What’s happening in Congress that could affect veterans? – boothbayregister.com

What’s happening in Congress that could affect veterans?  boothbayregister.com

First, going forward, my articles will be under the non-profit Maine Veterans in Need (MVN) since information I provide is not sanctioned by any veteran service organization and is more inline with the MVN mission. There is a lot happening in Washington right now that could affect veterans, and some of it is getting lost in the political debate. MVN believes veterans should understand what is being proposed, particularly when veterans’ organizations themselves do not always agree. One of the largest proposals is the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, H.R. 9237 in the House and S. 4744 in the Senate. It combines more than 60 separate veterans’ bills into one comprehensive package.

Among other things, it includes the Major Richard Star Act, improvements to VA health care and community care, caregiver provisions and benefits for surviving spouses. The controversy involves how some of these provisions would be paid for. Section 108 would change the way VA disability ratings are determined in the future for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea. Under the proposed changes, tinnitus generally would no longer receive a separate disability rating for new claims. Sleep apnea ratings would take into greater consideration how effectively treatment controls the condition. Veterans who already have ratings for these conditions would be protected from having those ratings reduced under this provision.