[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1060 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1060

  To improve education, employment, independent living services, and 
health care for veterans, to improve assistance for homeless veterans, 
    and to improve the administration of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 25, 2011

Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To improve education, employment, independent living services, and 
health care for veterans, to improve assistance for homeless veterans, 
    and to improve the administration of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Honoring All 
Veterans Act of 2011''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
  TITLE I--EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR 
                                VETERANS

Sec. 101. Increase in maximum number of participants in programs of 
                            independent living services and assistance 
                            for severely handicapped veterans.
Sec. 102. Participation of veterans in the Transition Assistance 
                            Program of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 103. Study on recognition of military training and qualifications 
                            of veterans by civilian employers and 
                            educational institutions.
Sec. 104. Veterans education outreach program.
Sec. 105. Department of Labor program to secure job opportunities for 
                            veterans.
               TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS

Sec. 201. Repeal of sunset on extension of enhanced protections for 
                            servicemembers relating to mortgages and 
                            mortgage foreclosure under Servicemembers 
                            Civil Relief Act.
Sec. 202. Improvement of payments for providing services to homeless 
                            veterans.
     TITLE III--HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS

Sec. 301. Monitoring of referrals for mental health care.
Sec. 302. Improvements to plans for veterans with traumatic brain 
                            injury for rehabilitation and reintegration 
                            into the community.
Sec. 303. Counseling, training, and mental health services for families 
                            of deployed members of the Armed Forces.
Sec. 304. Graduates of Uniformed Services University of the Health 
                            Sciences permitted to perform civilian 
                            service with Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 305. Controlled substance monitoring programs.
     TITLE IV--ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Sec. 401. Monitoring of Integrated Disability Evaluation System.
Sec. 402. Independent review of transition from receipt of benefits and 
                            services from Department of Defense to 
                            receipt of benefits and services from 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 403. Treatment of certain misfiled documents as motions for 
                            reconsideration of decisions by Board of 
                            Veterans' Appeals.
Sec. 404. Increase in rate of pension for disabled veterans married to 
                            one another and both of whom require 
                            regular aid and attendance.

  TITLE I--EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR 
                                VETERANS

SEC. 101. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN PROGRAMS OF 
              INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE FOR SEVERELY 
              HANDICAPPED VETERANS.

    Section 3120(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``2,700'' and inserting ``3,000''.

SEC. 102. PARTICIPATION OF VETERANS IN THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

    (a) In General.--Each veteran, during the one-year period beginning 
on the date on which the veteran is discharged or separated from 
service in the Armed Forces, shall be authorized to participate in the 
Transition Assistance Program (TAP) of the Department of Defense.
    (b) Counseling at Military Installations.--As part of their 
participation in the Transition Assistance Program pursuant to this 
section, veterans shall be authorized to receive transition assistance 
counseling under the program at any military installation at which 
transition assistance counseling is being provided to members of the 
Armed Forces under the program.
    (c) Memorandum of Understanding.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a memorandum of 
understanding regarding the participation of veterans in the Transition 
Assistance Program pursuant to this section.
    (d) Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term ``veteran'' has the 
meaning given that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States 
Code.

SEC. 103. STUDY ON RECOGNITION OF MILITARY TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS 
              OF VETERANS BY CIVILIAN EMPLOYERS AND EDUCATIONAL 
              INSTITUTIONS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may conduct a study on how the 
Secretary can improve the recognition of military training and 
qualifications of veterans by civilian employers and educational 
institutions.

