Disabled Veterans Insurance Improvement Act of 2007

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance life insurance benefits for disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

9/22/2008--Passed House amended. Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act of 2008 - Title I: Insurance Matters -
(Sec. 101) Allows administrative costs of the Service-Disabled Veterans' Insurance program to be paid through premiums.
(Sec. 102) Includes all (under current law, only certain active-duty) members of the Individual Ready Reserve under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program. Revises provisions relating to the termination of SGLI coverage for a dependent to provide that such coverage may terminate upon termination of the dependent's status as an insurable dependent of the member. (Under current law, such coverage may terminate 120 days following termination of such status.)
(Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a form for the designation of a recipient of funds for traumatic injury coverage under SGLI in cases where the member is mentally incapacitated or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness. Title II: Housing Matters -
(Sec. 201) Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary), in the case of a member determined to have a total and permanent disability incurred or aggravated in the line of active duty, to furnish home improvements and structural alterations for the member for such disability while the member is hospitalized or receiving outpatient care, medical services, or treatment, if the Secretary determines that the member is likely to be discharged or released from the Armed Forces due to the disability. Title III: Labor and Education Matters -
(Sec. 301) Directs the Secretary to ensure the coordination of educational course approval activities by state approving agencies with approval activities performed by the Departments of Labor and Education and other appropriate entities. Requires a report from the Secretary to the congressional veterans' committees on actions taken to establish outcome-oriented performance standards for, and a tracking and reporting system for resources expended by, approving agencies.
(Sec. 302) Authorizes the Secretary to waive, for public interest purposes on a case-by-case basis, the residency requirement for a Director for Veterans' Employment and Training.
(Sec. 303) Includes veterans of the Post 9/11 Global War on Terror within an annual (currently, biennial) veterans' unemployment study. Title IV: Court Matters -
(Sec. 401) Eliminates the 180-day per-year limit on service of retired judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court) who voluntarily return to such service. Establishes a three-tiered retirement pay structure for Court judges appointed after the enactment of this Act. Requires recalled judges to receive the pay of current judges during the period of recall, less the amount of any applicable annuity. Prohibits recall service in excess of five years for judges recalled involuntarily.
(Sec. 402) Removes the $30 annual limit on practice and registration fees for those admitted to practice before the Court. Requires any fees charged to be reasonable.
(Sec. 403) Requires an annual report from the chief judge to the veterans' committees summarizing the Court's workload.
(Sec. 404) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Court should be provided with appropriate office space, without undue disruption, inconvenience, or cost. Requires a report from the Administrator of General Services to the veterans' committees on the feasibility of leasing additional space for the Court, and on using the entire building in which the Court is housed as a Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center. Title V: Other Matters -
(Sec. 501) Revises provisions concerning the VA's program of outreach to veterans to:
(1) include members of the National Guard and reserves; and
(2) define "outreach" as the proactive provision of information, services, and benefits counseling to veterans, and to the spouses, children, and parents of veterans who may be eligible to receive benefits through the VA.
(Sec. 502) Amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow members of the Armed Forces who receive orders to deploy outside the United States for not less than 90 days to terminate or suspend their cell phone contracts without incurring early termination or reactivation fees if their ability to fulfill the service contract or to utilize the service will be materially affected by such deployment.
(Sec. 503) Directs the Medical Follow-Up Agency of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to maintain and manage the assets (including electronic data files and biological specimens of study participants) transferred to the Agency from the Air Force Health Study. Authorizes the Agency, during FY2008-FY2012, to conduct additional research on such assets toward the goal of understanding the determinants of health, and promoting wellness, in veterans. Requires an Agency report to Congress assessing the feasibility and advisability of conducting additional research on such assets after the end of FY2012. Provides funding.
(Sec. 504) Requires:
(1) the Secretary to contract with the Institute, above, to conduct a comprehensive epidemiological study to identify any increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis as a result of service in the Persian Gulf or in the Post 9/11 global operations theaters; and
(2) an interim and final results report from the Institute to the Secretary and the veterans' committees.
(Sec. 505) Directs the Comptroller General to report to the veterans' and appropriations committees on the adequacy of dependency and indemnity compensation in replacing a deceased veteran's income for surviving spouses and dependents of veterans who die from service-connected disabilities.

