Severely disabled veterans and their survivors depend on federal benefits that recognize both the economic and non-economic consequences of service-connected disabilities. Yet these benefits, particularly Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) and Dependency and Indemnity...

Time has proven that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the best provider of care for veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). It is essential that leaders in Washington, DC know this so they can ensure the VA's SCI/D system of care is protected...

After the Social Security Administration determines an applicant is eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, there is a mandatory five-month wait to receive the first benefit payment. This is on top of an approval process that lasts nearly...

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, weakens and eventually destroys the body’s motor neurons, making functions such as walking, talking, eating, and breathing increasingly difficult. There is no cure for this disease, but medications and...

Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) face lifelong challenges, including neurogenic bladder and bowel dysfunction. These conditions profoundly impact health, independence, and quality of life. Managing neurogenic bladder and bowel care is costly,...

Recently, legislation was introduced in the House aimed at improving the care of veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). The Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices Act, also known as the Veterans STAND Act, (H.R. 6835/S. 3988), requires the...

Veterans continue to face significant obstacles when seeking mental health care, including geographic isolation, limited awareness of services, provider shortages, outdated IT infrastructure, and stigma. Despite the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) making progress in...

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant is intended to help veterans and servicemembers make medically necessary improvements and alterations to their primary residence. This includes improving the entrance or exit...

Family caregivers provide essential support to veterans. Yet, despite the immense physical, emotional, and financial toll caregiving takes, family caregivers receive little to no direct assistance under current federal policy.Many caregivers are forced to reduce their work...

In Fiscal Year 2023, an estimated 6.8 percent of women and 1.3 percent of men serving on active duty were victims of military sexual trauma (MST), meaning thousands of servicemembers experience MST each year. Many survivors have experienced barriers in accessing Department...

Veterans' and servicemembers' surviving spouses often face significant disruptions after the death of their loved ones. Under current law, when a surviving spouse remarries before age 55, they lose critical benefits such as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC),...

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant is intended to help veterans and service members make medically necessary improvements and alterations to their primary residence. This includes improving the entrance or exit...

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit for employers who hire individuals who face barriers to employment, such as people with disabilities and qualified veterans. WOTC rates have not increased since the program was created 27 years ago. WOTC opens...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays eligible veterans and caregivers for mileage and other travel expenses to and from approved health care appointments, but the rate of reimbursement has not kept up with inflation. Fifteen years ago, Congress passed...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to qualified survivors of service members and veterans. Eligible surviving spouses can receive an additional $351.02 per month in DIC when a veteran who, at the time of death, was...

The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to share the cost of health care for the dependents and survivors of certain eligible veterans. CHAMPVA provides health care coverage to...

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides vehicle modifications to allow veterans with disabilities to safely operate, enter, and exit their vehicle. In 2023, Congress passed legislation to include certain vehicle adaptations in the VA's medical benefits...

Individuals whose eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has already been approved, often after a lengthy process, remain barred from accessing their SSDI benefits for five months after that approval. In addition to this five-month waiting period...

There are over 50,000 medically retired veterans with combat injuries who are being denied their full retirement and VA disability pay. Currently, only veterans who have served 20 or more years and have VA disability ratings of 50 percent or greater can receive both...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest health care provider in the country, and it serves millions of veterans each year. However, many catastrophically disabled veterans experience disability-related barriers when it comes to accessing the care and the...

Thousands of service members have suffered a genitourinary injury, resulting in the loss of, or compromised ability, to have a child. Among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, genital injuries, most of which were a result of ground-based explosive mechanisms, were...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to qualified survivors of service members and veterans. The DIC rate paid to survivors has been minimally adjusted since it was first established in 1993. H.R. 2055/S...