From: Director, RAO Baguio [raoemo@sbcglobal

From: Director, RAO Baguio [raoemo@sbcglobal.net]

Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 8:29 AM

Subject: RAO Bulletin Update 1 Oct 2007

Attachments: Veteran Legislation Update 07-09-30.doc

RAO Bulletin Update

1 October 2007

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

VA Secretary [02] -------------------- (Mansfield Takes Over)

NDAA 2008 [08] -------------------- (Senate Action)=

Defense Health Agency ------------ (Proposed New Ag= ency)

Virginia Vet Homes -------------------- (2nd Home O= pens)

VA Budget 2008 [07] --------------- (Another Senate Delay)

Tricare Employer Health Plans --------- ( 1 JAN Stop Date)

POW VA Benefits [04] -------------- (25,000 Vets Eligible)

VA Home Loan [08] -------------------- (New Policy)=

GI Bill Rate Increase [01] -------------------- (20= 08 Rates)

K= ansas Vet = Cemetery ------------------ (Riley out of Space)

VA Retro Pay Project [09] --------- (Closing Paymen= t Gap)

TRDP [05] -------------------- (Overseas Availabili= ty)

Iowa Veterans Home [01] ------------ (State fines $10,000)

Mojave Desert Vet Memorial ---- (Court Allows Removal)

VA Claim Backlog [11] --------------- (VA Distorts Report)

Lifetime Tricare Coverage ----- (Unfit for Duty Discharges)

M= ontana Vet = Cemetery [01] ------------- ($4 Million Grant)

VA Data Breach [37] ------------------- (Risk Still Remains)

South= Dakota Veterans Bonus [02] ---- ($500 to Eligibles)

COLA 2008 [07] -------------------- (2.0% to 2.3% r= ealm)

Military ID Cards (Retiree) [01] --- (Obtainment Ch= ange)

VA Headstones & Markers [01] --- (VA Regs Amend= ment)

Passport Obtainment [02] ----- (Temporary WHTI Expi= res)

Retirement Tax Considerations [02] ------ (Property Taxes)

110th Congress U.S. House ------------------ (Conta= ct info)

Veteran Legislation Status 30 SEP 07 ---- (Where We Stand)

Editor’s Note: The downgrading of my new HP Pavillion dv2000 computer from its installed VISTA operating program to XP = has allowed the 3 years of missing work files to be restored from my external h= ard drive. However, this has caus= ed a number of other problems which the dealer is still trying to rectify. Fortunately, I am now in the position of being able to resume publishing the Bulletin. This one is somewhat abbreviated as I have only had a few days to work on it. Readers should be aware if they have to buy a new computer most likely its operating program will be VISTA which is extremely user unfriendly. Also, I found it to be a much slower operating system than XP to the point that I would not have been able to continue publishing a twice monthly Bulletin.. In response to my = 15 SEP notice I received over 500 emails from frustrated subscribers who have been exposed to this program. Only= 5 of these messages had anything good to say about it. The remainder described numerous h= orror stories of lost file, excessive expense in trying to unsuccessfully get the bugs out, returning computers to dealers out of frustration, and an overall degradation of user’s ability to perform the same operations they had formerly done with their older

VA SECRETARY UPDATE 02: Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affai= rs Gordon H. Mansfield becomes the Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs follow= ing the resignation of Secretary Jim Nicholson. Secretary Nicholson tendered his resignation to President Bush on 17 JUL 07, to be effective no later than 1= OCT 07. Mansfield assumes the role on 1 OCT under the terms of the Federal Vacancies Reform A= ct, where a Deputy Secretary begins to serve as the acting officer immediately = and automatically upon the occurrence of the vacancy. Mansfield will serve as Acting Secretary until the next nominee of the President is confirmed by the United States Senate. Appointed by President Bush in NOV 0= 3, Deputy Secretary Mansfield served as the chief operating officer for the fe= deral government's second largest department, responsible for a nationwide system= of health care services, benefits programs and national cemeteries for America= 's veterans and their dependents. He previously served as VA Assistant Secreta= ry for Congressional and Legislative Affairs since 1 AUG 01, serving as the legislative advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was responsible for VA's Congressional relations and representing VA programs, policies, investigati= ons and legislative agenda to Congress.

= Prior to joining VA, Mr. Mansfield served as executive director of t= he Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) since APR 93. In that position, the hig= hly decorated Vietnam vete= ran oversaw daily operation of PVA's national office in = Washington, D.C.= Mr. Mansfield held a number of pos= itions at PVA from 1981 to 1989, and served as the organization's first associate executive director of Government Relations. Mr. Mansfield served as Assista= nt Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the Department of Housi= ng and Urban Development from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush's Administration. Prior to 1981, he practiced law in Ocala, Fla. Mr. Mansfield received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and law degree = from the University of Miami. Following his 1964 enlistment in the Army, Mr. Mansfield served two tours of duty in Vietnam. While serving as com= pany commander with the 101st Airborne Division during his second tour, he was wounded during the Tet Offensive of 1968 sustaining a spinal cord injury. F= or his actions while his unit was under fire, he was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest personal decoration for val= or in combat. He was medically retired by the U.S. Army at the grade of Captai= n. His other combat decorations include the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, the Co= mbat Infantryman's Badge and the Presidential Unit Citation. Mr. Mansfield is a recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Villanova University Alumni Human Relations Medal. He was inducted into the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame in 1997. [Source: VA News Release 28 Sep 07= ++]

NDAA 2008 UPDATE 08: The Senate, having finally taken up consideration of its version of = the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1547) announced some significant ini= tial action. That information had = to do with favorable outcomes in Senate consideration of several hundred amendmen= ts proposed for S.1547 already passed in the House as H.R.1585).

• Sen. Reid's amendment that would provide full, immediate concurrent receipt to disabled retirees deemed "unemployable" by the VA retroactive to 1 JAN 05.=

• Sen. Nelson's amendment that would accelerate 30-year paid-up Survivor Benefit P= lan (SBP) coverage to 1 OCT 07 and bar deduction of VA survivor benefits from S= BP annuities (the SBP-DIC fix).

• Sen. Lautenberg's and Sen. Hagel's amendment that would bar any increases in TRI= CARE fees for FY2008 and articulate the sense of Congress that military health c= are is a crucial offset to the adverse conditions of service and that military people pay substantial premiums up-front in extended service and sacrifice = over and above any cash fees.

• Sen. Chambliss's amendment that would reduce the Reserve retirement age by three months for each 90 days served on active duty since 9/11/01.

• Sen. McCain's amendment that would increase the maximum annual points creditable= for Reserve component retirement to 130 points (vs. 90) for 2007 and subsequent years.

• Sen. Coleman's amendment that would authorize paying increased reimbursements for mental health care if required to meet needs, and requiring a Pentagon repo= rt on military beneficiaries' adequacy of access to mental health services.

• Sen. Lincoln's amendment that would authorize Guard or reserve members to use th= eir mobilization GI Bill benefits up to 10 years after separating from the sele= cted reserve.

There were some big differences between the basic Authorization bills passed by the House and considered by the Senate. For example, the Lautenberg/Hagel amendment now matches the House position on Tricare Prime or Standard copay increases but it’s not clear that the Senate position on Tricare payment for certain Rx’s (requiring drug companies to provide discounts to the Tricare retail system –which we liked-- ) will override the House’s position (barring Tricare payment= for specific drugs if the manufacturer refuses to apply the Federal discount to= the Tricare retail system – not good for beneficiaries). It does not appear there wil= l be any further effort this year = to grant Concurrent Receipt across the Board. More important, the Senate has n= ot, so far, acted to stop the 9.9% cut in Medicare –and therefore Tricare= —payments to providers that is now scheduled to take effect in 1 JAN 08. The House had passed such a provision but made it a part of the update of the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. The Senate did not include the Medicare/Tricare provision in its version of the Act. [Source: PMOAANET Legislative & Retiree Affairs Advisory 16-07++]

DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY: A DoD plan to put the Army in char= ge of all military medical training and research could be pulled soon, in favor of establishing a Defense Health Agency (DHA) to handle those responsibilities= and more, senior officials told the DoD Task Force on the Future of Military He= alth Care. The DHA would assume oversight of all medical training and research, = as well as management of Tricare and responsibility for some shared medical activities across the services. The Tricare Management Activity would form = the foundation of the new agency, with additional staff drawn from service medi= cal departments. But the Army, Navy and Air Force would continue to run separate medical departments and retain control of their medical personnel and most sites. The DHA concept is seen as only an incremental step toward the drama= tic streamlining and greater efficiencies projected from creating a unified med= ical command. The DHA has been endorsed by senior medical leaders and awaits fin= al approval of Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England. Unveiling of the DHA concept surprised several task force members. That's partly because they had just listened to presentations by think-tank economists on the merits, potential cost savings and challenges for the department of creating a unif= ied medical command. The Army, Navy and Joint Staff had backed a unified medical command, saying it would make medical care more effective and save several hundred million dollars a year. The Air Force opposed the idea, citing a cl= ash of cultures that could weaken medical support of operational missions. [Source: Newport News VA<= /st1:place> Daily Press Tom Philpott article 1= 0 Sep 07 ++]

