Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009

Issues related to water rights settlement S.546- Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, and for other purposes. Issues related to BIA Mining issues EPA related grants Impact on tribal funding from changes in the administration

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Issues related to water rights settlement S.546- Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, and for other purposes. Issues related to BIA contamination of ground water on the tribe's reservation Mining issues EPA related grants Impact on tribal funding from changes in the administration

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Issues related to water rights settlement S.546- Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, and for other purposes. Issues related to BIA contamination of ground water on the tribes reservation Mining issues EPA related grants Impact on tribal funding from changes in the administration

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

lobbying against any proposed increases for TRICARE co-pays, deductibles, enrollment fees to be included in NDAA FY11 and no increase in TRICARE Standard in patient co-pays, HR2647, HR816, on behalf of a provision to allow adult children under the age of 26 to remain on their parents TRICARE insurance plan included in NDAA11; on behalf of ending the ban of receipt of both military retired pay (longevity,medical,TERA) and VA disability pay HR333, HR303, HR811, S546; on behalf of ending the SBP/DIC offset offset HR775, S535, HR2243 and attempt to have it included in NDAA11; on behalf of improvements in the benefits granted to members of the National Guard and Reserves, their families, retirees and survivors including proper implementation of TRR for Gray Area retirees, on behalk of lowering the monthly fees, reducing the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay, HR1695, expanding the dates when NG & R activation will qualify for early commencement of receipt of military retired pay to 9/11/01 S644 S831 on behalf of foregiveness of "certain overpayments of retired pay" paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces during the month of their death and retention of the full payment by his or her family HR613; on behalf of permitting payment of SBP into a "Special Needs Trust" for disabled SBP beneficiaries, HR2059, HR3324; on behalf of improvments in military health care throughout the system including greater use of pharmacy home delivery, greater resources in rural areas, imrpovements in dental programs, improvments in TRICARE overseas programs; on behalf of changes and improvements in the Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA); on behalf of increasing health care benefits and training for Wounded Warriors;

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations and its delivery of benefits and services to veterans, their dependents and survivors: HR 5360, HR 5225, HR 5120, HR 4894, HR 4887, HR 4477, HR 4048, HR 3949, HR 3491, HR 3219, HR 3155, HR 3082, HR 2990, HR 2980, HR 2898, HR 2879, HR 2770, HR 2738, HR 2734, HR 2713, HR 2583, HR 2573, HR 2419, HR 2389, HR 2342, HR 2254, HR 2180, HR 1879, HR 1818, HR 1546, HR 1388, HR 1377, HR 1335, HR 1302, HR 1293, HR 1211, HR 1204, HR 1203, HR 1197, HR 1171, HR 1169, HR 1088, HR 1017, HR 1016, HR 953, HR 952, HR 816, HR 811, HR 775, HR 667, HR 658, HR 612, HR 593, HR 466, HR 456, HR 341, HR 333, HR 303, HR 297, HR 296, HR 295, HR 294, HR 293, H. RES. 261, HR 177, HR 114, HR 108, H. Con. Res 85, HR 32, S 3447, S 3234, S 3148, S 1963, S 1939, S 1779, S 1407, S 1237, S 1204, S 944, S 847, S 821, S 820, S 801, S 728, S 658, S 642, S 597, S. 546, S. 535, S 423, S 407, S 404, S 277, S 252, S 66, S. Con. Res 60, S. Con. Res. 13.

Client expense: $190,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Greatest Generation Military Retirees, HR 4593; Concurrent Receipt S. 546; Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act, HR 613

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

P.L. 111-212 - Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 - Promotes providing supplemental appropriations for certain defense programs for FY 2010 H.R. 303; S. 546 - Retired Pay Restoration Act - Supports amend title 10, USC, to permit additional retired members of the Armed Forces with a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from VA and either retired pay (by reason of their years of military service) or Combat-Related Special Compensation and eliminate the current phase-in period with respect to such concurrent receipt H.R. 333 - Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act - Encourages amending title 10, USC, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces with a service-connected disability with a less than 50 percent rating to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans' disability compensation; to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt; to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service H.R. 5136; S. 3454 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 - Supports funding for FY 2011 DoD programs H.R. 5822; S. 3615 - Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2011 - Supports funding FY 2011 DoD military construction programs S. 546 - Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009 - Support amending title 10, USC, to permit certain retired uniformed services members with a service-connected disability to receive both VA disability compensation for their disability and either retired based on their years of military service or Combat-Related Special Compensation S. 3607 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2011 - Support DHS appropriations for FY 2011, including Federal Air Marshals; U.S. Coast Guard; immigration enforcement; and Federal Emergency Management Agency S. 3677 - Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2011 - Encourages Selective Service System appropriations for FY 2011 S. 3800 - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2011 - Supports FY 2011 appropriations for DoD

lobbying against any proposed increases for TRICARE co-pays, deductibles or enrollment fees to be included in NDAAFY11, HR2647, S1390, HR816; on behalf of allowing children under the age of 26 to remain and be covered by their families' TRICARE coverage HR6227, S3846 while NDAA is pending & then permanently HR4923,S3201; on behalf of ending the ban of concurrent receipt of military retired pay (both longevity and medical) &VA Disability pay, HR333,HR303, HR811, HR4213, S546; on behalf of ending the SBP/DIC offset HR775,S535, HR2243 & inclusion in NDAA FY11 S1390; on behalf of improvements in the benefits granted to members of the National Guard and Reserves,their families and survivors including proper implementation of TRR for Grey Area retirees and lowering the monthly fees, reducing the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay , HR1695, enlarging the time when activated members of the Reserves will qualify for early commencement of payments of retired pay to cover activated service commencing from 9/11/01 S644 and S831 and inclusion in S1390, ending the present method calculation of active duty time for early retirment pay being limited to fiscal years S3406, HR4947; continuity of TRICARE Coverage HR270 on behalf of forgiveness of "certain overpayments of retired pay" paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces in the month of their death and retention of the full payment by his or her family, HR613; on behalf of permitting payment of SBP into a "Special Needs Trust" for appropriate disabled SBP beneficiaries, HR2059, HR3324; on behalf on improvments in military health care throughout the system; including in rural areas of the country S658; on behalf of changes and improvments in the Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA); on behalf of increasing benefits and training for the caregivers of our Wounded Warriors; on behalf of allowing survivors of Military Retirees to use Space A travel, HR4403 (Securing Patriots' Access to Convenient and Economic Travel Act of 2009)

Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations and its delivery of benefits and services to veterans, their dependents and survivors: HR 5360, HR 5225, HR 5120, HR 4894, HR 4887, HR 4477, HR 4048, HR 3949, HR 3491, HR 3219, HR 3155, HR 3082, HR 2990, HR 2980, HR 2898, HR 2879, HR 2770, HR 2738, HR 2734, HR 2713, HR 2583, HR 2573, HR 2419, HR 2389, HR 2342, HR 2254, HR 2180, HR 1879, HR 1818, HR 1546, HR 1388, HR 1377, HR 1335, HR 1302, HR 1293, HR 1211, HR 1204, HR 1203, HR 1197, HR 1171, HR 1169, HR 1088, HR 1017, HR 1016, HR 953, HR 952, HR 816, HR 811, HR 775, HR 667, HR 658, HR 612, HR 593, HR 466, HR 456, HR 341, HR 333, HR 303, HR 297, HR 296, HR 295, HR 294, HR 293, H. RES. 261, HR 177, HR 114, HR 108, H. Con. Res 85, HR 32, S 3234, S 3148, S 1963, S 1939, S 1779, S 1407, S 1237, S 1204, S 944, S 847, S 821, S 820, S 801, S 728, S 658, S 642, S 597, S. 546, S. 535, S 423, S 407, S 404, S 277, S 252, S 66, S. Con. Res 60, S. Con. Res. 13.

