Important New Post Will Give Congresswoman Greater Voice For Nevada Veterans

Berkley Named Top Democrat on Newly Created Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee

(Washington, DC -- February 11, 2005) Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) today announced that she has been named the top Democrat on a key new Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee which oversees claims, payments and burial benefits for millions of American vets. Berkley assumes her duties immediately as Ranking Member on the Disability and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

"Our veterans are American heroes and as a nation we owe them a debt of gratitude that includes keeping the commitments we made to provide healthcare and other VA benefits. As Ranking Member on the Disability and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I will have a strong voice for Nevada veterans and an opportunity to shape legislation that is important to those who served in the armed forces and their families,” Berkley said.

Berkley is a leader in Congress on legislative efforts to raise current VA burial benefits, which can be as low as $300 for a veteran with no service connected disability. The Congresswoman sponsored legislation last Congress that would raise payments to better reflect the price of burial expenses.

“I am working to build bipartisan support for increasing VA burial benefits so that families who have just lost a loved one are not also facing thousands of dollars in out of pocket funeral expenses,” said Berkley, who will introduce legislation to increase VA burial benefits later this month.

Congresswoman Berkley also is active in efforts to completely abolish a tax on military retirees who are disabled. Under current law, many disabled veterans lose a portion of their military retirement benefits. Changing the law would allow these men and women to collect both disability compensation and retirement pay at the same time. Last Congress the tax was partially repealed for some veterans, but Berkley is pushing for total elimination of the unfair law that dates back more than a century.

“Congress must act now to permanently eliminate the unfair tax on all disabled military retirees who continue to be robbed of payments that they earned through their service to our nation," said Berkley.

The newly created Disability and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has a wide range of jurisdiction over issues important to veterans of all ages. As the Subcommittee’s top Democrat Berkley will have a strong voice during proceedings and consideration of legislation important to veterans. Areas under Berkley’s jurisdiction include: compensation paid to veterans, pensions, burial benefits, life insurance, VA claims and veterans’ cemeteries in the U.S. and around the globe.

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