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Full Committee Action Expected
Soon on the 'Veterans Benefits Act of 2001'
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Vietnam veterans
exposed to herbicides and Gulf War veterans with undiagnosed illnesses
would gain from a draft bill the House VA Subcommittee on Benefits passed
by unanimous voice vote Thursday.
The Veterans Benefits Act of 2001 would add Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) to
the list of service-connected diseases presumed for Vietnam veterans, and
expand the definition of undiagnosed illnesses for Persian Gulf War
veterans to include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic
multisymptom illnesses, and any other illnesses that cannot be defined.
A related provision would authorize the Secretary of Veterans of Affairs
to protect the service connection grant of a Gulf War veteran who
participates in VA-sponsored medical research.
The measure is a sequel to H.R. 801, the Veterans' Survivor Benefits
Improvement Act, which added $100 million in new health care and insurance
benefits for benefits and surviving spouses and was signed into law by
President Bush on June 5.
Subcommittee Chairman Michael Simpson (ID-2) and Ranking Democrat Member
Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) said Thursday's measure now goes to the full
Committee and then to the House floor. It would also provide
cost-of-living adjustments to service-connected disability compensation
for veterans and their survivors. The adjustment would equal the increase
provided to recipients of Social Security. Other provisions of the bill
would:
· Authorize the VA Secretary to pay unclaimed National Service Life
Insurance and U.S. Government Life Insurance proceeds to an alternate
beneficiary when the first beneficiary cannot be located within three
years of the insured's death;
· Extend to 2005 the VA's direct loan program for Native American
veterans living on tribal trust lands;
· Modify the requirement for loan assumption language in home loan
documents;
· Eliminate the requirement for veterans to furnish the VA Secretary with
a copy of their notices to appeal filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims;
· Require the VA Secretary to establish a two-year pilot expansion of the
available hours of the VA's 1-800 toll-free information service, and to
assess the demand for the service, and;
· Allow the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to impose
registration fees for participation in Court-sponsored activities and to
use registration and practice fees for disciplinary and other
administrative purposes.
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