VIRGINIA VET HOMES: The Virginia Department of Veterans Services dedicated the Sitter-Barfoot Veterans Care Center (SBVCC) located on the campus of the McQuire VA Medical Center in Richmond on 25 SEP. This single-level facility feature= s 160 single-occupancy rooms in three nursing units: two 60-bed skilled nursing c= are units and one 40-bed secure Alzheimer’s dementia unit with enclosed courtyards. The design of SBVCC reflects the latest in health care facility design and research. All rooms are single occupancy to limit the spread of infectious disease and assure residents a level of privacy. Each room has a floor-to-ceiling window, private bath and walk-in shower. The Alzheimer's u= nit features a wander garden and interconnected hallways allowing residents to = move around freely in a safe and secure environment. The facility will provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as therapeutic recreation, social= and spiritual activities, and other amenities such as onsite pharmacy, a fully equipped barber and beauty shop, activity and games rooms, and resident lou= nges in each nursing unit, courtyard and an outdoor walking trail. Veterans may = be admitted as long-term residents, or may also be admitted on a short-term ba= sis for rehabilitation as the transition from hospital care to home. For additi= onal information about SBVCC, contact Robin Davis, Director of Admissions and Marketing, (804) 840-7573, or robin.davis@dvs.virginia.gov

= Virginia’s other home is the Virginia Veterans Care Center (VV= CC) which has 240 beds in the facility to provide comprehensive, high quality c= are with on-site laboratory work, x-rays, dental clinic, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, podiatry care, and many other ancillary health care services. The Salem VA Medical Center is located next door for additional services for those qualified. If you have any questions or would like an information packet sent to you, contact the Admissions Director, Patti Smit= h at (540) 982-2860 ext. 4052 or by email at Patti.Smith@dvs.virginia.gov. To be eligible for admission, a veteran must have an honorable discharge and must= be a Virginia resident at the time of admission. Veterans may also qualify if they were a= Virginia resident at the time they entered the mili= tary or if Virginia is listed as their official home of record on their military records. [Sour= ce: Lynchburg News &a= mp; Advance article 25 Sep 07 ++]

VA BUDGET 2008 UPDATE 07: As they have for the better part o= f a decade, Congress has failed to pass an on-time budget for VA. The governmen= t's new fiscal year begins on 1 OCT, and instead of pressing forward on the VA Appropriations bill, each chamber has passed a stopgap funding measure while will fund VA and the rest of the government through 16 NOV. This means that= , in the short term, VA will be funded on last year's level – a level that= does not account for the growing numbers of veterans

seeking care. The stopgap budget they have approved= is roughly $6.7 billion less than what Congress itself has decided what VA nee= ds, and will hamper VA's efforts to recruit and retain the highest quality doct= ors,

nurses and health care professionals. It will also = delay VA's ability to hire and train disability compensation claims processors, impairing VA's ability to manage the ever-growing backlog. The differences between the House = and Senate versions are negligible, and the bipartisan support for the bill wou= ld ensure its success if it had come up for a vote. Congressional leaders, however, decided to use the broad support for it to attach less politically popular provisions, turning it into a large omnibus bill and delaying its passage.

Veteran organizations are calling on Congress to en= d the political games and do what is right for this nation's veterans, especially those wounded in Iraq = and Afghanistan. This nation's 24 million veterans are looking to them to do the right thing. [Source: VFW Washington Weekly 28 Sep 07 ++]

TRICARE EMPLOYER HEALTH PLANS: Many military retirees who work for defense contractors, airlines, and certain state governments are getting letters from their employers that their health coverage options will change= as of 1 JAN. In many cases, it's= a notice that the employer will no longer be able to offer a Tricare suppleme= nt as one of its health plan options. That's because a provision in last year's Defense Authorization Act (FY2007) bars civilian employers from offering th= eir employees incentives to use Tricare rather than the company's normal health plan. It specifically bars of= fering employees a Tricare supplement. Congress has no problem with retirees choos= ing Tricare on their own initiative, since they earned the right to the Tricare benefit through their service. But DoD and Congress developed extensive evidence that many employers - includi= ng several state governments - have been consciously working to shift their he= alth care costs to Tricare, sending letters to Tricare-eligible employees urging them to use Tricare rather than the employer's plan. And tens of thousands of Tricare-eligibles across the country have taken up those offers in recent years. This was part of the reason that DoD proposed raising fees for Trica= re enrollees by up to $1,000 a year - to help stem the tide of people opting o= ut of employer-based plans. So f= ar, Congress has agreed that imposing steep Tricare fee hikes isn't the appropr= iate reaction. But the Armed Servi= ces Committees took a dim view of employers who seek to cut their costs at Tricare's expense, and changed the law to try to discourage that behavior.<= /p>

= Initially, the law was interpreted as barring any reimbursement that= could be used to cover Tricare expenses. That strict interpretation would have barred Tricare-eligibles from participating in company-sponsored cafeteria plans (under which employees c= an receive a specified amount of cash that can be used to purchase coverage) or plans that pay a flat monthly amount to any employee who elects to use alternative coverage, whether it's Tricare or a spouse's employer plan. At MOAA's urging, the Committees included language indicating that these kinds of initiatives should not be barred because they are not specifically aimed at Tricare. But it's hard to argue that a Tric= are supplement isn't Tricare-specific.

So what can Tricare-eligibles do if they get a lett= er notifying them that their employer is terminating a company-offered Tricare supplement?

• The first option is to ask the employer to offer a flat-rate payment in lieu of= the supplement. If the company was willing to pay the cost of a supplement, one would think they'd be willing = to pay up to the cash equivalent. But to be allowed under the new law, the payment needs to be non-Tricare-specific. That is= , it should be the same amount for an employee who chooses Tricare as it is for = an employee who chooses coverage under a spouse's employer plan. Many employers already offer such = cash payment plans; it's just a matter of including Tricare-eligibles in them.

• Another alternative is to enroll in Tricare Prime, if Prime is available in your area.

[Source: MOAA Leg Up 28 Sep 07 ++]

POW VA BENEFITS UPDATE 04: The Department of Veterans A= ffairs is searching for prisoners of war who may not be getting the benefits they deserve. VA officials estimate that about 25,000 former prisoners of war are still alive today, about 600 from the Vietnam War, 2,100 from the Korean Wa= r and the rest from World War II. VA officials believe only about one-third are receiving any VA benefits or health care. VA officials are trying to contact veterans who are not receiving any benefits or health care but who might be eligible. They are also trying to locate the surviving spouses and children= of former POWs who might be unaware of the help VA could provide. VA officials said they have the most difficulty tracking down former POWs from World War= II because the military used service numbers, not Social Security numbers, for identification. Tracking down a veteran by service number is extremely difficult if they have not had any contact with the VA in years, officials said. In a statement, Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson said meeti= ng the needs of former POWs is “one of VA’s highest priorities.= 221;

“They are extraordinary men and women who have endured captivity, suffered extreme deprivation and sacrificed their own freedom to preserve the freedom of all Americans,” said Nicholson, himself a Vietnam veteran. Some former POWs may be unaware that available h= elp has expanded over the years. For example, VA provides disability pay for fo= rmer POWs who suffer strokes or some common heart diseases.

= To try to contact former POWs, VA officials have been reaching out to veterans’ groups and civic organizations in search of leads. They are also encouraging people who know of former POWs to ask them to contact a VA toll-free number to learn about help that may be available. The number is (= 800) 827-1000.

