By Mike Eldred, WASHINGTON, DC- This week Sen. Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, discussed his omnibus veterans bill, which he called one of the most comprehensive pieces of veterans legislation in decades.
The bill, S.1950, would reverse the recent cut in the cost-of-living increase for some military retirees, and would also establish advanced appropriations for veterans’ entitlements including disability benefits and retirement pay.
“During the last government shutdown, we were a week to 10 days away from retirees and disabled vets not getting the checks they depend on,” Sanders said. “That is unacceptable. I don’t think there is any member of Congress that wants to see that.”
The bill would also increase veterans’ access to dental and health care, improve the VA claims system, expand access to education benefits, and prioritize the hiring of veterans to fill federal jobs. “The economy is making modest improvements, but real unemployment is at 13%, and I worry very much about men and women in the National Guard and military coming out into the civilian economy and not getting jobs. This addresses that issue.”
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