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Week Ending December 8, 2006

H.R.6342 To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to expand eligibility for the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program, and for other purposes.

Several programs pertaining to Veteran healthcare that are due to expire are extended in this bill for another year of funding.

The programs included additional healthcare for participation in Department of Defense chemical and biological warfare testing; grants and per diem assistance for homeless veterans; treatment and rehab and additional services for the seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans; the Advisory Committee on Homeless veterans; government marker in private cemeteries; additional education assistance allowance for work-study.

Qualifications for survivors and dependent’s educational assistance would now include first the definition of qualifying service that would read “service in the active military, naval, or air service after the beginning of the Spanish-American War that did not terminate under dishonorable conditions.” The patient must be hospitalized or receiving outpatient care or treatment and is considered to have a permanent disability and is likely to be discharged because of the disability.

The bill establishes not less than six Parkinson’s Disease research, education and clinical centers and two Multiple Sclerosis centers of excellence for treatment, education and clinical patient care.

The bill allows for leasing of facilities to continue: For an outpatient clinic, Baltimore, Maryland, $10,908,000. For an outpatient clinic, Evansville, Indiana, $8,989,000. For an outpatient clinic, Smith County, Texas, $5,093,000.  For an outpatient and specialty care clinic, Austin, Texas, $6,163,000. For an outpatient clinic, Lowell, Massachusetts, $2,520,000. For an outpatient clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, $4,409,000. For up to four outpatient clinics, Las Vegas, Nevada, $8,518,000. For an outpatient clinic, Parma, Ohio, $5,032,000

Specific payments are increased as well. Veterans receiving `$112' would now receive`$115'; `$218' is raised to `$225'; $337' is raised to `$348';  `$485' is raised to `$501';`$690' is raised to `$712';`$873' is raised to `$901'; `$1,099' is raised to `$1,135';`$1,277' is raised to `$1,319';`$1,436' is raised to `$1,483'; `$2,393' is raised to `$2,471'. `$2,977' is raised to `$3,075'; `$3,284' is raised to `$3,392'; `$3,737' is raised to `$3,860';`$4, is raised to `$4,313'.

Monthly pay rates are raised by rank as follows:

E-1             $1,067 W-4             $1,276 

E-2             $1,067 O-1             $1,128 

E-3             $1,067 O-2             $1,165 

E-4             $1,067 O-3             $1,246 

E-5             $1,067 O-4             $1,319 

E-6             $1,067 O-5             $1,452 

E-7             $1,104 O-6             $1,637 

E-8             $1,165 O-7             $1,768 

E-9             $1,215 O-8             $1,941 

W-1             $1,128 O-9             $2,076 

W-2             $1,172 O-10           $2,2762 

W-3             $1,207                       

Sponsor:  Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN-4^th)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote December 6, 2006. Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent December 7, 2006

Cost to the taxpayers:

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