Under Democratic leadership since 2007, New Direction Congresses have made historic gains for America's Troops, Veterans, and Military Families. = Signed Into Law, 110th Congress
= Signed Into Law, 111th Congress = Passed House, 111th Congress |
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EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY |
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New GI Bill for the 21st Century takes effect August 1 to restore promise of a full, four-year college education for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan; veterans can sign up for now. |
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Give businesses a $2,400 tax credit for hiring unemployed veterans. |
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Provide nearly 2 million disabled veterans a $250 Economic Recovery payment. |
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Help military family homeowners harmed by the housing crisis. |
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Expand relief, homeownership opportunities, and refinancing options for returning veterans through VA home loans. |
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STRENGTHEN HEALTH CARE |
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Increase funding for veterans' health care and other services by $17.7 billion (more than 40%) since January 2007 – including the largest single increase in the history of the VA. This is more of an increase in less than three years than the GOP-controlled Congress provided in 12 years. Strengthened quality health care for 5.8 million patients – adding more than 8,000 new doctors and nurses since 2007 |
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Expands mental health screening and treatment |
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Clean up the scandal of inadequate support for our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and facilities nationwide. |
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Strengthen mental health services critical to the estimated 620,000 returning troops suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, or traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from Iraq or Afghanistan. |
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Expand VA mental health care services, invest one-third more than in FY 2006, and provide three years of more VA health care eligibility for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans |
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Invest in DOD research for TBI and PTSD, along with counseling, suicide prevention, tele-health and risk reduction efforts for troops and families |
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Establish comprehensive suicide prevention services for veterans and a 24-hour toll- free suicide hotline, helping to prevent an estimated 1,200 suicides in first year |
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Prevent TRICARE and veterans health care fee increases proposed by President Bush. |
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IMPROVE BENEFITS FOR TROOPS AND MILITARY FAMILIES |
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Retroactively provide more than 170,000 service members and veterans with $500 for every month they were forced to serve under stop-loss orders since 2001. |
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Address the 396,000 veterans' claim backlog and the 177 day average wait for veterans to access earned benefits by adding 7,100 new claims processors. |
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Provide Family Medical Leave for families of soldiers wounded in combat. |
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REBUILD THE AMERICAN MILITARY |
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Create Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund to rapidly address military equipment shortfalls. |
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