Latest Action: 02/14/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance and improve insurance, housing, labor and education, and other benefits for veterans, and for other purposes. 2/14/2008--Introduced. Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Revises veterans' insurance benefits matters to: (1) direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to grant level-premium term life insurance to certain service-disabled veterans; (2) increase the maximum amount of supplemental service disabled veterans' insurance for totally disabled veterans; (3) provide retroactive traumatic injury coverage under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program for certain members of the Armed Forces who incurred a traumatic injury in the line of duty; (4) provide for the designation of a recipient of funds for traumatic injury coverage when the member is mentally incapacitated or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness; and (5) increase the maximum loan guarantee amount under the veterans' [...]

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Latest Action: 09/23/2008 - Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.

Bill Text
An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance veterans' insurance and housing benefits, to improve benefits and services for transitioning servicemembers, and for other purposes. 9/22/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 3 other summaries) Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Title I: Insurance Matters - (Sec. 101) Allows administrative costs of the Service-Disabled Veterans' Insurance program to be paid through premiums. (Sec. 102) Includes all (under current law, only certain active-duty) members of the Individual Ready Reserve under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program. Revises provisions relating to the termination of SGLI coverage for a dependent to provide that such coverage may terminate upon termination of the dependent's status as an insurable dependent of the member. (Under current law, such coverage may terminate 120 days following termination of such status.) (Sec. 103) Requires [...]

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Latest Action: 04/18/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Bill Text
To modify the calculation of back pay for persons who were approved for promotion as members of the Navy and Marine Corps while interned as prisoners of war during World War II to take into account changes in the Consumer Price Index.

3/27/2007--Introduced.

Amends the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 to increase the amount of back pay received by members of the Navy and Marine Corps selected for promotion while interned as prisoners of war during World War II to reflect increases in the cost of living since basic pay was paid to or for that person.

Latest Action: 05/07/2008 - Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 46, United States Code, to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II, and for other purposes.

3/22/2007--Introduced.

Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a monthly benefit of $1,000 to certain honorably-discharged veterans of the U.S. Merchant Marine who served between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946 (or to their survivors). Includes service in the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service. Exempts from taxation benefits paid under this Act.

Latest Action: 03/13/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war. 3/13/2007--Introduced. Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2007 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions with respect to former prisoners of war (POW) to repeal the currently required 30-day minimum period of internment prior to the presumption of service connection for certain listed diseases, for purposes of the payment of veterans' disability compensation. Adds the following diseases to the above listed diseases: diabetes (type 2) and osteoporosis. Requires: (1) such presumption also with respect to any disease that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines warrants such presumption by reason of having a positive association with the experience of being a prisoner of war; and (2) the Secretary to make such a determination within 60 days after a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War that such presumption be established [...]

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Latest Action: 06/12/2008 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Bill Text
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war. 2/27/2007--Introduced. Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2007 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions with respect to former prisoners of war (POW) to repeal the currently required 30-day minimum period of internment prior to the presumption of service connection for certain listed diseases, for purposes of the payment of veterans' disability compensation. Adds the following diseases to the above listed diseases diabetes (type 2) and osteoporosis. Requires: (1) such presumption also with respect to any disease that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines warrants such presumption by reason of having a positive association with the experience of being a prisoner of war; and (2) the Secretary to make such a determination within 60 days after a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War that such presumption be established for a non-listed [...]

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Latest Action: 03/20/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.

Bill Text
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the issuance of a prisoner-of-war medal to civilian employees of the Federal Government who, during war or under wartime conditions, are taken captive by armed forces or agents of a foreign government hostile to the United States.

1/5/2007--Introduced.

Civilian Prisoner-of-War Medal Act of 2007 - Requires the President to issue a prisoner-of-war medal to any person who, while serving as a civilian employee of the federal government, was forcibly taken and held captive: (1) while serving in a position or otherwise performing functions in support of the U.S. Armed Forces; or (2) by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the United States.

Latest Action: 09/05/2007 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund to provide benefits to certain individuals who served in the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) during World War II. 7/30/2007--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on July 27, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007 - Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund for payments by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a monthly benefit of $1,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S84)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Authorizes use of Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores by former prisoners of war who have been honorably separated from service and have a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more.

Latest Action: 06/19/2007 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Bill Text
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who died on or before September 30, 1999, under the same eligibility conditions as apply to payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of former prisoners of war who die after that date.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Amends veterans' benefit provisions to provide for the payment of dependency and indemnity compensation to the survivors of veterans rated totally disabled at the time of death who were former prisoners of war (currently, to the survivors of such veterans who died after September 30, 1999).