Client expense: $240,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits. S. 535, S. 546, S. 831, S. 3150, S. 3232, S. 3406, S. 3454, S. 3846, S.A. 4618, SC 09-751, Senate Report 111-226 H Res 1493, PL 110-252, H.R. 208, H.R. 303, H.R. 333, H.R. 593, H.R. 613, H.R. 775, H.R. 816, H.R. 2243, H.R. 3081, H.R. 4427 H.R. 4525, H.R. 4764, H.R. 4899, H.R. 4947, H.R. 5136, H.R. 5469, H.R. 5921, H.R. 5933, H.R. 6131, H.R. 6227, H.R. 1592, H.R. H.R. 5185, H.R. 484, H.R. 4693, H.R. 4213, H.R. 4693, S. 644

Client expense: $399,666 · Firm income: Not reported

Greatest Generation Military Retirees, HR 4593; Concurrent Receipt S. 546; Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act, HR 613;

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits. S 535, S 546, , S 831, S 1668, S 3148, S 3150, S 3157, S 3201, S 3217, S 3406, S 3425, S 3454, S 1008, S 1169, S 504, S Con Res 60, S Res 541, S J Res 10, HR 208, HR 593, HR 613, HR 775, HR 809, HR 816, HR 972, HR 1052, HR 1203, HR 1474, HR 1600, HR 2243, HR 2302, HR 2647, HR 3324, HR 3554, HR 3787, HR 4173, HR 4427, HR 4477, HR 4512, HR 4525, HR 4693 HR 4764, HR 4887, HR 4899, HR 4923, HR 4947, HR 5136, HR 5469, H J Res 23, PL 111-84

Client expense: $651,991 · Firm income: Not reported

Lobbying to assure that TRICARE health care programs were held harmless in the civilian Health Care Reform Act (HR3962) and qualified as "minimum essential coverage" HR4877 and S3148; lobbying on behalf of bills to allow children of TRICARE beneficiaries until they reach the age of 26 to be covered in their parents' TRICARE coverage; lobbying against any proposed increases in TRICARE co-pays, deductibles or enrollment fees HR816; lobbying to end the ban of concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA Disability pay (including HR333, HR303,S546, HR811, HR4213); lobbying in favor of improvements in National Guard and Reserve benefits including proper implementation of TRR for Grey Area retirees, reducing in minimum age for receipt of military retired pay HR1695; in favor of NG &R Families Act of 2009 S644; allowing foregiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces for the month of their death HR613; lobbying in support of ending the SBP/DIC offset HR775, S535, HR2243; lobbying in support of improving military health care for military retirees who live in Rural areas S658; lobbying in favor of permitting a "Special Needs Trust" for appropriate disabled SBP beneficiaries HR2059, HR3324; lobbying for changes and improvements in the former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA); lobbying in favor of increased benefits and training for caretakes of our Wounded Warriors; lobbying for increases in use of Space A travel for retirees' survivors HR4403

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations and its delivery of benefits and services to veterans, their dependents and survivors: HR 5360, HR 4894, HR 4887, HR 4477, HR 4048, HR 3949, HR 3491, HR 3155, HR 3082, HR 2990, HR 2980, HR 2898, HR 2879, HR 2770, HR 2738, HR 2734, HR 2713, HR 2583, HR 2573, HR 2419, HR 2389, HR 2342, HR 2254, HR 2180, HR 1879, HR 1818, HR 1546, HR 1388, HR 1377, HR 1335, HR 1302, HR 1293, HR 1211, HR 1204, HR 1203, HR 1197, HR 1171, HR 1169, HR 1088, HR 1017, HR 1016, HR 953, HR 952, HR 816, HR 811, HR 775, HR 667, HR 658, HR 612, HR 593, HR 466, HR 456, HR 341, HR 333, HR 303, HR 297, HR 296, HR 295, HR 294, HR 293, H.RES. 261, HR 177, HR 114, HR 108, H.Con. Res 85, HR 32, S 3148, S 1963, S 1939, S 1779, S 1407, S 1204, S 944, S 847, S 821, S 820, S 801, S 728, S 658, S 642, S 597, S. 546, S. 535, S 423, S 407, S 404, S 277, S 252, S 66, S.Con.Res. 13.

Client expense: $190,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Reserve Retirement Credit Correction, HR 4947; tax extenders HR 4213; Keep faith with Greatest eneration, HR 4593; Concurrent Receipt, S. 546; Reserve Early Retirement, HR 208/S.644; Twenty year Reservists Veterans Status HR 3787; Military Retiree Confort act, HR 613;

