Rep. Collin Peterson - Peterson Announces House Passage of Veterans bills

CONGRESSMAN
COLLIN C. PETERSON

Minnesota - 7th District http://www.house.gov/collinpeterson/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2000
CONTACT: Bill Black/202-225-2165

Peterson Announces House Passage of Veterans bills

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congressman Collin C. Peterson (D-7^th District) announced that the House of Representatives today passed legislation for an easier veterans disability compensation claims process. The “Veterans Claims Assistance Act,” cosponsored by Rep. Peterson, passed unanimously in the House and will likely find similar support in the Senate.

The bipartisan claims bill was introduced in response to a strict ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in the July 1999 case Morton v. West. Under the ruling, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was allowed to help a veteran develop a claim of service-connected disability only after the veteran accumulated broad evidence that he or she is entitled to compensation.

“The court took the requirement for a ‘well-grounded claim’ from U.S. law regarding veterans claims assistance,” said Peterson “and interpreted it so that the veteran would have to get his own lawyer before the VA would help him.”

The Court said in its decision that if Congress didn’t agree with its ruling, Congress could change the law’s “well-grounded claim” requirement.

“The bill we passed clarifies that the VA must get involved earlier in the process to assist veterans in building their claims,” said Peterson. “Congress has always intended for the VA to be proactive in helping veterans, but what was happening seems just the opposite.”

Peterson also announced House passage of the “Veterans Benefits Act” today. The four major sections of the bill authorize the yearly cost-of-living adjustment for service-connected disabled veterans compensation and certain survivor benefits; provide VA Special Monthly Compensation to women veterans who receive mastectomies for service-connected conditions; authorize service-connected disability benefits for National Guard and Reserve members who suffer a heart attack or stroke while serving on inactive duty for training; and grant access to VA life insurance to mobilization category members of the military Ready Reserves.

Passage of these bills in the House follows last week’s passage in the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on which Rep. Peterson sits. Both bills are expected to become law after Senate votes and signing by President Clinton.

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