Omnibus Veterans Bill Passes House, Senate

Press Release

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) today applauded House passage of the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 (H.R. 3219), a package of veterans bills that passed the Senate on Tuesday. The bill contains several provisions authored by Sen. Burr, including one that provides the highest level of "aid and attendance" benefits for veterans with severe traumatic brain injuries; a second that will reduce the delay severely-injured servicemembers may face in receiving VA benefits as they transition from military to civilian life; and a provision to enhance disability compensation for certain disabled veterans with difficulties using prostheses.

"These veterans want to return to civilian life as healthy, contributing members of society, and it's our responsibility to help make that happen," Senator Burr said. "Now that veterans with severe traumatic brain injuries can qualify for the highest levels of "aid and attendance' benefits provided by VA, they will have access to financial resources that will give them flexibility to make their own choices about how their needs will be met. This bill recognizes the unique challenges that our veterans face -- whether it's difficulty with a new prosthetic limb or the difficulty of coping with a severe injury in the civilian world -- and it increases resources so that severely-injured veterans can live their lives to the fullest."

The Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 also improves life insurance benefits for veterans, enhances veterans' burial benefits, increases severely disabled veterans' access to automobiles or other transportation that can accommodate their disabilities and strengthens protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. This bill will now head to the President's desk to be signed into law.

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