A similar effort several years ago resulted in about 1,000 former POWs or their survivors qualifying for VA assistance or increa= sing their existing benefits, VA officials said. Every VA regional office also h= as a POW coordinator to help former POWs and their families receive benefits and health care. There are seven medical conditions for which a former POW can automatically receive disability benefits: psychosis; depressive neurosis; post-traumatic osteoarthritis; anxiety; cold-related injuries; strokes or stroke complications; and heart disease and related heart complications. Veterans who were held as POWs for 30 days or longer may be eligible for benefits if they have other conditions. These include: avitaminosis, chronic dysentery, helminthiasis, malnutrition, peptic ulcers, beriberi, cirrhosis = of the liver, irritable bowel syndrome, nutritional deficiencies and peripheral neuropathy. In each case, the presence of one of the medical conditions in a former POW will be presumed to have resulted from their military service — qualifying them for disability benefits — unless there is evidence of another cause. Details on benefits and health care for former P= OWs and their families are available at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/POW/index.htm [Source: AF times Rick Maze articl= e 27 Sep 07 ++]

VA HOME LOAN UPDATE 08: In a 30 AUG press release the Gove= rnment National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) announced that it has eliminated= the $417,000 home loan limit on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgage lo= ans that can be used as collateral for Ginnie Mae securities. "We expect this change will e= xpand the availability of low-cost financing and increase homeownership opportuni= ties for America's veterans, particularly in high-cost areas, by encouraging len= ders to make more VA loans," said Michael J. Frenz, Executive Vice Presiden= t of Ginnie Mae. Frenz was referri= ng to home loan realities like that in California. Although 10% of the nation's veterans live in California, less than one percent of the VA loans in the Ginnie Mae securities portfolio issued during the last two years were to California veterans because loan limits were below most house prices in the state. This policy change is designed to make it easier for lenders to help veterans and servicemembers use their VA Home Loan benefit to purchase homes valued at more than $417,000. However the Department of Veterans’ Aff= airs is careful to point out that Ginnie Mae’s new policy does not change = the current VA Home Loan Guaranty program rules and loan limits. The most attractive feature of the= VA Home Loan Guaranty program is that it eliminates the need for eligible vete= rans and servicemembers to provide cash down payments for homes valued at $417,0= 00, or less, by guarantying 25% of a home’s purchase price. The new Ginnie M= ae policy will require borrowers to use the VA Home Loan Guaranty in combinati= on with a cash down payment to guaranty the loan for homes exceeding the VA li= mit. This means that veterans and servicemembers who wish to purchase homes pric= ed higher than the VA limit, will be required to provide an additional cash do= wn payment to ensure the loan is guarantied for at least 25% of the of the purchase price. For example, a veteran wishing to purchase a home valued at $600,000 will need to provide a cash down payment of $45,750 – 25% of= the difference between the $417,000 VA loan limit and the actual purchase price= of $600,000. [Source: Military.com Terry Howell article 14 Sep 07 ++]

GI BILL RATE INCREASE UPDATE 01: Each year in October the GI = Bill payment rates increase to meet the growing cost of education. The rate incr= ease effects all GI Bill benefit programs including Active Duty GI Bill Chapter = 30, Reserve GI Bill chapters 1606 and 1607, the GI Bill OJT and Apprenticeship program and the Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) program. Although the past years have seen larger increases in the payment rates, th= is year's modest rate increase has pushed the full-time payment rate effective= 1 OCT 07 to $1,101 a month. Thus, the GI Bill will be worth $39,636 - a total increase of nearly $1,000 over last year's rate. This total is based on the= new monthly full-time student payment rate&nbs= p; multiplied by the 36-month limit.&n= bsp; For all rates refer to http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates/C= H30/ch30rates100107.htm. [Source: Military.com Veterans Rep= ort 17Sep 07 ++]

KANSAS VET CEMETERY: The Fort Riley cemetery has officially run out of space and Kansas lawmakers are urging the Veterans Affairs Department not to delay funds for= a new cemetery. Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, both Republicans, asked = VA officials 20 SEP to make money available for the new veterans cemetery befo= re the end of the year. The senators said the timeline for finding money to bu= ild the new cemetery already had been pushed back. VA spokeswoman Jo Schuda said the agency’s National Cemetery Administration plans to pay for the new cemetery during the next fiscal year, which begins 1 OCT 07, but could not provide more specifics. There is no room to expand the existing cemetery, w= hich is flanked on two sides by roads, with housing and other buildings nearby. Twenty-two burial plots that were reserved before 1975 will be honored, said Fort Riley spokeswoman Alison Kohler. The last two unreserved plots at Fort= Riley’s cemetery were taken in late SEP. The military base has lost 133 soldiers and airmen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003, though not all are buried in the Fort Riley cemetery. About 5,000 veterans and family members = have been interred at the cemetery since it opened in the 1850s. Fort Riley alre= ady has transferred 90 acres of land to the state for a new cemetery that will = be about 10 miles from the old site. Under a 1950 federal law, veterans cemete= ries that fill up are replaced with new cemeteries built by VA and then operated= by states. Once federal money becomes available, it will take about a year bef= ore the new cemetery could open for burials, Kohler said. Meanwhile, eligible veterans can be buried at a different national veterans cemetery such as Fo= rt Leavenworth or at one of three other state veterans cemeteries in Kansas. Kohler said she has heard of people “who are holding urns waiting for= the new cemetery to open.” [Source: AP Sam Hananel article 21 Sep 07 ++]<= /p>

VA RETRO PAY PROJECT UPDATE 09: Almost 75,000 military retir= ees with disabilities who were underpaid for months or even years after becoming eligible for one of two concurrent receipt programs have received their retroactive payments, officials in charge of the retro pay program say. Approximately 33,000 pay files still need to be reviewed from a pool of 133= ,000 potential recipients, said Thomas J. Pamperin, deputy director of the compensation and pension service for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Th= at review is expected to be completed by mid-November, according to the Defense Finance and Account Service. The catch-up payments, necessary because of difficulties implementing the Combat-Related Special Compensation and Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay programs, so far total close to $1= 50 million. The average size of payments made by VA has climbed to $2,100, up = from an average of $1,500 paid to the first 30,000 or so retro pay recipients la= st fall. When all files have been reviewed, DFAS will turn its attention to a = new pool of underpaid retirees. That second group of 12,000 to 16,000 retirees became eligible for CRSC or CRDP between the time the retro pay program beg= an last summer and April of this year, when DFAS finally had computer programs= in place to make accurate and timely concurrent receipt payments as retirees become eligible. “This has proved to be an incredibly complex process= for all involved” said Pamperin, who leads a team of VA officials that has worked closely with DFAS on the retro pay program for two years.

= Until CRSC began on 1 JUN 03, and CRDP on 1 JAN 04, all military retirees with service-related disabilities had to accept a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxable retired pay when they began to receive tax-free VA compensation for their service-related injury or illness. Congress enacted = CRSC to allow concurrent receipt for combat-related disabilities. It approved CR= DP, under a phased schedule, to benefit retirees with service-related disabilit= ies rated at least 50% disabling. Most of the underpayments being corrected occurred when retirees eligible for CRDP or CRSC saw their VA disability ra= ting raised. A higher rating means more VA compensation, and that higher amount = is payable back to the date the retiree applied for reconsideration of his or = her disability award. Pay records of about half of all retirees drawing CRDP or CRSC are being reviewed but the total amount of retro payments needed is far below the $500 million figure initially projected.

= The pay review process also is slower than was expected. Last year, = DFAS officials predicted that all back payments would be made by the end of SEP = 07. The target now is mid-NOV 07. DFAS has the lead in reviewing pay records. V= A is making most of the retro payments. Through late AUG, Pamperin said, VA had = paid 56,140 retirees a total of $119 million in back pay. DFAS, on behalf of the Department of Defense, had paid an additional $28 million to 17,000 retiree= s. About one of every three pay records reviewed shows no underpayment. That means many more retirees than projected have been properly compensated and will be getting no retro payme= nts after all. DFAS and VA officials notify retirees only if an underpayment is discovered. Most of the remaining 33,000 files are CRSC recipients. Unlike = CRDP, which involves an automatic payment, CRSC is paid only to retirees who apply for it. To do so, they must r= eceive their VA disability rating and show that their disabilities are combat-rela= ted. DFAS has set up a retro award hot line for retirees with questions about th= eir entitlement to a back payment. The Hotline number is (877) 327-4457. Custom= er service representatives are available at that number M-F 08-1630. Military retirees can also find periodic updates on the retro pay at DFAS Web site a= t: www.dfas.mil. [Source: Stars & Stripes Tom Philpotts article Sep 07 ++]=

TRDP UPDATE 05:&nb= sp; The Tricare Retiree Dental Program is being opened to military retir= ees living in all overseas locations. However, retirees outside the current coverage areas — the U.S., its territories and Canada — will ha= ve to pay premiums for those services, as all retirees do. Monthly premiums in= the U.S. generally run between $30 and $50 for an individual, $60 to $90 for a family of two, and $100 to $155 for a family of three or more, depending on where the retiree is located. Delta Dental organizes the TRDP into five regions, with premiums based on the average cost of living in each region. Information on how TRDP premiums will be set overseas was not available. Federal law has never specifically restricted the geographic scope of the Tricare Retiree Dental Program, run under contract by Delta Dental of California, but until now it has served retirees living only in the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Defense Department decide= d to expand the program to overseas areas based on requests from retirees and th= eir families who live abroad.