... morehide bill summary

Sponsor

• Sen. Daniel Akaka [D, HI]
• and 1 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Ken Salazar [D, CO]
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Committees

• Senate Veterans' Affairs

Amendments

This bill has 16 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to S.1315

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.4559	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4560	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4561	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4562	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4563	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4564	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4565	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4566	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4567	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4568	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4569	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4570	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4571	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4572	Fail	To increase benefits for disabled U.S. veterans and provide a fair benefit to World War II Filipino veterans for their service to the United States.
S.Amdt.4574	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.4576	Pass	Of a perfecting nature.

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
May 07, 2007		April 24, 2008		September 22, 2008

Latest Vote

April 24, 2008Roll call number 112 in the Senate
Question: On Passage of the Bill (S.1315 as Amended )
Required percentage of 'Aye' votes: 1/2 (50%)	Percentage of 'aye' votes: 96%	Result: Bill Passed

Democrats Voting 'Aye'

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Sen. Daniel Akaka [D, HI]
Sen. Max Baucus [D, MT]
Sen. Evan Bayh [D, IN]
Sen. Joseph Biden [D, DE]
Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D, NM]
Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA]
Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
Sen. Robert Byrd [D, WV]
Sen. Maria Cantwell [D, WA]
Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]
Sen. Thomas Carper [D, DE]
Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA]
Sen. Hillary Clinton [D, NY]
Sen. Kent Conrad [D, ND]
Sen. Christopher Dodd [D, CT]
Sen. Byron Dorgan [D, ND]
Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
Sen. Russell Feingold [D, WI]
Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D, CA]
Sen. Thomas Harkin [D, IA]
Sen. Daniel Inouye [D, HI]
Sen. Tim Johnson [D, SD]
Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA]
Sen. John Kerry [D, MA]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN]
Sen. Herbert Kohl [D, WI]
Sen. Mary Landrieu [D, LA]
Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]
Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT]
Sen. Carl Levin [D, MI]
Sen. Blanche Lincoln [D, AR]
Sen. Claire McCaskill [D, MO]
Sen. Robert Menéndez [D, NJ]
Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D, MD]
Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA]
Sen. Bill Nelson [D, FL]
Sen. Ben Nelson [D, NE]
Sen. Mark Pryor [D, AR]
Sen. John Reed [D, RI]
Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV]
Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV]
Sen. Ken Salazar [D, CO]
Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY]
Sen. Arlen Specter [D, PA]
Sen. Debbie Ann Stabenow [D, MI]
Sen. Jon Tester [D, MT]
Sen. Jim Webb [D, VA]
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D, RI]
Sen. Ron Wyden [D, OR]

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Republicans Voting 'Aye'

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Sen. Lamar Alexander [R, TN]
Wayne Allard
Sen. John Barrasso [R, WY]
Sen. Robert Bennett [R, UT]
Sen. Christopher Bond [R, MO]
Sen. Samuel Brownback [R, KS]
Sen. Jim Bunning [R, KY]
Sen. Richard Burr [R, NC]
Sen. Saxby Chambliss [R, GA]
Sen. Thomas Coburn [R, OK]
Sen. Thad Cochran [R, MS]
Norm Coleman
Sen. Susan Collins [R, ME]
Sen. Bob Corker [R, TN]
Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]
Larry Craig
Sen. Michael Crapo [R, ID]
Elizabeth Dole
Pete Domenici
Sen. John Ensign [R, NV]
Sen. Michael Enzi [R, WY]
Sen. Lindsey Graham [R, SC]
Sen. Charles Grassley [R, IA]
Sen. Judd Gregg [R, NH]
Charles Hagel
Sen. Orrin Hatch [R, UT]
Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]
Sen. James Inhofe [R, OK]
Sen. John Isakson [R, GA]
Sen. Jon Kyl [R, AZ]
Sen. Richard Lugar [R, IN]
Sen. Mel Martinez [R, FL]
Sen. Mitch McConnell [R, KY]
Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]
Sen. Pat Roberts [R, KS]
Sen. Jefferson Sessions [R, AL]
Sen. Richard Shelby [R, AL]
Gordon Smith
Sen. Olympia Snowe [R, ME]
Ted Stevens
John Sununu
Sen. John Thune [R, SD]
Sen. George Voinovich [R, OH]
John Warner
Sen. Roger Wicker [R, MS]

