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Veterans' Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs

Description: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers several pension benefit programs for veterans as well as their surviving spouses and dependent children. The most current pension programs available (for those meeting the eligibility criteria on or after January 1, 1979) are the Improved Disability Pension for certain low-income veterans and the Improved Death Pension for certain low-income surviving spouses or children of veterans. There is also a special pension for Medal of Honor recipient… more
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine & Davis, Carol D.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: Health Care and Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

Description: This report provides an overview of health care services and disability compensation benefits available to Vietnam veterans, Children of Vietnam Era veterans, and non-Vietnam veterans exposed to herbicides. This is followed by a discussion of litigation pertaining to Navy veterans of the Vietnam Era who served offshore and were never physically present on Vietnamese soil. The report concludes with a discussion of epidemiologic research conducted to study the health effects of Agent Orange and d… more
Date: September 22, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga & Weimer, Douglas Reid
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA): A Private Cause of Action

Description: This report discusses the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), the purpose of which is to provide for, strengthen, and expedite the national defense by protecting service members, enabling them to "devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the Nation." This report also discusses related legislation, such as the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010, which clarifies certain SCRA protections.
Date: October 29, 2010
Creator: Mason, R. Chuck
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans and Homelessness

Description: This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Date: November 4, 2010
Creator: Perl, Libby
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: Benefits for Service-Connected Disabilities

Description: This report describes disability compensation, which is a benefit Congress provides to American veterans and their dependents through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Disability compensation is a monthly cash benefit program for veterans currently impaired from past service-connected activities.
Date: November 1, 2010
Creator: Weimer, Douglas Reid
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for Survivors

Description: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers directly, or in conjunction with other federal agencies, several benefits for surviving spouses, children, and dependent parents of deceased veterans to provide them with financial, educational, and emotional support. Among these various programs, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly tax-free cash payment for eligible surviving spouses, children, and dependent parents. This report outlines the eligibility requirements and benefi… more
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Burial Benefits and National Cemeteries

Description: This report provides a descriptive analysis of both nonmonetary and monetary burial veterans' benefits and national cemeteries. It addresses congressional and constituent issues, such as who is eligible to receive burial benefits; who can be buried in a national cemetery; what plans does the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have to build new or expand existing national cemeteries; and what benefits does the VA provide, among others.
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legal Issues Related to Proving "Service Connection" for VA Disability Compensation: Statutory Presumptions

Description: This report focuses on several statutory presumptions that relate to the second element of a service-connected claim for disability compensation, and synthesizes the legal principles that guide the Department of Veterans Affairs' application of the statutory presumptions during the claims adjudication process. Specifically, this report will discuss the "presumption of soundness," the presumption of aggravation of a pre-existing injury or disease, the "line of duty" presumption, and finally, the… more
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: Nichols, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Inapplicability of Limitations on Subcontracting to "Preference Contracts" for Small Businesses: Washington-Harris Group

Description: This report discusses Washington-Harris Group, a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) alleging, among other things, that an agency improperly awarded a "preference contract" to a service-disabled veteran-owned small business that proposed to subcontract a greater percentage of work on the contract than allowed under the Small Business Administration's limitations on subcontracting.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Periods of War

Description: Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated "periods of war," dates marking their beginning and ending. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for "periods of war" found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or tre… more
Date: September 14, 2010
Creator: Torreon, Barbara Salazar
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Current Life Insurance Programs

Description: This report provides information on the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) life insurance programs available for servicemembers and veterans, management and administration issues, and associated policy issues and legislation.
Date: November 16, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Current Life Insurance Programs

Description: This report provides information on the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) life insurance programs available for servicemembers and veterans, management and administration issues, and associated policy issues and legislation.
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Concurrent Receipt: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: "Concurrent Receipt" refers to the simultaneous receipt of two types of monetary benefits: military retired pay and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation. This report addresses the two primary components of the concurrent receipt program: Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP). It reviews the possible legislative expansion of the program to additional populations and provide several potential options for Congress… more
Date: September 24, 2010
Creator: Henning, Charles A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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TRICARE and VA Health Care: Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

Description: The 111th Congress passed, and the President signed into law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and hereafter referred to as PPACA. This report addresses key questions concerning how PPACA affects the Department of Defense (DOD) TRICARE program and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care.
Date: September 30, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations

Description: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, one of which is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), on which this report focuses. This report will track the FY2011 appropriations process for funding VHA, and will be updated as legislative activities warrant.
Date: November 15, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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CRS Issue Statement on Veterans' Benefits

Description: Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom are the largest sustained ground combat missions undertaken by the United States since the Vietnam War. Over 1.7 million service members have been deployed to these two theaters of operation. Since FY2002, more than 1.0 million veterans have left active duty making them potentially eligible for benefits and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Obama Administration has begun the process of drawing down forces from Ira… more
Date: January 13, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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CRS Issue Statement on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations

Description: The closing, reduction in scope, or expansion of military installations on domestic soil and overseas, the privatization of government-built military housing, the provision of benefits and medical care to eligible veterans, and the redeployment of military units to the United States from overseas garrisons have drawn congressional attention in recent sessions. The funds to support all of these activities are provided by the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropria… more
Date: January 15, 2010
Creator: Else, Daniel H.; Panangala, Sidath Viranga & Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Burial Benefits and National Cemeteries

Description: This report provides a descriptive analysis of both nonmonetary and monetary burial veterans' benefits and national cemeteries. It addresses congressional and constituent issues, such as who is eligible to receive burial benefits; who can be buried in a national cemetery; what plans does the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have to build new or expand existing national cemeteries; and what benefits does the VA provide, among others.
Date: October 4, 2010
Creator: Scott, Christine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: Benefits for Service-Connected Disabilities

Description: This report describes disability compensation, which is a benefit Congress provides to American veterans and their dependents through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Disability compensation is a monthly cash benefit program for veterans currently impaired from past service-connected activities.
Date: June 16, 2010
Creator: Weimer, Douglas R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation

Description: The purpose of this report is to examine the very complex and sometimes controversial policy issue of establishing presumptive service connection. The material in it is based in large part on VA's "Analysis of Presumptions of Service Connection," and IOM's "Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans" reports.
Date: September 13, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga; Scott, Christine; Weimer, Douglas R.; Moulta-Ali, Umar & Nichols, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disability Benefits Available Under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Veterans Disability Compensation (VDC) Programs

Description: This report seeks to clarify why one group of individuals with disabilities may be eligible for benefits under Veteran's Disability Compensation (VDC), but ineligible for benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) (and vice versa), through a description and comparison of several distinguishing characteristics of the SSDI and VDC programs. This report concludes with a discussion of the challenges facing the administration of both programs, including processing delays for pending … more
Date: June 17, 2010
Creator: Moulta-Ali, Umar
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans Medical Care: FY2011 Appropriations

Description: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans through three major operating units, one of which is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), on which this report focuses. This report will track the FY2011 appropriations process for funding VHA, and will be updated as legislative activities warrant.
Date: July 27, 2010
Creator: Panangala, Sidath Viranga
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010

Description: Since enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill; P.L. 110-252; Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33), there has been discussion of problems and possible enhancements to improve the program's implementation, administration, and benefits. This report summarizes provisions in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (S. 3447), as reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on August 5, 2010, for full Senate consideratio… more
Date: August 13, 2010
Creator: Dortch, Cassandria
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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