S. Amdt. 4572 - To Increase Benefits for Disabled U.S. Veterans and Provide a Fair Benefit to World War II Filipino Veterans for Their Service to the United States.

Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007

S. 1315 — 110^th Congress (2007–2008)

Summary

An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance veterans' insurance and housing benefits, to improve benefits and services for transitioning servicemembers, and for other purposes. (by CRS)

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Title

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance life insurance benefits for disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Other Titles

• Disabled Veterans Insurance Improvement Act of 2007
• Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008
• Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007
• Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007
• An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance veterans' insurance and housing benefits, to improve benefits and services for transitioning servicemembers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor

Daniel Akaka

Co-Sponsors

• Ken Salazar

Subjects

• Veterans
• Administrative fees
• Afghanistan
• Appellate courts
• Apprenticeship
• Armed forces
• Armed forces abroad
• Armed forces reserves
• Brain diseases
• Budgets
• Burns
• Cancer
• Congress
• Congressional investigations
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Cost of living adjustments
• Courthouses
• Defense policy
• Disabled
• Education
• Epidemiology
• Ex-prisoners of war
• Families
• Federal aid to research
• Federally-guaranteed loans
• Finance
• Government life insurance
• Governmental investigations
• Higher education
• History
• Home repair and improvement
• Housing
• Housing for the disabled
• Iraq
• Iraq compilation
• Job training
• Judges
• Judicial compensation
• Labor
• Law
• Medical research
• Middle East and North Africa
• Military cemeteries and funerals
• Military dependents
• Military operations
• Mortgages
• Multiple sclerosis
• National Guard
• Nervous system diseases
• Neurology
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Pensions
• Persian Gulf War
• Philippines
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Residence requirements
• Science policy
• Self-help devices for the disabled
• South Asia
• Survivors' benefits
• Telecommunication
• Transportation
• Transportation and the disabled
• Trauma care
• Trusts and trustees
• Unemployment
• Veterans' benefits
• Veterans' disability compensation
• Veterans' education
• Veterans' employment
• Veterans' medical care
• Veterans' pensions
• War casualties
• Wireless communication
• World War II

Related Bills

Major Actions

Introduced	5/07/2007
Referred to Committee
Amendments (16 proposed)
Passed Senate	4/24/2008
Passed House	9/23/2008

Bill History

• All Votes
• All Actions
• Amendments

	Chamber/Committee	Motion	Date	Result
select this vote	Senate	Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.1315	4/22/2008	This motion PASSED the Senate 94 voted YES 0 voted NO 6 voted present/not voting
select this vote	Senate	Amendment SA 4576 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.	4/24/2008	PASSED by voice vote
currently selected	Senate	Burr Amdt. No. 4572	4/24/2008	This amendment DID NOT PASS the Senate 41 voted YES 56 voted NO 3 voted present/not voting
select this vote	Senate	On Passage - Senate - S.1315 as Amended	4/24/2008	This bill PASSED the Senate 96 voted YES 1 voted NO 3 voted present/not voting
select this vote	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.	9/23/2008	PASSED by voice vote

	Action	Date	Description
	Introduced	5/07/2007
		5/07/2007	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
		5/07/2007	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5657)
	Put on a legislative calendar	6/27/2007	Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
		8/29/2007	Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Akaka under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/03/2007 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-148.
	Put on a legislative calendar	8/29/2007	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 336.
		4/17/2008	Cloture motion on the motion to proceed presented in Senate.
		4/17/2008	Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
		4/22/2008	Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
select this vote	Vote	4/22/2008	Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.1315
		4/23/2008	Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
		4/23/2008	Measure laid before Senate by motion.
		4/23/2008	Amendment SA 4572 proposed by Senator Burr.
		4/24/2008	Considered by Senate.
		4/24/2008	The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
		4/24/2008	Message on Senate action sent to the House.
		4/24/2008	Considered by Senate.
		4/24/2008	Amendment SA 4576 proposed by Senator Akaka.
select this vote	Vote	4/24/2008	Amendment SA 4576 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
currently selected	Vote	4/24/2008	Burr Amdt. No. 4572
select this vote	Senate Vote on Passage	4/24/2008	On Passage - Senate - S.1315 as Amended
		4/24/2008	Received in the House.
		4/24/2008	Held at the desk.
		9/23/2008	Mr. Filner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
		9/23/2008	Considered under suspension of the rules.
		9/23/2008	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1315.
select this vote	House Vote on Passage	9/23/2008	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
		9/23/2008	Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.