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

H.R. 84: Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act -- Makes the standard for access to care for a veteran seeking primary care from the Department of Veterans Affairs 30 days from the date the veteran contacts the Department. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe an appropriate standard for waiting times at Department health-care facilities as measured from the time a visit is scheduled until the time the veteran is seen. Directs the Secretary to periodically review the performance of Department health-care facilities in meeting such standards. Authorizes the Secretary to contract for health care services in non-Department facilities in a case in which the Secretary is unable to meet access standards. Prohibits such contracting-out with respect to a Department geographic service area that has a compliance rate in meeting such standards of 90 percent or more. Requires quarterly reports from the Secretary to the congressional veterans' committees on the Department's experience with respect to waiting times. H.R. 1036: Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009 -- To 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. 1075: RECOVER Act (Restoring Essential Care for Our Veterans for Effective Recovery Act) -- Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, if a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility that would otherwise provide covered medical services to veterans residing in an area for which a major disaster is declared is unable to provide such services for at least 180 days due to such disaster, to contract with one or more non-VA facilities in that area to provide such services to veterans who reside within 150 miles of the VA facility that is unable to provide the services. Makes such requirement inapplicable to a VA facility that is closed, or that the Secretary intends to close, as part of the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) process. Makes this Act applicable to any VA facility unable to provide covered services on or after August 29, 2005, by reason of a major disaster. H.R. 1211: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act -- To 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 Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. H.R. 1335: To 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. 1546: Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009 -- Directs the VA Secretary to establish within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury to continually assess VHA capability to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury. H.R. 2504: To amend title 38, USC, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans. -- 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. 2698: Veterans and Survivors Behavioral Health Awareness Act -- Directs the VA Secretary to provide scholarships to individuals pursuing education or training in behavioral health care specialties that are critical to the operations of Vet Centers (centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans) in order to recruit and retain individuals with such specialties for service in Vet Centers. Conditions the scholarship on the recipient's agreeing to serve in such a capacity for whatever period the Secretary specifies in the agreement. Directs the Secretary, on receipt of a request for counseling from an individual who has been discharged or released from active service, to: (1) provide referrals to assist the individual in obtaining mental health care and services outside the VA; and (2) if pertinent, advise such individual of the individual's rights to apply for review of the discharge or release. Directs the Secretary to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide emotional support services for survivors of deceased members of the Armed Forces and deceased veterans through the survivors' peers. H.R. 2699: Armed Forces Behavioral Health Awareness Act -- Makes any member of the Armed Forces who is deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom eligible for readjustment counseling and related mental health services through Vet Centers (centers for such counseling and services for veterans), regardless of the member's duty status. Directs the Secretary of Defense to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide emotional support services for family members of members of the Armed Forces, including members of the reserves. Requires the Secretary of the Army to carry out a pilot program to enhance awareness of post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) among members of the Army. H.R. 2701: FY 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act -- Support of the retention of section 348 which would require a declassification review of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) records that may be pertinent to the health problems being suffered by as many as 175,000 Desert Storm veterans. H.R. 2879: Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 -- Authorizes the VA Secretary to pay travel expenses for veterans receiving treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities at the rate of 41.5 cents per mile. (Under current law the rate is that provided to federal employees in connection with the performance of official duties.) Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish and operate at least one and up to five centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities; (2) establish a grant program to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in highly rural areas; (3) carry out demonstration projects to examine alternatives for expanding care for veterans in rural areas; (4) establish a program to provide peer support, readjustment, and mental health services to veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (and related services to their family members); (5) assign an Indian Veterans Health Care Coordinator for each of the ten VA facilities that serve communities with the greatest per capita number of Indian veterans; (6) report to Congress jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the advisability of the joint establishment and operation by the VAs Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service of health clinics to serve populations of Indian reservations, including Indian veterans; and (7) report annually to Congress on matters related to VA care for veterans residing in rural areas. H.R. 2990: Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act -- To 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. 3257, H.R. 3484, H.R. 3579, H.R. 3813, H.R. 3948, H.R. 3976, H.R. 4079, H.R. 4203, H.R. 4359; H.R. 4469: Legislation of various bills -- Enhanced benefits and services for veterans and their families H.R. 3441: To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes -- To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes H.R. 3926: Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act -- Directs 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. 3949: Veterans Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 -- To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for other purposes. H.R. 4006: Rural, American Indian Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 -- Directs the VA Secretary to assign an Indian Veterans Health Care Coordinator for each of the ten VA facilities that serve communities with the greatest per capita number of Indian veterans. Includes among Coordinator duties: (1) improving outreach to tribal communities; (2) coordinating the medical needs of Indian veterans on Indian reservations with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (HIS); and (3) acting as an ombudsman for Indian veterans enrolled in the VHA health care system. Directs the Secretary to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of the Interior to ensure the electronic transfer of health records of Indian veterans between HIS and VA facilities. Requires the VA Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report jointly to Congress on the advisability of the joint VHA-HIS establishment and operation of health clinics to serve populations of Indian reservations, including Indian veterans. H.R. 4241: To amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State veterans homes -- Authorizes the VA Secretary, in lieu of making payments to state homes for furnishing nursing home care to veterans, to enter into agreements with such homes to furnish such care under federal provisions which allow the Secretary to transfer to non-VA homes (at the expense of the United States) veterans who have been furnished such care in a facility under the jurisdiction of the VA. Replaces provisions providing for payment of nursing home care at the lesser of the prevailing rate or the cost of daily care with provisions providing for payment at the rate determined for a state home that is the applicable or prevailing rate payable in the geographic area in which the state home is located. H.R. 4632: Renovate and Enhance Veterans Meeting Halls and Posts Act (REVAMP Act) - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible veterans service organizations for repairs and rehabilitation of their existing facilities. Defines "eligible veterans service organization" as: (1) a tax-exempt entity organized on a local or area basis; and (2) a local or area chapter, post, or other unit of a national, regional, statewide, or other larger entity of which local or area chapters, posts, or units are members (but not any such national, regional, statewide, or other larger entity itself). Prohibits an eligible veterans service organization from receiving such grant amounts, for any single fiscal year, in an amount exceeding the lesser of the cost of the proposed repair or rehabilitation or $200,000. Makes a grant recipient ineligible to receive another such grant until after five succeeding fiscal years. Prohibits the use of such grants for construction or acquisition of a new facility. H.R. 23, S. 663: A Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009 -- Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund for payments by the VA Secretary 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) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit before October 1, 2009; and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. H.R. 174, S. 691: A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes. -- Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado. H.R. 1302, S. 1155: A bill 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. -- A bill 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. 1428, S. 1752: A bill to amend title 38, USC, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson's disease. -- A bill to amend title 38, USC, to direct the VA Secretary to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson's disease. S. 546: Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009 -- Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability. S. 977: Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009 -- A bill to amend title 38, USC, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, and for other purposes. S. 1444: Compensation 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. S. 1467: Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009 -- A 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. 1483: A 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 Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota, as the "Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic". S. 1518: Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009 -- A 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. 1531: Department of Veterans Affairs Reorganization Act of 2009 -- A bill to amend title 38, USC, to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs the position of Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, and for other purposes. S. 1556: Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009 -- A bill to require the VA Secretary to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes. S. 1753: Disabled Veteran Caregiver Housing Assistance Act of 2009 -- A 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. 1963 [S. 252, S. 597, S. 801]: Caregivers 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. -- Specific support for the mental health care provisions, care giver provisions, rural health care provisions and enhancements and improvements for women veterans health care within the Department of Veterans Affairs. [This measure contains provisions of S. 252, S. 597, and S. 801] General Support Letter for Buyer/Mckeon Amendment to HR 4872 -- Ensure both VA and DoD beneficiaries are exempted in any national health care reform legislation. General Support Letter -- Funding for Gulf War research in DoD FY 2011 appropriations bill. Letter to chairman ofHouse Veterans AffairsCommittee Sub-Committee on DisabilityAssistance & MemorialAffairs -- Concerns and comments of The American Legion regarding the VAs Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program. General Support Letter -- Support of legislation to enable State Veterans Homes to furnish nursing home care to parents whose child died while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Testimony (HVAC Roundtable meeting) -- Organizations legislative priorities for 2010. Testimony -- Veteran/military transition issues. Testimony -- Status update on implementation of Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (PL 110-389). Testimony -- Review of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Contract Health Care: Project HERO Testimony -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for FY 2011 and FY 2012 Testimony -- The Veterans Health Administrations Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Testimony -- H.R. 4241, to amend Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code (USC), to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State Veterans Homes. Testimony (HVAC Claims Summit 2010) -- Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing issues. Testimony -- Examination of VA Regional Office Disability Claims Quality Review Methods Is VBAs Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) Making the Grade? Testimony -- Various health care bills (H.R. 949, H.R. 1075, H.R. 2698, H.R. 2699, H.R. 2879, H.R. 3926, H.R. 4006, H.R. 84, and 3 Discussion Drafts). General Support Letter for Buyer/Mckeon Amendment to HR 4872 -- Ensure both VA and DoD beneficiaries are exempted in any national health care reform legislation. General Support Letter -- Funding for Gulf War research in DoD FY 2011 appropriations bill. General Support Letter -- Support $10 million in funding in FY 2011 DoD authorization bill for the Eye Trauma and Vision Research Program. General Support Letter -- Support of legislation to enable State Veterans Homes to furnish nursing home care to parents whose child died while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Testimony (HVAC Roundtable meeting) -- Organizations legislative priorities for 2010. Testimony -- Veteran/military transition issues. Testimony -- Status update on implementation of Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (PL 110-389). Testimony -- Review of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Contract Health Care: Project HERO Testimony -- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for FY 2011 and FY 2012 Testimony -- The Veterans Health Administrations Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Testimony -- H.R. 4241, to amend Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code (USC), to allow for increased flexibility in payments for State Veterans Homes. Testimony (HVAC Claims Summit 2010) -- Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing issues. Testimony -- Examination of VA Regional Office Disability Claims Quality Review Methods Is VBAs Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) Making the Grade? Testimony -- Various health care bills (H.R. 949, H.R. 1075, H.R. 2698, H.R. 2699, H.R. 2879, H.R. 3926, H.R. 4006, H.R. 84, and 3 Discussion Drafts). General Support Letter -- Support $10 million in funding in FY 2011 DoD authorization bill for the Eye Trauma and Vision Research Program. Letter to Chairman, House Veterans Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs -- Concerns and comments of The American Legion regarding the VAs Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program.

