HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

NEWS FROM…

CHAIRMAN BOB FILNER

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2008





House Passes Bill to Improve VA Home Loan Program and Sends COLA Bill to President’s Desk


House approves better refinancing options for veterans in response to mortgage crisis


Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, September 11, 2008, Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, announced that the House of Representatives passed a legislative package that would increase health care access for veterans living in rural areas, authorize construction for major medical facility projects, improve home refinancing options for veterans, and provide for a cost-of- living adjustment for veterans with service-connected disabilities.

The following bills were considered and approved by the House of Representatives:

H.R. 1527 – Rural Veterans Access to Care Act (Rep. Jerry Moran)

The bill would establish a pilot program to allow certain veterans to receive health services through a non-Department health care provider. For a three year period, veterans defined as “highly rural” that receive care in Veteran Integrated Services Network 1, 15, 18 or 19, would be permitted to receive covered health services through providers other than the VA.

Chairman Filner offered the following statement on H.R. 1527: “Many rural veterans face significant challenges accessing VA health care services due to their geographic distance from VA facilities and limited transportation services. Some of these veterans must face commutes of several hours just to utilize VA healthcare services. This legislation would set up a pilot program to allow some rural veterans to elect to receive health care locally, eliminating the frustration and hassle of a lengthy commute to the nearest VA medical center.”


H.R. 6832 – Veterans’ Construction and Extensions Act of 2008 (Chairman Filner)

This bill will make home loans more accessible to veterans by easing restrictions on the refinancing component of the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would eliminate the equity requirement and raise the loan limit for home refinancing for veterans and their families. The bill also authorizes major medical facility projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2009 and extends certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans of Affairs.

Chairman Filner discussed H.R. 6832 on the Floor of the House of Representatives: “For many of our returning service members and veterans, the stress of what they have gone through in war is still prevalent when they return home. Unfortunately, for many of these heroes, they are returning to a mortgage crisis and fear losing their home. The bill passed today will help veterans get out of predatory mortgages, protect veterans from foreclosure, and offer better refinancing options through the VA home loan program. In this time of crisis, veterans ought to be able to turn to the VA for assistance.”


S. 2617 – Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2008 (Senator Akaka)

The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, known as the COLA, will increase the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. The disability COLA would be effective December 1, 2008, and will be equal to that provided on an annual basis to Social Security recipients.

Chairman Filner offered the following statement on the COLA Bill: “Since 1976, Congress has passed a measure to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the rates of basic compensation for disabled veterans and the DIC rates to their survivors and dependents, in order to keep pace with the rising cost-of-living. I am pleased that we are able to work with the Senate to get this bill passed and on to the President for his signature. This will ensure that our veterans will not be delayed in getting their cost-of-living adjustment.”

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