for anyone who has queries on Veteran issues and/or residence in this Geographic area. It also provides a means for Veterans to keep abreast of benefit changes and/or pending Veteran related legislation.

    Bulletin Updates are sent twice a month...on the 1st & 15th. Twice a month allows time for readers to digest the info and make any inquiries they may have. It is understood that not every article that goes out is applicable to every reader but over a period of time every reader will find some article(s) of interest to him or her personally. Unfortunately, the Bulletin cannot be sent to some users of AOL and a few other servers. It does not meet their big Brother policy of deciding what their readers are allowed to receive. A few other servers such as Juno & Netzero allow their readers to receive the Bulletin but will not allow me to communicate with them. I can receive their messages but they cannot receive mine. Anyone currently in receipt of the Bulletin receiving duplicate copies let me know. Those who no longer want to receive it just click Reply and add the word “Remove” in the subject line. If you decide you no longer want the Bulletin feel free to drop me a line in the future if you ever need any assistance.

    The Baguio Retiree Assistance Office [RAO] is basically an "answer place" for all Veterans and Expats in addition to providing FPO mail services; Forms; U.S. & RP Government Services; etc. There are no longer any bases in the Philippines and the Embassy is 180 km away...so over the last 18 years it has become the unofficial source for just about everything related to Government Programs impacting on those residing in this Geographic area. Because of our remote location...the majority of Veterans' assistance is provided by email. All questions received via email are responded to with either an answer or a source of where to obtain an answer. If you do not receive an answer within 72 hours, your inquiry was probably never received...and you should re-transmit it. The variety of questions, and subsequent research to answer them, has resulted in the development of a 2500+ page Library of articles, a 70+ page index of article titles available upon request for recall, and a Email Directory of over 70,000 email addees for dissemination of the newsletter to other RAO/RSO's, Military Fraternal Organizations and interested Veterans worldwide. The objective is to provide Veteran related information to at least one member of every Veteran Group worldwide who can act as a point of contact to pass on any information felt germane to that Organization's membership. Through their involvement, the Bulletin info presently reaches approximately half a million Veterans and/or Dependents.

    Our RAO meets the criteria, and is recognized as an "Independent RAO" and source of Veteran related info. However the Bulletin is not an "Official" DoD sanctioned newsletter. The articles provide items taken from a wide variety of sources that have been edited or editorialized for retransmission. They also include info to ease transition into the Philippines for those who may be considering relocating there. The information contained therein is just that...informational (FYI). The objective is only to PASS THE WORD in order to keep our Military Community informed. It is the responsibility of readers to verify exactly how information applies to them if they intend to expend funds or time in following up on the data provided in the articles. Unless you have questions concerning Veteran's issues to be answered, there is no need for comments. Although it's nice to get the occasional "thanks for the info", it's not necessary, and just adds to the 50+ emails I receive daily. I do not send out jokes...prayers...religious material or music...chain letters...photos...etc., so please reciprocate by not sending these to me. Nor do I normally participate in "political stuff" unless it is essential to an article being presented in the Bulletin. I would greatly appreciate that you not forward personal political comments/beliefs/prejudices, but I am always open to anything that could benefit other Veterans.

    Updates are sent either Bcc or via a Newsletter Mailing List provider, so recipients are not bothered with large headers nor have their email addee revealed to others. If you want to know if anybody else in your organization is receiving the Bulletin just ask. Articles contain subjects of interest to all Veterans regardless of Geographic location. The existing addees on the directory are about 2%:98% local vs. worldwide. The Bulletin content is for use in any way you see fit and retransmit is encouraged. Sources are provided wherever possible so readers can re-validate info if they desire. The primary source is always listed first and if multiple sources are used it is indicated by "++" after the primary source in the source line. Sometimes my Internet servers are inhibited in their ability to send to other servers worldwide because of filters incorporated by these servers to block spam. However I can always receive incoming messages. If you do not receive your Bulletin just let me know. Request all communications be sent to my primary email addee raoemo@sbcglobal.net even though you may be receiving the Bulletin from some other addee. The email addee of any veteran or military fraternal organization can be added to the directory if desired. It only takes a click on the "Unsubscribe" line at the end of each Bulletin to drop anyone off later if they find the Updates are of no use to them. Of course, there are no charges, advertisements, or solicitations associated this service. Nor do we accept donations.

