VFW MO Legislative Updates

VFW Washington Weekly - Sept. 19, 2008

Posted at 03:36 PM on Friday, September 19, 2008 by Missouri

In This Issue:
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE
1. Large Benefit Bill Passes Senate
2. House VA Hearings

NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS
1. National POW/MIA Recognition Day
2. FY2009 NDAA
3. Reserve Component Mobilization

NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE
1. Economic Stimulus Payment Deadline is Oct. 15

NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE

1. Large Benefit Bill Passes Senate: The Senate passed VFW-supported legislation designed to improve compensation, housing, labor and education, and insurance benefits for veterans. The bill, S. 3023, Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2008 contains some 34 provisions including claims assistance, veterans housing, more access to VAs court system and updating employment rights - Some of the highlights include:

**Makes the annual COLA permanent, indexing it with the Social Security Rate. Covers disability compensation, allowance to spouses and dependents, clothing allowance, and DIC rates- effective 12/1/09.
**Increases the maximum home loan guarantee to $730,000, bringing it line with recent changes to FHA's and Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's programs. Good through 12/31/11
**Raises the guarantee on VA home refinance loans to the same level as conventional loans, allowing more veterans to be able to refinance into a VA home loan. Also reduces the equity requirements from 10% of the value of the loan to 5%.
**Expedites USERRA claims by creating deadlines for agency responses
**Extends the period of time spouses of certain severely injured veterans can use their education benefits to twenty years.
**Increases the number of active judges on CAVC to nine from seven.

For the complete bill visit the Senate VA website at:
http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=12&release_id=11789

Washington Weekly is continued here