widows and orphans of all deceased World War veterans; that there ought to be an increase of at least 50 percent in the amounts payable to widows and orphans of deceased service-connected-disability veterans now payable under the existing laws; that is, that those that died-that the widows and orphans of those veterans who died by reason of service-connected disability should have their compensation, or death compensation payments increased by at least 50 percent; and that the widows and orphans of those veterans who, prior to death, were suffering from service-connected disabilities, should also be increased by at least 50 percent over and above the present existing rates, so that the schedule would be about as follows: The first class, those widows and orphans of those veterans who died by reason of service-connection disabilities, would receive a basic rate of $45 per month for the widow, and on up, according to the age and number of children, as specified in detail in H. R. 2005; and that the second class of widows and orphans of those veterans who were suffering with service-connected disabilities, receive a basic amount of $34 per month; and the needy widows of deceased World War veterans not suffering with any service-connected disability, receive a basic amount of $22 per month, plus a proportionate amount for the dependent children. That, we believe, Mr. Chairman, outlines the program of the V. F. W. as it has been presented in the various bills to this committee, and we hope that further opportunity will be given at a later time to discuss these other bills in detail, but we do want to emphasize that we are certainly in favor of the two bills that the Chair has announced as being under consideration at the present time. Mr. CONNERY. Mr. Rice, the bills which you referred-the bill which I introduced to which you referred, about these men wounded in action getting $10 more-I thought that was going to be referred to Mr. Rankin here at this committee, but it went to the Pensions Committee. Mr. RICE. Yes; and I think it should be rereferred. It is before this committee as one section of 1959, and I would like to see steps taken to have it referred back to this committee, as it seems to me it should be before this committee. Mr. CONNERY. I would rather see it before this committee, but the rules require for the two chairmen to agree on it and The CHAIRMAN. I will say to the gentleman from Massachusetts, in order to have the bill referred to this committee, you have got to not only have the consent of both chairmen, but you have to have the unanimous consent of the House. This committee does not handle pensions, but does handle compensation matters. Mr. RICE. That particular bill referred only to the very direct service connected cases, those injured or disabled or wounded on the front lines. The CHAIRMAN. What did it provide for, pensions or compensations? Mr. RICE. Compensation. The CHAIRMAN. It should not have gone to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. RICE. I agree with you. It was classified as a statutory award of $10 per month, in addition to the compensation otherwise paid, and that is a part of one bill before this committee, H. R. 1959. Mr. CONNERY. Mr. Rice, both chairmen are great champions of the veterans, and we may be able to get it out. The CHAIRMAN. Of course, I would rather have it come before this committee. If we are going to handle World War Veterans we ought to have it. Frankly, I thought the adjusted-service compensation bill should come to this committee, after the committee was organized, but it went to the Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Rice, we thank you. If you gentlemen who made statements desire to extend your remarks in the record, without objection, you will be permitted to do so. Mr. RICE. Mr. Chairman, we have the director of our national service bureau, but it was our understanding that you wanted to confine this to a brief statement, but we hope there will be given consideration to the other matters that we are interested in. Mr. GRAY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Rice, has the V. F. W. considered the bill that is now before the Invalid Pension Committee? Mr. RICE. Are we considering it? Yes; we are considering it. Mr. RICE. Yes; there have not been hearings yet, but we are considering the bill. Mr. GRAY of Pennsylvania. I mean, has your organization considered the bill? Mr. RICE. We are not sponsoring that bill; no. Mr. GRAY of Pennsylvania. You are not sponsoring it? Mr. RICE. No; we are not in favor of it. Mr. GRAY of Pennsylvania. You are not in favor of it? Mr. RICE. No. Mr. ENGEL. What would be the annual cost of carrying out this program as outlined by you? Mr. RICE. I do not know. Those figures were going to be secured by the chairman from the Veterans' Administration. I had hoped they would be available to us prior to this hearing, but they are not. Therefore, I am not able to give you any estimate. I would like also, if I may, Mr. Chairman, to make a part of the record, an outline of the program of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and particularly, points 1 and 2 there, if I may. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; you can insert those figures in your statement, Mr. Rice. (The matter submitted by Mr. Rice is as follows:) AN OUTLINE OF THE DETAILS OF THE 1937 OBJECTIVES OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POINT I. ADEQUATE PENSIONS FOR THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF ALL DECEASED WAR VETERANS; INCREASED PENSIONS FOR DEPENDENTS OF DECEASED SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERANS A. Eligibility for 1. Widows and orphans of all deceased war veterans. 2. Widows of veterans who lived with their veteran husbands continually for 3 years or more immediately preceding death, or who have surviving children as the result of such marriage, regardless of present statutory limiting date of such marriage. 3. Dependents of deceased veterans to be permitted to prove that veteran was suffering with such service-connected disability as would entitle his dependents to death compensation under Public Law No. 484. 