II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 780 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 8, 2011 Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to exempt reimbursements of expenses related to accident, theft, loss, or casualty loss from determinations of annual income with respect to pensions for veterans and surviving spouses and children of veterans, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Pensions Protection Act of 2011.

2.

Exclusion of certain reimbursements of expenses from determination of annual income with respect to pensions for veterans and surviving spouses and children of veterans

Paragraph (5) of section 1503(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (5)payments regarding— (A)reimbursements of any kind (including insurance settlement payments) for— (i)expenses related to the repayment, replacement, or repair of equipment, vehicles, items, money, or property resulting from— (I)any accident (as defined in regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe), but the amount excluded under this subclause shall not exceed the greater of the fair market value or reasonable replacement value of the equipment or vehicle involved at the time immediately preceding the accident; (II)any theft or loss (as defined in regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe), but the amount excluded under this subclause shall not exceed the greater of the fair market value or reasonable replacement value of the item or the amount of the money (including legal tender of the United States or of a foreign country) involved at the time immediately preceding the theft or loss; or (III)any casualty loss (as defined in regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe), but the amount excluded under this subclause shall not exceed the greater of the fair market value or reasonable replacement value of the property involved at the time immediately preceding the casualty loss; and (ii)medical expenses resulting from any accident, theft, loss, or casualty loss (as defined in regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe), but the amount excluded under this clause shall not exceed the costs of medical care provided to the victim of the accident, theft, loss, or casualty loss; and (B)pain and suffering (including insurance settlement payments and general damages awarded by a court) related to an accident, theft, loss, or casualty loss, but the amount excluded under this subparagraph shall not exceed an amount determined by the Secretary on a case-by-case basis; .