NEWS FROM….

CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS

RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

    U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Washington, DC – Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) hailed the adoption today of the Veterans Benefits Act of 2000 by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, including in increase in the cost of living allowance (COLA) for disabled veterans and some of their survivors, as a key step to enacting four-fold legislation to help disabled veterans and their families, and to protect members of the Guard and Reserve. "This legislation provides significant aid to the men and women who have served – and to many who are still serving this country," said Evans, Democratic Leader of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "The committee was in full support of what we’ve initiated."

The COLA increase will be tied to increases in the Social Security rates, as has been the practice for several years. Increases apply to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation for service-connected disabled veterans, and to the rates of VA disability and indemnity compensation (DIC) for survivors of certain disabled veterans. Evans said, "These increases are especially important to disabled veterans and their families who may not have other income."

Evans is especially proud of the section awarding VA Special Monthly Compensation to women veterans who receive mastectomies for service-connected conditions. This provision began as legislation Evans and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) introduced in March to provide this compensation, based on a recommendation of the VA’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. VA currently provides special compensation of $76.00 per month to certain veterans who have service-connected disabilities resulting in the loss or loss of use of various body parts, but not for a radical or modified radical mastectomy.

The bill also incorporates two provisions to support the National Guard and the Reserves, in which many veterans continue to provide for the military readiness of the nation. One provides for members of the Guard and Reserves by authorizing service-connected disability benefits for those who suffer a heart attack or stroke while serving on inactive duty for training. The second provision will assure that servicemembers who volunteer for an assignment to a mobilization category in the Ready Reserves will have access to VA life insurance. "If we expect these servicemembers to put their lives on the line for this Nation," Evans said, "we must make certain their survivors will receive compensation if the worst happens."

Evans noted all four provisions are rooted in fairness. "Helping disabled veterans and their survivors keep up with rising costs, recognizing a mastectomy as a serious loss, treating a stroke or a heart attack on duty as service-connected, and insuring the citizen soldiers who help keep us free are all part of treating our veterans fairly," Evans said. "They deserve our respect and our gratitude, and we give them that. They also need to be provided improved benefits, and that is what this legislation offers."