Watson Coleman: “today I have introduced the Veterans Benefits Outreach Act. Caring for our veterans is a commitment that supersedes…”

“today I have introduced the Veterans Benefits Outreach Act. Caring for our veterans is a commitment that supersedes politics. The President and Congress are united in our promise to provide veterans with access to quality care and benefits. Spending for veterans medical care has doubled since 1993. President Bush's budget for the VA increased by 9 percent in fiscal year 2002, 13 percent in 2003 and another 4 percent in 2004. We in the Senate passed a budget resolution calling for another 5 percent increase next year. We have begun giving veterans concurrent receipt of their disability and retirement benefits, and are working to fix the survivor benefit plan. But what good are these benefits if people don't know they can apply for them? According to an article that ran on the front page of the St. Paul Pioneer Press today entitled: 'Wounded and Forgotten,' there are an estimated half a million veterans who are eligible for Federal disability payments but are not receiving them--simply because they don't know that they can. We need to do a better job of educating veterans about their rights. To this end, my legislation calls for the Veterans Administration to develop a strategy each year to reach out to veterans who are not taking advantage of the programs they're eligible for--to give them a chance to make an informed decision about the benefits America has promised them.”