     If you are interested in other articles contained within the Bulletin, they can be forwarded via email. Attachments sent should be virus free, since it is our policy NEVER to open incoming attachments because they might contain a virus. My installed Norton Anti Virus program tells me about 1% do.

    At  http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html  you can view the current and review past Bulletins sent in the last 5 years. Bear in mind that the articles shown in these Bulletins were only valid at the time they were written (normally indicated in the source line) and may have since been updated. At this site, you can also find the Bulletin Index to identify any articles you may want to recall. They will be provided upon email request.

Bulletin Updates

1. Call their server and ask how to bypass the filters that are blocking their Bulletin;
2. Send a COA to another email addee that they can be reached at; or
3. Go to http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html on the 2nd and 16th of each month to read/download the Bulletin.

    This has happened over the years to other subscriber’s whose server’s decide to treat the Bulletin as spam because of its size. If this should happen to you they will not tell you they are doing it. To verify if Bulletins are being published go to http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html If you did not receive yours let me know on this end and I will respond on the action you should take. If I do not respond within three days it means your server is preventing you from receiving my response. In that case you need to contact your server as to what action you need to take to resume delivery of the Bulletin and communications with the RAO. For those JUNO and NETZERO subscribers currently being blocked I will continue to send the Bulletin until such time as I can confirm there is no way for them to receive it. [Source: Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, Director RAO Baguio 14 Jul 09 ++]

