Capitol Hill Update
Capitol Hill Update
The Bill Box contains a listing of bills that AUSA is currently tracking.
Active Duty/Guard Reserve Issues - Veterans Issues - Retiree Issues - Health care Issues - Spouse/Family Issues - Other Issues
• Referred to Committees: Veterans | S. 2473 (Express Appeals Act) Cosponsors: 7 • Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide veterans the option of using an alternative appeals process to more quickly determine claims for disability compensation. • Introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska • Referred to Committee: Veterans’ Affairs S. 2493 (Hospital and Medical Care for Over 75 Veterans) Cosponsors: 0 • Expands eligibility for hospital care and medical services under section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to include veterans who are age 75 or older. • Introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. • Referred to Committee: Veterans’ Affairs • Hearing held by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Mar. 15, 2016 S. 2712 (Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act) Cosponsors: 2 • Restores amounts improperly withheld for tax purposes from severance payments to individuals who retired or separated from service in the Armed Forces for combat-related injuries. • Introduced by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va. & John Boozman, R-Ark. • Referred to Committee: Finance RETIREE ISSUES HOUSE ACTION H.R. 303 (Retired Pay Restoration Act) Cosponsors: 96 • Permits additional retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the VA for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation. • E liminates the phase-in period under current law with respect to such concurrent receipt. • Introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla. • Referred to Committees: Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs H.R. 333 (Disabled Veterans’ Tax Termination Act) Cosponsors: 76 • Permits retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation • Eliminates the phase-in period for concurrent receipt • Extends eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service. • Introduced by Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga. • Referred to Committees: Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs SENATE ACTION S. 271 (Retired Pay Restoration Act) Cosponsors: 23 • Permits certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for their disability and either retired pay by reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation. • Introduced by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. • Referred to Committee: Armed Services SURVIVOR ISSUES HOUSE ACTION H.R. 1594 (Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act) Cosponsors: 178 • Repeals the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veteran’s dependency and indemnity compensation. | S. 979 (Eliminate the SBP-DIC Offset) Cosponsors: 17 • Eliminates the dollar for dollar offset of Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) from VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) • Introduced by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. • Referred to Committee: Armed Services HEALTH CARE ISSUES HOUSE ACTION H.R. 218 (CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act of 2013) Cosponsors: 4 • Increases the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under the CHAMPVA program. • Introduced by Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla. • Referred to Committee: Veterans’ Affairs SENATE ACTION S. 471 (Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act) Cosponsors: 17 • Allows a credit against income tax for amounts paid by a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces for a new State license or certification required by reason of a permanent change in the duty station of such member to another State. • Introduced by Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev. • Referred to Committee: Veterans’ Affairs SPOUSE/FAMILY ISSUES HOUSE ACTION H.R. 3894 (Strengthen Military Child Abuse-Reporting Requirements) Cosponsors: 1 • Requires the prompt notification of State Child Protective Services by military and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense required by law to report suspected instances of child abuse and neglect. • Introduced by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii • Passed by the House of Representatives Feb. 9, 2016. Referred to the Senate for action. SENATE ACTION S. 210 (The Military Spouse Job Continuity Act) Cosponsors: 14 • Allows a credit against income tax for amounts paid by a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces for a new State license or certification required by reason of a permanent change in the duty station of such member to another State. • Introduced by Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. • Referred to Committee: Finance OTHER LEGISLATION HOUSE ACTION H.R. 1475 (Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act) Cosponsors: 309 • Authorizes a Wall of Remembrance as part of the Korean War Veterans Memorial and to allow certain private contributions to fund that Wall of Remembrance. • Introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas • Referred to Committee: Natural Resources • Passed by the House of Representatives, Feb. 24, 2016 SENATE ACTION S. 1982 (Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act) Cosponsors: 28 • Authorizes a Wall of Remembrance as part of the Korean War Veterans Memorial and to allow certain private contributions to fund that Wall of Remembrance. • Introduced by Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md. • Referred to Committee: Energy and Natural Resources | ||