http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2010/10/05/legislation-to-enhance-expand-and-modernize-benefits-for-veterans-sent-to-president-for-signature/

LEGISLATION TO ENHANCE, EXPAND AND MODERNIZE BENEFITS FOR VETERANS SENT TO PRESIDENT FOR SIGNATURE

October 5, 2010 By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military, Veteran Benefits

The House and Senate approved H.R. 3219, the Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010, legislation that will improve and modernize certain benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans and their families.  As soon as President Obama signs the bill, it will become law.  

Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., said, “H.R. 3219 is the result of numerous productive hearings and markups, meaningful oversight and bi-partisan compromise – all to ensure that those who were willing to lay down their lives for our country and their families and survivors, receive meaningful, world-class, 21st Century benefits.  This bill will make a big difference in the lives of many of America ’s brave veterans.”

The Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010:

Enhances Employment Opportunities
•    Reauthorizes the recently expired VA work-study program and expand the type of work available for participating veterans.  The extension allows for veteran students to complete work study in congressional offices, state veteran agencies, or any position working jointly between the VA and an institution of higher learning.
•    Requires the Secretary of the VA to verify small business ownership and operate a database of veteran-owned small businesses and service-connected veteran-owned small business in an effort to end contracting with businesses that fraudulently claim to be owned by a veteran.
•    Increases job opportunities for veterans by reimbursing energy employers for the cost of providing on-the-job training for veterans in the energy sector.  Specifically, the bill would create the pilot “Veterans Energy Related Employment Program” which would award competitive grants to three states that are able to serve a population of eligible veterans, boast a diverse energy industry, and have the ability to carry out such a training program.
 
Prevents Homeless Veterans
•    Reauthorizes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
•    Authorizes an additional $10 million to provide dedicated services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.  Grants would be made available to provide job training, counseling, placement services, and child care services to expedite the reintegration of veterans into the labor force. 

Ensures the Welfare of Veterans and Their Families by Increasing Insurance Limits
•    Increases many of the outdated insurance policy amounts and terms for our veterans, many who are severely disabled or have suffered traumatic injury.  
•    Increases the maximum loan guarantee amount under the Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance program.  
•    Allows totally disabled veterans to receive free Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance coverage for two years following separation from active or reserve duty. 

Secures Compensation, Pensions and Other Benefits 
•    Increases the number of veterans to receive independent assisted living services and the quality of those benefits.  
•    Provides greater automobile and adaptive equipment to veterans with severe burn injuries.  
•    Increases the automobile allowance for disabled veterans from $11,000 to $18,900.
•    Allows low income veterans currently receiving a VA pension to receive payments of up to $5,000 from state or municipalities without offsetting the pension benefit.   
 
Protects Service Members Called to Combat
•    Allows the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to receive and investigate certain Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act claims.  The provision builds on OSC’s extensive expertise and experience in investigating and resolving federal employment claims and will go a long way in protecting veterans who file USERRA complaints as a result of their service in the Armed Forces, National Guard, and Reserves.  For three years, a random selection of claims will be sent directly to the OSC to be resolved.
•    Prohibits early termination fees for certain contracts like cell phone service and residential leases after service members receive notice of military orders to relocate to a site that does not support the contract.  
•    Allows the Attorney General to bring a civil suit against any violator of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides a wide range of protections for service members. 

Honors Fallen Service Members and Their Families 
•    Allows a parent whose child gave their life in service to our country to be buried in a national cemetery with that child when their veteran child has no living spouse or children.
•    Increases burial and funeral benefits and plot allowances for veterans who are eligible for a burial at a national cemetery or who died in a VA facility from $300 to $700.

 Strengthens Education Benefits 
•    Extends the life of the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education, a committee that offers short and long term recommendations for improving the educational benefits of veterans.

 Addresses Housing Needs of Disabled Veterans
•    Authorizes the Secretary of the VA to make grants of up to $200,000 per year to recipients that develop assistive technologies for use in specially adaptive housing.

Invests in Research for Gulf War Veterans
•    Allows the Institute of Medicine to carry out a comprehensive review of best treatment practices for chronic multi-symptom illness in Gulf War veterans and develop a plan for dissemination of best practices through VA.  
•    Extends the review and evaluation of chronic multi-symptom illness by the National Academy of Sciences of veterans of the Persian Gulf War and Post-9/11 Global Operations.