Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs will meet on Wednesday to discuss and possibly amend five bills which could impact veterans in both the United States and the Philippines.

Immediately after the conclusion of that meeting, the Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Charles L. Hopkins, of Massachusetts, to be the Assistant Secretary for Operations, Security and Preparedness for Veterans Affairs.

The hearing will be held Wednesday, June 27, in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, starting at 9:30 a.m. Eastern. It is scheduled to be webcast live and available for viewing later on the Committee's website: http://veterans.senate.gov. Audio may also be available - during the hearing only - at http://www.capitolhearings.org.

The bills to be considered are:

• S. 423, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2007 - Sponsor: Sen. Akaka - ten cosponsors, including Sen. Craig. The bill seeks to increase the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans.
• S. 1163 (Committee Print), Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007 - Sponsor: Sen. Akaka - five cosponsors. The bill seeks to improve compensation for veterans in certain cases of impairment of vision involving both eyes, and to provide for the use of the National Directory of New Hires for income verification purposes.
• S. 479, Joshua Omvig Veterans' Suicide Prevention Act - Sponsor Sen. Harkin - 27 cosponsors. The bill seeks to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
• S. 1315 (Committee Print), Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 - Sponsor: Sen. Akaka. The bill seeks to enhance insurance and specially adapted housing benefits for disabled veterans, to expand benefits for Filipino veterans who served under U.S. command during World War II, and for other purposes.
• S. 1233 (Committee Print), Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury and Other Health Programs Improvement Act of 2007 - Sponsor: Sen. Akaka - 4 cosponsors, including Sen. Craig. The bill seeks to improve traumatic brain injury and mental health treatment, enhance travel reimbursement, expand outreach and access to care for rural and homeless veterans, and authorize funds for the construction and updating of VA facilities.

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