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United States · Bill · S

S. 1076 (106th)

Veterans Benefits Act of 1999

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

19 May 1999

Last action

—

Status

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Sponsors

—

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

3 September 2025

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Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Subtitle A: Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Subtitle B: Compensation Rate Amendments Title II: Educational Benefits Title III: Medical Care Subtitle A: Long-Term Care Subtitle B: Management of Medical Facilities and Property Subtitle C: Homeless Veterans Subtitle D: Other Health Care Provisions Subtitle E: Major Medical Facility Projects Construction Authorization Title IV: Other Benefits Matters Title V: Memorial Affairs Subtitle A: Arlington National Cemetery Subtitle B: World War II Memorial Title VI: United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Veterans Benefits Act of 1999 - Title I: Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment - Subtitle A: Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment - Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 1999, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date. Requires publication of such adjusted rates. Subtitle B: Compensation Rate Amendments - Adjusts the above compensation rates to reflect cost-of-living increases. Title II: Educational Benefits - All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Programs Improvements Act of 1999 - Increases the rates of: (1) basic veterans' educational assistance; and (2) veterans' survivors and dependents educational assistance, including rates for correspondence courses, special restorative training, and apprenticeship training. (Sec. 204) Authorizes active-duty and Selected Reserve members to withdraw their election not to participate in the Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance program at any time before their release or discharge from active duty or from the armed forces (in the case of Selected Reserve personnel). Requires a reduction in the basic monthly pay of such individuals to cover eligibility for such benefits, with a limit of $1,500 yearly. Makes such withdrawal irrevocable. (Sec. 205) Authorizes the Secretary, upon request, to make accelerated payments of basic educational assistance. Title III: Medical Care - Subtitle A: Long-Term Care - Removes the requirement that, in order to receive adult day health care, a veteran must have first received Department of Veterans Affairs (Department) hospital or nursing home care. (Sec. 302) Authorizes the provision of home-based respite care for veterans. (Currently, only Department respite care is authorized.) Subtitle B: Management of Medical Facilities and Property - Authorizes the Secretary to dispose of Department property by transfer, sale, or exchange to a Federal agency, a State or political subdivision, or any public or private entity. Establishes in the Treasury the Department of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund for receipts and expenditures relating to such disposals. Provides authorized Fund uses. Directs the Secretary to establish and maintain a database of information on Department real property. Terminates such disposal authority five years after enactment of this Act. Requires the Secretary to include in annual budget materials a description of each disposal carried out in the previous fiscal year. Authorizes appropriations for the Fund. (Sec. 312) Extends through December 31, 2004, the authority of the Secretary to enter into enhanced-use leases of Department property. Subtitle C: Homeless Veterans - Amends the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 to: (1) authorize the Secretary to make grants to expand existing programs for furnishing certain assistance to homeless veterans; and (2) authorize appropriations for such programs for FY 2000 and 2001. (Sec. 323) Amends the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act to authorize appropriations for FY 2000 and 2001 for homeless veterans' reintegration projects. (Sec. 324) Directs the Secretary to report to the veterans' committees a detailed plan for evaluating the effectiveness of programs to assist homeless veterans. Subtitle D: Other Health Care Provisions - Removes certain restrictions on the authorized use of Department facilities to treat military personnel for an alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disability. (Sec. 332) Allows amounts from the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund to be distributed to each Department medical facility (currently, each designated health care region). (Sec. 333) Amends the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Benefits Act to extend through December 31, 2002: (1) a newsletter concerning medical care furnished to Persian Gulf War veterans; and (2) a program for evaluating the health of spouses and children of such veterans. (Sec. 334) Directs the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to report jointly to the veterans' and defense committees on cooperation between their respective departments in the procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Subtitle E: Major Medical Facility Projects Construction Authorization - Authorizes the Secretary to carry out major medical facility projects at Department facilities in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Fargo, North Dakota. Authorizes appropriations, with a limitation. Amends the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 to make FY 2000-authorized funds available for projects under such Act. Title IV: Other Benefits Matters - Requires Filipino veterans of World War II, in order to receive burial benefit payments, to be individuals who, on their date of death: (1) were citizens of the United States; (2) were residing in the United States; and (3) either were receiving