See Next Page For Listing Signed onto The Military Coalitions(TMC) Testimony before the Armed Services Personnel Sub-Committee regarding numerous issues affecting members of the Armed Services and their families. No specific bill numbers; Signed onto TMC letters to members of House/Senate in support of S. 1963 The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009 and H.R.3155, H.R.1211, H.R.1293, and H.R. 2770. Also sent a separate letter from MOPH in support of H.R. 1963; Letter & Testimony before Joint Senate/House Veterans Affairs Committees in support of H.R.4403 SPACE-A Travel Act of 2009; Letter & Testimony before joint Senate/House Veterans Affairs Committees in support of H. R. 731 Jennys Law Worked go gain support for the Issues that were included in testimony before the Joint Senate/House Veterans Committees on March 4, 2010: 1) Requesting that Congress continue to urge VA to improve the timelessness and accuracy of the VA Claims System. No specific legislation; 2) Urging Congress to continue to urge DOD/VA to increase the support of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Support S. 1963 Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009; 3) Support for H.R. 775 Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act and S. 535 To amend Title 10, U.S. Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of Survivor Annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation; 4) Support for S. 546 Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009 and H.R. 333 Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act; 5) Support for S. 572 Perpetual Purple Heart Stamp Act and H.R. 1305 To Provide for the issuance of a forever stamp to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart; 6) MOPH would support legislation that would authorize payment of health insurance premiums for TRICARE supplements and TRICARE dental plan on a pre-tax basis (No current legislative vehicle); 7) Support for H. R. 4241 To amend Chapter 17, Title 38 U.S. Code to allow for increased flexibility in payments for state veteran homes; 8) Support for any legislation that would link the COLA for recipients of the VA Compensation and Pensions programs to the COLA increases for Federal Employees (No current legislation introduced); 9) Support for amending Public Law 106-117 which was the Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act of 2000 to provide priority to combat wounded veterans in VA extended care facilities (No current legislation introduced); 10) Support for an amendment to Public Law 109-461 that would expand the VA acquisition market for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses and Veteran Owned Business to include purchases made utilizing the Federal Supply Schedule (No current legislation introduced); 11) Support for H.R. 4045 Veterans Burial Benefits Improvement Act of 2009; 12) Support for H.R. 3365 Medicare Reimbursement Act of 2009; 13) Support for H.R. 666 Military Valor Roll of Honor Act; 14) Support for H.R. 1633 Honor the Wish Act; 15) Support for H.R. 731 Jennys Law; 16) Support for H.R. 3943 and S. 1932 Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act; 17) Support SJR 15 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States authorizing the Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States and HJR 47 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States giving Congress the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. 18) Support H.R. 4403 Space-A Travel Act of 2009; 19) Support S.66 Travel on Military Aircraft of certain disabled former members of the Armed Forces; 20) Support for SCR 36 and HCR 168 National Purple Heart Recognition Day; 21) Signed onto a letter of support from The Military Coalition to Senator Lincoln for H.R. 613 The Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act; 22) Renewed support to Rep. King (NY) for H. Res. 111 establishing a select committee on POW and MIA Affairs; 23) TMC letter to DOD urging improvements in the Physical Disability Board of Review outreach procedures; 24) Letter to Rep. Filner and Buyer supporting changes to the VA Benefits Claim System; 25) Supported TMC letter to Rep Walter Jones thanking him for initiating a discharge petition (111-10) concerning HR 775, The Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act.

Lobbying in opposition to including to including any of the TRICARE plans in the proposed health care reform bills (including HR3590, HR3962) lobbying against any proposed increases in TRICARE co-pays, deductibles,or enrollment fees, HR816;lobbying to end the ban of concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability pay (including HR333, HR303, S546,HR811) lobbying in favor of improvments in National Guard and Reserve benefits including proper implementation of HR270 available TRICARE for Grey Area retirees; and in favor of quick implementation; HR 270; S1106; lobbying in favor of increasing pay under the National Guard and Reserve Pay Equity Act of 2009 S644; lobbying in support of reducing the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service HR1695, S1390; lobbying in favor of allowing the survivors of a military retiree to retian the full last month of his or her retired pay "provide for foregiveness of certain overpayments of retired pay paid to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces following death" HR613; lobbying in support of the ending of the SBP/DIC Offset (HR775, S535, HR2243); lobbying to improve military health care for veterans and retirees who live in rural areas S658; lobbying in favor of canges and improvments in the Uniform services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA); lobbying in support of increased benefits for caretakers of our wounded warriors; lobbying in favor of permitting a "Special Needs Trust" for appropriat disabled SBP beneficiaries

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits. HR 4324, S 1558, HR 4034, HR 4923, S 3150, HR 775, HR 4469, S 1558, HR 2243, HR 4947, HR 3554, HR 1474, HR 1668, HR 4764, HR 4820, HR 3554, HR 4469, S 3150, HR 4427, HR 4043, HR 3326, HR 4525, HR 4851, HR 2059, HR 3389, HR 1633, HR 3324, HR 613, SJ RES 10, HR 1592, HR 972, HJ RES 23, HR 2243, S 831, HR 4947, HR 1052, HR 208, S 535, S 1558, S 546, HR 2302, HR 593, HR 303, HR 816, HR 3324, S 1008, S 491, HR 4525, HR 333, S 1169, HR 1600, HR 848

Client expense: $483,459 · Firm income: Not reported

Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations and its delivery of benefits and services to veterans, their dependents and survivors: HR 4894, HR 4887, HR 4477, HR 4048, HR 3949, HR 3491, HR 3155, HR 3082, HR 2990, HR 2898, HR 2879, HR 2770, HR 2738, HR 2734, HR 2583, HR 2573, HR 2419, HR 2389, HR 2342, HR 2254, HR 2180, HR 1818, HR 1546, HR 1388, HR 1377, HR 1335, HR 1302, HR 1293, HR 1211, HR 1204, HR 1203, HR 1197, HR 1171, HR 1088, HR 1017, HR 1016, HR 953, HR 952, HR 816, HR 811, HR 775, HR 667, HR 658, HR 612, HR 593, HR 466, HR 456, HR 341, HR 333, HR 303, HR 297, HR 296, HR 295, HR 294, HR 293, H.RES. 261, HR 177, HR 114, HR 108, H.Con. Res 85, HR 32, S 3148, S 1963, S 1939, S 1779, S 1407, S 1204, S 944, S 847, S 821, S 820, S 801, S 728, S 658, S 642, S 597, S 546, S 423, S 407, S 404, S 277, S 252, S 66, S.Con.Res. 13

Client expense: $190,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Eliminate SBP/DIC offset HR 775; Concurrent receipt S. 546, HR 303, HR 333; Increase DIC Payments HR 2243; Military Retiree surviving spouse releif act HR 613; Retirement Equity for Service Members HR 4865;

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

PL 111-81: Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 -- Beginning with FY2011 requires a two-fiscal-year discretionary new budget authority for the following accounts of the VA: (1) Medical Services; (2) Medical Support and Compliance; and (3) Medical Facilities Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the adequacy and accuracy of VA baseline model projections for health care expenditures PL 111-82: Authorizes major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes PL 111-97: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act -- Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the persons spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders Prohibits a service members spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any US tax jurisdiction solely to be with the service member in compliance with the service members military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the service member and the spouse Prohibits a spouses income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a service member serving under military orders PL 111-98: A bill to authorize a major medical facility project at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Walla Walla, Washington, and for other purposes PL 111-117: Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 2010 -- Makes appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010 HR 23 / S 663: Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009 -- Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund for payments by the VA Secretary 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 US merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in US waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit before October 1, 2009; and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 HR 174 / S 691: Legislation directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes -- Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado HR 1017 / S 1204: Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act -- 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 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and to expand access to such care and services HR 1302 / S 1155: Amend title 38, USC, to establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health HR 953: Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act --Help veterans afford medical treatment and ensure proper compensation without complicated programs. HR 1036: Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2009 -- Would 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 HR 1211: Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act -- Would amend title 38, USC, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes HR 1335: 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 HR 1546: Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009 -- Directs the VA Secretary to establish within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury to continually assess VHA capability to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury HR 2504: Would amend title 38, USC, to provide for an increase in the annual amount authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out comprehensive service programs for homeless veterans HR 2990: Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act -- Provides 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 HR 3082: FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill -- Support amendment to increase funds by $1 million to the Medical Services account at the Department of Veterans Affairs with an offset to the General Operating Expenses account in order to offer educational debt forgiveness for mental health professionals who agree to employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs. HR 3441: To provide for automatic enrollment of veterans returning from combat zones into the VA medical system, and for other purposes HR 3949: Veterans' Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 -- Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for other purposes HR 3961: Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 -- Amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment system for determining the annual updates to the Medicare physician fee schedule. S 546: Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009 -- Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more) Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability S 669: Veterans Second Amendment Protection Ac t -- Clarify that Department of Veterans Affairs determinations of mental incompetency should not constitute adjudication as a mental defective with regard to that veterans inclusion in the National Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which governs who can legally purchase firearms. S 977: Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2009 -- Amend title 38, USC, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, and for other purposes S 1109: Providing Real Outreach for Veterans Act of 2009 -- A bill to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes or the benefits, and for other purposes S 1118: Amend title 38, USC, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs , and for other purposes S 1302: Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009 -- Provide for the introduction of pay-for-performance compensation mechanisms into contracts of the Department of Veterans Affairs with community-based outpatient clinics for the provisions of health care services, and for other purposes S 1427: Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2009 -- Amend title 38, USC, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and for other purposes S 1444: Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act -- Amend title 38, USC, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for purposes of service-connection of disabilities S 1467: Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Servicemembers Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009 -- 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 1483: Designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota as the "Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic" S 1518: Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009 -- A 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 1531: Department of Veterans Affairs Reorganization Act of 2009 -- A bill to amend title 38, USC, to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs the position of Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, and for other purposes

