WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass a number of bills working to ensure our nation’s veterans receive the recognition and benefits they deserve and have earned. Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH05) released the following statement upon the bills’ passage:
“Every veteran deserves the recognition and benefits they have earned for their sacrifices to our country. I am proud we are one step closer to ensuring each battlefield cross memorial for our fallen soldiers is preserved and respected in our national cemeteries and that veterans in Ohio’s Fifth District and beyond have better access to their GI Bill benefits.”
BACKGROUND
The House of Representatives voted to pass the below bills:
H.R. 1424: "Fallen Warrior Battlefield Cross Memorial Act" (co-sponsored by Rep. Bob Latta)
- The Fallen Warrior Battlefield Cross Memorial Act works to protect battlefield cross memorials from being removed from our national cemeteries.
H.R. 4625: "Protect the GI Bill Act, as amended"
- This bill ensures that schools receiving GI Bill funding inform prospective students of the cost of attendance, how much their benefits cover, student outcomes, and more.
H.R. 4162: "GI Bill Planning Act of 2019, as amended"
- The GI Bill Planning Act of 2019 saves military enlistees hundreds of dollars and streamline Veterans' education benefits for the future. It would give enlistees six months instead of just two weeks to decide whether to pay the $1,200 or opt out of their 1984 Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) benefit.
H.R. 4771: "VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act"
- This bipartisan legislation would require the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to allow veterans with pending appeals to appear before the Board remotely from their personal computers. The Board of Veterans’ Appeals determines whether veterans are entitled to their claimed benefits and other services.
H.R. 4477: "Reducing High Risk to Veterans and Veterans Services Act, as amended"
- This bill seeks to improve management and better the quality of care within the Veterans Health Administration in order to remove it from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) “High Risk List” of federal government programs that are most susceptible to fraud, waste, or mismanagement.
H.R. 4360: "VA Overpayment Accountability Act"
- The VA Overpayment Accountability Act would directly address a rise in overpayments to veterans due to the current method of processing dependency changes and communications errors between outdated IT systems. Oftentimes, the VA attempts to recover these overpayments by withholding their monthly benefit checks. This directly impacts the estimated 1.4 million veterans nationwide who are struggling with poverty issues.
H.R. 4356: "Protecting Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act, as amended"
- Legislation that will allow the families of fallen and critically injured servicemembers to end their phone, cable, or internet contract without being financially penalized.
H.R. 3996: "VA Design-Build Construction Enhancement Act of 2019"
- This bill encourages the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use design-build construction in appropriate circumstances. Design-build is an innovative and effective method for managing construction projects that is widely used in the private sector and some parts of the federal government.
If you are a veteran living in the Fifth District and need assistance, contact the Washington, D.C. office by phone at (202) 225-6405, or District office at (800) 541-6446 for constituent services.
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