Representative Eric Massa Helps Pass Four Bills To Support Our Veterans

Press Release

Last night Congressman Eric Massa voted for four important bills aimed at addressing the needs of our Veterans' community. All four bills passed the House.

"Last night we voted to support the troops and our veterans," said Congressman Eric Massa, himself a 24-year retired Navy Commander. "Specifically we took steps to expand the V.A. to better serve our 1.8 million female veterans and add some common sense to the way we spend money on the V.A. Additionally, we voted to increase veterans' compensation payments, a critical measure during this recession. Our veterans have earned the full support of our government and our nation and I'm proud to have helped pass these important bills."

The first bill, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009, S. 407, directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) 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. It also 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.

The second bill, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, H.R. 1016, authorizes Congress to approve investments in Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) medical care one year in advance to provide time for the V.A. to plan how to deliver the best care to an increasing number of veterans with increasingly complex medical conditions.

The third bill, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, H.R. 1211, will expand and improve V.A. health care services for the 1.8 million women who have bravely served their country. It calls for:

a study of barriers to women veterans seeking health care,
assessment of women's health care programs,
medical care for newborn children of women veterans,
enhancement of VA sexual trauma programs,
enhancement of PTSD treatment for women,
establishment of a pilot program for child care services, and
the addition of recently separated women veterans to serve on advisory committees.

The final bill, H.R. 1172, directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors.

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