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits HR 2875, S 1390, HR 3326, HR 2647, HR 1182, HR 4314, S 1285, S 475, S 1026, HR 2393, HR 2562, HR 3996, HR 3943, S 731, S 831, HR 208, HR 2874, HR 1182, HR 2696, HR 2997, S 475, HR 3288, HR 3267, HR 1052, HR 613, S 491, HR 1203, S 1169, HR 1600, S 581, HR 2014, HR 2398, HR 972, S 1008, HR 593, HR 816, HR 3324 HR 1592, S 535, S 546, HR 2302, HR 484

Client expense: $146,857 · Firm income: Not reported

Lobbying in opposition to including any of the TRICARE plans in the proposed healthcare reform bills (HR3590,HR3962): lobbying against any increases of co-pays, deductibles, or enrollment fees in any of the TRICARE programs (including in support of HR816): lobbying in favor of HR270, S731,s1106 allowing National Guard and Reserve "Gray Area" retirees to purchase TRS at full cost; and then lobbying against "Gray Area" TRICARE as a different program than TRS with a different d and higher cost basis and lobbying in favor of the programs quick implementation; lobbying in favor of allowing the survivors of a military retiree who dies to retain the full last month of his or hers retired pay (HR613); lobbying in support of the present early retirement of National Guard and Reserves bill to be enlarged to apply to thse who were activated on or after 9/11/01 (Section 660 of S1390 NDAA Conference Report and HR1695); lobbying in support of increasing pay under the National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009 (S644); lobbying in support of allowing longevity military retirees with less than a 50% VA rated service connected disability to receive without offset both their full retired pay and their full disability pay; and in support of Military Medical Retirees (Chapter 61) with less than 20 years service to receive both their retired pay and their VA disability pay (S546, HR333, HR303, HR811, HR2990); lobbying in favor of adequate funding for DoD healthcare and other needed DoD funding (HR3326); lobbying in support of the National Defense Appropriations Act including increases in active duty pau (HR2647); lobbying in favor of increasing the time a called-up member of the Guard or Reserve qualifies for TRICARE prior to activation to 180 days from the former 90 days; lobbying in favor of ending the SBP/DIC offset (HR775, S536, HR1804, HR2243); lobbying in favor of changes and improvments in the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA); lobbying in favor of the voting procedures for active duty service members and their families who are serving and living abroad; lobbying in support of adequate funding in the Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act (HR3082, S1407): lobbying in favor of additional benefits (including health care, stipends and education benefits) for caretakers of our wounded warriors (HR2647); lobbying in favor of permitting a "Special Needs Trust" for disabled beneficiaries who qualify for SBP

Lobbying in opposition to including any of the TRICARE plans in the proposed health care reforms (HR3590, HR3962); Lobbbying against any possible increases of co-pays, deductibles, or enrollment fees in any of th TRICARE programs (including in support of HR816); lobbying in favor of HR270, S731, S1106 allowing National Guard and Reserve Gray Area Retirees to purchase TRS at full cost; lobbying against interpreting Gray Area TRICARE as a different program than TRS with a different cost basis; lobbying in favor with a different cost basis; and lobbying in favor of quick implementation; lobbying in favor of allowing the survivors of a military retiree who dies to retain the last month of his or hers retired pay (HR613); lobbying in support of early retirement og National Guard and Reserves to apply for those who served on or after 9/11/01 (Sec 660 of S1390 NDAA Conference Report and HR1695 ); lobbying in support of increasing pay under the National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act for 2009 S644; lobbying in support of allowing longevity military retirees with less than a 50% rated VA service connected disability to receive both their retired pay and their disability pay; and in support Military Medical retirees (Chapter 61) with less than 20 years service to receive both their retired pay and their VA disability pay (including support of S546, HR333, HR303, HR811, HR2990; lobbying in favor of additional improvements in military health care including wounded warrior programs, improved DoD provided health care for retirees in rural areas and improvements in mental health care; (S658) lobbying in favor of adequate funding for DoD health Care and other needed DoD funding (including HR3326); lobbying in support of Defense Appropriations Act including increases in active duty pay (HR2647) lobbying in favor increasing the time a called up Guard or Reserve member has TRICARE prior to activation to 180 days from the former 90 days; lobbying in favor of ending the SBP/DIC offset (HR775, S536, HR1804, HR2243); lobbying in favor of changes and improvmentd in the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA) lobbying in favor of improvements in voting procedures for active duty service members and their families who are serving and living abroad; lobbying in support adequate funding in the of Military Construction and VA Appropriations (HR3082, S1407); lobbying in favor of additional benefits (including health care, stipends and education benefits) for caretakers of our wounded warriors (HR2647); lobbying in favor of creating a "Special Needs Trust" for disabled beneficiaries who qualify for SBP

Service Members Right Protection Act HR2696; Military Spouses Residency Relief Act S. 475; Fairness for Military Recruiters Act HR 1026; Concurrent Receipt HR 303/HR333/S. 546; Rest Periods Between Deployments HR 1052; Adequate Pay Increase for Service Members HR 1592.