	Number	Sponsor	Date Offered	Status
	S. Amdt. 4559	Feingold, Russell [D-WI]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4560	Baucus, Max [D-MT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4561	Menéndez, Robert [D-NJ]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4562	Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4563	Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4564	Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4565	Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4566	Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4567	Thune, John [R-SD]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4568	Inhofe, James [R-OK]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4569	Inhofe, James [R-OK]	April 22, 2008	Offered on April 21, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4570	Vitter, David [R-LA]	April 23, 2008	Offered on April 22, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
	S. Amdt. 4571	Nelson, Ben [D-NE]	April 23, 2008	Offered on April 22, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
currently selected	S. Amdt. 4572	Burr, Richard [R-NC]	April 23, 2008	Failed by roll call vote on April 24, 2008.
	To increase benefits for disabled U.S. veterans and provide a fair benefit to World War II Filipino veterans for their service to the United States. Actions April 23, 2008, 12:00 am ET - Amendment SA 4572 proposed by Senator Burr. April 24, 2008, 12:00 am ET - Considered by Senate. April 24, 2008, 12:16 pm ET - Burr Amdt. No. 4572 Full Text of this Amendment SA 4572. Mr. BURR (for himself, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Craig) proposed an amendment to the bill S. 1315, to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance life insurance benefits for disabled veterans, and for other purposes; as follows: Strike section 401 and insert the following: SEC. 401. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR CERTAIN SERVICE IN THE ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PHILIPPINE SCOUTS. (a) Modification of Status of Certain Service.-- (1) IN GENERAL.--Section 107 is amended to read as follows:``§107. Certain service with Philippine forces deemed to be active service ``(a) In General.--Service described in subsection (b) shall be deemed to have been active military, naval, or air service for purposes of any law of the United States conferring rights, privileges, or benefits upon any individual by reason of the service of such individual or the service of any other individual in the Armed Forces. ``(b) Service Described.--Service described in this subsection is service-- ``(1) before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the President dated July 26, 1941, including among such military forces organized guerrilla forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States; or ``(2) in the Philippine Scouts under section 14 of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945 (59 Stat. 538). ``(c) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Certain Recipients Residing Outside the United States.--(1) Dependency and indemnity compensation provided under chapter 13 of this title to an individual described in paragraph (2) shall be made at a rate of $0.50 for each dollar authorized. ``(2) An individual described in this paragraph is an individual who resides outside the United States and is entitled to dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of this title based on service described in subsection (b). ``(d) Exception on Pension and Death Pension for Individuals Residing Outside the United States.--An individual who resides outside the United States shall not, while so residing, be entitled to a pension under subchapter II or III of chapter 15 of this title based on service described in subsection (b). ``(e) United States Defined.--In this section, the term `United States' means the States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other possession or territory of the United States.''. (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 1 is amended by striking the item related to section 107 and inserting the following new item: ``107. Certain service with Philippine forces deemed to be active service.''. (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this subsection shall apply with respect to the payment or provision of benefits on or April 1, 2009. No benefits are payable or are required to be provided by reason of such amendment for any period before such date. (b) Pension and Death Pension Benefit Protection.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a veteran with service described in section 107(b) of title 38, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), who is receiving benefits under a Federal or federally assisted program as of April 1, 2009, or a survivor of such veteran who is receiving such benefits as that date, may not be required to apply for or receive benefits under chapter 15 of such title if the receipt of such benefits would-- (1) make such veteran or survivor ineligible for any Federal or federally assisted program for which such veteran or survivor qualifies; or (2) reduce the amount of benefit such veteran or survivor would receive from any Federal or federally assisted program for which such veteran or survivor qualifies. (c) Increase in Specially Adapted Housing Benefits for Disabled Veterans.-- (1) IN GENERAL.--Section 2102 is amended-- (A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$11,000''; (B) in subsection (d)-- (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$50,000'' and inserting ``$55,000''; and (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$11,000''; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e)(1) Effective on October 1 of each year (beginning in 2009), the Secretary shall increase the amounts described in subsection (b)(2) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d) in accordance with this subsection. ``(2) The increase in amounts under paragraph (1) to take effect on October 1 of a year shall be by an amount of such amounts equal to the percentage by which-- ``(A) the residential home cost-of-construction index for the preceding calendar year, exceeds ``(B) the residential home cost-of-construction index for the year preceding the year described in subparagraph (A). ``(3) The Secretary shall establish a residential home cost-of-construction index for the purposes of this subsection. The index shall reflect a uniform, national average change in the cost of residential home construction, determined on a calendar year basis. The Secretary may use an index developed in the private sector that the Secretary determines is appropriate for purposes of this subsection.''. (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on April 1, 2009, and shall apply with respect to payments made in accordance with section 2102 of title 38, United States Code, on or after that date. (d) Annual Adjustment of Amount of Burial and Funeral Expenses for Deaths From Service-Connected Disability.--Section 2307 is amended-- (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``In any case''; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(b) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the amount authorized by subsection (a)(1) by the amount equal to the percentage of such amount by which-- ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''. (e) Increase in Assistance for Providing Automobiles or Other Conveyances to Certain Disabled Veterans.-- (1) IN GENERAL.--Section 3902 is amended-- (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``$11,000'' and inserting ``$15,000''; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e) Effective on October 1 of each year (beginning in 2009), the Secretary shall increase the amount described in subsection (a) by a percentage of such amount equal to the percentage by which-- ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''. (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on April 1, 2009, and shall apply with respect to payments made in accordance with section 3902 of title 38, United States Code, on or after that date. (As printed in the Congressional Record for the Senate on Apr 23, 2008.)
	S. Amdt. 4574	Pryor, Mark [D-AR]	April 23, 2008	Offered on April 23, 2008.
	Amendment information not available. Show amendment details
select this vote	S. Amdt. 4576	Akaka, Daniel [D-HI]	April 24, 2008	Passed by voice vote on April 24, 2008.
	Of a perfecting nature. Show amendment details