[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8973-S8974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 152--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
   SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SHOULD REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM THE 
 COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY IN FULFILLING THE SECRETARY'S MANDATE 
 TO PROVIDE OUTREACH TO VETERANS, THEIR DEPENDANTS, AND THEIR SURVIVORS

  Mrs. LINCOLN submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs:

                              S. Res. 152

       Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a 
     statutory mandate to provide outreach to veterans, their 
     dependents, and their survivors;
       Whereas the most recent survey conducted by the VA 
     indicates that many veterans and survivors are unaware of 
     benefits they are eligible to receive;
       Whereas recent press reports indicate many veterans are not 
     aware that they are eligible for low-cost prescription 
     medications as part of medical care provided by the VA;
       Whereas some VA outreach initiatives, such as the Health 
     Benefits Hotline (1-877-222-VETS), are somewhat recent;
       Whereas more than 9,000,000 veterans receive Social 
     Security benefits;
       Whereas the number of members of the largest group of 
     veterans, the Vietnam Era veterans, who are awarded Social 
     Security disability and retirement insurance benefits will 
     increase over time;
       Whereas the Social Security Administration sends more than 
     45,000,000 cost-of-living adjustment notices to its 
     beneficiaries each year;
       Whereas the Social Security Administration sends more than 
     2,000,000 award notices to newly-entitled disability and 
     retirement insurance beneficiaries each year;
       Whereas more than 100,000 persons visit the field offices 
     of the Social Security Administration every workday;
       Whereas the Social Security Administration has 65,000 
     employees, most of whom come into contact with the public;
       Whereas many Social Security beneficiaries who are veterans 
     could benefit from VA medical care because they do not have 
     prescription drug coverage or are not currently eligible for 
     Medicare; and
       Whereas many Social Security beneficiaries are eligible for 
     additional income through the VA's pension and compensation 
     programs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should request 
     assistance from the Commissioner of Social Security in 
     fulfilling the

[[Page S8974]]

     Secretary's mandate to provide outreach to veterans, 
     dependents, and survivors; and
       (2) such assistance should include--
       (A) using the December 2002 Social Security cost-of-living 
     adjustment notice as a means of publicizing the VA Health 
     Benefits Hotline and the fact that the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs (VA) provides comprehensive health care, including 
     prescription medications, to veterans;
       (B) using Social Security award notices for retirement 
     insurance and disability insurance benefits to publicize the 
     VA Health Benefits Hotline and the fact that the VA provides 
     comprehensive health care, including prescription 
     medications, to veterans;
       (C) distributing VA publications that describe the cash, 
     health, and other benefits available through the VA to all 
     Social Security Administration field offices so that these 
     publications may be provided to members of the public who 
     visit such offices; and
       (D) broadcasting information to all employees at the Social 
     Security Administration who have contact with the public 
     regarding the health care benefits (including the 
     availability of prescription medications as part of 
     treatment) available through the VA, each pension and 
     compensation program of the VA, and other benefits available 
     through the VA so that employees at the Social Security 
     Administration can inform veterans about VA programs.
                                  ____

  Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. President, I rise today to submit a Senate 
resolution calling on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to work with 
the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to better inform 
the Nation's veterans and their dependents about benefits available 
from the VA.
  In recent months, we have seen considerable legislative activity 
designed to improve outreach to veterans and their dependents. The 
President recently signed into law the Veterans' Survivor Benefits 
Improvement Act. This Act, for the first time, provides the VA with a 
legislative mandate to provide outreach and assistance to dependents of 
veterans. In addition to this legislation, several of my distinguished 
colleagues in the Senate have introduced the Veterans' Right to Know 
Act. This Act would require the VA, once it received an application for 
any benefit, to inform a veteran or a dependent about ALL VA benefits. 
The Veterans' Right to Know Act would also require the VA to develop an 
annual outreach plan by working with service organizations representing 
veterans.
  However, I know that the VA is concerned that some of these 
initiatives are bureaucratic requirements that would divert resources 
from programs that directly serve the veteran population. I understand 
the concerns of the VA and let me make it clear that I am not here 
today to criticize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the employees 
of the VA. I consider the Secretary and his employees to be some of the 
most dedicated public servants in the Nation.
  Instead, I am here today to ask for the Secretary's help and to ask 
him to consider our perspective as legislators. We have passed 
legislation to provide health care and economic security to our 
Nation's veterans and yet we often hear from constituents who are not 
aware of the benefits and services the VA provides.
  One of the most important benefits the VA provides is comprehensive 
health care, including low-cost prescription medications. 
Unfortunately, many veterans believe they have to be disabled or poor 
to enroll in the VA health care system. The reality is that any 
honorably discharged veteran can enroll in VA health care.
  Let me tell you about a message recently posted on the Web site of 
Seniors USA. The message is from Art Mazer, who is the Coordinator for 
the Gray Panthers of Greater Boston, Mr. Mazer writes that he has just 
enrolled in the VA health care system and will now receive his 
medications for just $2 per month from the VA pharmacy. Mr. Mazer, who 
happened to find out about these pharmacy benefits through an email 
newsletter of the Social Security Administration, refers to the 
prescription drug benefits provided by the VA as ``one of the best kept 
secrets'' in the government. Although I applaud the Social Security 
Administration for its informative newsletter and I am glad Mr. Mazer 
is sharing the information with other seniors, I am concerned that VA 
health care is being described on an Internet site for seniors as one 
of the best kept secrets of the government.
  In some ways, it is appropriate that Mr. Mazer found out about VA 
benefits from the Social Security Administration. Remarkably, two out 
of every five veterans receive Social Security. Today, more than nine 
million veterans are on the Social Security rolls. Over the next 
several years, we will see millions of Vietnam Era veterans being 
brought into Social Security's disability and retirement programs.

  The Social Security Administration has one of the most extensive 
systems of public communication in our government. Each year, this 
Agency sends out tens of millions of notices to its beneficiaries. 
These notices inform the public about Social Security, Medicare, and 
other vital government programs. Every workday, 100,000 citizens visit 
the Social Security Administration's 1,300 field offices around the 
country. The primary role of field office employees is to administer 
the Social Security programs, but we know from our disabled and elderly 
constituents that it is often a Social Security employee who tells them 
about a program to help pay their Medicare bills or a program to help 
them meet their food expenses. Simply put, the Social Security 
Administration is on the front lines in our battle to alleviate poverty 
among our disabled and elderly citizens.
  The Resolution I am submitting today calls on the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to request assistance from the Commissioner of Social 
Security in fulfilling the Secretary's mandate to provide outreach to 
veterans and their dependents. The Resolution outlines four 
initiatives, but let me talk briefly about just one.
  Each year the Social Security Administration mails 45 million cost-
of-living adjustment notices to its beneficiaries. The primary purpose 
of these COLA notices is to tell beneficiaries how much their benefits 
will increase. However, the Social Security Administration has used a 
portion of these notices in the past to provide information on 
government health care programs, such as Medicare. It is my hope that 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs will request that a portion of these 
COLA notices include information on the VA health care system, 
including its provision of low-cost prescription drugs. The VA, to its 
credit, has developed a Health Benefits Hotline, 1-877-222-VETS, so 
that veterans can find out about and enroll in VA health care. The COLA 
notices are an effective way to publicize this Hotline. We know that it 
requires time to prepare for these outreach initiatives, but I am 
hopeful that this initiative could be implemented for the December 2002 
COLA notices. This gives the Secretary over a year to work with the 
Social Security Administration to implement the initiative.
  The initiatives outlined in this Resolution are not costly or 
intrusive because they build on the already-existing capabilities of 
the Federal Government. And yet, these initiatives will inform millions 
of veterans and their dependents about VA programs.
  The current Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony J. Principi, is a 
combat-decorated veteran. I know he is deeply committed to serving 
veterans and their families. So, today, through this Resolution, I am 
asking him to take some practical steps to ensure that our veterans and 
their families are fully informed about benefits and services provided 
by the VA. I feel sure that the Social Security Administration, an 
Agency with a well-earned reputation for serving the disabled and the 
elderly, will respond favorably to a request for assistance by 
Secretary Principi.

                          ____________________