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

HR 952--No Title--Amend title 38, USC, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for the purposes of service connectiion of disabilities. HR 953--Veterans Travel Tax Relief Act--Help veterans afford medical treatment and ensure proper compensation without complicated programs. HR 1197--Medal of Honor Health Care Equity Act of 2009--Assigns priority status for hospital care and medical services provided through VA to certain veterans who are recipients of the Medal of Honor. HR 1211--Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act--Amend title 38, USC, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. HR 1302--Amend title 38, USC, to establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Under Secretary for Health on all matters relating to the educations and training, employment, appropriate utilization, and optimal participation of physician assistants within VHA programs and initiatives. Requires the VA Secretary to ensure that an individual is serving in such position no later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. HR 1335--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. HR 1546--Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary to establish within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury to continually assess VHA capability to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury. HR 2254-- Draft Bill (Senate)--Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009--Establish presumption of Agent Orange/herbicide exposure for Blue Water Navy veterans. HR 2734--Health Care for Family Caregivers Act of 2009--Amend section 1781 of title 38, USC, to provide medical care to family members of disabled veterans who serve as caregivers to such veterans. HR 2738--Amend title 38, USC, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities--Amend title 38, USC, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities. HR 2874--Helping Active Duty Deployed Act of 2009--Amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the equitable relief available for servicemembers called to active duty, and for other purposes. HR 2990--Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act--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. HR 3200--America's Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009--Address veteran concerns in national health care reform legislation with an emphasis on maintaining the independence of the VA health care system. HR 3365--Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009--Provide Medicare reimbursement to VA medical facilities for items and services provided to Medicare eligible veterans for non service-connected conditions. S 546--Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009--Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability. S 728--Veterans Insurance and Benefits Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary to grant level-premium term life insurance to veterans under age 65 with service-connected disabilities. Increases from $20,000 to $30,000 the maximum amount of supplemental insurance provided through the VA for totally disabled veterans. Removes a condition on the qualification of certain individuals for retroactive benefits from traumatic injury coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance. Increases the maximum loan guarantee amount under the veterans' mortgage life insurance program from $90,000 to $150,000, then to $200,000 after January 1, 2012. Establishes an annual cost-of-living adjustment for the temporary payment of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) to a veteran's surviving spouse with one or more children under the age of 18. Provides eligibility requirements for the payment of a special monthly pension based on disability for veterans who already qualify for a service pension based upon age. Increases amounts of DIC payable to surviving spouses and parents of deceased veterans. Increases, and authorizes the annual adjustment of, pension amounts payable to hospitalized veterans and certain children of veterans of a period of war. Authorizes and directs the Secretary to pay a: (1) supplemental benefit for the funeral and burial expenses of veterans, making such amount $900 with respect to a non-service-connected death and $2,100 with respect to a service-connected death; and (2) supplemental burial plot allowance for veterans eligible for the current allowance. Authorizes the provision of specially adapted housing assistance for disabled veterans whose disability is due to a severe burn injury. Authorizes the Secretary to pay a supplemental benefit, for assistance in the purchase of automobiles and other conveyances, for disabled veterans currently eligible for such assistance. S 1467--Lance Corporal Josef Lopez Fairness for Service Members Harmed by Vaccines Act of 2009--Extend TSGLI benefit to service members with severe disabilities/injuries due to vaccines. HR 23, S 663--A Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009--Establishes in the Treasury the Merchant Mariner Equity Compensation Fund for payments by the VA Secretary of a monthly benefit of $1,000 to each individual who, between December 7, 1941and December 31, 1946, was a documented member of the U.S. merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was operated in U.S. waters by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation and under contract to, or the property of, the United States. Requires such individuals to: (1) apply for such benefit before October 1, 2009; and (2) not have received benefits under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. HR 174, S691--A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes--Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado. HR 1016, S423--Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009--Requires, beginning with FY2011, a two-fiscal-year discretionary new budget authority for the following accounts of the VA: (1) Medical Services; (2) Medical Support and Compliance; (3) Medical Facilities; (4) Information Technology; and (5) Medical and Prosthetic Research. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the adequacy and accuracy of VA baseline model projections for health care expenditures. HR 1163, S 746--A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri--Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County, Nebraska, region to serve the needs of veterans and their families in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. HR 1182, S 745--Military Spouses Residency Relief Act--Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders. Prohibits a service member's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the service member in compliance with the service member's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the service member and the spouse. Prohibits a spouse's income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a service member serving under military orders. HR 3082, S 1407--Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2010--Making appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. House Resolution 679, Senate Resolution 260--A resolution designating September 16, 2009, as "The American Legion Day"--A resolution designating September 16, 2009, as "The American Legion Day". Testimony--FY 2011 Department of Veterans Affairs Budget and Legislative priorities of The American Legion. General Support Letters--Timely passage of the FY 200 Militry Construction, Veterans' Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriation Act. General Support Letter--Increased funding for Gulf War Veteran' Illness research. General Support Letter--Legislation to automatically enroll service members returning from combat zones into The Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. General Support Letter--Better access to VA health Care for veterans residing in rural areas.\ General Support Letter--Support for advance appropriation for VA health Care.

Lobbbying in opposition to any possible increases of co-pays, deductibles or enrollment fees in any of the TRICARE programs including in favor of HR816; lobbying in favor of allowing Grey Area retirees (NG and Reserves) to purchase TRS at full costs prior to the age 60 HR270, S731, S1106; lobbying in favor of HR613 forgiving of last month's retired pay to survivors; in favor of all longevity and Medical retirees with less than 20 years of service to receive full retired pay and VA disability pay (CRDP) including S546, HR333, HR303, HR811, HR2990 In favor of Early Retirement for Guard/Reserves S1390 sec 660 In favor of reduction in minimum age to qualify for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service HR1695 In favor of improvments in military health care including wounded warriors treatment, improve health care for retirees in rural areas, mental health care included in HR2647 In favor of of apprpriate funding for DoD health care HR3326 In favor of increases in active duty pay HR2647 In favor of increase to 180 days from the present 90 for called up members of the Guard and Reserve to qualify for TRICARE before mobilization In favor of improvements in voting procedures for active duty service members and families who are serving abroad; In favor of ending the SBP/DIC offset including HR775, S536, HR1804, HR2243 In favor of further benefits for caregivers of our wounded warriors HR2647 In favor of creating a Special Needs Trust for disabled beneficiaries who qualify for SBP

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits. HR 2647, HR 2898, S 1390, HR 2346, HR 3326, HR 1478, HR 2503, HR 3320, HR 2647, S 1319, HR 2017, S 535, S 1285, HR 3203, HR 2875, S 931, HR 1182, S 475, HR 816, S 731, S 1169, S 1558, S 831, HR 208, HR 2874, HR 1182, HR 270, HR 2696, S 7, HR 2645, HR 2682, HR 2059, HR 3267, HR 2131, S 1008, S 1285, HR 3657, HR 1600, HR 3324, HR 2875, HR 2647, HR 2302 HR 1256, HR 3326, S 581, S 1543, S 1415, HR 3403, HR 1182, S 1668, S 831, S 731, SJ RES 10, HR 3554, HR 1864, HR 1592, HR 816, HR 1052, HR 972, HR 270, HR 208, HR RES 23, S 535, HR 2243, HR 809, HR 775, HR 613, S 1008, S 546, S 491, S 484, HR 2302, HR 1203, HR 593, HR 333, HR 303, HR 235, HR 484, S 581, H CON RES 64, S 1285, S 475, HR 2393, HR 2788, HR 3324, S 1106, HR 1182, HR 2398

Client expense: $129,832 · Firm income: Not reported

Service Members Access to Justice HR 1474; National Defense Authorization Act HR 2647/S. 1390; Military Overseas Voting S 1415; Concurrent Receipt CRDP S. 546; Military Recruiters HR 1026;Concurrent Receipt HR 303/HR333; Rest periods between deployment HR 1052.

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Lobbying in opposition of possible TRICARE programs' enrollment fees, deductibles and co-pays; in opposition of creation of enrollment fees for TRICARE Standard and TRICARE for Life HR816; lobbying in favor of allowing Grey Area Guard and Reserve retirees to continue to purchase TRS HR270 S731 S1106; lobbying in favor of forgiving "overpayments of retired pay to deceased retired members of the Armed Forces (forgiveness of last months retired pay) HR 613; in support of all military retirees longevity or Chapter 61 medical retirement) to qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and thus receive their full retired pay and their full VA disability pay including S546, HR333, HR 303, HR 811 and HR2990; Improvments in National Guard and Reservist pay and benefits including HR208, S644 Reduction of minimum age when retiree of non-regular service is qualified to receive military retired pay HR1695; Improvments in health care (TRICARE) for active duty, families, wounded warriors and their families and survivors including the National Defense Authorization Act HR2647, National Defense Appropriations Act; improvement in rural healthcare S658 Lobbying for increases of military pay Lobbying to improve voting laws to allow service members and their families to have effective voting rights; Lobbying for improved benefits for caregivers of Service members; Ending the SBP/DIC offset including HR775, S536, HR1804; Permintting the creation of a Special Needs Trust for disabled beneficiaries who qualify for SBP

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

PL 111-32--Supplemental Appropriations Act 2009--Supplemental funding for certain DoD programs to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. HR 2647--National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010--A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year. HR 2892, S 1298--Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010--Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes. HR 3082, S 1407--Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act 2010--Making appropriations for military construction, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Senate Joint Resolution 10--A joint resolution supporting a base Defense Budget that at the very minimum matches 4 percent of gross domestic product.--Declares that it is U.S. policy to commit a minimum of 4% of the nation's gross domestic product to the base defense budget in order to meet the fundamental U.S. national security requirements. HR 2990--Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act--To 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. HR 775, S 535--Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act--To repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation. S 475--Military Spouses Residency Relief Act--Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military of naval orders. Prohibits a servicemember's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember in compliance with the servicemember's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the servicemember and the spouse. Prohibits a spouse's income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a servicemember serving under military orders. S 546--Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009--Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability.

