Vet bills pass house.

The House of Representatives has passed a package of bills aimed at closing gaps in veterans health care and benefits programs. Among them is legislation (H.R. 2874) to improve access to health care for veterans in rural areas and provide financial assistance and supportive services to low-income veterans and those transitioning from homeless to permanent housing.

H.R. 2874 would authorize $2 million annually for the VA to award grants up to $100,000 a year to private nonprofits to conduct readjustment and rehabilitation workshops for returning veterans. It also would authorize VA to provide peer outreach and support services and readjustment and mental health services to veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This would include contracting with community mental health centers in areas not adequately served by the VA.

Another provision in the measure would authorize the VA to provide grants to support innovative transportation programs for veterans in rural areas to travel to VA medical facilities. A total of $3 million annually from fiscal 2008 through 2012 would be authorized for those grants.

Also approved by the House was H.R. 1315 that would extend specially adaptive housing assistance of up to $14,000 to disabled servicemembers residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. Current law allows temporary adaptive housing assistance only after discharge. The bill also includes provisions from another measure (H.R. 240) to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in blind rehabilitation.

The package also includes a bill (H.R. 2623) to prohibit collecting co-payments for hospice care furnished by the VA.

Also approved was legislation (H.R. 23) authorizing the VA to pay a $1,000 monthly pension to civilian Merchant Mariners who played a critical role delivering troops, military equipment, food, fuel and other needed supplies during World War II.

"While the DAV acknowledges the bravery, sacrifice and contributions of those Merchant Mariners, we oppose offsetting the costs associated with the measure against other VA programs," said Washington Headquarters Executive Director David W. Gorman.

The proposed monthly pension payments to Merchant Mariners exceed the amount of compensation the VA pays to a 60 percent service-connected combat-disabled veteran with an above-the-knee amputation, for example. The only other group of veterans receiving a pension for service is the exclusive group of veterans who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

Along with the disparity illustrated by this comparison, the DAV is concerned about the impact the legislation would have on other veterans programs that would be cut to pay for those pension benefits. The VA estimated the cost of the bill would be approximately $234.1 million in the first year and an additional benefit cost of $1.4 billion over 10 years.

As civilians, these mariners were ineligible for benefits under the 1944 CI Bill, but they gained veteran status in 1998.

Having passed the House, the measures await action in the Senate.

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Breaking Ground ...

Pictured, with shovels at the ground breaking of the new home for Chapter 22 in Belleville, N.J., are U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), left, and Chapter Commander Joe Fornarotto, right. The new Chapter Home is being constructed on land donated by the township and donations from a local surveyor, lawyers, architects, engineers, contractors and town officials.