Reports
Veterans & Troops: A Progress Report on the New Direction Congress
04/09/2009
A NEW DIRECTION FOR VETERANS & TROOPS |
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The Democratic-led Congress has pledged to put our troops and veterans first. The new GI Bill passed in the 110th Congress is scheduled to go into effect on August 1, 2009. By restoring GI Bill veterans education benefits, improving veterans’ health care, rebuilding our military, and strengthening other benefits for our troops and military families, we are working to keep our promises to our courageous and faithful men and women in uniform. |
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Signed
Into Law |
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AMERICAN RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT ACT - 111TH CONGRESS | ||||
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Giving businesses tax credits for hiring unemployed veterans, and providing disabled veterans a payment of $250 to help make ends meet during this economic crisis. |
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Building new transition centers for wounded warriors returning from combat, more military child care centers, and better barracks and military family housing. |
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STRENGTHENING VETERANS' SERVICES - 110TH CONGRESS | ||||
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Focusing quality care on the 333,000 veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. |
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Reducing the 396,000 claims backlog and the 177-day average wait for veterans to access earned benefi ts by adding 5,100 new claims processors. |
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Expanding VA health care to 250,000 veterans with no service-connected disability who had been cut off by President Bush. |
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Modernizing the disability claims processing system, expanding mental health care, providing counseling for veterans’ family members and addressing the needs of rural veterans. |
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STRENGTHENING BENEFITS FOR TROOPS & FAMILIES - 110TH CONGRESS | ||||
Providing a New GI Education Bill, a pay raise, better military health care and family leave to care for wounded soldiers. |
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Cleaning up the scandal of inadequate care for our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and facilities nationwide. |
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Strengthening Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury care at military facilities and preventing TRICARE and veterans health care fee increases proposed by the Bush Administration. |
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Expanding relief and homeownership opportunities for returning veterans through VA home loans. |
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Providing Family Medical Leave for families of soldiers wounded in combat. |
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STRENGTHENING THE AMERICAN MILITARY - 110TH CONGRESS | ||||
Rebuilding our military readiness-at its lowest level since the Vietnam War |
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Providing more Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles than President Bush requested, which are proven to save lives in Iraq. |
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Creating a Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund to rapidly address military equipment shortfalls and ensuring more equipment, training, and body armor for our troops. |
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Expanding the number of troops to meet our national security needs. |
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=Complete |