Federal Tax Law Changes: Many of the tax breaks in recent tax-relief bills were designed to be phased in over a number of years, or are indexed to inflation. To help you determine how these tax laws affect your tax returns for 2009 refer to the following:
Tax Credit of Up to $8,000 for First-Time Homebuyers - If you purchased a primary residence in 2009 before1 DEC 09 and are a “first-time” homebuyer, you can qualify for a tax credit equal to 10% of up to $80,000 of the purchase price. To be eligible, you must not have owned a residence in the United States in the previous three years. The credit phases out between $150,000 and $170,000 of Adjusted Gross Income for joint filers, and $75,000 to $95,000 for single filers. The credit is refundable to the extent it exceeds your regular tax liability, which means that if it more than offsets your tax liability, you’ll get a refund check. But it does not offset the Alternative Minimum Tax. You can even elect to claim the credit for a 2009 home purchase on your 2008 tax return. (If you filed for 2008 before buying, but before the 1 DEC 09 deadline, you can claim your credit by filing an amended return using Form 1040X. Doing so will guarantee you a refund check.) Unlike the credit for 2008 purchases, the credit for 2009 purchases doesn’t have to be paid back over 15 years. But you will have to repay the credit if you sell the house within three years of the date you bought it. Payroll Tax Credit - For 2009 and 2010, Congress gave workers a credit of 6.2% of their earned income, capped at $400 for single filers and $800 for joint filers. For single filers, the credit starts phasing out at $75,000 of Adjusted Gross Income and dries up at $95,000. The phase-out zone for couples is $150,000 thru $190,000. Employees will get the credit in advance via lower income tax withholding in each paycheck, not as a rebate check. Self-employeds can reduce their quarterly estimated payments to get an advance benefit from the credit. The exact amount of the payroll tax credit for the year will be calculated on the filers’ tax returns. Recipients of Social Security benefits, Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income or veteran disability pensions will get a one-time $250 check instead for 2009. Federal retirees who don’t receive any Social Security will also get a $250 check. Sales Tax Deduction for New Vehicles - Buyers of new vehicles can deduct the sales tax paid on the purchase, even if they don’t claim sales taxes as itemized deductions. They can add the tax they pay to their standard deduction. This break applies to new cars, motor homes, light trucks and motorcycles purchased after 16 FRB 09 and before 1 JAN 2010. Sales tax paid on the first $49,500 of cost qualifies. The benefit begins phasing out for married couples with AGI over $250,000 and singles with Adjusted Gross Income over $125,000. It is completely gone for single filers with Adjusted Gross Income of $135,000 or more, or joint filers with AGI of at least $260,000. Itemizers who elect to deduct state sales taxes in lieu of state income taxes get no benefit from this change, since the auto sales tax is already included in the sales tax deduction. Itemizers who deduct state income taxes will get a separate deduction for auto sales taxes; non-itemizers will add the sales tax amount to their standard deduction amount.
     Indexed Tax Brackets - Thanks to higher inflation in the past year, the 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35% tax brackets all kick in at approximately 5% higher levels of income than in 2008. Larger Personal Exemptions - For 2009, each personal exemption you can claim is worth $3,650, up by $150 from 2008. Higher Standard Deductions - For 2009, the standard deduction for marrieds filing a joint return rises to $11,400, up by $450 from 2008. Joint filers can also add in up to $1,000 of property taxes paid. For single filers, the amount increases to $5,700 in 2009, up by $250 over 2008. Singles can also deduct up to $500 of real estate tax payments. Heads of household can claim $8,350 in 2009, a jump of $350 from 2008. Non-itemizers who pay real estate taxes can claim even larger standard deductions. Non-itemizers can also add any casualty losses that occurred in presidentially-declared disaster areas. Reduction in Itemized Deductions and Personal Exemptions for High-Income Taxpayers.
     As noted earlier, itemized deductions and personal exemptions are phased out as your income rises. In 2009, the reductions are a bit less painful. The cutback in itemized deductions occurs once your Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $166,800, regardless of your filing status. Your itemized deductions are reduced by 1% of the amount by which your AGI exceeds $166,800, but you can never lose more than 80% of your itemized deductions. Also, your medical expenses, investment interest deduction, deductible gambling losses and any casualty and theft losses are not subject to the cut. Personal exemptions are reduced by 2% for each $2,500 of Adjusted Gross Income over $250,200 for married filing jointly, $208,500 for heads of households and $166,800 for singles, but the reduction cannot exceed $1,217 per exemption.      Section 179 Expense Deduction...The maximum amount of equipment placed in service in 2009 that businesses can expense stays at $250,000. And the annual investment limit remains $800,000. Thus, you won't begin to lose the benefit of expensing until you place more than $800,000 of assets in service in 2009.
