[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2776 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2776
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of
outreach to veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict on the
nature and availability of benefits for veterans, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 7, 2004
Mr. Specter introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program of
outreach to veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict on the
nature and availability of benefits for veterans, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROGRAM OF OUTREACH TO VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II AND KOREAN
CONFLICT ON VETERANS BENEFITS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict
represent 31.6 percent of the current population of veterans.
However, veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict
represent only 23.2 percent of the total number of veterans
currently receiving disability compensation from the Department
of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict who
receive disability compensation have, on average, 1.94 and 2.12
disabilities per veteran, respectively, whereas veterans of the
Vietnam era and the Persian Gulf War who receive disability
compensation have, on average, 2.88 and 3.48 disabilities per
veteran, respectively.
(3) Advances in medical science and technology have
improved the understanding of the origins of diseases and
disabilities which are associated with military service,
including diseases and disabilities that manifest long after
the completion of military service.
(4) Unlike veterans of later periods, veterans of World War
II and the Korean conflict did not have the benefit of
extensive transition assistance and outreach services now
routinely provided by the Department and other government
agencies.
(5) Veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict are
dying at the aggregate rate of 1,400 per day.
(6) It is in the interest of the Nation that the Secretary
make every effort to inform veterans of World War II and the
Korean conflict of the benefits to which they may be entitled.
(b) Outreach.--(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry
out a program to provide outreach to veterans of World War II and of
the Korean conflict on the nature and availability of benefits for
veterans.
(2) The purpose of the program is to make veterans of World War II
and of the Korean conflict aware of the veterans benefits to which they
may be entitled and to encourage such veterans to apply for such
benefits.
(3)(A) The program shall include a nationwide public service
campaign consisting of such elements, and appearing in and through such
media, as the Secretary considers appropriate for the program.
(B) Of the amount authorized to be appropriated by subsection (e)
for the program, $35,000,000 shall be available for the public service
campaign described in subparagraph (A).
(4) As part of the program, the Secretary shall establish
performance measures for the outreach under the program to permit the
on-going evaluation of the extent and success of the outreach under the
program.
(c) Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
on the program under this section. The report shall include the
following:
(1) A description of the program, including a detailed
description of the outreach conducted under the program.
(2) A statement of the amount expended on the program.
(3) An assessment of the effectiveness of the program.
(d) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``World War II'' and
``Korean conflict'' have the meanings given such terms in section 101
of title 38, United States Code.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this section.
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