= The change would make about 100,000 retirees and family members who = live abroad eligible for the TRDP, according to a notice published in the 16 APR Federal Register. "Expanding the geographic scope of the program will ensure that all Tricare-eligible retirees are eligible for the same dental = benefits, regardless of their location," defense officials said in the Federal Register notice. Officials said expanding the TRDP overseas will not increa= se the government’s costs for the program, because it is maintained enti= rely by enrollees through premium payments. Enrollees also pay for dental costs = in excess of the TRDP coverage limits, and the contractor is solely responsible for program costs in excess of annual premium payments. Tricare spokeswoman Bonnie Powell said details are being worked out about when the expanded ser= vice will become available (i.e. possibly by MAY 08). For more about the Tricare Retiree Dental Program refer to www.trdp.org/. [Source: The Drifter http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3D46551

article by Kelly Kennedy 21 May 07 ++]

IOWA VETERANS HOME UPDATE 01: The Iowa Veterans Home in Marshall= town faces a $10,000 fine over hundreds of alleged medication errors and the reported theft of painkillers and other drugs intended for veterans. State records also show that an aide at the state-run facility was fired this sum= mer for dispensing medications while she was under the influence of drugs. She = also was accused of stealing the veterans' medicine to finance her own use of methamphetamine and marijuana, according to state records. Dan Steen, the c= are center's commandant, said he is appealing the $10,000 fine imposed by the I= owa Department of Inspections and Appeals. He said he is confident the appeal w= ill result in "the truth" coming out, and he questioned the decision = by state inspectors to levy a large fine against a government-run facility that prov= ides care for 700 veterans. "We just cause these homes to become deeper in = the hole," Steen said. "If a home has done something wrong and there = is a fine, you know, those are dollars that could have bought electric lifts or other equipment." According to the inspections department, the Iowa Veterans Home has documented hundreds of medication errors at the facility = this year. But because the facility has 700 residents, some of whom may receive a dozen medications daily, the overall error rate has remained well below the= 5% limit imposed by federal officials.

= Steen says the home's error rate of 0.0176 of 1% is so low that it's close to perfection and is unheard of in the health care field. In July, however, state inspectors visited the Iowa Veterans Home, reviewed its medication policies and practices, and declared that veterans there were in "immediate jeopardy." Within hours, the home changed its medicati= on policies. The inspectors' report alleges that on 28 JUN, the staff gave one veteran 10 medications that were to be administered to another, much heavier resident. The veteran initially refused some of the drugs, which included anti-psychotic drugs and medications for seizures, but he ultimately accept= ed them. After the error was discovered, a doctor at the home told workers to monitor the veteran through the night. A few hours later, the man turned red and became incontinent and unresponsive, with his tongue protruding from his mouth. The doctor initially wanted to keep the man at the facility but with= in a half-hour decided to have him taken by ambulance to a hospital. At the hospital, a breathing tube was inserted, and the veteran was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit. About eight hours later, he showed the first signs of becoming responsive. He was discharged from the hospital two days later and was returned to the Iowa Veterans Home. [Source: Register Staff Writer Cla= rk Kaufman article 9 Sep 07 ++]

MOJAVE DESERT VETERAN MEMORIAL: The leader of the nationR= 17;s largest veterans organization criticized a SEP 07 decision by the 9th Circu= it Court to remove a cross from a World War I veterans memorial in California&= #8217;s Mojave Desert as the beginning of the slippery slope of extreme secularism. “This is one more prime example of wrong-headed political correctness= and one more critical reason why the current Congress must pass the Public Expression of Religion Act,” said American Legion National Commander = Marty Conatser. “This is not about freedom of religion. The First Amendment also says Congress shall pass no law prohibiting the free exercise of relig= ion. The cross is an important symbol to millions of veterans, some of whom had = to make the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.” Referring to the federal Court’s 6 SEP decision, Conatser said that across the nation litigati= on is being brought by the ACLU and other groups attacking the Boy Scouts, the public display of the Ten Commandments and other symbols of America’s religious history. “Today’s lawyers and judges are outlawing the values and religious symbols that the Founding Fathers revered and proclaimed as the v= ery foundation of the American republic. Today it’s a memorial. Tomorrow, these same judges can order the removal of crosses on veterans gravestones,= the dismissal of military chaplains and the closure of base chapels.”

Conatser pointed out that a loophole in the current law allows the A= CLU and other groups to collect millions of dollars in attorney’s fees fr= om the taxpayers, who, by and large, support the memorials.

Congress, in 2004, passed legislation that transfer= red one acre of the Mojave Desert Memorial on which the cross sits to private ownership, in exchange for five acres of land and thereby effectively remov= ing it from federal jurisdiction. But the circuit court decreed that the federal government couldn’t exchan= ge federal lands for private lands in order to maintain the cross that has been the center of the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial for three quarters of a century. The American Legion = is spearheading a nationwide effort to develop a grassroots groundswell of sup= port to pass legislation in Congress that would amend federal law to prevent the= use of the legal system in a manner that extorts money from state and local governments.

“Passage of ‘The Veterans Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, and Other Public Expressions of Religion Protection A= ct of 2007’ (PERA) would prevent the ACLU from mugging America’s taxpayers in this manner,” Conatser said. “I hope all Americans= who are angry about this, write their senators and representatives and demand t= hat they pass PERA. The bills, H.R. 725 and S. 415 are languishing in the Judic= iary Committees of both chambers. It’s time for Congress to make this publ= ic law, before other veterans’ memorials are literally desecrated at the whim of judges.” [Source: AL Public Rel= ations Division msg 10 Sep 07 ++]

VA CLAIM BACKLOG UPDATE 11: Sen. Daniel Akaka, Chairman = of the Veterans' Affairs Committee has expressed concern about a report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General (OIG) that says VA repeate= dly understated data on waiting times for injured veterans seeking medical care. Chairman Akaka said that the Inspector General's report demonstrates VA "continues to skew" information reported to Congress that nearly = all primary and specialty care appointments were scheduled within 30 days or less. He called the report on patient waiting times "disturbing," especially in light of the fa= ct that a similar report on wait times was issued by the OIG in 2005. The OIG report contradicts VA claims that 96% of all veterans seeking primary care = and 95% of all veterans seeking specialty care were seen within 30 days of their desired dates. The OIG found = that veterans waited 30 days or less for only 75% of them. Additionally, OIG fou= nd VA's electronic waiting lists were incomplete, with 10 facilities understat= ing lists by more than 53,000 veterans, of whom 62% had waited more than 30 days for a scheduled appointment. = The chairman noted that VA's underreporting of waiting times and backlog volumes makes it harder to identify problem facilities and allocate resources effectively. The OIG examined 700 outpatient appointments for primary and specialty care scheduled for OCT 06 at 10 VA medical facilities in the following cities: Atlanta; Birmingham; Columbia; San Antonio; Dallas; Templ= e, Texas; Cincinnati; Detroit; Indianapolis; and Chillicothe, Ohio. For more i= nfo refer to the OIG report at www.va.gov/oig.= [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 14 Sep 07 ++]

DISABLED VET LIFETIME TRICARE COVERAGE: The Bush administration will= ask Congress to provide lifetime Tricare coverage to any servicemember discharg= ed as “unfit” due to service-related physical or mental health con= ditions, said Donna Shalala, co-chair of the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors. The Tricare change will be one = of the most expensive initiatives in a legislative package the White House will send to Congress by the end of SEP 07. The package is to implement key recommendations of the wounded warrior panel, also known as the Dole-Shalala Commission. The Tricare propo= sal, if enacted into law, would open military health care to a wave of new beneficiaries, potentially as many as 9,000 to 10,000 newly disabled vetera= ns each year plus families. The Dole-Shalala commission report, released in JUL 07, said the Tricare change should apply only to servicemembers separated f= or combat-related disabilities. But White House officials, at the urging of Defense officials and service associations, have decided to ask Congress to extend lifetime Tricare coverage to all medically discharged veterans. Shalala said the White House will = propose that the Tricare expansion be applied retroactively to veterans medically separated since 2001. Shalala didn’t mention a specific retroactive d= ate, but Congress two years ago made eligibility for traumatic injury insurance retroactive to 7 OCT 01, the day U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan and began = the global war on terrorism.

= Under current law, members are separated rather than retired if found unfit for duty because of conditions rated below 20 percent disabling. They receive a disability severance award rather than retired pay. Because they = are not “retirees,” they and their families are ineligible for life= time Tricare coverage. They can get VA health care, but family members cannot. F= rom 2000 to 2006, an average of 9,600 servicemembers a year were separated as medically unfit with disability ratings of 20% or less, according to statis= tics gathered by the Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission, which is du= e to release its report on 3 OCT. Nearly nine of 10 disabled soldiers were separ= ated rather than retired. Sixty-four percent of sailors with disabilities, 73 percent of disabled airmen and 82 percent of disabled Marines also were released with ratings of 20 percent or less. Shalala and her co-chairman, retired Sen. Robert Dole, said six of 34 action steps that their commission recommends requires legislation. They urged lawmakers to enact the White Ho= use initiatives this fall if possible. In addition to expanding Tricare, they s= aid, Congress should:

1.) Authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide lifetime treat= ment of post-traumatic stress disorder to any veteran deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan who seeks treatment.

