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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	06/05/2014
Subject: Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014, as introduced (Sanders)
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2014-25
Referral Name:	Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014, as introduced (Sanders)
Presenter:	Nathan D. Johnson	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

Nathan D. Johnson, Veterans Service Officer, requested support from the Board of Supervisors on the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014.

Referral Update:

REPORT FROM FEDERAL LOBBYIST:

This bill actually made it to the Senate floor in late February 2014, but Republicans ultimately blocked it from receiving a final vote; Majority Leader Reid’s attempt to waive a point of order in order to end debate on the measure was defeated by a party-line vote of 56 of 41, with the exception of Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Dean Heller (R-NV) who joined Democrats in attempting to force a final vote.

The primary complaint with the bill, according to Senate Republicans, had to do with the new budget authority that would be established by the bill, because it would have violated the budget agreement from December 2013. They also had issues with the discretionary budget spending that would have essentially relied on funds “saved” from the rollback of the war in Afghanistan. During floor debate there were also attempts to add amendments that related to increased sanctions on Iran.

Despite all this, Senator Sanders announced recently that he would be reviving/reintroducing this legislation in the coming weeks, as well as a VA accountability bill. At this time it remains unclear whether any concessions and/or modifications would be made to the budgetary aspects of the bill in order to garner additional Republican support, but without any such updates the bill would likely face the same level of opposition from Senate Republicans.

I’ll keep an eye out for this when the Senate returns next week, and provide relevant updates moving forward.

Perrin Badini, Alcalde-Fay

SUMMARY:

The legislation includes provisions that would:

• Improve veterans’ health care through increased access to complementary and alternative medicine, chiropractic care and transportation services.
• Improve VA’s claims system in part by requiring quarterly reports to Congress on efforts to eliminate a backlog of benefits claims by 2015. VA would have to detail both the projected and actual number of claims received, pending, completed and on appeal.
• Expand access to education benefits for veterans and their survivors, including making recently-separated veterans eligible for tuition at the in-state rate and improving the level of benefits offered to survivors of certain service members killed on active duty.
• Ensure veterans receive consistent access to the benefits they have earned by establishing advanced appropriations for the mandatory accounts at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Assist veterans suffering from reproductive issues, largely related to the widespread use of improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan, in starting their families.
• Renew provisions from the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, including a two-year extension for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program.

The legislation will not increase the deficit because the $24 billion cost of the bill is paid for by $4 billion in savings from the VA and offset by $20 billion in caps on the Overseas Contingency Operations fund that will lock in savings from winding down military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Registered Support:

The American Legion

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Wounded Warrior Project

Disabled American Veterans

Military Officers Association of America

Military Order of the Purple Heart

The Retired Enlisted Association

Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service

VetsFirst

United States Army Warrant Officers Association

Easter Seals Disability Services

National Association for Uniformed Services

National Association of State Veterans Homes

Air Force Sergeants Association

Association of the United States Navy

Marine Corps Reserve Association

Gold Star Wives

National Guard Association of the United States

Paralyzed Veterans of America

National Military Family Association

Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

US Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association

Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America

Vietnam Veterans of America

Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association

Non Commissioned Officers Association

American Military Retirees Association

Senator Frank B. Aguon, Jr. of Guam

Fleet Reserve Association

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

American Ex-Prisoners of War

National Society of Professional Engineers

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities

Military-Veterans Advocacy

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

ADOPT a position of "support" on Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014, as introduced (Sanders), as recommended by Contra Costa Veterans Service Officer.

Fiscal Impact (if any):

No fiscal impact.

Attachments
Bill Summary