SEC. 104. VETERANS EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end of subchapter II the following new 
section:
``Sec. 3697B. Veterans education outreach program
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide funding for offices 
of veterans affairs at institutions of higher learning, as defined in 
section 3452(f), in accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Payments to Institutions of Higher Learning.--(1)(A) The 
Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, make 
payments to any institution of higher learning, under and in accordance 
with this section, during any fiscal year if the number of persons 
eligible for services from offices assisted under this section at the 
institution is at least 50, determined in the same manner as the number 
of eligible veterans or eligible persons is determined under section 
3684(c) of this title.
    ``(B) The persons who are eligible for services from the offices 
assisted under this section are persons receiving educational 
assistance administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
including assistance provided under chapter 1606 of title 10.
    ``(2) To be eligible for a payment under this section, an 
institution of higher learning or a consortium of institutions of 
higher learning, as described in paragraph (3), shall submit an 
application to the Secretary. The application shall--
            ``(A) set forth such policies, assurances, and procedures 
        that will ensure that--
                    ``(i) the funds received by the institution, or 
                each institution in a consortium of institutions 
                described in paragraph (3), under this section will be 
                used solely to carry out this section;
                    ``(ii) for enhancing the functions of its veterans 
                education outreach program, the applicant will expend, 
                during the academic year for which a payment is sought, 
                an amount equal to at least the amount of the award 
                under this section from sources other than this or any 
                other Federal program; and
                    ``(iii) the applicant will submit to the Secretary 
                such reports as the Secretary may require or as are 
                required by this section;
            ``(B) contain such other statement of policies, assurances, 
        and procedures as the Secretary may require in order to protect 
        the financial interests of the United States;
            ``(C) set forth such plans, policies, assurances, and 
        procedures as will ensure that the applicant will maintain an 
        office of veterans' affairs which has responsibility for--
                    ``(i) veterans' certification, outreach, 
                recruitment, and special education programs, including 
                the provision of or referral to educational, 
                vocational, and personal counseling for veterans; and
                    ``(ii) providing information regarding other 
                services provided veterans by the Department, including 
                the readjustment counseling program authorized under 
                section 1712A of this title and the programs carried 
                out under chapters 41 and 42 of this title; and
            ``(D) be submitted at such time or times, in such manner, 
        in such form, and contain such information as the Secretary 
        determines necessary to carry out the functions of the 
        Secretary under this section.
    ``(3) An institution of higher learning which is eligible for 
funding under this section and which the Secretary determines cannot 
feasibly carry out, by itself, any or all of the activities set forth 
in paragraph (2)(C), may carry out such program or programs through a 
consortium agreement with one or more other institutions of higher 
learning in the same community.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall not approve an application under this 
subsection unless the Secretary determines that the applicant will 
implement the requirements of paragraph (2)(C) within the first 
academic year during which it receives a payment under this section.
    ``(c) Amount of Payments.--(1)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
amount of the payment which any institution shall receive under this 
section for any fiscal year shall be $100 for each person who is 
described in subsection (b)(1)(B).
    ``(B) The maximum amount of payments to any institution of higher 
learning, or any branch thereof which is located in a community which 
is different from that in which the parent institution thereof is 
located, in any fiscal year is $150,000.
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall pay to each institution of higher 
learning which has had an application approved under subsection (b) the 
amount which it is to receive under this section. If the amount 
appropriated for any fiscal year is not sufficient to pay the amounts 
which all such institutions are to receive, the Secretary shall ratably 
reduce such payments. If any amount becomes available to carry out this 
section for a fiscal year after such reductions have been imposed, such 
reduced payments shall be increased on the same basis as they were 
reduced.
    ``(B) In making payments under this section for any fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall apportion the appropriation for making such 
payments, from funds which become available as a result of the 
limitation on payments set forth in paragraph (1)(B), in an equitable 
manner.
    ``(d) Coordination and Provision of Assistance, Technical 
Consultation, and Information.--The Secretary, in carrying out the 
provisions of this section, shall seek to assure the coordination of 
programs assisted under this section with other programs carried out by 
the Department pursuant to this title, and the Secretary shall provide 
all assistance, technical consultation, and information otherwise 
authorized by law as necessary to promote the maximum effectiveness of 
the activities and programs assisted under this section.
    ``(e) Best Practices and Administration.--(1) From the amounts made 
available for any fiscal year under subsection (f), the Secretary shall 
retain one percent or $20,000, whichever is less, for the purpose of 
collecting information about exemplary veterans educational outreach 
programs and disseminating that information to other institutions of 
higher learning having such programs on their campuses. Such collection 
and dissemination shall be done on an annual basis.
    ``(2) From the amounts made available under subsection (f), the 
Secretary may retain not more than two percent for the purpose of 
administering this section.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 
and each fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 3697A the following new item:

``3697B. Veterans education outreach program.''.

