Senator Murray Advances Legislation That Opens the VA to All Veterans
June 27, 2007
Legislation restores access to VA services for 242,000 veterans who had been carved out of the system four years ago.
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) helped pass legislation that makes all veterans eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare through the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The legislation, S.1233 - The Veterans’ Traumatic Brain Injury and Other Health Programs Improvement Act, includes a Murray-sponsored provision that restores care to Priority 8 veterans - whose VA health care eligibility was cut off four years ago by the Bush administration. Priority 8 veterans are those veterans with non-service-connected disabilities whose income is above a modest level that varies across the country.
“This bill restores the promise we make to all veterans when they sign up to serve,” said Senator Murray. “It says that regardless of how much money you make or when your health declined, you will be entitled to VA medical care.”


November 17th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
WHEN JOINING THE ARMED FORCES, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF IF ANY OF US WERE KILLED, INJURED OR DISABLED WHILE SERVING THERE COUNTRY THE U. S. A. SO WHY IS THERE SO MUCH CONTROVERSE OVER THE HEALTH AND WEALTH FARE OF THE AMERICAN VETERAN, DISABLED OR NOT. THE COMMISSION THE PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES REQUESTED YEARS AGO, SHOULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT AS SOON AS POSSIBILE. IF MONEY IS NO ISSUE WHEN FIGHTING FOR YOUR COUNTRY, THEN WHY SHOULD IT BE AN ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO TAKEN CARE OF OUR VETERANS, DISABLED OR NOT.
November 17th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THAT THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DECLARED THE DISABLED VETERANS CHECK IS A COMPENSATION CHECK AND CAN NOT BE USED AS INCOME. YET THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS USES THE D.A.V. CHECK AS INCOME, SUCH AS IN THE COURTS, FOR DIVORCE CASES ESPECIALLY. IN SOC/SEC INFO, AND ANY OTHER GOV. AGENCY THAT REQUEST THE D.A.V. CHECK BE KNOWN AND USED AS INCOME. I WAS TOLD BY A NEW YORK 100% DISABLED VETERAN THAT NEW YORK DOES NOT ASK OR USE THERE D.A.V. CHECK FOR ANY REASON INCLUDING INCOME. PLEASE LOOK INTO THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND IF TRUE, THEN HAVE THE MASS. LEGISLATURE CHANGE SUCH POLICY TO EXCLUDE THE D.A.V. CHECK AS A COMPENSATION CHECK AND NOT A INCOME CHECK, AND THAT NO MASS. STATE AGENCY CAN ASK OR USE THE D.A.V. CHECK AS INCOME. IT WAS ALSO RULED BY A FEDERAL JUDGE IN 1998 OR AROUND THAT TIME, AS A COMPENSATION CHECK NOT A INCOME CHECK. THANK YOU