[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              KEEPING THE PROMISE TO OUR DISABLED VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2005

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to speak about 
two bills that I have introduced to better the lives of our Nation's 
disabled veterans. H.R. 1188, the ``Disabled Veterans Right to 
Commissaries and Space Available Travel Act,'' will extend commissary 
and exchange store privileges to service-disabled veterans with a 
rating of 30% or more and to their families. Congress must do all we 
reasonably can for the men and women who have become disabled in their 
service to our Nation. Our disabled veterans are important members of 
the greater military family, and they should be treated as such with 
every available opportunity.
  This bill will also authorize transportation on military aircraft on 
a space-available basis to service-disabled veterans with a rating of 
50% or more. Currently, members and retirees of the uniformed services 
and the reserves may travel free on Department of Defense (DoD) 
aircraft when space is available. This benefit is allowed when it does 
not interfere with military missions, and it recognizes that military 
careers are filled with rigorous duty.
  But present policies do not extend this benefit to our disabled 
veterans. What more rigorous duty can be imagined than to become 
disabled in the service of our country? Why has the DoD chosen not to 
recognize the brave men and women who sacrificed their health and well-
being while serving in uniform? This DoD policy needs to be corrected.
  Space-available travel for these disabled veterans would cost the 
Federal government nothing and would not interfere with active-duty 
personnel. Current military is always given priority, and H.R. 1188 
would do nothing to change that. What my bill will do is allow seats 
that would otherwise go unused to be occupied by men and women who have 
been disabled when serving their Nation.
  I invite my colleagues to also support a second bill, H.R. 2747, the 
``Disabled Veterans Life Insurance Enhancement Act.'' This legislation 
will make improvements in insurance for veterans who are disabled in 
their service to our country.
  When the Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (SDVI) began in 1951, it 
was intended to provide service-disabled veterans with the ability to 
purchase life insurance coverage at ``standard'' rates. Unfortunately, 
these life insurance premiums are based upon mortality rates for 1940, 
while current standard life insurance policies have premiums based upon 
the 2001 mortality table. This means that service-disabled veterans are 
being charged high premiums based on a table that is 60 years out of 
date. The Independent Budget, prepared and endorsed by many veterans 
service organizations, has recommended that the mortality table be 
updated so that service-disabled veterans pay lower premiums for 
insurance. My bill would provide insurance comparable to standard 
policies, based on 2001 tables. Another change will increase the amount 
of insurance available to $50,000, purchased in increments of $10,000.
  Second, the VA provides mortgage life insurance (VMLI) to severely 
service-disabled veterans who qualify for specially adapted housing 
grants. Currently, this amount covers only about 55% of the outstanding 
mortgage balances at the veteran's death because the maximum amount has 
not been increased since 1992. We know how the cost of houses has 
skyrocketed since then in many areas of our country. In May, 2001, an 
evaluation by the Department of Veterans Affairs recommended that the 
coverage be increased, and The Independent Budget has also recommended 
that the coverage be increased. H.R. 2747 implements those 
recommendations by increasing the maximum to $200,000 to cover 94% of 
mortgage balances outstanding. Veterans can choose lower coverage, if 
they wish.
  These bills are the right steps to take for our disabled veterans. 
They have sacrificed their health and well-being for their country, and 
they have earned the right to these privileges. Please support these 
bills and work with me for their passage.

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