Publius Forum

Friday, June 13, 2008

Veteran's Benefits

Although this is often confusing to our members of Congress, most of our members returning from deployment are both veterans and participating service-members in the Selected Reserves subject to redeployment. Health care for our member/veterans remains very much a readiness issue.

Many have compared the confusing flood of information regarding veterans’ benefits given to our members and their families upon returning from deployment to “drinking from a fire hose.” Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H) has introduced legislation (HR 2192) that would amend Title 38 of the US code to establish the Office of an Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans Affairs. HR 2192 would empower the ombudsman to act as a liaison for veterans and their family members with respect to the receipt of health care and benefits administered by the Department. HR 2192 would require the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the ombudsman’s services and the office’s contact information would be available to all veterans and their family members. Any information provided by veterans or their family members to the Office would be disclosed only to the extent necessary to carry out the duties of the Office. The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HCVA) will consider the bill at an upcoming hearing.

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