Conyers Votes to Honor Veterans, Improve Benefits and Services for Our Troops

Washington, D.C. – Congressman John Conyers, Jr. joined an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to pass legislation to improve benefits and services for America’s veterans.

“As we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day, Congress has a duty to honor our veterans not just with our words but with our deeds,” said Rep. Conyers. “I was proud to join Democrats and Republicans today to pass legislation that will help provide our courageous veterans with the resources they have earned and deserve.”

Legislation passed by the House of Representatives today addresses some of the new challenges facing veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and includes:

• Traumatic Brain Injury/Rural Veterans Outreach (H.R. 2199): Ensures that our veterans are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injury and receive the appropriate treatment. More than half of combat casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan have associated brain injuries, often due to improvised explosive devices. The legislation also expands VA resources to provide rural communities with “mobile vet centers” for mental health services and benefits outreach.

• Returning Servicemember VA Healthcare Insurance Act (H.R. 612): Helps ensure soldiers with mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder that are often not immediately diagnosed are treated by making veterans eligible for health care due to combat service for five years after leaving active duty.

• Veterans Outreach Improvement Act (H.R. 67): Allows the VA to partner with state and local governments to reach out to veterans and their families in ensuring they receive the benefits they have earned.

• Early Access to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits Act (H.R. 2239): Extends eligibility for rehabilitation benefits from the Veterans' Affairs Department.

• Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act (H.R. 1470): Requires that chiropractic care and services be provided to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Since January, the new Democratic-led Congress has worked to honor veterans by improving veterans’ health care, strengthening benefits for our men and women in uniform today, and providing long overdue benefits for the veterans and military retirees who have already served. The Democratic Congress is fighting to increase veterans’ health care and benefits programs by nearly $12 billion, including nearly $2 billion for veterans in the Iraq supplemental.