[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1898-E1899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              VETERANS' BENEFITS IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. TERRY EVERETT

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 1, 1996

  Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Veterans' 
Benefits Improvements Act of 1996. This House-Senate compromise bill 
contains program improvements for several veterans benefits, and these 
provisions will make a difference in the lives of thousands of veterans 
and their survivors. It is a bipartisan bill and I thank all the 
Members on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Chamber for 
their support.
  Section 211 would amend the statute governing burial eligibility to 
incorporate the regulatory definition of ``minor child.''
  Section 212 would provide burial benefits for approximately 300 of 
the 2,500 veterans who die in State nursing homes yearly, but do not 
qualify for priority care in Veterans Health Administration facilities.
  Section 213 would authorize VA to issue a voucher equal to the 
average cost of a grave liner to survivors who elect a burial vault 
other than the national cemetery system's provided grave liner.
  Title four makes change to the administrative functions within the VA 
Life Insurance Program. Provisions include merging the Retired Reserve 
Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance

[[Page E1899]]

programs and extending Veterans' Group Insurance to members of the 
ready reserve; allowing veterans' group-insureds to convert to a 
commercial policy at any time; and renaming the Servicemen's Group Life 
Insurance Program to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance to make it 
more gender neutral.
  Section 502 would limit the clothing allowance for veterans 
incarcerated for more than 60 days in a penal institution where they 
receive clothing at no cost to them.
  Section 503 would authorize an additional $150,000 to the Veterans' 
Claims Adjudication Commission and extend their final report date to 
December 31, 1996.
  Section 504 would establish a pilot program under which contract 
physicians would provide disability examinations to applicants for VA 
benefits. The pilot program is anticipated to speed up the examination-
gathering process for the adjudication of claims.

  Section 505 would expand the time period that currently defines the 
beginning of the Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to February 28, 1961. 
Benefits would be granted to those eligible veterans that served in 
theater only from February 1961 thru August 1964 and limit Agent Orange 
benefits to those who served from January 9, 1962.
  Section 506 would allow a surviving spouse to retain compensation or 
pension payments for the full month instead of the end of the month 
before the veteran died.
  Section 507 would increase the period of time for which accrued 
benefits are payable to a surviving spouse from 1 year to 2 years. 
These are spouses of veterans who die while their claim is being 
adjudicated. This provision is the result of the committee recognizing 
the length of time it takes VA to adjudicate claims.
  Section 508 clarifies that a power of attorney applies to a veterans 
service organization as a whole unless the veteran designates one 
person specifically.
  Section 509 would allow the Board of Veterans' Appeals to provide a 
copy of a decision to a veteran or veterans' representative by any 
means where delivery would be at least as fast as it would be if mailed 
via the U.S. Postal Service.
  Section 602 would authorize the American Battle Monuments Commission 
to accept private funds to help maintain those overseas war memorials 
that are transferred to their care.
  I am very pleased with the program improvements we are able to offer 
today. During these fiscally conservative times, we must not forget our 
veterans and the sacrifices they made on our behalf. I thank the 
ranking member Lane Evans, for his hard work on behalf of this 
impressive benefits package and urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Lastly, I would like to take this final opportunity of the 104th 
Congress to publicly commend Chairman Bob Stump and ranking Member 
Sonny Montgomery for providing the sound bipartisan leadership that is 
always evident on the VA Committee. The reputation the two of you have 
within the veterans' community is stellar and one I hope to live up to.

                          ____________________