News Release

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed six bills to support veterans.  Congressman John Spratt (D-SC) voted for all six.

“Of all the promises the government should keep, none are more important than those our nation has made to the men and women who serve in the armed forces,” Spratt said.

The following bills passed the House on November 5:

National Heroes Credit Protection Act (HR 513).  This bill, cosponsored by Spratt, allows individuals who have served or currently serve in the military or military support services, and have been deployed at least 180 days outside of the United States, to ask a consumer credit reporting agency to include an explanation in their credit report if there are negative items within the report. The explanation would indicate that an individual is an active member of the armed services and that is the reason why they have been slow to pay certain bills or obligations.  The measure requires that all future potential creditors that receive negative credit reports of such service members be instructed to disregard the negative information. The notation, however, would not relieve service members of their debt.

Recognize Native American Veterans (H Res 744).  This resolution recognizes Native American veterans and calls upon the president to issue a proclamation urging citizens to observe a day honoring Native American veterans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.  Currently, there are 195,871 Native American veterans in the United States. Native Americans have also served in all major U.S. conflicts, including more than 12,000 during World War I. More than 44,000 Native Americans served during World War II, and 42,000 Native Americans served in the Vietnam War.

Support Veterans Educate Today's Students (VETS) Day (H Con Res 60).  This resolution expresses support for the goals of Veterans Educate Today's Students (VETS) Day. It urges teachers, civic leaders, and veterans to educate children about the service of veterans and the sacrifices made by veterans and their families, and encourages participation in local and national activities recognizing Veterans Educate Today's Students Day and "other events that foster education about the importance of veterans to the nation.”  Schools that participate in Veterans Educate Today's Students Day set aside a portion of the school day for the study, recognition, and appreciation of veterans.

Support Veterans History Project Week (H Res 770).  This resolution supports the designation of a National Veterans History Project Week.  Congress created the National Veterans History Project in 2000 to collect and preserve the wartime stories of American veterans, particularly oral accounts. The veterans history project relies upon volunteer interviewers, partner organizations and civic institutions to interview veterans. The first National Veterans History Project week occurred in 2005.

The House passed the following bills on November 6:

Support Basic Pay Hike for Military (H Con Res 162).  This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Congress and the President should increase basic pay for members of all components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps by 3.5 %, effective Jan. 1, 2008 [The House and Senate passed Defense Appropriations bill for FY 2008 (HR  3222) would provide the identical pay hike]. It also declares that Congress should increase the basic pay during the period of FY 2009 through FY 2012 by at least 1/2 of 1 percent more than the raise calculated under the Employment Cost Index (ECI); and provide a $40 special survivor indemnity allowance for persons affected by required Survivor Benefit Plan annuity offsets for dependency and indemnity compensation (Currently, widows of soldiers lose their survivor benefits if they also receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a monthly payment to eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans).

Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act (HEART Act, H.R. 3997).  This bill would:

• make tax relief for families of soldiers in combat under the EITC permanent.  The bill makes permanent current law to include combat pay as earned income for purposes of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  At the end of the year, soldiers’ families working to get into the middle class will be denied needed tax relief if combat pay is not counted for purposes of receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit.  The previous Congress (in 2003) deliberately excluded certain military families from the Child Tax Credit law providing $350 billion in tax cuts to wealthier taxpayers.

• make it easier for veterans to become homeowners.  The bill would make thousands of veterans eligible for low-interest loans by making permanent and modifying qualified mortgage bonds used to finance residences for veterans.

• make permanent other tax provisions to relieve economic hardships for military families.  For example, the bill makes permanent IRS provisions to permit active duty reservists to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans; permit an employer to make contributions to a qualified retirement plan on behalf of an employee killed or disabled in combat; count extra pay for active duty military personnel from their previous civilian employer for retirement purposes; and permit recipients of military death benefit gratuities to roll over the amounts received, tax-free, to a Roth IRA or an Education Savings Account.

• include tax benefits for other public servants who face risk, such as volunteer firefighters and Peace Corps volunteers.  For example, the bill clarifies that rebates of state and local taxes for volunteer firefighters and that reimbursements for expenses incurred in the line of duty by volunteer firefighters are not taxable.

The bill is fiscally responsible and fair, paid for by increasing penalties for corporations and partnerships that fail to file taxes.

“This year, with more than 225,000 members of the armed forces deployed in and around Iraq and Afghanistan, I am pleased to see the House pass measures like these to honor and support our veterans,” Spratt said.

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