IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 264 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 19, 2009 Mr. Stearns (for himself, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Miller of Florida, and Mr. Frelinghuysen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing the opposition of the House of Representatives to any proposal intended to alter current law to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill third-party insurers of veterans who are being treated for service-connected disabilities or injuries.

Whereas section 1729 of title 38, United States Code, states that the Department of Veterans Affairs may only recover costs from a veteran’s private insurer for treatment of a non-service-connected disability; Whereas nationally recognized veterans service organizations have expressed serious concern about a policy proposed by President Obama that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill a veteran’s private insurer for the care and treatment of a disability or injury that was determined to have been incurred in or aggravated by the veteran’s military service; Whereas nearly three out of every four of the 25,000,000 veterans still living have served during a war or an official period of hostility; Whereas the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs is to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan; Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs has committed to providing veterans the world-class benefits and services they have earned—and to do so by adhering to the highest standards of compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability, and stewardship; and Whereas any proposal intended to bill veterans for the care of their service-connected disabilities ignores the solemn promise and obligation the United States of America has to care for the brave men and women who have served the country honorably and have risked their lives and physical well-being to ensure the freedom of its people: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives opposes any proposal intended to alter current law to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill third-party insurers of veterans who are being treated for service-connected disabilities or injuries determined to have been incurred in or aggravated by the veteran’s military service.