SPECIALLY EQUIPPED AUTOMOBILES

SEC. 204. (a) Section 1901 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c), and by adding after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):

"(b) The benefits of this chapter shall also be made available to each veteran who is suffering from any disability described in subsection (a), if such disability is the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted in or aggravated by active military, naval, or air service after January 31, 1955, and if the injury was incurred or the disease was contracted in line of duty as a direct result of the performance of military duty."

(b) Section 1905 of title 38, United States Code, is amended (1) by striking out at the beginning of the first sentence thereof "The benefits", and inserting in lieu thereof "(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the benefits", and (2) by adding at the end thereof a new subsection as follows:

"(b) (1) In the case of any veteran who is eligible for the benefits provided in this chapter by reason of section 1901 (b) and who was discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service before the effective date of this subsection, any applicable time limitation contained in subsection (a) of this section which otherwise would have begun to run before the effective date of this subsection shall not begin to run until that date.

"(2) In the case of any veteran whose entitlement to the benefits provided in this chapter first arose by reason of the enactment of Public Law 85-857, application for such benefits may, notwithstanding the time limitations contained in subsection (a) of this section, be made within one year from the effective date of enactment of this subsection."

BURIAL ALLOWANCE

SEC. 205. (a) Section 902(a)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting immediately after "war" the following: "or of service after January 31, 1955".

(b) If the burial allowance authorized by section 902 of title 38, United States Code, is payable solely by virtue of the enactment of this Act, the two-year period for filing applications, referred to in section 904 of such title 38, shall not end, with respect to an individual whose death occurred prior to the enactment of this Act, before the expiration of the two-year period which begins on the effective date of this Act, or, in any case involving the correction of a discharge after the effective date of this Act, before the expiration of two years from the date of such correction.

TITLE III-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

STATUTORY AWARDS

SEC. 301. Section 314 (k) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(k) if the veteran, as the result of service-connected disability, has suffered the anatomical loss or loss of use of one or more creative organs, or one foot, or one hand, or both buttocks, or blindness of one eye, having only light perception, or has suffered complete organic aphonia with constant inability to communicate by speech, or deafness of both ears, having absence of air and bone conduction, the rate of compensation therefor shall be $47 per month for each such loss or loss of use independent of any other compensation provided in subsections (a) through (j) or subsection (s) of this section but in no event to exceed $400 per month; and in the event the veteran has suffered one or more of the disabilities heretofore specified in this subsection, in addition to the requirement for any of the rates specified in subsections (1) through (n) of this section, the rate of compensation shall be increased by $47 per month for each such loss or loss of use, but in no event to exceed $600 per month;".

EFFECTIVE DATE

SEC. 302. The provisions of this Act shall take effect on the first day of the second calendar month which begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.

[H.R. 6128, 90th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To amend section 521 of title 38, United States Code, to exclude from consideration as income, for the purpose of determining eligibility for pension, all payments of any kind or from any source, including salary, retirement or annuity payments, endowments or similar income, which a veteran receives or is entitled to receive after attaining age seventy

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 521 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding the following subsection:

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'(h) for purposes of this section, a veteran who has attained age seventy shall be conclusively presumed to have no annual income."

[H.R. 6171, 90th Congress, 1st sess.]

A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, so as to provide for the payment of additional pension to the widows of veterans who die while suffering from a service-connected disability

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That subsection (d) of section 541 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting "(1)" immediately after “(d)" and adding at the end thereof the following:

"(2) The monthly rate of pension payable under subsection (b) or (c) to the widow of any veteran who died while suffering from a service-connected disability shall be increased by an amount equal to $5 for each 10 per centum of rated disability of the veteran at the time of death for purposes of chapter 11 of this title."

SEC. 2. The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the first day of the second calendar month which begins after the date of enactment of this Act.

[H.R. 6290, 90th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To provide that where the entitlement of a veteran, widow, or child to a pension from the Veterans' Administration is based upon the veteran's having served in World War I, II, or Korean conflict, the beneficiary shall if otherwise eligible have the right to elect payment of pension under either the provisions of title 38 as in effect on June 30, 1960, or as amended by the Veterans' Pension Act of 1959, whichever provides the greater benefit

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 9 of the Veterans' Pension Act of 1959 is amended

(1) by striking out the first word of the last sentence of subsection (b) and inserting in lieu thereof "Except as provided for in subsection (d) of this section, this"; and

(2) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:

"(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, a person whose claim for pension is based on service in World War I, II, or the Korean conflict, shall, upon application filed either before or after the effective date of this Act, be entitled to be paid pension under either the provisions of title 38 in effect on June 30, 1960, or as amended by this Act, whichever provides the greater benefit. An election on the part of such a person to receive payment under the provisions of one such law shall not prejudice his right to thereafter elect payment under the other."

SEC. 2. This Act shall become effective the first day of the second calendar month which begins after its enactment.

[H.R. 6294, 90th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To amend title 38 of the United States Code in order to increase the rates of pension payable to certain veterans and their widows, to provide additional readjustment assistance for veterans of service after January 31, 1955, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SHORT TITLE

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "Veterans' Pension and Readjustment Assistance Act of 1967".