2.) Strengthen support for military families caring for wounded warriors by mak= ing them eligible for Tricare-provided respite care and aid and attendant benef= its.

3.) Amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) so that families of combat-injured servicemembers see unpaid leave protection extended from the current limit of 12 weeks to up to 6 months.

Dole said, “End the dual Department of Defens= e and VA disability systems, by giving DOD responsibility only for finding a memb= er unfit for duty. DOD should pay disabled members an immediate lifetime annui= ty based on rank and years of service. The revised VA disability pay system sh= ould include a monthly transition payment, perhaps equal to final military basic pay. That would be replaced after the veteran settles into civilian life wi= th payment to replace reduced earnings tied to their level of disability and payable until age 65. Veterans also should get a lifetime quality-of-life payment to compensate for life effects of their disabilities.” The commission gave no amounts for these payments, leaving that for the Bush administration and Congress to decide. Congress shouldn’t worry about= the cost, Dole added. “My view was if we spent billions and billons and billions of dollars on getting young men and women in harm’s way, we ought to spend what it takes to get them back to nearly a normal life as possible.” [Source: Sta= rs and Stripes Tom Philpotts article 22 Sep 07 ++]

MONTANA VET CEMETERY UPDATE 01: The U.S. Department of Veter= ans Affairs has awarded more than $4 million to begin construction on the Weste= rn Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Missoula MT. The money will be used for the fir= st phase of the cemetery's construction and the agency has agreed to pay any additio= nal costs associated with the 23-acre cemetery. Plans call for an operations and equipment building, a local veterans services office and another building w= ith visitor information and restrooms. Groundbreaking is expected this fall. Democratic U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester noted that Missoula-area veterans worked for six years to get funding for the project. Shortly after Tester was named to = the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, organizers asked him for help in cutting through some red tape stalling the project. Tester wrote to and met with VA Secretary James Nicholson to ask for help.= "I really appreciate it when you sit down with people and they respond appropriately,'' Tester said this spring in announcing the project's approval. "That means government is working for us.'' The new cemetery will be open to a= ny veteran who was honorably discharged from the Armed Forces and to his or her spouse. Montana also has state veterans' cemeteries in Helena and Miles Cit= y. [Source: Great Falls Tribune article 20 Sep 07 ++]

VA DATA BREACH UPDATE 37: Veterans’ personal data and = health information remain at risk of identity theft because the Veterans Affairs Department has yet to implement several safety measures, government investigators said. The report by the Government Accountability Office, released 19 SEP, comes more than a year after the VA pledged renewed securi= ty efforts after the loss of personal information for 26.5 million veterans and active-duty personnel. It found that VA had not yet fully secured access to= its computer network and department facilities nor worked to ensure that only authorized changes and updates to VA computer programs were made. Moreover,= VA has operated without a chief information security officer JUN 06 to oversee changes and still lacks clear and adequate procedures for quickly notifying veterans when their sensitive data is lost, the report said. “Because these recommendations have not yet been implemented, unnecessary risk exists that the personal information of veterans and others, such as medical providers, will be exposed to data tampering, fraud and inappropriate disclosure,” investigators said. Responding, VA Deputy Secretary Gord= on Mansfield said he generally agreed with the findings but insisted that VA’s data security was legally adequate. Many of the recommendations, which were proposed a year ago by the GAO and VA inspector general, were in= the process of being implemented, he said. “VA has taken aggressive and proactive measures that are, or were at the time, above and beyond legal requirements, such as mandating encryption of sensitive data accessed remot= ely or used outside VA facilities,” Mansfield wrote.

= In MAY 06, VA stunned the veteran community when it announced that thieves had stolen a computer hard drive containing millions of names, Soci= al Security numbers and birth dates from a VA employee’s Maryland home. = The hard drive was eventually recovered intact, but not until after VA suffered blistering criticism from Congress for waiting more than two weeks to call = in the FBI. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, who wasn’t immediately informed either, said he was outraged and pledged to make VA the gold standard in da= ta security. “The security regimen at VA has been totally revised,” Nicholson, who stepped down 1 OCT, reported to Congress in late SEP. “= ;I believe that this reorganization, and the modification and strengthening of= our regulations governing IT, its use, and its security will minimize the risk = of a significant data loss in the future.” The GAO said 19 SEP, VA had made progress by developing a plan to correct identified weaknesses in its information technology system, requiring security and privacy training for = VA employees, and providing regular reports to the VA secretary. But significant gaps rem= ain because responsibility for overseeing VA data security is split among sever= al offices and no clear process exists for the officials to work together. The= GAO cited last January’s threat of identity theft for 1.8 million veterans and physicians after a backup hard drive with their Social Security numbers went missing from a research site in Birmingham AL. Medical providers invol= ved in the incident were not notified until 85 days after the data loss because= VA did not have clear plans in place for coordinating with other agencies, whi= ch in this case was the Department of Health and Human Services. “Until = VA addresses recommendations to resolve identified weaknesses, it will have li= mited assurance that it can adequately protect its systems and information,” the GAO said. [Source: NavyTi= mes Hope Yen article 19 SEP 07 ++]

SOUTH DAKOTA VETERANS BONUS UPDATE 02: The State of South Dakota is paying a veterans bonus of up to $500 to certain servicemembers based on monthly service during qualifying dates. Bonuses are available to servicemembers who:

-- Were legal residents of the State for at least s= ix months immediately preceding entry into the Armed Forces.

-- Are currently on active duty or were honorably discharged from the Armed Forces.

-- Served on active duty during one of the following periods.

a. For servi= ce between Mar. 4, 1991, and Sept. 10, 2001, payment will be made to those who served in an imminent danger pay area or were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal or= any other United States campaign or service medal awarded for participation in combat operations against hostile forces.

b. All activ= e duty service between the dates of Sept. 11, 2001, and a date to be determined qualifies for a bonus payment. This program also allows payment for active duty servicemembers during the Opera= tion Desert Storm dates of Aug. 2, 1990, to Mar. 3, 1991.

Application forms may be obtained by writing to: SD Veterans Bonus, 500 E. Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501, or by calling (605) 773-7251. Forms can also be requested by e-mail by writing to john.fette@state.sd.us. Writers should include their servi= ce branch and dates of service, street or post office box number, city, State = and zip code. South Dakota reside= nts can apply through the nearest county or tribal veterans service officer. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 21 Sep= 07 ++]

COLA 2008 UPDATE 07: A steep drop in energy prices heavily influenced the continued decre= ase in the August Consumer Price Index (CPI), the measure used to determine the annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs)&= nbsp; for military retired pay, Social Security, and other federal annuiti= es. On 19 SEP the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the August CPI value, indicating that inflation decreased 0.2% from the July figure. That means inflation has risen a cumulative 2.1% for the first 11 months of FY2007. La= st month it was reported that based on past years' experience, the COLA could = be in the 2.3% to 2.5% range for 2008. With continued deflation in August we'll have to modify our prediction. This is the only year during the last three decades that inflation decreased in both July and August. September may bri= ng an increase, but expect a COLA in the 2.0% to 2.3% realm for 2008. The Bure= au of Labor Statistics announced that the September CPI value (the final value needed to calculate the 2008 COLA) will be announced on 17 OCT. For more information refer to MOAA's Website http://moaaonline.org/ct/Odwy1DS1mmnc/. [Source: MOAA Leg Update 21 Sep 07 ++]

MILITARY ID CARDS (RETIREE) UPDATE 01: A single form of identification is= no longer sufficient for retiree ID card renewals at issuing sites using updat= ed software for the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System/Realtime Automated Personnel Identification System. Retirees and their dependents ne= ed to provide a primary photo form of identification and a secondary non-photo form of identification. Examples of photo IDs: military ID card; driver's license; federal, state or local government ID; U.S. or foreign passport; a= nd foreign national ID. Examples of non-photo IDs: Social Security card; voter registration card; birth certificate; U.S. citizen ID card (INS I-97); scho= ol record or report card: clinic, doctor, or hospital record; and a day care or nursery record. ID cards for retirees need updating only if the card was lo= st, stolen or damaged, or if the retiree undergoes a change in status. Retirees' family members and survivors age 75 or over may receive a permanent ID card. [Source: Armed Forces N= ews 21 SEP 07 ++]

