Veterans' Benefits: Issues in the 110th Congress

Publication Date: October 2008

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Congressional interest in benefits for veterans has increased in the wake of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This report provides a general discussion of veterans' benefits issues that are part of the legislative agenda of the 110th Congress or are likely to be of legislative interest. Among those issues are disability compensation and pensions; education benefits; homelessness; life insurance; the status or eligibility of groups such as U.S. merchant seamen and World War II Filipino veterans for veterans benefits; Reserve and National Guard eligibility for veterans' benefits; the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and legal representation for veterans. For each issue, an overview is provided, along with summaries of pertinent pending legislation. In addition, an overview of the benefits and their eligibility requirements, demographics for both the veteran population and the benefit population, and summary data on the FY2008 budget for veterans' benefits are provided. Issues that are not addressed by this report are veterans' medical care and appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs. This report will be updated upon relevant legislative activity.