Veterans' View
Congress passes Defense Authorization Bill
Information provided by Dan Woods, Veterans Services Officer, Holmes County
House and Senate conferees recently acted quickly on the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed both chambers before moving on to the President for signing. HR 4200 authorizes $447.2 billion for defense spending.
The Act includes:
Elimination of the Social Security offset to the Survivor Benefit plan in 3.5 years. The increase from 35 to 55 percent will be phased in by 2008.
A 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for military personnel.
Immediate and full concurrent receipt to qualifying military retirees with 100 percent disability ratings beginning January 2005.
TRICARE coverage for members of the Reserve who serve on extended active duty. TRICARE health coverage for Reservists and their families for up to 90 days prior to mobilization and 180 days of transitional benefits after the member separates from active duty.
Permanent increase in the rate of family separation allowance from $100 to $250 per month.
Permanent increase in hostile fire and imminent danger pay from $150 to $225 per month.
For more information on FY 2005 NDAA, log on to http://armed-services.senate.gov/press.htm. A summary of HR 4200 is available at http://www.house.gov/hasc/pressreleases/2004/FY05NDAAConferenceSummary-FINAL.pdf
Bills clear Senate
The House has already considered many of the following provisions within these bills that recently cleared the Senate and now await final House action.
S. 2485, the Department of Veterans Affairs Real Property and Facilities Management Improvement Act of 2004, includes provisions that:
Provide permanent authority for sexual trauma treatment and extend counseling to reserves.
Extend VA care for newborn child for 14 days to a mother who has the child at a VA facility or through a VA contract for care.
Create centers for research, education and clinical activities on blast injuries.
Prohibit the collection of co-payments for hospice care.
S.2486, Veterans Improvement Act of 2004, includes provisions that:
Increase and index VA’s home loans guaranty.
Repeal the home loan funding fee for recently separated service members.
Update and improve laws protecting veterans and service members under the USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act).
Expand educational benefits for all service members.
Authorize a new building for the U. S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Designate a POW/MIA National Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery in California.
For more information on any of these bills, enter the bill number in the box at http://thomas/loc.gov/
COLA Bill cleared for President’s signature
Congress cleared HR.4175, legislation authorizing a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, equal to the Social Security adjustment for rates of veterans’ disability compensation. It also increases compensation for dependents, clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children. COLA is expected to be 2.7 percent.
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