SEC. 105. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROGRAM TO SECURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
              VETERANS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered veteran.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``covered veteran'' means a veteran with traumatic brain injury 
        or post-traumatic stress disorder.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Disability 
        Employment Policy.
            (3) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' means a veteran, as 
        defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
through which the Secretary shall--
            (1) provide technical assistance to prospective employers 
        and employers of covered veterans, to enable the prospective 
        employers and employers to employ and retain covered veterans;
            (2) provide technical assistance for entities in the 
        workforce development system, to enable the entities to help 
        covered veterans obtain employment and succeed in that 
        employment;
            (3) receive referrals for technical assistance described in 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) from reserve components described in 
        section 101 of title 10, United States Code, business 
        organizations, and Federal agencies; and
            (4) conduct outreach concerning such technical assistance 
        through regional offices of the Department of Labor.
    (c) Information on Best Practices.--The Secretary shall disseminate 
information on best practices related to assisting covered veterans in 
obtaining employment and developing strategies to succeed in that 
employment. The Secretary shall disseminate the information to business 
organizations and employers (including veteran-owned businesses), human 
resource organizations, government agencies, and Federal contractors.
    (d) Interagency Working Group.--
            (1) Establishment of working group.--The Secretary shall 
        establish a working group, consisting of representatives of 
        Federal agencies with programs that assist covered veterans in 
        obtaining or maintaining employment.
            (2) Duties of working group.--The working group shall share 
        information on best practices, share resources, and develop a 
        plan, for providing such assistance to the covered veterans. 
        The working group shall submit the plan to the heads of the 
        Federal agencies.
            (3) Functions of federal agencies.--Each head of a Federal 
        agency receiving the plan shall consider the plan and make 
        appropriate changes to carry out functions that assist covered 
        veterans in obtaining and maintaining employment.

               TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS

SEC. 201. REPEAL OF SUNSET ON EXTENSION OF ENHANCED PROTECTIONS FOR 
              SERVICEMEMBERS RELATING TO MORTGAGES AND MORTGAGE 
              FORECLOSURE UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT.

    Subsection (c) of section 2203 of the Housing and Economic Recovery 
Act of 2008 (50 U.S.C. App. 533 note) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.''.

SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT OF PAYMENTS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO HOMELESS 
              VETERANS.

