June 25, 2009

Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) announces today that four bills supporting our veterans passed the US House of Representatives this week.

"As our nation gets ready to celebrate another birthday, it is very fitting that this Congress recognize the indelible contributions and sacrifices made by our military heroes," said Poe. "It is important that we continue to work to improve the health care and services we provide for them when the complete their service to our country."

COSPONSORED LEGISLATION:

HR 1016 - Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009:

• Expresses the sense of Congress that the provision of health care services to veterans could be more effectively and efficiently planned and managed if funding was provided for the management and provision of such services in the form of advance appropriations.
• PASSED 409-1

HR 1211 - Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act

• Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: study barriers encountered by women veterans to the provision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of comprehensive health care;
• assess all health care services and programs provided by the VA for women veterans;
• provide graduate education, training and certification for mental health professionals who provide counseling, care, and services to women veterans suffering from sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and
• carry out a pilot program of child care for certain women veterans receiving health care from VA facilities.
• Authorizes the Secretary to furnish hospital care and medical services to a newborn child of a woman veteran receiving VA maternity care for up to 14 days after the birth of the child.
• PASSED 408-0

HR 1172 - 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.

• PASSED 411-0

ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION:

S.407 - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009:

• Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of December 1, 2009, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.
• Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.
• Codifies under federal law the rates of such compensation as increased under the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008.
• PASSED 403-0

In additional to this legislation, Congressman Poe is the SPONSOR of the following veterans-related legislation pending before the US House of Representatives in the 111th Congress:

H.R.430 - Lance Corporal Jeremy Burris Act

• To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide criminal penalties for the destruction of memorials, headstones, markers, and graves commemorating persons serving in the Armed Forces on private property.

H.RES.495 - Recognizing and honoring the American troops who gave their lives on D-Day at the Battle of Normandy.

H.RES.496 - Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.