WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, praised his colleagues for supporting a comprehensive veterans’ benefits package now headed to the White House for President Obama’s consideration.  If signed into law, this bill will expand insurance options for disabled veterans, upgrade compensation benefits and employment protections, authorize VA construction projects, and allow VA to keep using private physicians to quickly and accurately provide veterans with disability evaluations.

“I commend my colleagues for supporting this bill to upgrade the benefits that veterans have earned through their honorable service.  I look forward to President Obama signing this important measure into law,” said Akaka, a key sponsor of this legislation.

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The Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 (H.R. 3219, as amended), includes the following:
 
• Raises an automobile assistance benefit for disabled veterans from $11,000 to $18,900.
• Authorizes federal grants to provide job training, counseling, placement, and childcare services to homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.
• Substantially increases the maximum levels of supplemental insurance for totally disabled veterans, as well as Veterans’ Group Life Insurance and Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance.
• Provides retroactive Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance benefits for troops who were traumatically injured between October 7, 2001 and November 30, 2005, regardless of where their injury occurred.
• Clarifies that the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act prohibits wage discrimination against members of the Armed Forces.
 
H.R. 3219 passed the House late last night, after clearing the Senate on Tuesday, September 28.  The bill now goes to President Obama for his consideration.  A detailed summary of the Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 is available here: LINK

The full text of the bill, as amended by the Senate, is available here: LINK

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September 30, 2010