VET Act

Veterans Legislatoin (See Next Page) Carney Draft Bill - This legislation would create a toll free VA hotline to facilitate communication between college counselors and VA mental health professionals that are familiar with service related mental health conditions. It provides VA training to college counselors concerning service related mental health issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depression, sexual assault, sexual trauma, and readjustment disorder. It also creates a standard process for the VA to certify college counselors to ensure competence at treating service related mental health conditions. HR 24 - To redesignate the Department of the Navy to The Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, thus giving the Marine Corps official recognition. S 1963 Caregivers and Veterans of Omnibus Health Services Act. The VA caregivers portion of the Presidnets budget does not cover the full cost of the program. HR 2879 - Rural Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 to make improveents to veterans health care, increasing travel compen-sation to 41.5 cents per mile for veterans traveling to receive care at a VA facility and establishes a grant program to improve transportation for veterans coming from highly rural areas. It creates 1 to 5 centers of excellence in rural areas providing health care research and education. to introduce a comprehensive veterans jobs bill immediately! Filner Employment - To include in a comprehensive Veterans Jobs Package to include: expanding and doubling the work opportunity tax credit, revamping the VR&E program, providing funds for a comprehensive employment campaign, including vocational training and certifications in the post 9/11 G.I. Bill, increasing servicemembers ability to transfer their training and skills, mandating that DOL-VETS do a thorough review of the DVOP/LVER program, reforming the vets-100 filing report, conducting a an annual representative survey of unemployed veterans, conducting a job-fair in every congressional district, extending unemployment insurance for veterans, and others. S 3162 - Legislation that will clarify and protect all VA healthcare programs including CHAMPUS VA and spina bifida care under the new healthcare legislation. S. 3192 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the tolling of the timing of review for appeals of final decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and for other purposes. S 3234 Veterans Employment Act of 2010 - For the future of American veterans expands the Veteran Business Center Program to provide training and counseling, expands the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to include apprenticeships and job training programs, and establishes a Veterans Conservation Corps Grant Program and a Veterans Energy/Green Jobs Grant Program. HR 3257 - The Militar Family Leave Act, which will be offered as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. This bill would grant the family of servicemembers temporary annual leave during their deployment. Baucus Veteran Employment Transition Act of 2010. This draft bill will make major improvements in helping boost veterans employment. It would create a more efficient system whereby businesses who hire recent veterans receive a Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Holt Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act - which would provide funding for suicide prevention programs for members of the Individual Ready Reserve. This legislation will fill a critical void in the militarys suicide prevention services which does not easily reach those in the IRR and IMAs who are between deployments. Hall - Legislation seeking to designate the musical piece Taps as the national song of remembrance. FY 2011 Defense Appropriations bill which provides $20 million dollars for outreach programs authorized under the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. These resources are critical to supporting innovative, community-based veterans and military families outreach programs for members of the National Guard, the Reserves and their families in all three phases of deployment: pre-deployment, active duty, and post deployment. HR 3257, The Military Family Leave Act, which will be offered as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Your bill would grant the family of servicemembers temporary annual leave during their deployment. This legislation greatly benefit veterans and their families by providing two weeks of leave for every family member (spouse, sibling, or parent) of a service member who receives orders to active duty in support of a contingency operation, or who is deployed in connection with a contingency operation. HR 4006 - To ammend title 38, United States Code, to provide for Indian veterans health care coordinators and other purposes. This bill improves health care for American Indian veterans by implementing Indian veterans healthcare coordinators in ten VA facilities with the highest rate of Indians. HR 4213 - The Tax Extenders Act of 2009 to provide a one time check of $250.00 to veterans who do not receive social security, social security recipients and SSI recipients. HR 4443 - To ammend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the work opportunity tax credit for hiring veterans. HR 4765 - Legislation that would specifically authorize VA work-study student positions in congressional offices. Your important legislation would insure that great opportunities in congressional offices are available to veterans who are finishing their schooling and looking to gain valuable employment skills. H.R. 5014 which would clarify and protect all VA health care programs including CHAMPVA, Vocational Rehabilitation and spina bifida care under the new health care bill. To benefit veterans and their families by ensuring that all VA health care programs meet the require standards for individual health insurance coverage under the new health care law. It will also protect the benefits of Vietnam War and certain Korean War veterans children who have been diagnosed with spina bifida. H.R. 5064, Fair Access to Veterans Benefits Act of 2010. This bill creates flexibility in favor of the veteran within the claims appeals process. Currently, there is a 120 day deadline to file an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. However, your legislation extends the deadline if special circumstances result in a veteran missing the 120 day deadline to file an appeal. Foxx bill extending home loans for surviving spouses of certain totally-disabled veterans. Under section 3701(b) of title 38, United States Code, surviving spouses of totally-disabled veterans can apply for a VA home loan only if their spouse dies due to a service-related cause. Under this legislation home loans would also be extended to the surviving spouse of a totally-disabled veteran who dies from a non-service related cause. Allowing a military widow to utilize the VA home loan program is the right thing to do. We applaud your effort to fight for benefits of all surviving spouses of our nations veterans. HR 5282 - Which provides greater funding to the Veterans Curation Project. The Veterans Curation Project has been a great success since the Army Corps of Engineers opened its first veterans laboratory in Augusta, Georgia. The Army Corps of Engineers is working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Veteran Service Organizations to ensure greater cooperation in providing valuable technical and management skills to veterans for future employment opportunities. Dicks $25 million authorization and appropriation to fund the Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Research Program (GWVIRP) within the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Commands (USAMRMC) Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R. 1088: Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act of 2009 -- Reduces from 3 years to 1 year the period during which a disabled veterans outreach program specialist or a local veterans employment representative must complete the training program provided by the National Veterans Employment and Training Services Institute. H.R. 3257: Military Family Leave Act of 2009 -- Entitles an employed family member of a member of the Armed Forces who receives notification of a call or order to active duty in support of a contingency operation, or who is deployed in connection with a contingency operation, to two workweeks of leave per year for each family member who is so called or deployed. Allows such leave to: (1) be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule; and (2) consist of paid or unpaid leave, as the employer considers appropriate. Allows an employer to require certification of entitlement to such leave within a leave request. Provides employment and benefits protection for employees upon their return from such leave. Prohibits an employer from interfering with or otherwise denying the exercise of such leave rights. H.R. 4443: Veterans Employment Today Act of 2010 -- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of disabled and unemployed veterans. H.R. 466, S. 1607: Wounded Veteran Job Security Act -- Prohibits any employment discrimination or acts of reprisal against any person who has, or who has been treated for, an injury, illness, or disability determined by the VA Secretary to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.