    (a) Improvement of Payments.--Section 2012 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``per diem'' each place it appears;
            (2) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``daily cost of care'' and 
                        inserting ``annual cost of furnishing 
                        services''; and
                            (ii) by striking the second sentence;
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
                following new subparagraph (B):
    ``(B) The Secretary shall annually adjust the rate of payment under 
subparagraph (A) to reflect anticipated changes in the cost of 
furnishing services and to take into account the cost of providing 
services in a particular geographic area. The Secretary may set a 
maximum amount payable to a grant recipient under this section.'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``other 
                sources of income'' and all that follows through the 
                period at the end and inserting ``the cost of services 
                provided by the grant recipient as the Secretary may 
                require to assist the Secretary in making the 
                determination under subparagraph (A).'';
                    (D) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
                following new subparagraph (D):
    ``(D) In making the determination under subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary may consider the availability of other sources of income, 
including payments to the grant recipient or eligible entity for 
furnishing services to homeless veterans under programs other than 
under this subchapter, payments or grants from other departments or 
agencies of the United States, from departments or agencies of State or 
local governments, or from private entities or organizations.''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
    ``(E)(i) The Secretary shall authorize payments under this 
subsection to each grant recipient on an annual basis but shall make a 
payment to each grant recipient for each calendar quarter in an amount 
equal to a portion of the annual amount authorized for such recipient.
    ``(ii) Upon the expiration of a calendar quarter--
            ``(I) each grant recipient shall provide to the Secretary a 
        statement of the amount spent by the recipient during that 
        calendar quarter;
            ``(II) if the amount spent is less than the amount provided 
        for that calendar quarter, repay to the Secretary the balance; 
        and
            ``(III) if the amount spent by a grant recipient for such 
        purpose for a calendar quarter exceeds the amount provided to 
        the recipient for that quarter, the Secretary shall make an 
        additional payment to the recipient in an amount equal to the 
        amount by which the amount so spent exceeded the amount so 
        provided, as long as the total amount provided to such 
        recipient in a calendar year does not exceed the amount of the 
        annual payment for that recipient.'';
            (3) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3) and 
        inserting the following new paragraph (3):
    ``(3) Payments under this subsection to a grant recipient or 
eligible entity may be used to match, or in combination with, other 
payments or grants for which the recipient or entity is eligible.''; 
and
            (4) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (2); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph 
                (2).
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Section heading.--The section heading for such section 
        is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 2012. Payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans''.
            (2) Subsection heading.--The heading for subsection (a) of 
        such section is amended by striking ``Per Diem''.
            (3) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended by striking 
        the item relating to section 2012 and inserting the following 
        new item:

``2012. Payments for furnishing services to homeless veterans.''.

     TITLE III--HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS

SEC. 301. MONITORING OF REFERRALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

    The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall jointly establish a mechanism for the monitoring and reviewing of 
the process by which referrals for mental health care are given to 
individuals who, during a post deployment health assessment 
administered by the Secretary of Defense, are identified as having a 
potential mental health condition. Such monitoring and reviewing shall 
identify and compare, on a regular basis, the number of individuals to 
whom such referrals are issued with the number of individuals who 
complete a course of treatment for a mental health condition subsequent 
to receiving such a referral.

SEC. 302. IMPROVEMENTS TO PLANS FOR VETERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN 
              INJURY FOR REHABILITATION AND REINTEGRATION INTO THE 
              COMMUNITY.

    Section 1710C(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(3) With respect to individuals who are veterans 
        described in subsection (b) of section 3120 of this title, 
        participation in programs of independent living services 
        provided under subsection (a) of such section.
            ``(4) Employment support services provided under section 
        1718(d)(2) of this title.''.

SEC. 303. COUNSELING, TRAINING, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR FAMILIES 
              OF DEPLOYED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    Section 1782 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Counseling for Family Members of Deployed Members of Armed 
Forces.--In the case of a member of the Armed Forces who is deployed, 
the Secretary may provide members of the immediate family of the member 
of the Armed Forces such consultation, professional counseling, 
marriage and family counseling, training, and mental health services as 
are necessary in connection with that deployment.''.

SEC. 304. GRADUATES OF UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH 
              SCIENCES PERMITTED TO PERFORM CIVILIAN SERVICE WITH 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2115 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
Secretary'';
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) Civilian Service With the Department of Veterans Affairs.--
(1) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
enter into an agreement whereby graduates of the University may perform 
civilian service under subsection (a) with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs at community-based outpatient clinics of the Department and 
centers for readjustment counseling and related mental health services 
for veterans under section 1712A of title 38.
    ``(2) The limitation in subsection (a) relating to the percentage 
of graduates of a class at the University that can perform civilian 
Federal service in lieu of active duty in the uniformed services shall 
not apply to graduates who perform civilian Federal service under 
paragraph (1) of this subsection.
    ``(3)(A) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may reimburse the 
Secretary of Defense for the expenses incurred by the Secretary of 
Defense in providing education under this chapter to a person who 
performs civilian service under paragraph (1).
    ``(B) If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reimburses the Secretary 
of Defense as described in subparagraph (A) with respect to a person, 
the Secretary of Defense may not recall such person to active duty in 
the uniformed services without the consent of the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs.''; and
            (3) in the heading, by striking ``: limitation on number''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 104 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 2115 and inserting the following new item:

``2115. Graduates permitted to perform civilian Federal service.''.

