IV Veterans' Administration: Farmer, A. W., Chief Benefits Director_. Page 3527-3532, 3537-3540 3476-3478 Veterans' Advisory Commission (See U.S. Veterans' Advisory Commission) Jones, Norman D., director, national rehabilitation service___ 3453-3455 Stover, Francis W., director, national legislative service 3446-3451 Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A.: Hudson, W. Ed, national quartermaster Wampler, Hon. William C., statement_. Whalley, Hon. J. Irving, statement- 3445, 3446, 3450-3455 3464-3466 3473, 3474 3473 INCREASED COMPENSATION PAYMENTS FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1968 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMPENSATION AND PENSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 362, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Horace R. Kornegay (acting chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. KORNEGAY. The subcommittee will come to order. This is a meeting of the Subcommittee on Compensation and Pensions of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. We are meeting this morning to consider bills which have as their purpose the increasing of service-connected compensation payable to our disabled veterans. Before proceeding, the Chair would like to state that the chairman of the full committee, on March 27, addressed letters to each Member of the House, other than those who are members of this subcommittee, informing them that these hearings had been scheduled and inviting them to submit statements for inclusion in the record of these hearings. If there is no objection, a copy of the chairman's letter, with statements received from the various Members, will be inserted in the record at the conclusion of today's proceedings, along with a listing of bills considered, by author.. At this point, without objection, recommendations of the U.S. Veterans Advisory Commission which relates to veterans' compensation will be inserted along with a history of compensation increases prepared by_committee staff, and information in increases granted under other Federal programs since December 1, 1965. (The material referred to follows:) RATE INCREASES OF SELECTED FEDERAL PROGRAMS, DEC. 1, 1965 TO DATE (Excerpts from "Report of the U.S. Veterans Advisory Commission on the Veterans Benefits System") INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The contribution of the veteran to the building of this nation during its first two centuries makes clear how important the role of the veteran must and will be to the future existence and growth of our society. In the future that service may take new and different form but its significance will remain unaltered. The security of this nation is based on the commitment of those citizens who have served in the uniformed forces of our country. This contribution on their part has nearly always involved the loss of economic opportunity; often it has required the sacrifice of the veterans' health, and in many instances it has cost the supreme sacrifice, life itself. The strength and prestige of this nation depends upon this continued contribution. The future status of this country depends on the mutual obligation and commitment between the government and its citizens. As a return to veterans for their service, the nation has accepted three basic principles as fundamental commitments to the veteran population. They may be defined generally as follows: (1) The commitment to compensate a) disabled veterans for disability incurred in their nation's service and b) veterans' dependents for the loss of life or earning capacity of the veteran. (2) The commitment to promote the rehabilitation and readjustment to civilian life of those veterans who have suffered physical or economic loss because of their service to the nation. (3) The commitment to care for needy veterans who cannot be completely rehabilitated. THE NATION'S COMMITMENTS The commitments made are all related in some degree to one another. Veterans of our wars have a strong proprietary feeling for these time-honored obligations. They are well aware that programs designed to fulfill these obligations have not only benefited themselves but have contributed to the health and well-being of the whole nation. (1) The commitment to compensate disabled veterans for disability incurred to their nation's service and their dependents for the loss of life or earning capacity of the veteran. This commitment has taken many forms during its evolution. It has been extended from simple money payments for the loss of bodily function or death to more fundamental and helpful remedies such as rehabilitation and education for the living veteran. The program has been so designed and so administered that abilities and needs of the individual veteran are carefully considered. An effective system of compensation to care for those who suffer economic handicap because of disability or death incurred in military service is essential to the maintenance of strong and efficient armed forces in a free society. Most of those who serve are not career military men. A veteran must receive compensation for disabilities incurred in service which prevent him from achieving his full potential in his civilian career. The program must be dynamic and sensitive to economic and social change and must be one in which the serviceman has full confidence. The Commission recognizes that changes and improvements can be made. These are detailed in our recommendations, which are based on the following conclusions: * 2. Veterans with disabilities incurred in service in time of national peril should be given first priority in the range of special programs. |