    Tax-Free Parking for Employees...Starting in 2009, firms can pay for $230 a month of parking tax-free for employees, up $10 per month from 2008. The cap on tax-free transit passes is now $230 a month as well, the same as for parking. The limit had been $115 a month in 2008.      Tax Credit for College Tuition - For 2009 and 2010, the Hope credit is replaced by a new credit of up to $2,500 per student a year for four years of college, not just the first two years. It now also covers the cost of books, and begins to phase out at $80,000 of Adjusted Gross Income for single filers and $160,000 for joint filers. If the credit is more than your income tax liability, 40% of it is refundable. Also, the full credit is allowed against the Alternative Minimum Tax.
     Child Tax Credit - If the credit exceeds the filer’s tax liability, all or part of the credit will be refunded if the filer earns more than $3,000 in 2009 and 2010, down from $12,550 in earnings previously.
     Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) - For families with three or more children, the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit for 2009 and 2010 rises by $628.50. And the phaseout of the credit for joint filers starts at higher income levels in 2009 and 2010, allowing more of them to claim the credit.
     Higher Income Limits for Deductible IRAs and for Roth IRAs - If you are covered by a retirement plan at work, you can take a full IRA deduction in 2009 if your modified Adjusted Gross Income is less than $89,000 (married filing jointly) or $55,000 (single or head of household). A partial deduction is allowed until your Adjusted Gross Income reaches $109,000 if you are married filing jointly, or $75,000 if you are single or a head of household. Also, the opportunity to contribute to a Roth IRA is now phased out as your modified Adjusted Gross Income rises between $166,000 and $176,000 if you are married filing jointly, or $105,000 to $120,000 if you are single or a head of household. Increased Contribution Limit for 401(k) Plans - The maximum employee contribution rises to $16,500 from $15,500 in 2009 for these and similar workplace retirement plans, including 403(b)s and the federal Thrift Savings Plan. Workers age 50 and older in 2009 can put in an additional $5,500 this year, also a $500 increase from 2007. Thus, their maximum contribution is $22,000. State Tax Exemption - In 2009, the federal estate tax exemption rises to $3,500,000 from its 2008 level of $2,000,000.
     Higher Annual Gift Tax Exemption - For 2009, you can give up any individual up to $13,000 without owing any gift tax...a $1,000 increase over 2008.
     Exemptions for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) - For 2009, the exemption levels rise to $70,950 for married filing jointly, $46,700 for singles and heads of household, and $35,475 for married couples filing separately. Otherwise, more than 20 million filers would have been added to the AMT rolls. Congress is likely to act again to prevent this from happening for the 2010 tax year. Also, interest on private-activity bonds issued in 2009 and 2010 is exempt from the Alternative Minimum Tax.
     Credit for Residential Energy-Efficient Property - The credit for 30% of the cost of installing solar water heating equipment, solar electric equipment, geothermal heat pumps or small wind turbines in your primary residence or a second home is no longer limited to $2,000 after 2008. But the credit for fuel cell property still cannot exceed $500 per half-kilowatt capacity.
     Credit for Energy-Saving Home Improvements - The old 10% tax credit of the cost of energy-saving home improvements is increased to 30% for 2009 and 2010, up to a maximum of $1,500 in the two-year period. It applies to qualified skylights, windows, outside doors, biomass fuel stoves and high-efficiency furnaces, water heaters and central air conditioners. In addition, the dollar limits on the particular type of improvement, such as a $200 cap on the credit for windows, are repealed.
     Converting a Second Home to a Primary Home - If you convert a second home into a principal residence after 2008, you may not be able to exclude all of your gain. A portion of the gain on a subsequent sale of the home will be ineligible for the home-sale exclusion of up to $500,000, even if the seller meets the two-year ownership-and-use tests. The portion of the profit that’s subject to tax is based on the ratio of the time after 2008 when the house was a second home or a rental unit, to the total time you owned it. So if you have owned a vacation home for 18 years and make it your main residence in 2011 for two years before selling it, only 10% of the gain (two years of nonqualified second home use divided by 20 years of total ownership) is taxed. The rest qualifies for the home-sale exclusion of up to $500,000.
     Refundable Child Tax Credit - The $8,500 income threshold needed to qualify to claim the child tax credit if it exceeds your regular income tax bill decreases to $3,000 for 2009.
     Partial Exclusion for Unemployment Benefits - For 2009, the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits you receive is tax-free.
     College Savings Plans - Beginning in 2009, 529 College Savings Plans can be tapped tax-free to pay for a computer or Internet access.      Estimated Tax Relief for Owners of Small Businesses - If an individual’s Adjusted Gross Income for 2008 was less than $500,000 and more than half of the gross income was from a business with fewer than 500 workers, the estimated income taxes for 2009 estimated tax payments can be based on the lesser of 90 percent of tax liability for 2008 or 2009. The usual estimated tax benchmarks of 100 percent or 110 percent of tax liability do not apply.