TITLE I-PENSION BENEFITS

ENLARGING WIDOWS' ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

SEC. 101. (a) Paragraphs (2) and (3) of sections 302(a), 404, 532(d), 534(c), 536 (c), and 541 (e), title 38, United States Code, are amended to read as follows: '(2) for one year or more; or

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'(3) for any period of time if a child was born of the marriage, or was born to them before the marriage.".

(b) Subsection 103 (a), title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "cohabitated with him for five or more years immediately before his death," and inserting in lieu thereof "cohabitated with him for one year or more immediately before his death, or for any period of time if a child was born of the purported marriage or was born to them before such marriage,”.

PERMANENT AND TOTAL DISABILITY AT AGE SIXTY-FIVE; AID AND ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE FOR PERSONS IN NURSING HOMES

SEC. 102. (a) Subsection (a) of section 502 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting immediately after "disabled if he is" the following: "sixty-five years of age or older or".

(b) Subsection (b) of such section 502 is amended by inserting "(1) a patient in a nursing home or (2)" immediately after "if he is".

EXCLUSION FROM ACTUAL INCOME

SEC. 103. (a) Paragraph (7) of section 503 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting immediately after "amounts paid by" the following: "a wife of a veteran for the expenses of his last illness, and by".

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(b) Paragraph (9) of such section 503 is amended by inserting “(A)” immediately after "amounts paid” and by inserting the following immediately before the semicolon at the end thereof: "or (B) by a widow or a wife of a deceased veteran for the last illness and burial of a child of such veteran".

PENSION INCREASES FOR VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT

SEC. 104. (a) The table in subsection (b) of section 521 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to appear as follows:

(b) The table in subsection (c) of such section 521 is amended to appear as follows:

(c) Subsection (e) of such section 521 is amended by striking out "$35" and inserting in lieu thereof "$40".

PENSION INCREASES FOR WIDOWS OF VETERANS OF WARS BEFORE WORLD WAR I

SEC. 105. Sections 531, 532(a) (2), 534(a)(2), and 536(a) of title 38, United States Code, are each amended by striking out "$65" and inserting in lieu thereof in each such section "$70".

PENSION INCREASES FOR WIDOWS OF VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT

SEC. 106. (a) The table in subsection (b) of section 541 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to appear as follows:

(b) The table in subsection (c) of such section 541 is amended to appear as follows:

(c) Subsection (d) of such section 541 is amended by striking out "$15" and inserting in lieu thereof "$16".

PENSION INCREASES FOR CHILDREN OF DECEASED VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I,
WORLD II, AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT

SEC. 107. Subsection (a) of section 542 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "$38" and "$15" and inserting in lieu thereof "$40" and "$16", respectively.

AID AND ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE FOR WIDOWS OF VETERANS OF ALL PERIODS OF WAR

SEC. 108. (a) Subchapter III of chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

"WIDOWS OF VETERANS OF ALL PERIODS OF WAR

"§ 544. Aid and attendance allowance

"If any widow who is entitled to pension under this subchapter or the provisions of this title as in effect on June 30, 1960, is in need of regular aid and attendance, the monthly rate of pension payable to her under this subchapter or such provisions, as the case may be, shall be increased by $50."

(b) The analysis of such subchapter III, after the heading of such chapter, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

"WIDOWS OF VETERANS OF ALL PERIODS OF WAR

"544. Aid and attendance allowance."

THERAPEUTIC AND REHABILITATIVE DEVICES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS

SEC. 109. Subsection (b) of section 617 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "to any veteran" and all that follows through the end thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "to any veteran in receipt of pension under chapter 15 of this title based on need of regular aid and attendance."

PENSION FOR "OLD LAW" VETERANS WHO ARE HOUSEBOUND

SEC. 110. The Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall pay to a veteran who is entitled to pension under section 521 of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on June 30, 1960, and who

(1) has, in addition to a disability rated as permanent and total, additional disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60 per centum or more, or

(2) by reason of his disability or disabilities, is permanently housebound but does not qualify for pension under such section 521 based on need of regular aid and attendance, in lieu of the pension otherwise payable to him under such section 521, a pension at the montlhy rate of $100.

TITLE II—ADDITIONAL READJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS OF SERVICE AFTER JANUARY 31, 1955

COMPENSATION

SEC. 201. (a) Section 310 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting immediately after "during a period of war" the following: "or after January 31, 1955".

(b) Section 312 of such title is amended by inserting immediately after "period of war" the following: "or after January 31, 1955,".

(c) Section 331 of such title is amended by inserting immediately after "during other than a period of war" the following: "or a period after January 31, 1955". (d) (1) Section 337 of such title is repealed.

(2) The analysis of chapter 11 of such title is amended by striking out

"377. Wartime presumptions for certain veterans."

(e) (1) The heading of subchapter II of chapter 11 of such title is amended to read as follows:

"Subchapter II-Wartime and Post-Korean Conflict Era Disability

Compensation".

(2) The catchline of section 314 of such title is amended by striking out "wartime".