Veterans Issues in the 105th Congress
Publication Date: June 1998
Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
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Research Area: Military and defense
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Abstract:
Veterans Affairs (VA) Budget and Appropriations. P.L. 105-65 included $40.4 billion in FY1998 appropriations for VA programs. The FY1999 VA budget requests $42.8 for FY1999, and proposes that Montgomery GI benefits be increased by 20%, and compensation for certain Filipino veterans in the U.S. be increased to amounts for U.S. veterans. The Senate Budget Resolution assumes the requested level. The estimates include $560 million in nonappropriated funds collected from insurers of veterans to offset some of VA’s costs for their health care. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997, P.L. 105-33 approved language for VA to retain medical care cost recovery revenues rather than transfer the funds to the Treasury.
VA Medical Plans to Begin October 1, 1998. New VA regional health plans will administer all medical benefits as of October 1, 1998, but despite fears of some veterans, enrollment will be fairly easy, and can be done whenever they seek care.
Medicare Subvention. Congress gave VA authority to seek reimbursement for some of its costs, and recycle those funds into further care. One additional idea would combine Medicare benefits for certain veterans with their enrollment in VA health care plans, with Medicare partially reimbursing VA for those benefits. A bill, H.R. 3828, reported from Ways and Means would establish pilot projects.
Smoking-Related Diseases as Service-Connected. H.R. 2400, The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), adopted by both Houses May 22, 1998, ended VA authority to approve service-connected compensation for veterans who claimed disabilities linked to tobacco use begun during their military service. Some savings from the bill would be used to increase other veterans benefits.
Persian Gulf War Illnesses. Recently completed studies did not find causes of various disorders reported by Gulf War veterans. Many researchers conclude that no single cause will explain the diverse symptoms. Notably, the studies show that these veterans have not incurred diseases, been hospitalized, or died in unexpected numbers. P.L. 105-114 expanded services for Persian Gulf veterans to include any medical problem related to Gulf service.
Veterans Preferences in Federal Jobs. Some veterans believe that common federal employment practices do not honor preference rights to which some veterans are entitled. Legislation (H.R. 240; S. 1021) has passed the House, and is being considered in the Senate, that would expand preferences and broaden appeal rights.
Other Issues. P.L. 105-114 extended a Native American home loan program, strengthened VA’s ability to resolve discrimination and sexual harassment complaints arising within VA employment, extended and expanded expiring programs to combat homelessness (especially as affected by mental illness and substance abuse), instructed VA to develop a mammography policy, and provided permanent authority for noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care. Also, unlike many federal benefit programs, VA compensation is not automatically adjusted for inflation each year, and a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 2.1% (P.L. 105-98) was enacted for 1998; another will be considered this year for 1999.