veterans' disability compensation or, if their service was deemed active military service, would have been paid a military pension but for an applicable net worth limitation. (Sec. 402) Extends through December 31, 2004: (1) the authority to maintain a regional office in the Republic of the Philippines; and (2) the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. (Sec. 404) Repeals certain limitations on the payment of benefits to incompetent institutionalized veterans. (Sec. 405) Amends Federal employment law to provide for the competitive and appointment status of preference eligible veterans. Title V: Memorial Affairs - Subtitle A: Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington National Cemetery Burial and Inurnment Eligibility Act of 1999 - Authorizes the remains of the following individuals to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery (Cemetery): (1) any member who dies while on active duty; (2) any retired member and any person who served on active duty who at their time of death was entitled to military retired pay (or would have been so entitled but for his or her age); (3) any former member who was separated for physical disability before October 1, 1949, who served on active duty, and who would have been eligible for disability retirement if such provisions had been in effect on such date; (4) any former member whose last active military service was terminated honorably and who has been awarded one of a number of specified military decorations; (5) any former prisoner of war who dies on or after November 30, 1993; (6) the President or any former President; and (7) any former member whose last discharge or separation from active service was under honorable conditions and who is or was a Vice President, Member of Congress, Chief or Associate Supreme Court justice, head of an executive department or agency, or individual who died while serving in a hostile action as part of the foreign or national security services. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense or the President, upon a determination that certain acts, service, or other contributions of a member so merit, to bury such member in such Cemetery, as long as the member's last discharge or release from active duty was under honorable conditions. Requires, in such cases: (1) consultation with the chairmen and ranking members of the veterans' committees; and (2) a report from either the President or such Secretary to the veterans' committees within 72 hours after such authorized burial. Authorizes Cemetery burial for certain family members of individuals made eligible under the above provisions, with conditions. Makes the above eligibility the exclusive eligibility for Cemetery burial. States that a request for Cemetery burial made before the death of the individual may not be considered by the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of Defense, or other responsible official. Directs the Secretary of the Army to maintain and make public a register of each individual buried in the Cemetery. Requires such register, for each individual buried on or after January 1, 1998, to include a brief description of the eligibility basis for such burial. Requires the Secretary of the Army to publish an updated pamphlet describing Cemetery burial eligibility. (Sec. 503) Authorizes the cremated remains of the following individuals to be placed in the columbarium in the Cemetery: (1) all persons made eligible under this title; (2) a veteran whose last period of active service ended honorably; and (3) the spouse, minor child, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent of the Cemetery, unmarried adult child of such a veteran. Subtitle B: World War II Memorial - World War II Memorial Completion Act - Directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to solicit and accept contributions for establishing the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs (authorized under prior law). Establishes in the Treasury a fund to hold and expend such contributions. Authorizes the Commission to: (1) borrow up to $65 million from the Treasury to ensure that memorial groundbreaking, construction, and dedication are completed on a timely basis; and (2) accept voluntary services in furtherance of fund-raising activities (authorizing reimbursement of volunteer incidental expenses). Extends until December 31, 2005 (currently May 25, 2000), the authority to construct the memorial. Revises current Commission authority to receive State, local, and private amounts for establishing the memorial to: (1) authorize the Commission to solicit (instead of just receive) such contributions; and (2) require the deposit of such amounts in a separate account in the Treasury. Requires the Commission to establish written guidelines for the acceptance of funds and in-kind contributions. Authorizes the Commission to adopt, obtain, use, register, and license trademarks, copyrights, and patents in connection with intellectual property and related items. Title VI: United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims - Allows one judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to retire in 2001, and two judges to retire in each of 2002 and 2003. Provides retirement requirements, including age and years of service. Requires the judge to: (1) notify the President and the Court chief judge of the intent to retire; and (2) retire during the year in which notification is provided, but not later than 90 days following such notification. (Sec. 602) Authorizes a retired judge of the Court to be recalled for further service if such judge has submitted to the chief judge a notice of election to be so recalled. Requires the Court chief judge to certify to the President that: (1) the retired judge is needed to perform substantial Court service; and (2) such service is required for a specified period of time. Allows an individual to be recalled only at their consent and only for the period specified.

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