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Others Voting 'Aye'

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Sen. Joseph Lieberman [I, CT]
Sen. Bernard Sanders [I, VT]

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Democrats Voting 'Nay'

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Republicans Voting 'Nay'

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Sen. David Vitter [R, LA]

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Others Voting 'Nay'

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Democrats Voting 'Abstain'

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Barack Obama

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Republicans Voting 'Abstain'

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Sen. Jim DeMint [R, SC]
Sen. John McCain [R, AZ]

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Others Voting 'Abstain'

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Close

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See Full Voting History (3 votes)Hide Voting History     Show All Actions (25 actions)Hide Actions

Voting History

Date	Chamber	Question	Aye	Nay	Result
April 24, 2008	Senate	S.1315 Disabled Veterans Insurance Improvement Act of 2007 On Passage of the Bill (S.1315 as Amended )	96	1	Bill Passed	See Vote
April 24, 2008	Senate	S.1315 Disabled Veterans Insurance Improvement Act of 2007 On the Amendment (Burr Amdt. No. 4572 )	41	56	Amendment Rejected	See Vote
April 22, 2008	Senate	S.1315 Disabled Veterans Insurance Improvement Act of 2007 On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.1315 )	94	0	Cloture Motion Agreed to	See Vote

All Bill Actions

• Sep 23, 2008: Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Sep 22, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Sep 22, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1315.
• Sep 22, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Sep 22, 2008: Mr. Filner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Apr 24, 2008: Held at the desk.
• Apr 24, 2008: Received in the House.
• Apr 24, 2008: The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
• Apr 24, 2008: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• Passed roll in the Senate on Apr 24, 2008. Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 96 - 1. Record Vote Number: 112. (text; CR S3355-3363)
• Apr 24, 2008: Considered by Senate.
• Apr 23, 2008: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
• Apr 23, 2008: Measure laid before Senate by motion.
• Apr 22, 2008: Cloture on the motion to proceed invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 0. Record Vote Number: 109.
• Apr 22, 2008: Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
• Apr 17, 2008: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed presented in Senate.
• Apr 17, 2008: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
• Aug 29, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Akaka under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/03/2007 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-148.
• Added to calendar on Aug 29, 2007: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 336..
• Jun 27, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
• Added to calendar on Jun 27, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably..
• May 07, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• May 07, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5657)
• Introduced on May 07, 2007.
• May 07, 2007: Introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5657)

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In the News

May 02, 2008 I am determined to bring about change for Guam

I strongly support swift action on getting this package, the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act (S.1315), sent to the President for signature. ...

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Source: Pacific Daily News, GU

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May 01, 2008 Obama's open letter to the people of Guam

I strongly support swift action on getting this package, the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act (S.1315), sent to the president for signature. ...

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Source: Marianas Variety, Micronesia

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April 30, 2008 Saxby Chambliss Update April 30

Also last week, the Senate passed the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, S. 1315, as well as the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, HR 493. ...

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Source: Dawson Times, GA

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Blog Coverage

December 22, 2008 The Corridors of Power | Street Talk | The Manila Mail

Before the elections, veterans advocates, chief of them a coalition of NaFFAA, ACFV and leading FilAm Democrats and Republicans, had high hopes that S.1315, a bill filed by Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka, ...

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Source: The Manila Mail

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December 22, 2008 APA for Progress » Supporting Filipino Veterans

The Senate has just voted in favor of moving forward on a floor debate for S. 1315. The good news is that the first vote taken by the entire Senate on Filipino WWII veterans equity legislation was passed unanimously 94-0 ...

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Source: APA for Progress

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December 05, 2008 Telltale Signs: Almighty Image

Breaking the Curse · Conflicted on the Vets · Unequivocal Support for S.1315 Needed · ► May (5). FilVets Equity Bill Vote Delayed · Birth Control · Cuts Endanger Public Education · Save Our Pastor · The

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Source: Telltale Signs

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