SEC. 305. CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE MONITORING PROGRAMS.

    (a) Exception With Respect to Confidential Nature of Claims.--
Section 5701 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l) Under regulations the Secretary shall prescribe, the 
Secretary may disclose information about a veteran or the dependant of 
a veteran to a State controlled substance monitoring program, including 
a program approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under 
section 399O of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-3), to 
the extent necessary to prevent misuse and diversion of prescription 
medicines.''.
    (b) Exception With Respect to Confidentiality of Certain Medical 
Records.--Section 7332(b)(2) of such title is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(G) To a State controlled substance monitoring program, 
        including a program approved by the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services under section 399O of the Public Health Service 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 280g-3), to the extent necessary to prevent 
        misuse and diversion of prescription medicines.''.

     TITLE IV--ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SEC. 401. MONITORING OF INTEGRATED DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop a systemwide monitoring 
mechanism to identify and address issues arising out of facilities and 
offices of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs involved in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System.
    (b) Elements.--The monitoring mechanism required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following, with respect to the Integrated Disability 
Evaluation System:
            (1) Continuous collection and analysis of data on--
                    (A) staffing levels of the Department of Defense 
                and the Department of Veterans Affairs;
                    (B) sufficiency of exam summaries; and
                    (C) diagnostic disagreements.
            (2) Monitoring of available data on caseloads and case 
        processing time by individual rating offices of the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs and the physical evaluation boards of the 
        Department of Defense.
            (3) A formal mechanism for agency officials at local 
        facilities to communicate challenges and best practices to 
        Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs 
        headquarters.

SEC. 402. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF TRANSITION FROM RECEIPT OF BENEFITS AND 
              SERVICES FROM DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO RECEIPT OF 
              BENEFITS AND SERVICES FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    The Comptroller General of the United States, the Inspector General 
of the Department of Defense, and the Inspector General of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs may form an independent board to review 
the effectiveness and efficiency of the process by which members of the 
Armed Forces transition from the receipt of benefits and services from 
the Department of Defense to the receipt of benefits and services from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 403. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN MISFILED DOCUMENTS AS MOTIONS FOR 
              RECONSIDERATION OF DECISIONS BY BOARD OF VETERANS' 
              APPEALS.

    Section 7103 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection (c):
    ``(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), if a person adversely 
affected by a final decision of the Board, who has not filed a notice 
of appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims 
under section 7266(a) of this title within the period set forth in that 
section, files a document with the Board or the agency of original 
jurisdiction referred to in section 7105(b)(1) of this title that 
expresses disagreement with such decision not later than 120 days after 
the date of such decision, such document shall be treated as a motion 
for reconsideration of such decision under subsection (a).
    ``(2) A document described in paragraph (1) shall not be treated as 
a motion for reconsideration of the decision under paragraph (1) if--
            ``(A) the Board or the agency of original jurisdiction 
        referred to in paragraph (1)--
                    ``(i) receives the document described in paragraph 
                (1);
                    ``(ii) determines that such document expresses an 
                intent to appeal the decision to the United States 
                Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and
                    ``(iii) forwards such document to the United States 
                Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and
            ``(B) the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans 
        Claims receives such document within the period set forth by 
        section 7266(a) of this title.''.

SEC. 404. INCREASE IN RATE OF PENSION FOR DISABLED VETERANS MARRIED TO 
              ONE ANOTHER AND BOTH OF WHOM REQUIRE REGULAR AID AND 
              ATTENDANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 1521(f)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``$30,480'' and inserting ``$31,305''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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