Washington, D.C. - Howard Berman joined Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today in introducing HR 5119, legislation to enhance the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Improved Pension, which has failed to fulfill its promise to protect veterans and their widows from impoverishment.

 

The VA’s Improved Pension was originally designed to assure a level of income above the minimum subsistence level, allowing veterans and their survivors to live in dignity and not have to turn to welfare assistance.  To be eligible for the pension, a veteran or survivor may not exceed a yearly income limit.  Currently, the income limits are $10,579 for a single veteran and $7,094 for a widow.

 

“The notion that a single widow cannot earn more than $7,094, which is below the federal poverty level, to be eligible for this pension is unconscionable,” said Berman.  “This is not how this country should repay its veterans.”

 

The Veterans’ Pension Improvement Act would raise the basic benefit amount for veterans to 125 percent of poverty and for surviving spouses to 120 percent of poverty effective December 30, 2006.