PL 111-37--Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary of to increase, as of December 1, 2009, the rates of veterans' diability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under the title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date. HR 1197--Medal of Honor Health Care Equity Act of 2009--Assigns priority status for hospital care and medical services provided through VA to certain veterans who are recipients of the Medal of Honor. HR 1211--Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act--Amend title 38 USC, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operations Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. HR 1302--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--Establishes within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the VA the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services, who shall report to the VHA's Under Secretary for Health on all matters relating to the education and training, employment, appropriate utilization, and optimal participation of physician assistants within VHA programs and initiatives. Requires the VA Secretary to ensure that an individual is serving in such position no later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. HR 1335--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. HR 1546--Caring for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary to establish within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) the Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury to continually assess VHA capability to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury. HR 1681--No Title--Improve coordination between the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs during the seamless transition process of injured servicemembers and veterans. HR 1701--PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review for Heroes Act--Establish special review board to consider discharge upgrade petitions from former servicemembers diagnosed with PTSD and TBI separated with less than honorable discharges and also mandate that current members suffering from these conditions receive a complete evaluation by a Physical Evaluation Board prior to discharge. HR 1821--Equity for Insured Veterans Act of 2009--Increase dollar amounts of VA vocational rehabilitation and employment assistance benefits. HR 2583--No Title--Improve health care for women veterans. HR 2734--Health Care for Family Caregivers Act of 2009--Amend section 1781 of title 38, USC, to provide medical care to family members of disabled veterans who serve as caregivers to such veterans. HR 2738--Amend title 38, USC, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities--Amend title 38, USC, to provide travel expenses for family caregivers accompanying veterans to medical treatment facilities. HR 2990--Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act--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. S 315--Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009--Directs the Secretary of Veterans to establish a separate account for the funding of outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and a separate subaccount for the funding of outreach activities of the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. S 347--Amend title 38, USC, to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to distinguish between the severity of a qualifying loss of a dominant hand and a qualifying loss of a non-dominant hand for purposes of traumatic injury protection under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, and for other purposes.--Amend title 38, USC, to allow the VA Secretary to distinguish between the severity of a qualifying loss of a dominant hand and qualifying loss of a non-dominant hand for purposes of traumatic injury protection under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, and for other purposes. S 475--Military Spouses Residency Relief Act--Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit, for purposes of voting for a federal, state, or local office, deeming a person to have lost a residence or domicile in a state, acquired a residence or domicile in any other state, or become a resident in or of any other state solely because the person is absent from a state because the person is accompanying the person's spouse who is absent from the state in compliance with military or naval orders. Prohibits a servicemember's spouse from either losing or acquiring a residence or domicile for purposes of taxation because of being absent or present in any U.S. tax jurisdiction solely to be with the servicemember in compliance with the servicemember's military orders if the residence or domicile is the same for the servicemember and the spouse. Prohibits a spouse's income from being considered income earned in a tax jurisdiction if the spouse is not a resident or domiciliary of such jurisdiction when the spouse is in that jurisdiction solely to be with a servicemember serving under military orders. S 514--Veterans Rehabilitation and Training Improvements Act of 2009--Requires the amount of subsistence allowance paid to a veteran for a month in which the veteran participates in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rehabilitation program to be equal to the national average of the basic allowance for housing paid to a member of the Armed Forces in pay grade E-5. Authorizes the VA Secretary to reimburse a veteran who successfully completes a VA rehabilitation program for costs incurred as a direct consequence of program participation, including child care expenses. Repeals the 2600 per-fiscal-year limit on veterans who may participate in the VA program of independent living services and assistance. S 546--Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009--Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability. S 691--A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, and for other purposes.--Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado. S 711--No Title--Require mental health screenings for members of the Armed Forces who are deployed in connection with a contingency operation. S 728--Veterans Insurance and Benefits Act of 2009--Directs the VA Secretary to grant level-premium term life insurance to veterans under age 65 with service-connected disabilities. Increases from $20,000 to $30,000 the maximum amount of supplemental insurance provided through the VA for totally disabled veterans. Removes a condition on the qualification of certain individuals for retroactive benefits from traumatic injury coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance. Increases the maximum loan guarantee amount under the veterans' mortgage life insurance program from $90,000 to $150,000, then to $200,000 after January 1, 2012. Establishes an annual cost-of-living adjustment for the temporary payment of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) to a veteran's surviving spouse with one or more children under the age of 18. Provides eligibility requirements for the payment of a special monthly pension based on disability for veterans who already qualify for a service pension based upon age. Increases amounts of DIC payable to surviving spouses and parents of deceased veterans. Increases, and authorizes the annual adjustment of, pension amounts payable to hospitalized veterans and certain children of veterans of a period of war. Authorizes and directs the Secretary to pay a: (1) supplemental benefit for the funeral and burial expenses of veterans, making such amount $900 with respect to a non-service-connected death and $2,100 with respect to a service-connected death; and (2) supplemental burial plot allowance for veterans eligible for the current allowance. Authorizes the provision of specially adapted housing assistance for disabled veterans whose disability is due to a severe burn injury. Authorizes the Secretary to pay a supplemental benefit, for assistance in the purchase of automobiles and other conveyances, for disabled veterans currently eligible for such assistance. S 746--A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County region to serve veterans in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, and northwest Missouri.--Directs the VA Secretary to establish a national cemetery in the Sarpy County, Nebraska, region to serve the needs of veterans and their families in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. S 820--Veterans Mobility Enhancement Act of 2009--Increases from $11,000 to $22,500 the amount authorized to be provided by the VA to certain disabled veterans for the purchase of an automobile and any necessary adaptive equipment. HR 775, S 535--Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act--To repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation. HR 1016, S 423--Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009--Requires, beginning with FY 2011, a two-fiscal-year discretionary new budget authority for the following accounts of the VA: (1) Medical Services; (2) Medical Support and Compliance; (3) Medical Facilities; (4) Information Technology; and (5) Medical and Prosthetic Research Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the adequacy and accuracy of VA baseline model projections for health care expenditures. HR 3082, S 1407--Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act of 2010--Making appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. HR 1037, 1098, 1168, 1172, 1821, 1879, 2180--Legislation of various bills--Enhance benefits and services to veterans and their families. Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services-Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services--Provide Vocational Rehabilitation assistance to veterans with disabilities incurred during military service. General Testimony--VA Claims Backlog. General Testimony--Assessing Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) and the future of VA Health Infrastructure. General Testimony--Funding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of the future. Legislative Testimony (Senate Veterans Affairs Committee)--Testimony on the following benefits-related bills: S 263, 315, 347, 407, 475, 514, 691, 663, 728, 746, 820, 842, 847. Draft Legislation--Provide for the internment of unclaimed cremated remains of veterans. General Support Letter--Applaud Conference Committee for the Budget Resolution FY 2010 recommendation for $53.4 billion in discretionary funding (an increase of $5.6 billion above current funding level) for VA. Legislative Testimony (House Veterans Affairs Committee)--Testimony on the following health care-related bills: HR 2379, 2713, 2774, 2968, 2770, 2898, 1293, 1197, 1302, 1335, 1546, 2374, 2738. General Support Letter--Support for full appropriations of the authorized $10 million for the 2010 United States Paralympic Integrated Adaptive Sports Program. General Support Letter--Support for the request of utilization of Value Based insurance Design by Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reduce copayments charged to veterans for specified conditions.