4. Payment to dependents of deceased veterans to be effective as of date of death of such veteran, or for 1 year prior to claim therefor, whichever date may be the later. B. Amounts payable.— 1. At least 50 percent more than at present, for the widows, orphans, mothers, and fathers of veterans deceased by reason of service-connected disability. 2. At least 75 percent of amounts provided for those in first group for the dependents of deceased veterans who, prior to death, were suffering with permanent service-connected compensable disabilities. 3. At least 50 percent of amounts provided for first group for the widows and orphans of all other deceased war veterans. POINT I. ADEQUATE BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS. WITH DUE CONSIDERATION FOR LENGTH, TYPE, AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF A VETERAN'S SERVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MAN WHO SERVED OVERSEAS A. Liberalized service connections.— 1. Authorization to rating agencies of Veterans' Administration to give consideration to the length, type, and circumstances of a veteran's military service, and other circumstantial factors, in determining the service origin of his disability. 2. Service connection (and compensation), regardless of so-called misconduct origin, where willful misconduct did not interfere with veteran's performance of duty. 3 Modification of present stringent "causative factor" requirement to establish eligibility to disabled emergency officers' retirement benefits. B. Liberalized compensation. 1. Same compensation for so-called presumptive disabilities as for direct serviceconnected disabilities. 2. A rating of at least 50 percent for unemployability, to be combined with any rating of 50 percent or more for a service-connected disability, subject to future verification as to employability. 3. A statutory award of $10 per month, in addition to compensation otherwise payable, for all veterans who were wounded, gassed, or disabled in combat with the enemy. 4. Full payment of compensation or pension to all veterans while hospitalized. 5. Liberalized ratings for undercompensated. 6. Same compensation rate for those who served in Army of Occupation, after November 11, 1918, as for those who served before armistice. 7. No publication of amounts paid to veterans. C. Liberalized pensions.— 1. Uniform policy for determining degree of disability of all disabled veterans. 2. Disabled veterans of Regular Establishment to receive at least 90 percent as much as World War veterans for same disability, with option to receive threefourths of regular pay as disability retirement. D. Allowances for dependents of disabled veterans.— 1. Same dependency allowances for veterans rated on a permanent basis as for those rated on a temporary basis. 2. Apportionment to dependents of disappeared incompetent service-connected disabled veterans, of compensation or pension otherwise payable to him. 3. Allowances for dependents of hospitalized veterans. E. Pensions for non-service connected disabled veterans.— 1. Increase pension, for veteran suffering with permanent total non-serviceconnected disability, from $30 to $40 per month. 2. Age and unemployability to be considered as factors in determining the existence of permanent and total disability for pension purposes. 3. Determination of permanent and total disability for pension purposes under either 1925 or 1933 schedule of disability ratings, and rating of permanent and total disability wherever hospitalized for more than 2 months, or wherever total disability is of indefinite duration, subject to discontinuance upon future examinations showing employability. F. Government insurance. 1. Open opportunity for all men in active armed forces to take out Government insurance. 2. Liberalized definition of permanent total disability for insurance purposes. 3. Claims for permanent and total disability benefits under war-risk-insurance policies, mailed to the Veterans' Administration on or before July 3, 1931, to be considered as valid and to be reopened and adjudicated as of original status, with saviour of rights to sue thereon upon denial of claim. 4. Reopening of right to bring suit on Government war-risk-insurance claims, where suit had not previously been filed, or where dismissed, because of lapsation of statute of limitations, or had not been filed because of near lapsation of such statute of limitations. 5. Reopen privilege for 5-year level-premium term policies for another 5-year period. G. Bonus legislation.— 1. Provisional and probationary officers of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, who rendered service during the World War prior to November 11, 1918, and who resigned from active service prior to January 1, 1922, who served in rank below that of major, or its equivalent, to be entitled to benefits under the World War Adjusted Compensation Act and under the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act. 2. Enactment of Philippine travel pay bill, with elimination of provision of payment of fee to any attorney of more than $10. H. Administration of veteran benefits. 1. Compilation and publication in annual report of the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs of the number of beneficiaries under the several classifications of benefits received, and of the amounts of total benefits granted to each such classification, subdivided according to the number of beneficiaries, who served in the armed forces of the United States in foreign countries, or in hostile waters. 2. The complete and immediate collection, correlation, and indexing of the service records, and medical and hospital abstracts, of all former service men. 3. Greater cooperation and coordination among all Federal agencies and recognition by each agency of the findings and actions of any other Federal agency, as to veteran rights and benefits. 4. Reinstatement of the Rating Schedule Committee of the Veterans' Administration. 5. Examinations of veterans for rating purposes, to be made only by feedesignate or staff examiners of the Veterans' Administration, who have specialized in the disabilities from which the veteran is suffering. 