1 2 3 4 2 (3) by adding at the end thereof the following new clause: 66 (6) to any veteran eligible for medical services under clause (2) of subsection (f) of this section.". [No. 34] COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Hon. RAY ROBERTS, Washington, D.C., July 14, 1975. Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.O. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This will respond to your request for a report on H.R. 6087, 94th Congress, a bill "To amend section 612 (b) of title 38, United States Code, to provide any outpatient dental service and treatment to any veteran who has a service-connected disability of 80 per cent or more. The subject bill would amend section 612 (b) of title 38 to permit the furnishing of unrestricted outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, to any veteran who has a service-connected disability rated at 80 percent, or more. Under present law, such a veteran is eligible for the indicated treatment only for a compensable, service-connected dental condition, or, if the condition is serviceconnected, but noncompensable, the treatment is limited to a one-time completion basis, and then only if application is made within one year after discharge. The proposal would remove all limitations for this class of veterans and make them eligible for outpatient dental care and treatment for non-service-connected dental conditions as well as service-connected conditions which do not meet the criteria otherwise applicable. Enactment of the subject bill would result in significant costs to the Veterans Administration, and must be considered in the context of the overall economic difficulties facing this Nation. The President is committed to holding down the size of the Federal deficit in fiscal year 1976 and, accordingly, has called for a curb on the rate of increase in domestic programs that has occurred in recent years. We agree that, during this time when we are still experiencing considerable inflationary pressure, we must demonstrate restraint in handling proposals for increases in benefit programs. In view of the foregoing, we are opposed to the enactment of H.R. 6087. Enactment of the subject bill would result in the following estimated increase in costs to the Veterans Administration: 2 We are advised by the Office of Management and Budget that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely, RICHARD L. ROUDEBUSH, 94TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 8484 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 9, 1975 Mr. WHITEHURST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 1 A BILL To amend title 38 of the United States Code in order to provide hospital care and medical services in Veterans' Administration facilities to Commonwealth Army veterans for serviceconnected disabilities at such times as such veterans may require such care and services while within the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That section 632 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 4 by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: "(e) Any Commonwealth Army veteran who while 5 6 within the United States has need of hospital care or medi7 cal services for any service-connected disability is entitled 8 to receive such care or services without charge in any Vet 9 erans' Administration facility.". I [No. 68] COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Hon. RAY ROBERTS, Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This will respond to your request for a report by the Veterans' Administration on H.R. 8484, 94th Congress, a bill "To amend title 38 of the United States Code in order to provide hospital care and medical services in Veterans' Administration facilities to Commonwealth Army veterans for service-connected disabilities at such times as such veterans may require such care and services while within the United States.” The subject will would amend section 632 of title 38, United States Code, to provide that any Commonwealth Army veteran who, while within the United States, has need of hospital care or medical services for any service-connected disability, is entitled to receive such care or services without charge in any Veterans' Administration facility. A Commonwealth Army veteran is defined as any person who served before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the President of the United States dated July 26, 1941. Included among such military forces are the organized guerrilla forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander-in-Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States, provided that such persons were discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable. Under current law, medical benefits for Filipino veterans are provided through a VA grant-in-aid program, primarily for inpatient care at the Veterans Memorial Hospital, Quezon City, Republic of the Philippines. The subject bill would grant the same benefit to Commonwealth Army veterans in the United States that they are now entitled to when in the Philippines. However, since this benefit in the Philippines is time limited, and the current authority expires June 30, 1978, we do not believe the treatment of Commonwealth Army veterans in the United States should be authorized beyond that date. The purpose of grant-in-aid to the Commonwealth of the Philippines was to assist that Government temporarily, and that Government was expected to provide for their own veterans when the grant authority expired. Accordingly, we would favor the enactment of H.R. 8484 if the bill is amended to provide a delimiting date as described above. 77-086 76-3 |