[Source: Military.com Taxes Jan 2010 ++]

Scams: Better Business Bureau on 6 JAN released a list of the top 10 scams and rip-offs of 2009. Not surprisingly, many scams sought to take advantage of people who were suffering under tough economic circumstances...such as the unemployed. Additionally, the use of free-trial offers to lock consumers into recurring credit and debit card charges was widespread online. "While many of the scams on the list are perennial problems, some scams were distinct in 2009 because of the economic climate and scammers’ penchant for taking advantage of the top headlines," said Steve Cox, Council of Better Business Bureaus President and CEO. “Some scams plagued different parts of the country more than others. For example, in places particularly hit by the housing crisis, bogus offers for foreclosure rescue or debt assistance ran rampant.” Following, in no particular order, is BBB’s list of top scams and rip-offs that took advantage of consumers and small business owners across the U.S. in 2009:

1. Acai Supplements and Other “Free” Trial Offers...Ads offering trial offers for teeth whiteners, acai anti-aging pills and other miracle supplements blanket the Internet, including trusted Web sites of national news organizations. The marketing campaigns often falsely claimed an endorsement by Oprah, Rachel Ray and Doctor Oz. Thousands of consumers complained to BBB that the free trial actually cost them as much as hundreds of dollars, month after month.

2. Stimulus/Government Grant Scams...Even before President Obama announced the stimulus plan in February, scammers had already set up schemes for misleading consumers and small business owners into thinking they could get a piece of the pie. Offers for worthless assistance and advice on how to get government grants bombarded consumers online, over the phone and via mail and e-mail.

3. Robocalls...Owning a cell phone or having their phone number on the do-not-call list did not help thousands of people across the US put a stop to harassing automated telemarketing calls in 2009. The robocalls often claimed that their auto warranty was about to expire...which wasn’t true...or offered help in reducing their interest rate on their credit card. The prevalence of robocalls violating federal telemarketing laws prompted the FTC to increase restrictions on the practice in 2009.

4. Lottery/Sweepstakes Scam...The victim receives a letter in the mail pretending to be from Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Clearing House or a phony foreign lottery claiming that he or she has won millions. The letter comes with a check that represents only a portion of the total winnings. In order to get the rest, the victim has to deposit the check and then wire hundreds of dollars back to the scammers supposedly to cover taxes or some other bogus fee. The victim wires the money, but the prize never arrives.

5. Job Hunter Scams...Scams targeting job hunters vary and include attempts to gain access to personal information such as bank account or social security numbers and requirements to pay a fee in order to even be considered for the job. Another common scam was reported to BBB by job hunters who were told by a prospective employer that they had to check their credit report before being considered for a job. The job offer is actually a marketing ploy for online credit monitoring that costs the victim every month until they cancel.

6. Google Work from Home Scam...Countless Web sites cropped up in 2009 that claimed you could learn how to make money from home using Google or Twitter and offered a free trial of learning materials. The Web sites often included the Google or Twitter moniker and logo. As a result, many people who complained to BBB thought they were getting a job with Google or Twitter when in, fact, they were being lured into another misleading free-trial offer and were billed every month for the materials and other mystery charges that added up to hundreds of dollars.

7. Mortgage Foreclosure Rescue/Debt Assistance...Many families are struggling in the current economy and hucksters are offering to help them save their house from foreclosure or help them get out of credit card debt. Unfortunately, victims are paying hundreds of dollars up front for the assistance they desperately need but ultimately never receive.

8. Mystery Shopping...Consumers across the country thought that they could make some extra money by becoming a secret shopper and evaluating the customer service of various stores. The victim is asked to evaluate their shopping experience at a few stores as well as a money wiring service such as Western Union or MoneyGram by wiring money back to the scammers. A seemingly real looking check is supposed to cover the costs, but ends up being a fake. The victim is out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

9. Over-Payment Scams...Over-payment scams typically target small business owners, landlords or individuals with rooms to rent and sellers on classifieds or sites like Craigslist. Typically the scammer pretends to be a customer, possible renter or interested buyer, respectively. The victim receives a check for more than the amount requested. The scammers then ask the victim to deposit the check and wire the extra amount elsewhere, such as to a shipping company. Ultimately though, the check is fake and the victim is really wiring money back to the scammers.

10. Phishing e-mails/H1N1 spam ...A perennial problem, phishing e-mails pop up in inboxes and can take various forms such as appearing to be from a business, a government agency or official or even a friend. Whatever the setup, the goal of any phishing e-mail is the same: to trick victims into divulging sensitive financial information or to infect the victim’s computer with viruses and malware. In addition to phishing e-mails, spam e-mail selling wares to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus were particularly rampant in 2009. Consumers or small business owners victimized by a scam can contact their local BBB or file a complaint at http://www.bbb.org/us/ Always research a business with BBB before you sign any contracts or hand over any money. For more information or to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, contact Alison Southwick at (703) 247-9376.