Client expense: $6,800 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), Veterans Employment & Training Service

VETERANS LEGISLATION (SEE NEXT PAGE) H.Res.925 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the meritorious service performed by aviators in the United States Armed Forces who were shot down over, or otherwise forced to land in, hostile territory yet evaded enemy capture or were captured but subsequently escaped. HR 3943 - To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes. S. 1932 - To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to be eligible to participate in the Troops-to-Teachers Program, and for other purposes. H.R. 1175 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize taxpayers to designate a portion of their income tax payments to a National Military Family Relief Fund to be used by the Secretary of Defense to assist the families of members of the Armed Forces who are serving in, or have served in, Iraq or Afghanistan. HR 3554 - To amend Title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and for other purposes. H.R. 4469 - To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation. H.R. 24 - To redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. H.R. 4213 - The Tax Extenders Act of 2009. This amendment will provide a one-time check of $250 to veterans who do not receive social security, social security recipients, and SSI recipients. H.R. 950 - To amend chapter 33 of Title 38, United States Code, to increase educational assistance for certain veterans pursuing a program of education offered through distance learning. H.R. 4443 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the work opportunity tax credit for hiring veterans. H.R. 2879, Rural Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. To enhanced traveling compensation will ease the burden for rural veterans seeking out health care, and the transportation research will lay the foundation for future improvements. H.R.4006 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for Indian veterans health care coordinators, and for other purposes. S. 3162 - Legislation that will clarify and protect VA health care programs including CHAMPVA, Vocational Rehabilitation and spina bifida care under the new health care bill.

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE