To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize individuals who are pursuing programs of rehabilitation, education, or training under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to receive work-study allowances for certain outreach services provided through congressional offices, and for other purposes.

Various pieces of legislation to include H.R. 114, H.R. 3685, H.R. 4319, H.R. 4635, H.R. 4664, H.R. 4765 & H.R. 5360 introduced and supported in an effort to require the VA to generate special recognition of organizations who have met VAs goals of hiring veterans FY '11 Budget FY 2011 Budget PrioritiesViews on Fiscal Year 2011 funding issues H.R. 1017, S. 1204Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans ActTo amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 and title 38, USC, to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all VA medical centers and to expand access to such care and services. H.R. 1036Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009To amend title 38, USC, to establish the position of Director of Physical Therapy Service within the Veterans Health Administration and to establish a fellowship program for physical therapists in the areas of geriatrics, amputee rehabilitation, polytrauma care, and rehabilitation research H.R. 1075RECOVER Act (Restoring Essential Care for Our Veterans for Effective Recovery Act) To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access to hospital care for veterans in major disaster areas, and for other purposes. H.R. 1211Women Veterans Health Care Improvement ActTo amend title 38, U.S.C., to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the VA, and for other purposes. H.R. 1302, S. 1155Amend title 38, USC, to establish the position in the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health's Office.Legislation to amend title 38, USC, to establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for health. H.R. 1335To amend title 38, USC, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled.Prohibits the collection by the VA of copayments or other fees for hospital or nursing home care in the case of catastrophically disabled veterans. H.R. 1428, S. 1752Amend title 38, USC, directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation A bill to amend title 38, USC, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairsto provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson's disease. H.R. 1546Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury. H.R. 174, S. 691Bill to establish a national cemetery for veterans in in El Paso County, Colorado -- southern Colorado region, and for other purposes. H.R. 2254, S. 1939Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009Include as part of the Republic of Vietnam, for purposes of the presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure by veterans to certain herbicide agents while in Vietnam, such Republic's inland waterways, ports, and harbors, waters offshore, and airspace above. Include as veterans eligible for such presumption for those who: (1) served on Johnston Island during the period beginning on April 1, 1972, and ending on September 30, 1977; or (2) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal. H.R. 23, S. 663A Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009To amend title 38, USC, 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. H.R. 2504Amend title 38, USC, to increase in the annually authorized amount for homeless veterans programs.To amend title 38, USC, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the VA Secretary to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans. H.R. 2698Veterans and Survivors Behavioral Health Awareness ActTo improve and enhance the mental health care benefits available to veterans, to enhance counseling and other benefits available to survivors of veterans, and for other purposes. H.R. 2699Armed Forces Behavioral Health Awareness ActTo improve the mental health care benefits available to members of the Armed Forces, to enhance counseling available to family members of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. H.R. 2879, S. 658Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve health care for veterans who live in rural areas, and for other purposes. H.R. 2990Disabled Military Retiree Relief ActTo provide special pays and allowances to certain members of the Armed Forces, expand concurrent receipt of military retirement and VA disability benefits to disabled military retirees, and for other purposes. H.R. 3157, S. 1483A bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota, as the "Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic".A bill to designate the VA outpatient clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota, as the "Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic". H.R. 3441To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposesTo provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes H.R. 3787To amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans AffairsTo amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the reserve components as active service for purposes of laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs H.R. 3926Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research ActDirects the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans and report study results to Congress. H.R. 3949Veterans Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for other purposes. H.R. 4006Rural, American Indian Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for Indian veterans health care coordinators, and for other purposes. H.R. 4241To amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State veterans homesTo amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State veterans homes. H.R. 4632Renovate and Enhance Veterans Meeting Halls and Posts Act (REVAMP Act)To amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to set-aside community development block grant amounts in each fiscal year for grants to local chapters of veterans service organizations for rehabilitation of their facilities. H.R. 4667, S. 3107Veterans Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act of 2010To increase, effective as of December 1, 2010, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes. H.R. 5045, H.R. 5064, S. 3192Fair Access to Veterans Benefits Act of 2010Extends the 120-day limit for the filing of an appeal to the Court of Veterans Appeals after a final decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals upon a showing of good cause for such time as justice may require. Makes such extension applicable to appeals of final Board decisions issued on or after July 24, 2008. H.R. 5226, S. 3314Appalachian Veterans Outreach Improvement Act To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Appalachian Regional Commission to carry out a program of outreach for veterans who reside in Appalachia, and for other purposes. H.R. 84Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from the VA, and for other purposes. H.R. 952, S. 1444Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act A bill to amend title 38, USC, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for purposes of service-connection of disabilities. Public Law 111-163Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009A bill to amend title 38, USC, to provide assistance to caregivers of veterans, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, to improve the provision of health care to veterans S. 1109Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2009A bill to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes or the benefits, and for other purposes. S. 1118Amend title 38, USC, regarding monthly DIC to surviving spouses Legislation to amend title 38, USC, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the VA Secretary, and for other purposes. S. 1302Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009A bill to provide for the introduction of pay-for-performance compensation mechanisms into contracts of the VA with community-based outpatient clinics for the provisions of health care services, and for other purposes. S. 1427Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2009Measure to amend title 38, USC, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in VA Medical Centers, and for other purposes. S. 1467Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009A bill to amend title 38, USC, to provide coverage under Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance for adverse reactions to vaccinations administered by the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. S. 1518Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009A bill to amend title 38, USC, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune. S. 1531Department of Veterans Affairs Reorganization Act of 2009A bill to amend title 38, USC, to establish within the VA the position of Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, and for other purposes. S. 1556Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009A bill to require the VA Secretary to permit facilities of the VA to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes. S. 1753Disabled Veteran Caregiver Housing Assistance Act of 2009A bill to amend title 38, USC, to increase assistance for disabled veterans who are temporarily residing in housing owned by a family member, and for other purposes. S. 1940Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study on the effects of herbicides on children Directs the VA Secretary to complete a thorough study, and report to the congressional veterans committees on, its results relative to the effects on children of their parents' exposure to herbicides used in support of U.S. and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era. S. 3035Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2010To require a report on the establishment of a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site of the VA in the northern Rockies or Dakotas, and for other purposes. S. 3325A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the waiver of the collection of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits of veterans, and for other purposesAuthorizes the VA Secretary to waive the imposition or collection of copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits of veterans. S. 3348 Document handling procedures for disagreement with decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of documents that express disagreement with decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals and that are misfiled with the Board within 120 days of such decisions as motions for reconsideration of such decisions, and for other purposes S. 3368A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorizing selected individuals to sign claims filed with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on behalf of claimants, and for other purposesAuthorizes the following individuals to sign veterans' benefits claims filed on behalf of a person who is under 18, mentally incompetent, or physically unable to sign: (1) a court-appointed representative or person responsible for care; or (2) in the case of an institutionalized person, the manager or principal officer of the institution. S. 977Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009Legislation to amend title 38, USC, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, and for other purposes. Monitoring Veterans EmploymentStatus To ensure that veterans are getting trained and are afforded ample opportunities to succeed in this unstable job market

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

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), 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

H.R. 1088Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act of 2009To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a one-year period for the training of new disabled veterans' outreach program specialists and local veterans' employment representatives by National Veterans' Employment and Training Services Institute. H.R. 3257Military Family Leave Act of 2009To amend title 38, United States Code, to grant family of members of the uniformed services temporary annual leave during the deployment of such members. H.R. 4443Veterans Employment Today Act of 2010Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the work opportunity tax credit for the hiring of disabled and unemployed veterans. H.R. 466, S. 1607Wounded Veteran Job Security ActProhibits 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. H.R. 5120, S. 3234Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010To improve employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and for other purposes. H.R. 114, H.R. 3685, H.R. 4319, H.R. 4635, H.R. 4664, H.R. 4765 & H.R. 5360Support these pieces of legislation to encourage the VA to generate special recognition of organizations who have met VAs goals of hiring veterans

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

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), 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 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