[Source: BBB Press Release 6 Jan 2010 ++]

Traumatic Brain Injury Update 11: According to a clinical perspective published in the January issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, recommend that progesterone (PROG), a naturally occurring hormone found in both males and females that can protect damaged cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, be considered a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries. "Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important clinical problem in the United States and around the world," said Donald G. Stein, PhD, lead author of the paper. "TBI has received more attention recently because of its high incidence among combat casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. Current Department of Defense statistics indicated that as many as 30% of wounded soldiers seen at Walter Reed Army Hospital have suffered a TBI, a finding that has stimulated government interest in developing a safe and effective treatment for this complex disorder. Growing evidence indicates that post-injury administration of PROG in a variety of brain damage models can have beneficial effects, leading to substantial and sustained improvements in brain functionality. PROG given to both males and females can cross the blood-brain barrier and reduce edema (swelling) levels after TBI; in different models of cerebral ischemia (restriction of blood supply), significantly reduce the area of necrotic cell death and improve behavioral outcomes; and protect neurons distal to the injury that would normally die," said Stein. PROG was recently tested in two phase 2 clinical trials for traumatic brain injury and will begin a phase 3 NIH sponsored trial soon. "Given its relatively high safety profile, its ease of administration, its low cost and ready availability, PROG should be considered a viable treatment option - especially because, in brain injury, so little else is currently available," said Stein. This study appears in the January issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

[Source: American College of Radiology / American Roentgen Ray Society Heather Curry article 3 Jan 2010 ++]

VA Benefits-Programs Statement: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wants to inform Veterans and other beneficiaries of the following changes that will take effect in 2010:

* VA will Freeze Increase in Prescription Copayments: Any increase in Veterans out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals will be delayed until June 30, 2010. This means the department will delay a scheduled $1 increase...to $9...in the copayments facing Veterans for each 30-day supply of medicine for the treatment of conditions not related to military service. During this period, VA will also keep $960 as the maximum, annual out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals for non-service-related conditions. The $960 cap will not apply to Veterans in priority groups seven and eight. The yearly maximum out-of-pocket payment was scheduled to increase to $1,080. There are no copayments associated with the treatment of conditions related to military service.

* VA will Distribute Insurance Dividends: Approximately 900,000 Veterans are in line to share $286.4 million in annual insurance dividends during 2010. VA operates one of the nation’s largest life insurance programs, providing more than $1 Trillion in coverage to seven million servicemembers, Veterans, and family members. These payments will be made to insurance policy holders on the anniversary date of their policies. Payments will be sent automatically through different payment plans and the amounts will vary based on the age of the Veteran, the type of insurance, and the length of time the policy has been in place. Consistent with private mutual insurance company practice, the VA is returning a portion of premium payments back to policyholders because the agency had strong financial results. Veterans who have questions about their policies may contact the VA insurance toll-free number at 1-800-669-8477 send an email to VAinsurance@va.gov They may also visit the Internet at http://www.insurance.va.gov/miscellaneous/index.htm

* No Adjustment in COLA for Disability Compensation + Pension Benefits: As a result of negative inflation and the consumer price index going down over the past year the Social Security Administration has announced there will be no COLA this year for Social Security recipients. Under federal law VA’s COLAs cannot exceed the Social Security COLAs. Therefore, VA is barred from making a COLA increase for recipients of its benefits. VA provides compensation and pension benefits to over 3.8 million Veterans and other beneficiaries. Presently, the basic monthly rate of compensation paid to Veterans ranges from $123 to $2,673. Annual income limits for disability pension begin at $11,830 for a Veteran without dependents and increase for Veterans who have dependents, who are housebound, or who need regular aid and attendance. Veterans who have questions about their benefits may contact the VA’s financial benefits toll-free number at 1-800-827-1000 or go to http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/

[Source: VA News Release 8 Jan 2010 ++]

Medicare Extra Help Program Update 02: The Extra Help program is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year to Medicare beneficiaries. Under a new law, more beneficiaries could qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs because some things no longer count as income and resources. To qualify for the Extra Help, a person must be on Medicare and have limited income and resources. Specifically:

* You must reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; and• Your resources must be limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. Your house and car are not counted as resources. Beginning 1 JAN 2010, when determining your eligibility for Extra Help SSA will:a.) No longer count as a resource any life insurance policy; andb.) No longer count as income the help you receive regularly from someone else to pay your household expenses—food, mortgage, rent, heating fuel or gas, electricity, water, and property taxes.; and

* Your annual income must be limited to $16,245 for an individual or $21,855 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Some examples where your income may be higher are if you or your spouse:

(a.) Support other family members who live with you;

(b.) Have earnings from work; orc.) Live in Alaska or Hawaii. If you already receive Extra Help, you will not need to reapply in 2010.