Improvements in uniformed personnel programs, compensation and benefits. S. 475, S.581, S. 1169, S.478, S.1406, S.1026, S.644, S.831, S.731, S.944, S.1072, S.1008, S.535, S.546, S.559, S.711, S.832, S.354, S.614, S.1106, S.731, S. 546, S.491, S. 1390, S.484, S.1169, S.475, S.423, S.157, S.581, S.1054, S. 1169, S.J. Res. 10, H.R. 613, H.R. 1256, H.R. 1804, H.R. 2243, H.R. 1633, H.R. 1283, H.R. 775, H.R. 2647, H.R. 1182, H.R. 1600, H.R. 2997, H.R. 816, H.R. 2393, H.R. 2561, H.R. 2562, H.R. 2419, H.R. 1809, H.R. 208, H.R. 270, H.R. 972, H.R. 1604, H.R. 2510, H.R. 1864, H.R. 2200, H.R. 1592, H.R. 1701, H.R. 2302, H.R. 2419, H.R. 1701, H.R. 626, H.R. 2059, H.R. 1222, H.R. 2456, H.R. 2014, H.R. 2583, H.R. 2647, H.R. 2398, H.R. 1052, H.R. 809, H.R. 2302, H.R. 1203, H.R. 593, H.R. 303, H.R. 333, H.R. 235, H.R. 484, H.R. 1182, H.R. 2017, H.R. 2014, H.R. 1016, H.R. 1052, H.R. 1182, H.R. 1804, H.R. 2302, H.R. 2346, H.R. 2510, H.R. 2647, H.R. 2059, H.R. 569, H.R. 2456, H.R. 1026, H.R. 2562, H Res. 23, H Con. Res. 64

Client expense: $609,696 · Firm income: Not reported

Improving survivor benefits for widoes of deceased veterans and to restore and improve veterans benefits. S. 423, S. 546, S. 535, S. 801, S. 407, S. 728, S. 597, S. 734, S. 484, S. 728, S. 623, S. 1390, H.R. 1016, H.R. 2243, H.R. 1522, H.R. 1804, H.R. 1633, H.R. 775, H.R. 1982, H.R. 2647, H.R. 1701, H.R. 1821, H.R. 1089, H.R. 1098, H.R. 1211, H.R. 952, H.R. 2647, H.R. 2505, H.R. 809, H.R. 1256, H.R. 1821, H.R. 1474, H. Res. 225

Client expense: $609,696 · Firm income: Not reported

Improvements in Military personnel, compensation and benefits programs. S.1,S.157,S.245,S.475,S.476,S.484,S.491,S.535,S.546,S.581,S.586,S.644,S.731,S.733,S.773,SJRES 10 HR1,HR208,HR235,HR270,HR296,HR303,HR333,HR484,HR593,HR613,HR652,HR775,HR804,HR809,HR816,HR972, HR1182,HR1203,HR1205,HR1592,HR1600,HR1809,HJRES23,HCONRES 64

Client expense: $368,093 · Firm income: Not reported

PL 111-5--American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009--Makes supplemental appropriations for FY 2009 to the Department of Defense. PL 111-8--Making omnibus appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes--Makes appropriations for the remainder of FY 2009 for the Selective Service System. HR 593--Concurrent receipt of disability severance pay from the Department of Defense and compensation for the same disability--Amend title 10, USC, to expand the authorized concurrent receipt of disability severance pay from the Department of Defense and compensation for the same disability under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover all veterans who have a combat-related disability, as defined under section 1413a of such title. HR 775--Repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation--Repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation. SJ Res 10--A joint resolution supporting a base Defense Budget that at the very minimum matches 4 percent of gross domestic product--Declares that it is U.S. policy to commit a minimum of 4% of the nation's gross domestic product to the base defense budget in order to meet the fundamental U.S. national security requirements. S 535--Repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation--Amend title 10, USC, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation, and for other purposes. S 546--Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009--Amend title 10, USC, to permit certain retired members of the uniformed services who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability and either retired pay be reason of their years of military service or Combat-Related Special.

HR 819--No Title--Amend law pertaining to payment of Dependency and Indemnity Comp (DIC) benefits to former prisoners of war who died on or before September 30, 1999. HR 952--Combat PTSD Act--Amend title 38, USC; 1154(b) to clarify the meaning of engaged in "combat with the enemy" for the purpose of service connection of disabilities. No Bill Number--Draft Legislation--Amend title 38, USC, to increase amount of DIC benefits provided to qualifying survivors. HR 1197--Medal of Honor Health Care Equity Act of 2009--Amends title 38, USC, to provide a higher priority status for hospital care and medical services through the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who are recipients of the Medal of Honor. HR 784--No Title--Require Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit quarterly reports on mental health employment vacancies at VA Medical Centers nationwide. HR 785--No Title--Establish a pilot program to provide Outreach and training to certain college and university mental health centers relating to the mental health of veterans of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. No Bill Number--General Testimony--House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee On Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on the Nexus between engaged in combat with the enemy and PTSD in an era of changing warfare tactics. No Bill Number--General Support Letter--Support for additional funding of research for Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses HR 1016--Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009--Reform the process in which VA's Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical care funds are appropriated. S 423--Veterans Health Car Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009--Provides advance appropriations for VA medical care accounts by providing a two-fiscal year budget authority. S 336--American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan--Department of Veterans Affairs section of Bill will provide $3.9 billion to be used for much needed VA construction projects and other improvements. S 402--Keeping Our Promise to America's Military Veterans Act--Recognizes the sacrifices made by America's veterans by enacting legislation that will improve the lives of veterans and their families. S 546--Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009--Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability (under current law, only a disability rated at 50% or more). Makes eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability. HR 775, S 535--Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act--Repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation. PL 111-5--American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009--Makes supplemental appropriations for FY 2009 to the Department of Veterans Affairs. HR 147, 228, 297, 466, 929, 942, 950, 1088, 1089 and 1171--Various Legislation Bills--Enhanced benefits and services for Veterans and their families.

Improvements in Military personnel, compensation and benefits programs. S.1,S.157,S.245,S.475,S.476,S.484,S.491,S.535,S.546,S.581,S.586,S.644,S.731,S.733,S.773,SJRES 10 HR1,HR208,HR235,HR270,HR296,HR303,HR333,HR484,HR593,HR613,HR652,HR775,HR804,HR809,HR816,HR972, HR1182,HR1203,HR1205,HR1592,HR1600,HR1809,HJRES23,HCONRES 64

Client expense: $368,093 · Firm income: Not reported

Lobbying in opposition to possible increases in TRICARE programs' enrollement fees, deductibles and co-pays and changes in the TRICARE pharmacy program; lobbying in support of allowing "grey area" retirees to enroll in TRICARE Reserve Select HR270 and S731; in support of improvements in USERRA including HR1474 and S263; in support all military retirees (both longevity and Chapter 61 Medically Retired) to qualify for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) including S546, HR333, HR303, HR811; Improvements in National Guard and Reservists pay and benefits including HR 208 and S 644; Ending the SBP/DIC offset including HR775, S536 and HR1804 to increase present special allowance; Permitting survivors of military retirees to retain the full retiree payment for the last month of the retiree's life HR 613 Lobbying for improved benefits for veterans' and servicemenbers' caregivers;

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

See additional page Increasing the size of the Army budget; increasing Army end strength; increasing Army and Department of the Army civilian pay and compensation authorizations; Army modernization funding to include Army transformation, homeland security, weapons systems, space and missile defense; quality of life initiatives; military health care; and Army retiree issues. -Congression Budget Office options that would diminish military and veteran health care -American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan Legislation -H.R. 775, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act -H.R. 816, the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act -S. 535 and the repeal of the law requiring a dollar-for-dollar deduction of VA Benefits for service connected deaths from military survivors' SBP annuity -Army end strength increases and weaponry needs -Amendment of eligibility date for military Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) -Defense/Army Budget -Future Combat Systems -SBP/DIC offset -H.R. 303 and S. 546 (the extension of eligibility for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay to service-disabled members)

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

HR 1804, Federal Retirement Reform Act; S. 644 & HR 208, National Guard and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act; S. 546, Retired Pay Restoration Act; HR 303, Retired Pay Restoration Act;

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office