Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) introduced new bipartisan legislation on Tuesday to make it easier for veterans who have a service-related medical condition to get the benefits they are entitled to.
The Brian Neuman VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act of 2021 is designed to fix current policy that can prevent veterans from accessing those benefits.
Currently, veterans must submit yearly proof of their service-related disability to receive the clothing allowance they are entitled to. In 2020, 40,000 veterans received this essential benefit. This legislation is also being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49) and Barry Moore (R-Ariz.-02).
“If someone is gravely injured in service to this country, they shouldn’t have to drive hours to the local VA each year to file paperwork just to get a benefit the VA already knows they need,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ve always stood up for Nevada’s service men and women, and I’ll continue to work to make it easier for our veterans to access the benefits they’re owed.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide a clothing allowance to a veteran if a prosthetic, orthopedic device, or medication causes irregular wear or damage to their clothing, or requires them to make expensive alternations to ensure comfort, safety and durability of clothing items. Currently, veterans with service-related conditions have to reapply for this benefit annually. The Brian Neuman VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act of 2021 would authorize automatic renewal of the benefit until either 1) the veteran chooses to no longer receive it or 2) the VA determines that the veteran is no longer eligible.
The legislation is supported by Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), and USCG Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA).
Text of this legislation is available here, and a one-page description of the bill is available here.