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House Veterans Affairs Committee Passes Multiple Veteran-Friendly Bills

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee passed multiple bills, which will help veterans and veterans with disabilities in many ways, according to The Air Force Times. Among those bills was the Veterans Opportunity To Work Act (HR 2433), which passed with a 17-5 vote. That bill will cost $1.5 billion and will help veterans by:

 

·      establishing a job retention program for veterans over 35 years old who have been unemployed  for 26 weeks or more;

·      improving help with transitioning;

·      improving job placement; and

·      improving professional licensing programs.

 

There were questions from Democrats about funding the employment programs. Some low-income veterans living in nursing homes will have their pensions reduced. Further, reductions in fees for veterans' home loans, which were going to be reduced, will likely be delayed, which did not make sense to Rep. Bob Filner, the ranking democrat on the Committee. He also questioned the bills focus on retaining already employed veterans but not creating new jobs for other veterans.

The Committee also passed multiple other bills, among them HR 2302, which will force the VA to issue quarterly reports itemizing all costs the VA incurs as a result of VA-sponsored conferences. Additionally, the Committee passed HR 2646, which is a VA-related construction bill. That legislation will subsidize large construction projects across the nation, and will include "earthquake-related" projects.

HR 1025 will finally grant veteran status to members of the National Guard and Reserve, which is currently limited to only those with "extended active service." HR 1263 makes two changes:

 

·      it provides more protection to surviving spouses against foreclosures; and

·      it requires anyone lending money to the VA to maintain a compliance office.

 

Finally, HR 2349 mandates skill testing for VA employees. For those that do not pass, remedial training would be required as would re-testing following that training. Further failures could result in discipline. It also prevents insurance settlements from being considered income when attempting to qualify for pensions. HR 2074 will improve how sexual assaults on VA property are reported, will allow service dogs on VA property, and will create a pilot program to study the feasibility of allowing veterans with mental conditions to train service dogs.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.