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For Immediate Release Contact: Betsy Hart
August 19, 2008 (202) 226-8555

HOUSE PASSES FIVE HERSETH SANDLIN VETS BILLS DURING 110TH CONGRESS

Chairwoman of Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Prioritizes Transition for Returning Service Members – Holds Third Field Hearing

Bentonville, AR, August 19, 2008 – In the 110th Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed five bills authored by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin to improve and ease the transition for returning servicemembers. As the chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Rep. Herseth Sandlin has prioritized the education, housing, and economic needs of men and women who are returning from service and transitioning into civilian life.

The five pieces of legislation authored by Herseth Sandlin and passed by the House include:

• Disabled Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act (H.R. 675) – increases the amount of specially adaptive housing grants for disabled veterans. Signed into law by the President on July 30, 2008 as part of H.R. 3221.
• Improving SCRA and USERRA Protections Act (H.R. 6225) – to enhance employment and reemployment rights of veteran employees. Passed the House on July 31, 2008.
• Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act (H.R. 6224) - to improve work study programs available to veterans. Passed the House on July 31, 2008 as part of H.R. 6221.
• Services to Prevent Veterans Homelessness Act (H.R. 2378) - to decrease the rate of homelessness among veterans. Passed the House on July 30, 2007 as part of H.R. 2874.
• Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 1315) – to provide specially adaptive housing assistance to servicemembers, increase the supply of qualified blind VA rehabilitation specialists, and require the VA to report on veterans' reemployment rights. Passed the House on July 30, 2007.

Herseth Sandlin said, “When the brave men and women of our country are called upon to serve, those of us on the home front who benefit from their sacrifice must do what we can to make their life easier when they return from service. These are American heroes who have returned from serving their country – and they continue to serve their country in many ways once they return to civilian life.”

Under the leadership of Rep. Herseth Sandlin, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee has held three field hearings focused on improving transition assistance for returning servicemembers. The hearings have been held in South Bend, IN, Rapid City, SD and most recently, Bentonville, AR on August 18, 20008.

At the hearing, witnesses discussed their concerns with employers intentionally violating the Uniformed Service Employment and Redeployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) rights, and employers who do not understand these rights.Both of these laws were enacted to ensure the smooth transition of servicemembers, including the rights and benefits associated with employment, following their return to civilian life.

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Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin serves South Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats committed to fiscal discipline and strong national security, and is co-chair of the Rural Working Group, which is dedicated to raising the profile of issues important to rural America. She also serves on three committees vital to South Dakota’s interests: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs and Natural Resources. In the 110th Congress, Rep. Herseth Sandlin was one of only 15 members appointed to serve on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.