VA HEADSTONES & MARKERS UPDATE 01: The Department of Veterans A= ffairs (VA) published a final rule to amend VA regulations applicable to Government-furnished headstones or markers for placement in a national, Sta= te veterans, or private cemetery. The final rule specifies that a veteran's sp= ouse or surviving spouse, whose remains are unavailable for burial, and who died after 11 NOV 98 is eligible for a memorial headstone or marker for placemen= t in a national or State veterans cemetery. This final rule also specifies that a veteran's dependent child, whose remains are unavailable for burial, and who died after 22 DEC 06 is eligible for a memorial headstone or marker for placement in a national or State veterans cemetery. Lastly, this final rule extends for 1 year the authority to provide a Government-furnished headston= e or marker for already marked graves of eligible veterans whose deaths occurred= on or after 11 SEP 01 for placement in private cemeteries. This final rule is necessary to incorporate statutory amendments into VA regulations. [Source: Federal Record 19 SEP 07 ++]

PASSPORT OBTAINMENT UPDATE 02: Congressman John Carter (TX-= 31) reminded U.S. citizens traveling in the Western Hemisphere that the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) accommodation allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air using a Department of State (DOS) official proof of passport application receipt ended at midnight on 30 SEP 07. Effective 1 OCT 07 U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant document to enter or depart from the United States. U.S. citizens who depart the country under the proof of application accommodation prior to 1 OCT will be readmitted with these same documents if returning to the United States after 30 SEP. Currently, citizens traveling = by vehicle or on a cruise across the border to Mexico or Canada do not need a passport, but must show government-issued identification. U.S. citizens arriving by land and sea must prove that they are U.S. citizens. This rule = may change as early as JAN 08, when the Departments of Homeland Security and St= ate begin to implement the WHTI at land and sea ports of entry. For more information on passport regulations, visit www.dhs.gov. [Source: Federal Record 19 SEP 07 = ++]

RETIREMENT TAX CONSIDERATIONS UPDATE 02: Taxes on land and the buildings on= it are the biggest source of revenue for local governments. They are not imposed by states but= by the tens of thousands of cities, townships, counties, school districts and other assessing jurisdictions. The state's role is to specify the maximum r= ate on the market value of the property, or a percentage of it, as the legal standard for the local assessors to follow. The local assessor determines the = value to be taxed. You can't escape property taxes in any state. But you can find significantly low= rates in certain parts of the country. Most states give residents over a certain = age a break on their property taxes. With some taxes, you'll need a relatively low income to qualify. Forty states provide either proper= ty tax credits or homestead exemptions that limit the value of assessed property subject to tax. There may be other tax breaks available, depending on where= you live. All 50 states offer som= e type of property tax relief program, such as freezes that will lock in the asses= sed value of your property once you reach a certain age, or deferral of taxes u= ntil the homeowner moves or dies. = They ultimately have to be paid. In addition, counties and municipalities often have their own property tax rel= ief plans. Based on data from the 2002 census, the following five states have t= he lowest local property taxes per capita/year: Arkansas ($191), Alabama ($285), Kentucky ($376), New Mexico ($380), and Oklahoma ($425). The states with the highest local property taxes per capita/year are: New Jersey ($1,871), Connecticut ($1,733), New York ($1,402), and Rhode Island ($1,369).

Property Tax Circuit Breaker - Retirees with low in= comes and high housing costs may face property tax bills that are higher than they can manage. Some states target property tax relief to those homeowners bearing the greatest burden. Property tax reform that takes into account a homeowner's ability to pay, such as a so-called "property tax circuit breaker," can better protect low-income homeowners from rising property taxes that accompany rising property values. Targeted property tax relief avoids= sharp reductions in funding for locally provided public services and inequities b= ased solely on date of purchase. A property tax circuit breaker prevents property taxes from "overloading" a taxpayer. Under a typical circuit breaker, the st= ate sets a maximum percentage of income that an eligible family can be expected= to pay in property taxes. If property taxes exceed this limit, the state then provides a rebate or credit to the taxpayer. Currently, of the 31 states an= d the District of Columbia with circuit breakers for homeowners, only six and the District of Columbia permit all households to participate in the program without regard to age.

Other property tax relief strategies that may be us= ed to target property tax relief include homestead exemptions which exempt a cert= ain amount of a home's value from taxation, credits to rebate a certain percent= age of taxes paid, and deferral programs to allow low-income elderly homeowners= to defer payment of property taxes until property is sold.

Property Tax Swaps - More and more states are cutti= ng property taxes in exchange for increases in sales or other taxes. Idaho, New Jersey, South Carolina = and Texas took this step in 2006. In New Jersey the state increased the sales tax by one cent with half of it designated for property tax relief in 2006 and possibly the full amount in future years. Voters in Idaho= also approved a one cent sales tax increase that reduces property taxes by $260 million. South Carolina's Republican governor, Mark Sanford, signed a measure that promises to cut average property taxes by 60% and makes up the revenue by increasing the sa= les tax by one cent. The revenue = will be used to support the Homestead Exemption Fund. In Texas the state lowered propert= y taxes by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and some business activity.

Best and Worst States: Based on data from the 2002 census, the following five states have the lowest local property taxes per capita/year. They are Arkansas ($191), Alabama ($285), Kentucky ($376), New Mexico ($380), and Oklahoma ($425). The states with the highest local prope= rty taxes per capita/year are: New Jersey ($1,871), Connecticut ($1,733), New Y= ork ($1,402), and Rhode Island ($1,369).

[Source: www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxes.html Jul = 07 ++]

110th CONGRESS U.S. HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES: Want to call or see you congressman regarding legislation that affects your benefits or well being. Following is an alphabetical listi= ng of all House of Representative’s phone numbers and room assignments at t= he Capital:

1. Me= mbers who have died or resigned appear in bold brackets.

2. Ro= om numbers with 3 digits are in the Cannon HOB, 4 digits beginning with 1 are = in the Longworth HOB, 4 digits beginning with 2 are in the Rayburn HOB. Room a= ssignments are effective January 4, 2007

3. In= coming calls: Calls from the public may be made by dialing (202) 22 plus the five-digit number listed in this directory.

