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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.

1222142400 2008-09-23 Thu Jan 01 11:04:35 -0600 2009 introduced 43530 'act':5 '2007':7 'insur':3 'disabl':1 'improv':4 'veteran':2 50253 short reported to senate 43530 'act':4 '2007':6 'enhanc':3 'benefit':2 'veteran':1 53101 false short introduced 43530 '38':6 'bill':2 'code':9 'life':12 'titl':5 'unit':7 'amend':4 'insur':13 'state':8 'disabl':16 'enhanc':11 'purpos':21 'benefit':14 'veteran':17 46359 official passed senate 43530 'act':4 '2007':6 'enhanc':3 'benefit':2 'veteran':1 58548 false short amended by senate 43530 '38':6 'act':2 'code':9 'hous':15 'titl':5 'unit':7 'amend':4 'insur':13 'state':8 'enhanc':11 'improv':18 'purpos':28 'servic':21 'benefit':16,19 'transit':23 'veteran':12 'servicememb':24 58549 false official passed house 43530 'act':4 '2008':6 'enhanc':3 'benefit':2 'veteran':1 64090 false short action 43530 1222142400 Tue Sep 23 00:00:00 -0500 2008 172763 Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill. A000069 1924-09-11 4399 141 Hart Senate Office Building http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home 202-224-2126 Daniel 'd':4 'hi':5 'sen':1 'akaka':3,7,9 'daniel':2,6,8 M 300001 Akaka Don_Cazayoux Kahikina Sen. Daniel Akaka [D, HI] 2319 N00007653 10010 Democrat 202-224-6361 Congregationalist HI Daniel Akaka 2.26666666666667 http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm S001163 1955-03-02 4883 Ken 'd':4 'co':5 'ken':2,6,8 'sen':1 'salazar':3,7,9 M 400619 Salazar Ken_Salazar Sen. Ken Salazar [D, CO] 2385 N00026892 7492 Democrat CO Ken Salazar 2.33333333333333 SenatorSalazar action 43530 1222142400 Tue Sep 23 00:00:00 -0500 2008 172763 Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill. vote 43530 1222141920 Mon Sep 22 12:52:00 -0500 2008 by voice vote 172457 pass On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. vote2 h action 43530 1222141500 Mon Sep 22 12:45:00 -0500 2008 172456 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1315. action 43530 1222141500 Mon Sep 22 12:45:00 -0500 2008 172455 Considered under suspension of the rules. action 43530 1222141440 Mon Sep 22 12:44:00 -0500 2008 172454 Mr. Filner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. action 43530 1209069720 Thu Apr 24 17:42:00 -0500 2008 151158 Held at the desk. action 43530 1209065820 Thu Apr 24 16:37:00 -0500 2008 151156 Received in the House. action 43530 1209009600 Thu Apr 24 00:00:00 -0500 2008 151154 The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent. action 43530 1209009600 Thu Apr 24 00:00:00 -0500 2008 151157 Message on Senate action sent to the House. vote 43530 1209009600 Thu Apr 24 00:00:00 -0500 2008 roll 151155 pass 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) vote s action 43530 1209009600 Thu Apr 24 00:00:00 -0500 2008 151153 Considered by Senate. action 43530 1208923200 Wed Apr 23 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150887 Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. action 43530 1208923200 Wed Apr 23 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150888 Measure laid before Senate by motion. action 43530 1208836800 Tue Apr 22 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150664 Cloture on the motion to proceed invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 0. Record Vote Number: 109. action 43530 1208836800 Tue Apr 22 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150663 Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate by Unanimous Consent. action 43530 1208404800 Thu Apr 17 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150355 Cloture motion on the motion to proceed presented in Senate. action 43530 1208404800 Thu Apr 17 00:00:00 -0500 2008 150662 Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. action 43530 1188360000 Wed Aug 29 00:00:00 -0500 2007 128002 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. calendar 43530 1188360000 Wed Aug 29 00:00:00 -0500 2007 128003 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 336. action 43530 1182916800 Wed Jun 27 00:00:00 -0500 2007 120042 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably. calendar 43530 1182916800 Wed Jun 27 00:00:00 -0500 2007 176737 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably. action 43530 1178510400 Mon May 07 00:00:00 -0500 2007 111271 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. action 43530 1178510400 Mon May 07 00:00:00 -0500 2007 116450 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5657) introduced 43530 1178510400 Mon May 07 00:00:00 -0500 2007 111269 action 43530 1178510400 Mon May 07 00:00:00 -0500 2007 111270 Introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5657) 3 96 43530 Thu Apr 24 11:39:00 -0500 2008 true 4545 1 112 68 0 On Passage of the Bill (S.1315 as Amended ) true 1/2 Bill Passed On Passage of the Bill Thu Apr 24 12:50:08 -0500 2008 senate 3 16258 41 43530 Thu Apr 24 11:16:00 -0500 2008 false 4139 56 111 28 0 On the Amendment (Burr Amdt. No. 4572 ) true 1/2 Amendment Rejected On the Amendment Thu Apr 24 12:35:05 -0500 2008 senate 6 94 43530 Tue Apr 22 11:00:00 -0500 2008 true 3547 0 109 18 0 On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.1315 ) true 3/5 Cloture Motion Agreed to On the Cloture Motion Tue Apr 22 12:05:12 -0500 2008 senate