     Social Security will see if you are entitled to any additional Extra Help because they no longer count your life insurance or help with household expenses. If you do not already receive Extra Help beginning 1 JAN 2010, when you file your application for Extra Help you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs (i.e. state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs). Social Security will send information to your state unless you tell them not to on the Extra Help application. Your state will contact you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. These programs help people with limited income and resources pay for their Medicare expenses. The Medicare Savings Programs help pay for your Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums. For some people, the Medicare Savings Programs also may pay for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) premiums, if any, and Part A and B deductibles and co-payments. To apply for Extra Help complete Social Security’s Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). This can be done online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ over the phone or to request an application at 1(800) 772-1213 (TTY 1(800)325-0778); or at your local Social Security office. After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for the Extra Help. Once you qualify, you can choose a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you do not select a plan, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will do it for you. The sooner you join a plan the sooner you begin receiving benefits. For more information about getting Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, refer to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ or call Social Security at 1(800) 772-1213 [TTY 1(800)325-0778].

     Social Security representatives are available to help you complete your application. If you need information about Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare prescription drug plans, how to enroll in a plan, or to request a copy of the Medicare & You handbook, visit http://www.medicare.gov/ or call 1(800) 633-4227 [TTY 1(877) 486-2048]. When you call, you also can request information about how to contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In addition, you can find your local SHIP contact information on the back of your Medicare handbook or obtain the information online at http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/staticpages/ships.aspx

[Source: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/ Jan 2010 ++]

VA Outside Medical Claims (Corrected): Occasionally veterans go to or are transported to non-VA civilian health care facilities for "emergent" treatment of their particular non-service connected medical conditions. To obtain VA payment for this care certain procedures must be followed to file a claim for consideration of payment for these services. The current recommended procedure for veterans is to contact the closest VA facility via telephone within 72 hours of the emergency, either the veteran if they are able, or the veteran’s family member, or the non-VA facility should contact the closest VA facility as soon as possible. If this is not possible, then send their Mill Bill claims to the closest VA facility for adjudication to the non-VA site which provided the emergency care. However, for veterans who are serviced by Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 and VISN 22 facilities the Chief Business Office is overseeing a pilot with Financial Service Center (FSC) for FSC to process Mill Bill Claims. If you are located in the following geographic areas and receiving VA services it is recommended you comply with the pilot program procedures:

* VISN 20 - Northwest Health Network includes the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, most of the state of Idaho, and one county each in Montana and California.

* VISN 22 - Desert Pacific Healthcare Network is comprised of five hospitals and 29 community clinics serving 1.4 million veterans in Southern California and Southern Nevada (i.e. Los Angeles, San Diego, Loma Linda, and Las Vegas area). The pilot was initiated in Fiscal Year 2009, and rolled out in JAN 09, to determine if an alternative claims process would assist sites with reducing processing time, consistent clinical adjudication of claims, and using consistent payment methodology. Evaluation of the pilot is in process and a decision will be made at a later date on if it will be expanded, or terminated. Beginning with dates of service on and after 1 JAN 09, dependent on site affected, veterans/providers are required to submit claims for VA payment consideration for emergency care not previously authorized to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Financial Services Center (FSC), Non-VA Emergency Claims, P.O. Box 149364, Austin, TX 78714-9364. To expedite claims processing, be sure that each claim is complete and filed within 90 days following the episode of care. Incomplete claims will be returned. Do not forget to include documentation of any communication with the VA regarding patient treatment or disposition. A call center at FSC is available to assist you with payment and claims processing inquiries. You may contact the customer call center at 1(866) 372-1144, M-F 08-1630 (CST) excluding Federal holidays. A claim file is complete if it has the following documentation: 1. Complete UB-04 or CMS-1500 claim form to include the National Provider Identification (NPI) number2. Supporting medical documentation for the following services is needed for claims adjudication:

* Inpatient: Admission sheet, discharge summary, operation reports, daily progress notes, and doctor orders.