4. De= mocrats are indicated in roman; Republicans in italic; Resident Commissioner and De= legates in boldface.

5. Co= mpiled by KAREN L. HAAS, Clerk of the House http://clerk.house.gov Washington, DC 20515 January 1, 2007

Name = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = Phone Room=

Abercrombie, Neil, 1st HI ................ 52726 15= 02

Ackerman, Gary L., 5th NY ............. 52601 2243<= /p>

Aderholt, Robert B., 4th AL ............. 54876 143= 3

Akin, W. Todd, 2d MO ...................... 52561 1= 17

Alexander, Rodney, 5th LA .............. 58490 316<= /p>

Allen, Thomas H., 1st ME ................ 56116 112= 7

Altmire, Jason, 4th PA ..................... 52565 = 1419

Andrews, Robert E., 1st NJ ............. 56501 2439=

Arcuri, Michael A., 24th NY ............ 53665 327<= /p>

Baca, Joe, 43d CA ............................. 561= 61 1527

Bachmann, Michele, 6th MN ........... 52331 412

Bachus, Spencer, 6th AL .................. 54921 22= 46

Baird, Brian, 3d WA ......................... 53536= 2443

Baker, Richard H., 6th LA ............... 53901 341=

Baldwin, Tammy, 2d WI .................. 52906 2446=

Barrett, J. Gresham, 3d SC .............. 55301 439=

Barrow, John, 12th GA .................... 52823 21= 3

Bartlett, Roscoe G., 6th MD ............. 52721 241= 2

Barton, Joe, 6th TX .......................... 5200= 2 2109

Bean, Melissa L., 8th IL .................. 53711 3= 18

Becerra, Xavier, 31st CA .................. 56235 1= 119

Berkley, Shelley, 1st NV .................. 55965 4= 05

Berman, Howard L., 28th CA .......... 54695 2221

Berry, Marion, 1st AR ...................... 54076 = 2305

Biggert, Judy, 13th IL ...................... 53515= 1034

Bilbray, Brian P., 50th CA .............. 55452 227=

Bilirakis, Gus M., 9th FL ................. 55755 1= 630

Bishop, Rob, 1st UT .......................... 5045= 3 124

Bishop, Sanford D., Jr., 2d GA ........ 53631 2429<= /p>

Bishop, Timothy H., 1st NY ............. 53826 225<= /p>

Blackburn, Marsha, 7th TN ............. 52811 509

Blumenauer, Earl, 3d OR ................. 54811 226= 7

Blunt, Roy, 7th MO .......................... 56536= 217

Boehner, John A., 8th OH ................ 56205 101= 1

Bonner, Jo, 1st AL ............................ 549= 31 422

Bono, Mary, 45th CA ........................ 55330 = 104

Boozman, John, 3d AR ..................... 54301 15= 19

Bordallo, Madeleine Z., (Delegate) GU ..... 51188 4= 27

Boren, Dan, 2d OK ........................... 52701= 216

Boswell, Leonard L., 3d IA .............. 53806 142= 7

Boucher, Rick, 9th VA ...................... 53861 = 2187

Boustany, Charles W., Jr., 7th LA .. 52031 1117

Boyd, Allen, 2d FL ............................ 552= 35 1227

Boyda, Nancy E., 2d KS ................... 56601 17= 11

Brady, Kevin, 8th TX ........................ 54901= 301

Brady, Robert A., 1st PA .................. 54731 2= 06

Braley, Bruce L., 1st IA ................... 52911 = 1408

Brown, Corrine, 3d FL ..................... 50123 2= 336

Brown, Henry E., Jr., 1st SC ........... 53176 1124=

Brown-Waite, Ginny, 5th FL ............ 51002 414

Buchanan, Vern, 13th FL ................. 55015 151= 6

Burgess, Michael C., 26th TX .......... 57772 1224<= /p>

Burton, Dan, 5th IN ......................... 52276= 2308

Butterfield, G. K., 1st NC ................ 53101 4= 13

Buyer, Steve, 4th IN ......................... 5503= 7 2230

Calvert, Ken, 44th CA ....................... 51986= 2201

Camp, Dave, 4th MI ......................... 53561 = 137

Campbell, John, 48th CA ................. 55611 172= 8

Cannon, Chris, 3d UT ...................... 57751 2= 436

Cantor, Eric, 7th VA ......................... 5281= 5 329

Capito, Shelley Moore, 2d WV ......... 52711 1431

Capps, Lois, 23d CA ......................... 53601= 1110

Capuano, Michael E., 8th MA ......... 55111 1530

Cardoza, Dennis A., 18th CA ........... 56131 435

Carnahan, Russ, 3d MO ................... 52671 171= 0

Carney, Christopher P., 10th PA ..... 53731 416

Carson, Julia, 7th IN ........................ 5401= 1 2455

Carter, John R., 31st TX .................. 53864 4= 08

Castle, Michael N., At Large, DE .... 54165 1233

Castor, Kathy, 11th FL .................... 53376 3= 17

Chabot, Steve, 1st OH ...................... 52216 = 129

Chandler, Ben, 6th KY ..................... 54706 1= 504

Christensen, Donna M., (Delegate) VI ..... 51790 15= 10

Clarke, Yvette D., 11th NY .............. 56231 102= 9

Clay, Wm. Lacy, 1st MO .................. 52406 434=

Cleaver, Emanuel, 5th MO .............. 54535 1641<= /p>

Clyburn, James E., 6th SC .............. 53315 2135=

Coble, Howard, 6th NC .................... 53065 24= 68

Cohen, Steve, 9th TN ....................... 53265 = 1004

Cole, Tom, 4th OK ............................ 5616= 5 236

Conaway, K. Michael, 11th TX ........ 53605 511

Conyers, John, Jr., 14th MI ............. 55126 242= 6

Cooper, Jim, 5th TN ......................... 54311= 1536

Costa, Jim, 20th CA ......................... 53341= 1314

Costello, Jerry F., 12th IL ................ 55661 = 2408

Courtney, Joe, 2d CT ........................ 52076= 215

Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr., 5th AL ..... 54801 21= 84

