House Passes 5 More Vet Bills

[Berta]

House passes 5 important vet's bills::
http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2015/05/house-passes-5-veterans-bills-in-a-day/

The reprimand accountability bill is explained more here:

In part:

"The House on Monday passed a bill that would require the Veterans Affairs Department to keep a copy of any admonishment or reprimand in employees’ personnel files as long as they work for the department."

"The Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act, which lawmakers approved unanimously, would make those notices citing poor performance or misconduct a permanent part of an employee’s file. Under the current policy, an “admonishment” remains on an employee’s record for two years, while a “reprimand” stays in the file for three years, after which time they it is permanently removed. An admonishment is an informal warning issued to an employee either verbally or in writing; a reprimand is more serious, and is a written statement of formal censure for misconduct.

The legislation does not create any new penalties for employees or affect the process for appealing disciplinary actions."

Of course AFGE opposed the bill.

http://www.govexec.com/defense/2015/05/house-backs-bill-ensuring-reprimands-remain-va-employees-records/113215/

[Buck52]

House Passes 5 Veteran’s Bills in a Day
May 18, 2015 | Terry Howell

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the following veterans related bills:

•H.R. 1382, the Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment Act would allow the VA secretary, when awarding procurement contracts, to give preference to government contractors who employ veterans on a full time basis.

•H.R. 1313, the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act, would allow a surviving spouse of a veteran who has a service-connected disability rating of less than 100 percent, and who does not die due to their service-connected disability, to retain the veteran’s small business status through VA’s “Vets First” program for up to three years following the veteran’s death.

•H.R. 1038, the Ensuring VA Accountability Act, would require the Secretary to maintain all written reprimands and admonishments that a VA employee receives in the VA employee’s file as long as they are an employee of the department.

•H.R. 474, the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015, would reauthorize the Homeless Veteran Re-Integration Program until FY 2020.

•H.R. 91, the Veteran’s I.D. Card Act, would direct the Secretary to provide an ID card to any honorably discharged veteran who is not a retired member of the Armed forces or who is enrolled in the VA healthcare system.

Courtesy of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Read more: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2015/05/house-passes-5-veterans-bills-in-a-day/#ixzz3ah4dVAaQ
MilitaryAdvantage.Military.com

Edited May 20, 2015 by Buck52

[Buck52]

Just so everyone knows.

I open this link from Ms Berta

since a lot of veterans live in Rural Area and have the old fashion Dial up Modems.

some can't open ULR Links my old ex neighbor is one!

.................Buck

[john999]

How about expanding caregiver act to include all severely disabled vets and expanding Veteran's Choice to include all vets who want care outside the VA system? Disability pay has not been raised except by rate of inflation since WWII. We need a 25% across the board increase just to stay even. For all the vets who get less than 100% pay rate their compensation rate is peanuts. 40% if you lose a leg below the knee? 40% if you lose an eye? 30-50% if you have PTSD that does not make you unemployable. This is just chump change. Even 100% rate would not sustain many vets who live in urban areas. Most of the houses in my neighborhood now cost minimum of $300,000 and new ones cost $750,000. Tell me a 100% vet can afford this on $40,000 a year. In Florida the median household income is $46,500. That means that both spouses must work and cannot save a dime. Median income means that half of the population makes less than 46,500 a year. I think this is income before taxes, SSA and medical insurance. A household of four can live on that kind of money if they live in subsidized section 8 and get food stamps. Having savings you can tap is the difference between living from one emergency to another and sleeping at night. Americans make less now than they did in 2005 and we all know many prices have gone up for many items not included in CPI. CPI which COLA is based on does not include the cost of food or fuel. If disabled vets get 1% COLA this year they will be lucky. I was making $50,000 a year in 2000 and my compensation is about $40,000 now with HB thrown in on top. I could not afford to buy the house I live in now. If I were young with a couple of kids I would be home with the kids and wife would be working full time. How would I get to VA appointments without taking kids with me? Nothing like sitting with a couple of kids for hours at the VA while they tell you your team has moved down the road five miles and did not bother to tell you.

All this talk about honoring the vet is just talk. Give me money and keep the honors. I am old fart now so I will get by, but young disabled vets have a long road ahead and citizens forget so fast.

John

[briandalegm]

Can anyone tell me what the advantage of having a 'veteran' ID card if not retired? This doesn't give access to commissary etc - so...hmmm?

[OSC]

Can anyone tell me what the advantage of having a 'veteran' ID card if not retired? This doesn't give access to commissary etc - so...hmmm?

It will get you either a free or two-for-one buffet in Las Vegas on Military holidays.

OSC

[Detel]

Brian,

I would also add that there exist a lot of discounts and programs on the State level. In Virginia, for example, certain businesses will give veterans a discount. They use the veteran ID card as a proof of service.

V/r

Detel