VFW Legislative Update

VFW Washington Weekly July 20, 2009  In This Issue:

1. House VA Committee Hearings

2. Women Veteran Hearings

3. Military Voting Rights Bill

4. DOD Identifies Captured Soldier

1. House VA Committee Hearings: Tuesday: The Subcommittee on Oversight
and Investigations held a hearing on VA and DOD's implementation of a
joint electronic medical record. Mandated by the FY 2008 Defense bill,
Secretaries' Shinseki and Gates have made the interoperable record a
priority.  The deadline for the creation of a joint lifetime
electronic record that will contain information from the day a
servicemember enters the military to their transition into the VA
system is Sept. 30, 2009.  Committee members all stated that it is
time to make the transition easier for all those returning from
battle, and to improve upon a system that ensures the best care,
efficient benefits delivery, and seamless transition in to civilian
life.  Director Rear Adm. Gregory Timberlake and Deputy Director Cliff
Freeman of the Interagency Program Office, both testified that it is
their goal to enable DOD and VA to work together to deliver a
comprehensive system that will modernize both agencies and bring them
into  21st century. Wednesday: The full committee moved several
VFW-supported bills forward for House action.

HR 3155 would authorize training, support and medical care to family
caregivers of veterans.  It would also create a stipend to cover
housing and expenses incurred by primary caregivers to certain
veterans.

HR 1293 would increase the amount veterans receive for improvements
and structural alterations for home health services.

HR 2270 combines provisions from eight other bills, to include
establishing a Director of Physician Assistant position within VA;
eliminate the deduction in accelerated death payments to
terminally–ill veterans and service members under SGLI and VGLI; allow
certain veterans to increase the amount of life insurance they carry
under VGLI; prohibit catastrophically-disabled veterans from having to
pay copayments or other fees for critical medical services; and
permanently authorize hospital care, medical services and nursing home
care for Vietnam and Persian Gulf War veterans exposed to herbicides.

Thursday: VFW presented testimony before the Subcommittee on Economic
Opportunity on State Approving Agencies (SAAs) and their role in
education programs administered by VA. SAAs were established by
Congress in 1947 to ensure that veterans and eligible dependents use
the GI Bill educational benefit in an approved educational
environment.  Their key function is to ensure that education and
training programs meet VA standards.  VFW believes that with the
passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, SAAs need more highly trained
individuals working at the state and federal levels.  We also
testified that adequate resources provided by Congress and vigilant
oversight are needed to decrease the potential for waste, fraud and
abuse.To read VFW testimony, go to:
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=caphill.leveld&did=3702.For more on
the hearings, visit the committee website at
http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/.

2. Women Veteran Hearings: The Senate and House Veterans Affairs
Committees held hearings last week on VA healthcare services for women
veterans.  Both hearings looked at how VA can bridge the gaps in care
that currently face female veterans.  VFW sponsored a witness who
spoke of her experiences about the care given her when she
transitioned out of the Army into VA.

A panel of female warriors spoke at both hearings and told personal
stories of their struggles getting proper care and benefits at VA
facilities.  According to VA, of the 1.8 million women veterans in the
U.S., about 450,000 have enrolled for care at VA.  The VA's chief
consultant on women's health, Dr. Patricia Hays, addressed some of the
inconsistencies and problems, and told Senate Committee members that
VA is implementing an innovative approach to improve services to
women.  Some of the current initiatives and programs include:
Comprehensive primary care providers throughout the nation. Staffing
every VA medical center with a Women Veterans Program Manager.
Enhancing mental health care at all facilities.  Creating a
min-residency education program on women's health for physicians.
Improving communication and outreach about VA services for
women.Conducting a multi-faceted research program on women's health.

VFW -supported legislation addressing access to care at VA that
focuses on understanding the needs of women vets and improving
services was introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Stephanie
Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD). The House passed their version.  We await
Senate action.  For more on both hearings, visit the respective
committee websites at http://veterans.senate.gov/ and
http://veterans.house.gov/.

3. Military Voting Rights Bill: The Senate Administration Committee
approved legislation last week to ensure the votes of U.S. troops and
other Americans living overseas are counted in upcoming elections.

The bill, S. 1415, would require states to send ballots to military
and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election, and provide a
10-day grace period for ballots to be received after Election Day, as
long as they are postmarked in time.  Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), the
bill's sponsor, is going to offer the legislation as an amendment to
the fiscal year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, now under
consideration by the Senate.

4. DOD Identifies Captured Soldier:

The Defense Department announced the capture of Army Pfc. Bowe R.
Bergdahl, 23, of Ketchum, ID,on July 3.  Bergdahl, a member of 1st
Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team,
25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, AK, is the only missing
American serviceman in Afghanistan.  Army Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie, of Ann
Arbor, MI, is the only missing American serviceman in Iraq.  He was
allegedly kidnapped while on his way to visit family in Baghdad on
Oct. 23, 2006.

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