* Outpatient: Emergency room treatment notes (including chief complaint, and examination/evaluation results), applicable observation notes, any consultation reports, and diagnostic findings.• Emergency Transportation: Transportation notes indicating location the episode of emergency care took place and facility and address the patient was transported to. The transportation notes should include the chief complaint, examination/evaluation results, applicable observation notes, and any diagnostic findings.

[Source: California VFW VSO msg. 18 Dec 09 & CBO National Fee Program Manager Joe Enderle ++]

Health Screening: As you age, being aware of issues related to health becomes more important. Several illnesses appear more frequently with increasing age. For example, illnesses like high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, high blood cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) and some types of cancer. Screening is done to find a condition (or risk factor) in a person who has no signs or symptoms of that condition. The goal of screening is to identify conditions early. Treatment works better during an early stage of a condition. Guidance for screening varies, depending on age, gender, past medical history, family history and other factors. Talk with your health care team about the screening tests that are recommended for you.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force has studied the effectiveness of screening and suggested the following tests and immunizations:

* Blood pressure for High Blood Pressure, also known as Hypertension - At least every two years.

* Lipid profile for High Cholesterol, also known as Hyperlipidemia - Every 5 years. May need to be more often if already diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease.

* Blood glucose for High Blood Sugar, also known as Diabetes - Periodically in patients with blood pressure of 135/80 or higher.

* Weight for being more than 20 pounds overweight, also known as Obesity - Periodically.

* Bone mineral density for loss of bone health, also known as Osteoporosis - At least once in all women at age 65. May need to screen at age 60 if at increased risk for osteoporosis.

* Ultrasound for Abdominal Aortic Aneurism Screening (for Alcohol Use and Depression) - Once in men ages 65 to 75 who have ever smoked.

* Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (or Colorectal Cancer - Annually for persons age 50 to 75.

* Sigmoidoscopy or Colorectal Cancer - Every 5 years.

* Colonoscopy for Colorectal Cancer - Every 10 years.

* Mammogram or Breast Cancer - Every 1-2 years.

* Pap Smear for Cervical Cancer - At least every 3 years, stopping at age 65 if previous Pap Smears normal• Influenza Vaccine - Annually.

* Pneumonia Vaccine - Once at age 65. May be recommended earlier for persons at increased risk of complications of pneumonia.

* Shingles Vaccine - Once at age 60 or later for most people.• Tetanus Vaccine - Every 10 years.

[Source: Army Echoes Jan - Apr 2010 ++]

Legislative Gains for 2009: Active / Reserve Force Issues

* Won 3.4% basic pay raise, effective Jan. 1, 2010. (0.5% above budget proposal.)
* Increased end strength...Army 30K, Marine Corps 8K, Navy 2.5K and Air Force 15K.
* Authorized Army additional 30K end strength for FY11-FY12 if Army budgets.
* Won absentee voter protections.
* Reduced % of pay subject to recoupment from 20% to 15% for overpayments.
* Expanded Homeowner Assistance Program for PCSing service members, wounded warriors, and survivors affected by an upside-down mortgage.
* Authorized stop-loss pay through June 2011.
* Won ROTH Thrift Savings Plan option for currently serving and federal employees.
* Required DoD to report on child custody disputes of deployed parents Health Care Issues.
* Defeated $110/day increase in TRICARE Standard inpatient copay.
* Authorized special compensation for wounded warrior caregivers.
* Won TRICARE coverage for gray area Reserve retirees.
* Required retention of wounded on active duty until completion of disability evaluation process unless they request to separate from active    duty.
* Required medical exam before admin separation of members diagnosed with PTSD/TBI.
* Prohibited conversion of military medical positions to civilians.
* Expanded window of active duty TRICARE coverage for mobilizing reservists.
* Required measures to expand access to mental health providers.
* Required person-to-person mental health assessments for deployed members.
* Required DoD report on impact of law barring employer TRICARE incentives.
* Required DoD chiropractic clinical trial program for active duty members.
* Won protections for military/VA beneficiaries in national health reform bills Retirement/Survivor/Veteran Issues.
* Authorized recalculation of retired pay for guard/reserve retirees recalled for 2+ years.
* Increased future payments of Special Survivor Indemnity Allowan