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TREA Legislative Update
October 20, 2006
It was another quiet but tense week in Washington. The talk was about whether we are looking at a TET style offensive in Iraq and what is being discovered in the page scandal investigation and, of course, what is happening in the campaigns. Meanwhile, next year’s COLA level was announced; the NDAA was signed into law; and a new VA initiative was rolled out so things have still been happening here.
1.) 3.3% COLA announced
2.) VA COLA Bill signed into law
3.) National Defense Authorization Act 2007 Signed
4.) VA Urges Veterans to Wear their Medals on Veterans Day
1) 3.3% COLA announced- On Wednesday the Social Security Administration announced that next year’s COLA will be 3.3%. This will be the raise in the amount of your Social Security and Retiree payments. It will also be the percentage increase for Military Retirement Payments, SBP, Veterans Disability Compensation and DIC. (see below)
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2) VA COLA Bill signed into law- On Monday, President Bush signed S. 2562, the "Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006," into law. The legislation provided a cost of living increase for the beneficiaries of veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation. The COLA amount was then announced two days later.
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3) National Defense Authorization Act 2007 Signed- On Tuesday President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act with conditions. This $532.8 billion law directs what the Department of Defense will do in this fiscal year. It includes a direction not to change the enrollment fees, deductibles, and co-pays for retirees under the age of 65 using TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard. It also prohibits DOD from raising TRICARE Drug co-pays. The law creates a one tier system for TRICARE Reserve Select, directs the refurbishing of military equipment and grants a 2.2% across the board raise for the military. The Conditions published by President Bush (stating that the Executive Branch will only execute the laws in ways that they believe will not limit Presidential Powers) apply to provisions concerning North Korean negotiations and limits on the power to retire the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy.
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4) VA Urges Veterans to Wear their Medals on Veterans Day- The Department of Veterans Affairs this week announced an effort to urge all American Veterans to wear their Medals on this upcoming Veterans Day. This “Veterans Pride Initiative” is patterned on the Australian and New Zealand tradition of all veterans wearing their Military Decorations on ANZAC Day. The VA hopes that this will remind all Americans of the service and sacrifice our Veterans have made on behalf of the Country. The VA is also urging that Medals be worn on Memorial Day and the 4th of July. At a press conference on Wednesday many decorated representatives of VSOs, including TREA’S Larry Madison, stood behind VA Secretary Jim Nicholson as he announced the campaign. The VA has placed information about the program on its web site: http://www.va.gov/veteranspride/. At this site you can find information on how to replace mislaid or lost medals and learn how to confirm which decorations you are entitled to.
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