[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25301]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       THE HOSPITALIZED VETERANS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 20, 2003

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to correct an 
inequity facing America's disabled veterans. Many brave men and women, 
who sustained permanent injuries while defending our nation and the 
liberties we cherish, must spend extended periods in hospitals because 
of their service-connected disabilities.
  When they do require extended hospital stays, disabled veterans must 
take time away from their jobs, causing them to lose out on the 
salaries they rely upon to pay their rent or mortgages and to care for 
their families.
  Because extended care can cause financial hardships, veterans who are 
ordinarily rated at less than 100 percent for their service-connected 
disabilities qualify for a special 100 percent rating to help them 
compensate for their temporary financial losses.
  An inequity exists in the current law, however. The Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA) does not begin the temporary total disability 
compensation until the beginning of the month following their 
admission. That is, if a veteran is hospitalized on the 15th, their 
special compensation does not start until the first of the next month.
  Even though they are incapacitated, veterans must sometimes wait 
almost 2 months to receive payment at the 100 percent level. 
Unfortunately, they still have bills due during this time and cannot 
always wait for several weeks for their compensation.
  Today I am introducing the Hospitalized Veterans Financial Assistance 
Act of 2003 to correct the flaws in the law and to give America's 
disabled veterans our full support throughout their convalescence. 
Under this legislation, the VA would begin the special 100 percent 
disability rating on the day they are admitted to the hospital.
  By making this adjustment to the law, a disabled veteran may not be 
faced with the difficult decision of declining medical treatment 
because of their financial concerns. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting those who have made the most tremendous sacrifices on our 
behalf by correcting this inequity.

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