Washington, DC
Senator Mike Johanns today voted to improve health care and benefits for military veterans and their families. Seven bills were passed out of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, all of which he supported.
Johanns is a co-sponsor of two of these bills. First, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act would increase compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and their survivors. The second, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, would grant military spouses the same privilege currently enjoyed by service members to name a single home location regardless of where they are currently stationed.
"Our servicemen and women make incredible sacrifices for our country, and it is our responsibility to see that they receive the benefits they deserve," Johanns said. "Increased compensation and improved healthcare will make a real difference in the lives of those who have made such a difference for all of us."
These bills are now ready for Senate floor consideration.
Below is a list of the bills that were passed in the Veterans Committee today:
S. 252, Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009
o To enhance the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain nurses and other critical health-care professionals and to improve the provision of health care to veterans.
S. 407, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 (Senator Johanns is a cosponsor)
o To provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2009, in the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.
S. 423, Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009
o To authorize advance appropriations for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority.
S. 475, Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (Senator Johanns is a cosponsor)
o To guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency.
S. 669, Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act
o To clarify the conditions under which certain persons may be treated as adjudicated mentally incompetent for certain purposes.
S. 728, Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009
o To enhance veterans' insurance benefits.
S. 801, Caregiver and Veterans Health Services Act of 2009
o To authorize the Veterans' Administration to provide financial, health services and other support to the caregivers of severely injured Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans and to improve access to care and quality of care for rural veterans.