Veterans Equity Bills Headed for Final Vote

The House and Senate bills that seek to restore full benefits to our World War II veterans are headed for a final vote by the entire House and Senate probably this month.

If the bills are passed by both houses, they will be sent to a conference committee to work out the differences. If the conference report is approved, the bill will be sent to the President for his signature.

HR 760 introduced by Rep. Bob Filner of California on January 31, 2007 and also known as Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 was approved by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on July 17, 2007. Currently it has 90 co-sponsors.

S. 1315 was introduced by Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii on May 7, 2007. Cited as the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 it was ordered to be reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on June 27, 2007.

It was placed on the Senate legislative calendar on August 29, 2007 after the committee held hearings on benefit legislations that included S.57 proposed by Sen. Inouye.

Although both bills enjoy strong support, especially by Democrats in both the House and the Senate, informed sources acknowledge that their passage is not yet certain.

More Support Needed

The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity which is a coalition of local, national and international organizations and individuals, including NAFFAA and the Philippine Embassy, is stepping up its campaign to gather more congressional support for the bills through call-ins, letters and emails. A lobbying effort is also reported to be underway.

The American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, which is a longtime advocate for veterans equity is also urging its members to work harder in raising public awareness. It has designated September 11 and 20 as “action days on Capitol Hill”.

These bills will provide disability compensation, pensions and readjustment benefits. The House bill will in addition provide dependency and indemnity compensation.

Cost of Benefits

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the House bill will increase direct spending by $53 million in 2008, $449 million over the 2008-2012 period and $822 million over the 2008-2017 period.

The Senate bill, on the other hand, will increase direct spending by $24 million in 2008, $198 million over the 2008-2012 period and $332 million over the 2008-2017 period.

The cost of providing VA medical care is not included in the above figures. According to CBO, there will be about 30,000 eligible veterans living in the Philippines in 2008 and that number will decline to about 24,000 in 2012. The average medical care cost was about $1,700 per person in 2006 and this will increase to $2,100 by 2012. This will translate to an increase in VA health care cost by $5 million in 2008 and $55 million for 2008-2012.

Under the bills, all Filipino veterans whether residing in the US or in the Philippines will receive full disability compensation. Current laws entitle Philippine residents to only one half of the full rate. The average disability compensation is estimated to be about $9,600 in 2008 resulting in an increase of $4,800 per veteran.

The veterans will also be eligible for disability pensions and their surviving spouses will be eligible for death pensions. Presently, neither the veterans nor their spouses are entitled to these benefits. Under the House bill, single veterans would be eligible for $6,000 yearly and married veterans for $8,400. The annual payment for surviving spouses would be $3,600.

The Senate bill provides for a lesser amount: $3,600 for single veterans and $4,500 for those married. Pension for spouses would be $2,400.

The House bill, unlike the Senate bill, grants full dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) to eligible surviving spouses of veterans living in the Philippines. Under current laws, they are eligible for 50% of the regular payment. The average DIC benefit in 2006 was $13,441. The CBO estimates that the average annual payment will be $14,060 in 2008.

Certain readjustment benefits, including dependent education, specially adapted housing grants, and automotive and adaptive equipment, will be available to some Filipino veterans.

Bills Criticized

The ranking Republican in the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana criticized the bill as extremely generous to Filipino veterans. Rep. Buyer said that it would reduce if not wipe out the increase in compensation given by an Appeals court to some 20,000 elderly American veterans. The American Legion has echoed Rep. Buyer’s criticism.

Rep. Filner countered that Rep. Buyer’s reference to lost benefits resulted from a loophole in the laws as interpreted by the Appeals court. He argued that the expanded benefits to Filipino veterans are of a higher priority since they are more than 60 years overdue.

In the Senate, Senator Larry Craig, the ranking Republican in the Veterans Affairs Committee, opposed the Senate bill for paying the benefits to Filipinos living outside the US at the full benefit rate even though the cost of living there is much cheaper. In addition, he said that it would overwhelm the VA Medical Center hampering its capability to provide adequate medical care.