H.R. 4071House110th Congress (2007-2009)In Committee

Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries and Space Available Travel Act

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HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Military Personnel Subcommittee

December 5, 2007

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 5, 2007

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2320)

November 5, 2007

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

November 5, 2007

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Military Personnel Subcommittee

December 5, 2007

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4071 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51 · Nov 5, 2007

Madam Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to speak about a bill that I have introduced to better the lives of our Nation's disabled veterans. H.R. 4071, the Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries…

Madam Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to speak about a bill that I have introduced to better the lives of our Nation's disabled veterans.

H.R. 4071, the Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries and Space Available Travel Act, will extend commissary and exchange store privileges to service-disabled veterans with a rating of 30 percent or more and to their families. Congress must do all we reasonably can for the men and women who have become disabled in their service to our Nation. Our disabled veterans are important members of the greater military family, and they should be treated as such with every available opportunity.

This bill will also authorize transportation on military aircraft on a space-available basis to service-disabled veterans with a rating of 50 percent or more. Currently, members and retirees of the uniformed services and the reserves may travel free on Department of Defense (DoD) aircraft when space is available. This benefit is allowed when it does not interfere with military missions, and it recognizes that military careers are filled with rigorous duty.

But present policies do not extend this benefit to our disabled veterans. What more rigorous duty can be imagined than to become disabled in the service of our country? Why has the DoD chosen not to recognize the brave men and women who sacrificed their health and well- being while serving in uniform? This DoD policy needs to be corrected.

Space-available travel for these disabled veterans would cost the federal government nothing and would not interfere with active-duty personnel. Current military is always given priority, and H.R. 4071 would do nothing to change that. What my bill will do is allow seats that would otherwise go unused to be occupied by men and women who have been disabled when serving their Nation.

This bill is the right step to take for our disabled veterans! They have sacrificed their health and well-being for their country, and they have earned the right to these privileges. Please support H.R. 4071 and work with me for its passage.

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 5, 2007

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4071

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 5, 2007

Mr. Filner introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to support disabled veterans by extending military commissary and exchange store privileges to such veterans and their dependents and by authorizing space-available travel on military aircraft for such veterans and their dependents.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries and Space Available Travel Act.

Commissary and exchange store privileges for disabled veterans and their dependents

(a)

Extension of privileges

Chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1065.

Use of commissary and exchange stores: disabled veterans and their dependents

(a)

Disabled veterans

A veteran with a service-connected disability rated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs at 30 percent or more shall be permitted to use commissary and exchange stores on the same basis as a member of the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.

(b)

Dependents

A dependent of a veteran described in subsection (a) shall be permitted to use commissary and exchange stores on the same basis as a dependent of a member of the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.

(c)

Definitions

In this section, the terms veteran and service-connected have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of title 38.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

1065. Use of commissary and exchange stores: disabled veterans and their dependents.

Transportation on military aircraft on a space-available basis for disabled veterans and their dependents

(a)

Availability of transportation

Chapter 157 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2641a the following new section:

2641b.

Space-available travel on Department of Defense aircraft: disabled veterans and their dependents

(a)

Disabled veterans

The Secretary of Defense shall provide transportation on Department of Defense aircraft on a space-available basis for any veteran with a service-connected disability rated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs at 50 percent or more on the same basis as such transportation is provided to members of the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.

(b)

Dependents

A dependent of a veteran described in subsection (a) shall be permitted to travel on Department of Defense aircraft on a space-available basis on the same basis as a dependent of a member of the armed forces entitled to retired pay or retainer pay.

(c)

Definitions

In this section, the terms veteran and service-connected have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of title 38.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2641a the following new item:

2641b. Space-available travel on Department of Defense aircraft: disabled veterans and their dependents.

Effective date

Sections 1065 and 2641b of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, shall take effect at the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.