Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-2569
Sponsor: Rep. Edwards, Chet [D-TX-11]
Introduced: 2003-06-24 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative remedies
Afghanistan
Annuities
Armed forces abroad
Armed forces reserves
Authorization
Coast guard
Coinsurance
College costs
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost of living adjustments
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disabled
Drugs
Education
Families
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Health
Higher education
Income tax
International Affairs
Iraq
Labor and Employment
Law
Medical economics
Middle East and North Africa
Military dependents
Military discharges
Military intervention
Military operations
Military pay
Military pensions
Military personnel
Prescription pricing
South Asia
Survivors' benefits
Tax rates
Taxation
Terrorism
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' disability compensation
Veterans' education
Veterans' employment
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions
War

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: 
Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003 - Allows the full payment of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, without deduction from either (current law), without the enactment of qualifying offsetting legislation.
 
Repeals: (1) special compensation programs for certain severely disabled and combat-disabled military retirees; and (2) provisions requiring a dependency and indemnity compensation offset from surviving spouse annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan.
 
Increases the amount of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense, for fiscal years after 2005, to provide a percentage increase in the higher learning cost index for determining basic educational assistance amounts.
 
Directs the Secretary to pay a bonus to members who, at any time during service under Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, satisfied eligibility requirements for the receipt of special pay for duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger. Directs the Secretary of Homeland to provide such bonus to qualifying Coast Guard members.
 
Authorizes additional appropriations for veterans' improved access to medical care.
 
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make interim payments under claims for veterans' benefits when the final decision regarding the payment of such benefits is delayed following remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims or the Board for Veterans' Appeals to the Secretary for expedited consideration.
 
Prohibits with respect to veterans: (1) increases in medication copayments; and (2) the imposition of health care enrollment fees.
 
Requires the: (1) Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Labor to provide appropriate information concerning veterans' benefits and employment opportunities; and (2) Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prepare an annual plan for the conduct of veterans' outreach activities.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to place the maximum individual income tax rate at 38.6 percent.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-07-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-06-24
text: Introduced in House