From: FRA NewsBytes [NewsBytes@fra.org]
Sent: Saturday, July 10, 2010 1:58 AM
To: fra@fra367.org
Subject: FRA NewsBytes -- 07-09-2010
In this week's NewsBytes:
House Hearing on Arlington National Cemetery Mismanagement
New PTS Rule to be Announced by VA
War Supplemental Delayed
House Passes Bill to Help Parents of Deceased Military Members
DFAS to Stop Savings Bond Allotment


House Hearing on Arlington National Cemetery Mismanagement
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) recently held a hearing on the Inspector General's (IG) report of mismanagement at Arlington National Cemetery.  According to the report, more than 200 gravesites were discovered to be improperly marked. Army Secretary John McHugh recently dismissed top administrators at the Cemetery after concerns surfaced about management of the national burial ground, including more than 200 gravesites that were improperly marked and improper handling of cremated remains. McHugh reports that progress is being made to address the managerial problems and he's working to fully automate the Cemetery's recordkeeping, a process that currently uses an antiquated paper system to track the more than 330,000 graves. FRA believes the families of those resting in this sacred ground deserve to know that their loved ones are being treated with the utmost reverence and decorum.


New PTS Rule to be Announced by VA
Congressman John Hall (N.Y.), chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance, announced that the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) will adopt a rule that presumes a service connection for any veteran who served in a combat zone and has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). Currently, veterans who apply for disability benefits related to PTS must demonstrate their illness is service related. Thousands of veterans are denied benefits because they are unable to document their claims decades after their discharge from service. The new rule will make it easier for all veterans suffering from PTS to receive VA health care and disability compensation, including some who may have been denied benefits in the past.

FRA also endorses legislation (H.R. 952), sponsored by Rep. Hall, that mandates a presumption of service connected disability for vets diagnosed with PTS.
  

War Supplemental Delayed
Despite warnings from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about the need to pass the pending war supplemental spending measure (H.R. 4899) before the Independence Day recess, the House delayed its vote on the measure and is using the urgently needed legislation as a vehicle to increase funding for non-Defense programs, including money to prevent lay-offs of state workers and teachers.

Growing concern about the escalating national debt has made it increasingly difficult to pass the bloated spending bill and FRA is increasingly concerned that critical war-related support could be jeopardized if there are further delays.  


House Passes Bill to Help Parents of Deceased Military Members
The House passed legislation (H.R. 4505) that expands state veteran home eligibility to include parents who have lost one or more children to service in the Armed Forces. Currently, only parents who have lost all their children to military service are eligible for residency in a state veterans' home. The bill was introduced by Congressman Mac Thornberry (Texas) and will now be considered in the Senate. Senator John Ensign (Nev.) has also introduced identical legislation (S. 1450) in the Senate.


DFAS to Stop Savings Bond Allotment
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) will stop all current U.S. Savings Bond allotments processed for active duty military and military retirees effective July 31, 2010.  This action is a result of the Treasury Department's decision to convert to electronic transactions. DFAS customers wishing to start or continue purchasing bonds through payroll deduction will need to establish an online account at www.Treasurydirect.gov/tdhome.htm. To learn more, visit the Treasury Department's online Frequently Asked Questions  page at http://www.treasurydirect.gov/news/news_elimination_paperpayrollqa.htm.
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