Legion testimony focused on benefits for MoH recipients

The American Legion recently presented written and oral testimony addressing positions on pending legislation before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability and Memorial Affairs.

Legislation highlighted in the Legion’s statements included pending legislation to distinguish Medal of Honor (MoH) recipients buried in private cemeteries, the Medal of Honor Legacy Act, the Veterans Engagement Teams Act and the Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act of 2016.

Edward Lilley, the Legion’s assistant director of health, amplified the Legion’s position on these key pieces of pending legislation, placing emphasis on the bills regarding recipients of the Medal of Honor – the highest military honor awarded for valor in action against an enemy force.

H.R. 4757 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish at private cemeteries, and upon request, a headstone, marker or medallion that signifies the status of an eligible veteran who served in the armed forces on or after April 6, 1917, as a MoH recipient. If VA previously furnished a headstone, marker or medallion for a deceased veteran that does not signify his or her status as a MoH recipient, the VA shall upon request replace that headstone, marker or medallion with one that signifies the status of the deceased as a MoH recipient.

If enacted, another piece of draft legislation – the Medal of Honor Legacy Act – would direct the Secretary of the Army to reserve 1,000 of the remaining 60,000 burial plots at Arlington National Cemetery for individuals who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

“The American Legion fully appreciates the service of those awarded the Medal of Honor and by resolution supports any legislation that would expand the benefits to Medal of Honor recipients,” Lilley expressed to committee members.

Also aimed at helping veterans receive the benefits they are fully entitled to, the Veterans Engagement Teams Act would give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to create a pilot program addressing the barriers between the VA and the veterans they serve by sending VA employees into the field to assist with their claims processing.

Similar to The American Legion’s Veterans Benefits Centers (VBCs) established as a result of the VA health care crisis in Phoenix, the program would allow VA to provide one-on-one assistance to veterans and their families at community events.

“During these VBCs, we were able to assist more than 3,000 veterans and their families with scheduling outpatient appointments, enrolling in the VA health-care system and applying for compensation, pension, disability indemnity compensation benefits, and other services veterans and their families needed assistance with,” said Lilley.

Lilley also shared specific examples with the members of Congress on how Legion VBCs impacted veterans’ lives.

For nearly 100 years, The American Legion has advocated on behalf of our nation’s veterans, to include the awarding of disability benefits associated with chronic medical conditions that manifest related to selfless service to this nation.

Current pending legislation has the potential to affect the compensation amounts veterans receive in conjunction with their VA disability benefits.

Annually, veterans and their family members are subjects in the debate regarding the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for disability benefits. For these veterans and their family members, COLA is not simply an acronym or a minor adjustment in benefits; instead, it is a tangible benefit that meets the needs of the increasing costs of living in a nation that they bravely defended, Lilley stated.

The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2016 will increase the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans effective Dec. 1, 2016.

During The American Legion’s 2014 national convention in Charlotte, N.C., Resolution No. 18 was adopted to support legislation “to provide a periodic cost-of-living adjustment increase and to increase the monthly rates of disability compensation.”

Section 2 of the proposed bill notes that “each dollar amount increased under paragraph (1), if not a whole dollar amount, shall be rounded to the next lower whole dollar amount.” The American Legion does not support the rounding down of any benefit; its position is to allow veterans to receive the full benefits they were awarded due to their service.

During his closing remarks, Lilley thanked the committee for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Legion and urged lawmakers to consider revising sections of H.R. 4782 to prevent any negative impact the legislation may have upon the veteran community.

To read the Legion’s written statement in its entirety, click here.