6. Intermediate appeal boards or area branch appeal boards within the Veterans' Administration. 7. Justifiable reasons under the law for denying appeals, to be included in the decisions of the Central Board of Veterans' Appeals, of the Veterans' Administration. I. Hospital benefits.— 1. Payment by the Veterans' Administration for the necessary medical and hospital treatment of service-connected disabled veterans who served in the armed forces of the United States who are American citizens but who now reside in other countries. 2. Privilege of hospitalization for men of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, who served during any wartime period, under the same conditions as any other veteran, regardless of his retirement status. 3. Hospitalization and examination of a veteran for rating purposes at the facility containing his claim folder, in the territory in which he resides. 4. Existing and future contracts with outside hospitals by the Veterans' Administration, to include provisions for out-patient treatment. 5. Emergency treatment of veterans in local hospitals upon prior authorization from the Veterans' Administration. 6. Disabled World War veterans suffering with Hansen disease to be the sole charges and patients of the Veterans' Administration. 7. Additional Veterans' Administration facilities in accordance with needs of veteran population. J. Burial benefits. 1. A national cemetery in each State and Territorial possession. 2. Next of kin of any deceased veteran, who, prior to death, was suffering with service-connected disability, of compensable degree, to be entitled to receive a burial allowance of $100, plus a United States flag. 3. Provisions for suitable headstone of the flat type for cemeteries requiring same. 4. Headstones for graves of all deceased war veterans, once honorably discharged. 5. A survey, search, marking, and registration of all veteran graves. K. Elimination of all limiting dates before which to file claim for benefits. L. Fingerprints of World War veterans.-1. Classification, according to type, of the fingerprints of all World War veterans, to be completed within a period of not more than 2 years. POINT 3. MORE EFFECTIVE FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL VETERAN EMPLOYMENT AND CIVIL-SERVICE LAWS A. Federal civil-service preferences for veterans. 1. Preference in examinations. (a) Ten points added to earned ratings of service-connected disabled veterans, veterans over age of 55 to their wives, and to the widows of all deceased veterans, and placement at top of civil-service register. (b) Five points added to earned ratings of all other veterans, and names placed on civil-service register, next in order after 10-point preference group. (c) Privilege of quarterly civil-service examinations for all 5- and 10-point veterans. (d) Certification by Veterans' Administration of a service-connected disability, without statement of its degree. (e) Waiver of all age requirements, if otherwise qualified. (f) Waiver of physical requirements, if otherwise qualified. (g) Waiver of educational prerequisites, if otherwise qualified. (h) Includes war service as part of experience prerequisite time. (i) Credit experience gained in voluntary civic, social welfare, and veteran service work, on same basis as if on paid basis. (j) Rate examination papers of veterans on normal proportional basis without any transmutation of earned ratings. 2. Preference in appointments. (a) Require appointing officer to submit substantial reason for skipping over the name of a veteran to the Civil Service Commission. (b) Refusal to certify other appointees until substantial reason received. (c) Right of accredited representative of congressional chartered organizations to review such reasons, and to present same before an appeal board within Civil Service Commission. (d) Publication of names of all appointees. 3. Preference of retention, upon reduction of forces in any department of Federal agency. 4. Preference for transfers, with same job classification and salary, from one department or agency to another. 5. Protection against reallocation on lower job classification or salary status. 6. Reinstatement from furloughs, resigned, or dismissal status, in preference to new appointments from civil-service register. 7. Time spent in armed forces of the United States to be included as part of civil service, for purpose of seniority and retirement. 8. Creation of appeal board within Civil Service Commission, with right to make appeals concerning examination rating, sufficiency of education, experience, and physical prerequisites, reclassifications, reallocations, efficiency ratings, furloughs, retentions, dismissals, and reinstatements, with right of accredited representative of congressional chartered veteran organizations to review such records and to represent veterans before such appeal board. B. Federal employment preferences for veterans.— 1. Effective preference in appointments, retentions, and reinstatements, for all positions and jobs under Federal agencies not under civil service classifications, same as for those under civil service. 2. Preference of employment under all Federal contracts, and in all public works, P. W. A., W. P. Ă., etc., with preference of retention, and with no discrimination as to salary or promotion. C. Creation of commission, with power to declare that vacancies, in certain classifications of governmental positions, shall subsequently be filled only by partially disabled veterans, and in certain other positions, only by other veterans. D. Extension of the classification act to cover all field positions in all Federal agencies. E. Extension of civil service to cover all full-time employees of all Federal agencies. F. Optional for Federal employees to accept quarters, subsistence, and laundry at facilities of Veterans' Administration, without deduction of salary. G. Optional civil-service retirements. H. Retention of W. P. A., and enlargement of C. C. C., with liberalized eligibility for entry, reentry, and retention of veterans therein. |