[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 88 (Thursday, June 27, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1155-E1156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           VETERANS' BENEFITS

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                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 2002

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on an issue that is 
very important to our nation's veterans. If you were to ask Americans 
if they knew that their veterans were being denied benefits to which 
they earned in an effort to save money, there would be outrage. Well 
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry to say that that is exactly what has been 
occurring for many years.
  Today, veterans who served our country and retire after 20 years but 
endure a service-connected disability, have their disability benefits 
offset dollar-for-dollar by a reduction in their retirement pay. This 
unfair practice is a disgrace for those who selflessly served our 
country and sacrificed so much on our behalf. These offset dollars are 
taken away from veterans seeking to make a better life, send children 
through college or have an opportunity to spend time with 
grandchildren.
  Well Mr. Speaker, there is good news. After many years of trying to 
correct this problem, I am very proud that my committee, the House 
Armed Services Committee, included a provision granting concurrent 
receipt for our most severely disabled retirees in H.R. 4546, the Bob 
Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003. This 
provision provides $5.8 billion to phase in, over a five-year period, 
an elimination of the concurrent receipt offset for disabled retirees 
with a disability rating of 60 percent or greater. Though the offset is 
not eliminated completely for all disabled veterans, it is a first 
step. This measure passed the House on May 9, 2002, by a vote of 359-
58.
  Mr. Speaker, there is still more work to be done. It is my 
understanding that, like the House, the Senate has included a 
concurrent receipt provision in their authorization bill and I plan on 
working actively with them on this issue when this bill is brought to 
conference. Our veterans earn their retired pay by committing 
themselves to the defense of our country and I believe there is no 
better way to honor America than to give our nation's veterans all the 
benefits to which they are entitled.

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