S. 1163 · 110th Congress
Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 110th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
AkakaSponsor6 cosponsors · 3 D, 2 R, 1 I
5 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007 - Title I: Low-Vision Benefits Matters - (Sec. 101) Modifies the rate of service-connected total blindness in veterans required for the payment of veterans' disability compensation to a visual acuity of 20/200 (currently, 5/200) or less.
What it does: CRS summary · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Aug 3, 2007
Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007 - Title I: Low-Vision Benefits Matters - (Sec. 101) Modifies the rate of service-connected total blindness in veterans required for the payment of veterans' disability compensation to a visual acuity of 20/200 (currently, 5/200) or less.
(Sec. 102) Modifies the standard for awarding disability compensation to veterans for loss of vision to require payment of compensation for impairment of vision (under current law, blindness) involving both eyes due to a service-connected or non-service-connected disability. Defines such impairment as a visual acuity of 20/200 or less or of a peripheral field of vision of 20 degrees or less.
(Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to furnish to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) information on veterans under the age of 65 for comparison with information on such individuals in the National Directory of New Hires to determine eligibility for certain veterans' health care, compensation, and retirement benefits. Requires the Secretary to notify such veterans that the information is being furnished for such purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to terminate, deny, suspend, or reduce any benefit or service by reason of information obtained from the HHS Secretary only if the Secretary independently verifies the information received. Requires the Secretary to allow an adversely affected individual an opportunity to contest such findings. Terminates, on September 30, 2012, the authority to obtain comparison information from the HHS Secretary.
Title II: Burial and Memorial Affairs Matters - (Sec. 201) Authorizes the Secretary, upon request, to furnish in lieu of a headstone or marker a medallion or other device to signify a deceased's status as a veteran to be affixed to a headstone or marker purchased at private expense.
(Sec. 202) States that, as of October 1, 2006, a specified federal regulation requiring a state or other political entity to apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for reimbursement of a veteran's interment costs within two years after the permanent burial cremation of the body shall have no force and effect as it pertains to unclaimed remains of a deceased veteran.
Allows grants to states for establishing, expanding, or improving veterans' cemeteries to also be used for operating and maintaining such cemeteries. Limits to $5 million the aggregate amount of grants awarded in a fiscal year for such purposes.
(Sec. 203) Repeals the December 31, 2007, termination date of the authority of the Secretary to furnish a government headstone or marker for the grave of certain veterans buried in private cemeteries, notwithstanding that the grave is marked by a headstone or marker furnished at private expense.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Blinded Veterans Paired Organ Act of 2007
Latest action (Nov 2, 2007): See also H.R. 797.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Apr 19, 2007
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.