Crenshaw, Ander, 4th FL ................. 52501 127=

Crowley, Joseph, 7th NY .................. 53965 24= 04

Cubin, Barbara, At Large, WY ........ 52311 1114

Cuellar, Henry, 28th TX ................... 51640 3= 36

Culberson, John Abney, 7th TX ....... 52571 428

Cummings, Elijah E., 7th MD ......... 54741 2235

Davis, Artur, 7th AL ........................ 52665= 208

Davis, Danny K., 7th IL ................... 55006 2= 159

Davis, David, 1st TN ........................ 56356= 514

Davis, Geoff, 4th KY ......................... 5346= 5 1108

Davis, Jo Ann, 1st VA ...................... 54261 = 1123

Davis, Lincoln, 4th TN ..................... 56831 = 410

Davis, Susan A., 53d CA .................. 52040 15= 26

Davis, Tom, 11th VA ........................ 51492 = 2348

Deal, Nathan, 9th GA ....................... 55211 = 2133

DeFazio, Peter A., 4th OR ............... 56416 213= 4

DeGette, Diana, 1st CO .................... 54431 2= 421

Delahunt, William D., 10th MA ...... 53111 2454

DeLauro, Rosa L., 3d CT .................. 53661 22= 62

Dent, Charles W., 15th PA ............... 56411 116=

Diaz-Balart, Lincoln, 21st FL .......... 54211 2244=

Diaz-Balart, Mario, 25th FL ............ 52778 328<= /p>

Dicks, Norman D., 6th WA .............. 55916 2467<= /p>

Dingell, John D., 15th MI ................ 54071 23= 28

Doggett, Lloyd, 25th TX ................... 54865 2= 01

Donnelly, Joe, 2d IN ......................... 5391= 5 1218

Doolittle, John T., 4th CA ................ 52511 2= 410

Doyle, Michael F., 14th PA .............. 52135 401=

Drake, Thelma D., 2d VA ................. 54215 120= 8

Dreier, David, 26th CA ..................... 52305 = 233

Duncan, John J., Jr., 2d TN ............ 55435 2207=

Edwards, Chet, 17th TX ................... 56105 23= 69

Ehlers, Vernon J., 3d MI .................. 53831 2= 182

Ellison, Keith, 5th MN ..................... 54755 = 1130

Ellsworth, Brad, 8th IN ................... 54636 5= 13

Emanuel, Rahm, 5th IL ................... 54061 131= 9

Emerson, Jo Ann, 8th MO ............... 54404 2440<= /p>

Engel, Eliot L., 17th NY ................... 52464 = 2161

English, Phil, 3d PA ......................... 5540= 6 2332

Eshoo, Anna G., 14th CA ................. 58104 205=

Etheridge, Bob, 2d NC ..................... 54531 1= 533

Everett, Terry, 2d AL ........................ 5290= 1 2312

Faleomavaega, Eni F. H., (Delegate) AS ... 58577 24= 22

Fallin, Mary, 5th OK ........................ 52132= 1432

Farr, Sam, 17th CA .......................... 52861= 1221

Fattah, Chaka, 2d PA ....................... 54001 = 2301

Feeney, Tom, 24th FL ....................... 52706 = 323

Ferguson, Mike, 7th NJ .................... 55361 2= 14

Filner, Bob, 51st CA ......................... 5804= 5 2428

Flake, Jeff, 6th AZ ............................ 52= 635 240

Forbes, J. Randy, 4th VA ................. 56365 30= 7

Fortenberry, Jeff, 1st NE .................. 54806 = 1517

Fortun˜ o, Luis G., (Resident Commissioner) PR= ..... 52615 126

Fossella, Vito, 13th NY ..................... 53371= 2453

Foxx, Virginia, 5th NC ..................... 52071 = 430

Frank, Barney, 4th MA .................... 55931 22= 52

Franks, Trent, 2d AZ ........................ 54576= 1237

Frelinghuysen, Rodney P., 11th NJ 55034 2442

Gallegly, Elton, 24th CA .................. 55811 2= 309

Garrett, Scott, 5th NJ ....................... 5446= 5 1318

Gerlach, Jim, 6th PA ........................ 54315= 308

Giffords, Gabrielle, 8th AZ ............... 52542 5= 02

Gilchrest, Wayne T., 1st MD ............ 55311 2245=

Gillibrand, Kirsten E., 20th NY ...... 55614 120

Gillmor, Paul E., 5th OH ................. 56405 12= 03

Gingrey, Phil, 11th GA ..................... 52931 = 119

Gohmert, Louie, 1st TX .................... 53035 5= 10

Gonzalez, Charles A., 20th TX ........ 53236 303

Goode, Virgil H., Jr., 5th VA ........... 54711 152= 0

Goodlatte, Bob, 6th VA ..................... 55431 = 2240

Gordon, Bart, 6th TN ....................... 54231 = 2310

Granger, Kay, 12th TX ..................... 55071 4= 40

Graves, Sam, 6th MO ....................... 57041 1= 415

Green, Al, 9th TX .............................. 57= 508 425

Green, Gene, 29th TX ....................... 51688 = 2335

Grijalva, Rau´ l M., 7th AZ ................ = 52435 1440

Gutierrez, Luis V., 4th IL ................ 58203 2= 266

Hall, John J., 19th NY ..................... 55441 = 1217

Hall, Ralph M., 4th TX .................... 56673 2= 405

Hare, Phil, 17th IL ........................... 559= 05 1118

Harman, Jane, 36th CA ................... 58220 240= 0

Hastert, J. Dennis, 14th IL .............. 52976 23= 04

Hastings, Alcee L., 23d FL ............... 51313 23= 53

Hastings, Doc, 4th WA ..................... 55816 1= 214

Hayes, Robin, 8th NC ....................... 53715 = 130

Heller, Dean, 2d NV .......................... 5615= 5 1023

Hensarling, Jeb, 5th TX ................... 53484 1= 32

Herger, Wally, 2d CA ........................ 53076= 2268

Herseth, Stephanie, At Large, SD ... 52801 331

Higgins, Brian, 27th NY .................. 53306 43= 1

Hill, Baron P., 9th IN ....................... 5531= 5 223

Hinchey, Maurice D., 22d NY .......... 56335 2431

Hinojosa, Rube´n, 15th TX ................ 52= 531 2463

Hirono, Mazie K., 2d HI ................... 54906 1= 229

Hobson, David L., 7th OH ............... 54324 2346=

Hodes, Paul W., 2d NH .................... 55206 50= 6

Hoekstra, Peter, 2d MI ...................... 54401= 2234

Holden, Tim, 17th PA ....................... 55546 = 2417

Holt, Rush D., 12th NJ .................... 55801 1= 019

Honda, Michael M., 15th CA ........... 52631 1713

Hooley, Darlene, 5th OR .................. 55711 24= 30

Hoyer, Steny H., 5th MD ................. 54131 170= 5

Hulshof, Kenny C., 9th MO .............. 52956 409<= /p>

Hunter, Duncan, 52d CA .................. 55672 226= 5

Inglis, Bob, 4th SC ............................ 56= 030 330

Inslee, Jay, 1st WA ........................... 563= 11 403

Israel, Steve, 2d NY .......................... 533= 35 432

Issa, Darrell E., 49th CA .................. 53906 = 211

Jackson, Jesse L., Jr., 2d IL ............ 50773 24= 19

Jackson-Lee, Sheila, 18th TX .......... 53816 2435<= /p>

Jefferson, William J., 2d LA ............ 56636 211= 3

Jindal, Bobby, 1st LA ....................... 53015= 1205

Johnson, Eddie Bernice, 30th TX .... 58885 1511

Johnson, Henry C. ‘‘Hank’’,= Jr., 4th GA .... 51605 1133

Johnson, Sam, 3d TX ....................... 54201 1= 211

Johnson, Timothy V., 15th IL .......... 52371 1207<= /p>

Jones, Stephanie Tubbs, 11th OH ... 57032 1009

Jones, Walter B., 3d NC ................... 53415 2= 333

Jordan, Jim, 4th OH ........................ 52676 = 515

Kagen, Steve, 8th WI ....................... 55665 = 1232

Kanjorski, Paul E., 11th PA ............ 56511 2188=

Kaptur, Marcy, 9th OH .................... 54146 21= 86

Keller, Ric, 8th FL ............................ 52= 176 419

Kennedy, Patrick J., 1st RI .............. 54911 40= 7

Kildee, Dale E., 5th MI .................... 53611 = 2107

Kilpatrick, Carolyn C., 13th MI ...... 52261 2264

Kind, Ron, 3d WI .............................. 555= 06 1406

King, Peter T., 3d NY ....................... 57896= 339

King, Steve, 5th IA ............................ 54= 426 1609

Kingston, Jack, 1st GA ..................... 55831 = 2368

Kirk, Mark Steven, 10th IL .............. 54835 103= 0

Klein, Ron, 22d FL ........................... 5302= 6 313

Kline, John, 2d MN .......................... 52271= 1429

Knollenberg, Joe, 9th MI .................. 55802 2= 349

Kucinich, Dennis J., 10th OH .......... 55871 2445<= /p>

Kuhl, John R. ‘‘Randy’’, Jr= ., 29th NY ..... 53161 1505

LaHood, Ray, 18th IL ....................... 56201 = 1424

Lamborn, Doug, 5th CO ................... 54422 437=

Lampson, Nick, 22d TX .................... 55951 43= 6

Langevin, James R., 2d RI ............... 52735 109=

Lantos, Tom, 12th CA ...................... 53531 2= 413

Larsen, Rick, 2d WA ......................... 52605= 107

Larson, John B., 1st CT ................... 52265 1= 005

Latham, Tom, 4th IA ........................ 55476 = 2447

LaTourette, Steven C., 14th OH ....... 55731 2371

Lee, Barbara, 9th CA ....................... 52661 = 2444

Levin, Sander M., 12th MI .............. 54961 1236=

Lewis, Jerry, 41st CA ....................... 55861= 2112

Lewis, John, 5th GA ......................... 53801= 343

Lewis, Ron, 2d KY ............................ 5350= 1 2418

Linder, John, 7th GA ....................... 54272 = 1026

Lipinski, Daniel, 3d IL ..................... 55701= 1717

LoBiondo, Frank A., 2d NJ .............. 56572 2427=

Loebsack, David, 2d IA ..................... 56576 = 1513

Lofgren, Zoe, 16th CA ...................... 53072 = 102

Lowey, Nita M., 18th NY ................. 56506 232= 9

Lucas, Frank D., 3d OK ................... 55565 23= 11

Lungren, Daniel E., 3d CA ............... 55716 244= 8

Lynch, Stephen F., 9th MA .............. 58273 221<= /p>

McCarthy, Carolyn, 4th NY ............. 55516 106

McCarthy, Kevin, 22d CA ................. 52915 152= 3

McCaul, Michael T., 10th TX .......... 52401 131

McCollum, Betty, 4th MN ................ 56631 1714=

McCotter, Thaddeus G., 11th MI ..... 58171 1632

McCrery, Jim, 4th LA ....................... 52777 = 242

McDermott, Jim, 7th WA ................. 53106 1035=

McGovern, James P., 3d MA ........... 56101 438

McHenry, Patrick T., 10th NC ......... 52576 224

McHugh, John M., 23d NY .............. 54611 2366

McIntyre, Mike, 7th NC ................... 52731 24= 37

McKeon, Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’,= 25th CA ..... 51956 2351

McMorris Rodgers, Cathy, 5th WA .. 52006 1708

McNerney, Jerry, 11th CA ............... 51947 312<= /p>

McNulty, Michael R., 21st NY ......... 55076 2210

Mack, Connie, 14th FL ..................... 52536 1= 15

Mahoney, Tim, 16th FL .................... 55792 15= 41

Maloney, Carolyn B., 14th NY ......... 57944 2331

Manzullo, Donald A., 16th IL .......... 55676 2228<= /p>

Marchant, Kenny, 24th TX ............... 56605 1037=

Markey, Edward J., 7th MA ............ 52836 2108

Marshall, Jim, 8th GA ...................... 56531 = 504

Matheson, Jim, 2d UT ...................... 53011 1= 323

Matsui, Doris O., 5th CA ................. 57163 22= 2

Meehan, Martin T., 5th MA ............. 53411 2229<= /p>

Meek, Kendrick B., 17th FL ............ 54506 1039<= /p>

Meeks, Gregory W., 6th NY ............. 53461 2342<= /p>

Melancon, Charlie, 3d LA ................ 54031 404=

Mica, John L., 7th FL ...................... 54035 = 2313

Michaud, Michael H., 2d ME ........... 56306 1724

Millender-McDonald, Juanita, 37th CA ..... 57924 22= 33

Miller, Brad, 13th NC ...................... 53032 = 1722

Miller, Candice S., 10th MI ............. 52106 228=

Miller, Gary G., 42d CA ................... 53201 2= 438

Miller, George, 7th CA ..................... 52095 = 2205

Miller, Jeff, 1st FL ............................ 5= 4136 1535

Mitchell, Harry E., 5th AZ ............... 52190 24= 34

Mollohan, Alan B., 1st WV .............. 54172 2302=

Moore, Dennis, 3d KS ....................... 52865 = 1727

Moore, Gwen, 4th WI ....................... 54572 1= 239

Moran, James P., 8th VA ................. 54376 223= 9

Moran, Jerry, 1st KS ........................ 52715= 2202

Murphy, Christopher S., 5th CT ..... 54476 501

Murphy, Patrick J., 8th PA ............. 54276 1007=

Murphy, Tim, 18th PA ..................... 52301 32= 2

Murtha, John P., 12th PA ................ 52065 242= 3

Musgrave, Marilyn N., 4th CO ........ 54676 1507

Myrick, Sue Wilkins, 9th NC ........... 51976 230

Nadler, Jerrold, 8th NY ................... 55635 2= 334

Napolitano, Grace F., 38th CA ........ 55256 1610

Neal, Richard E., 2d MA .................. 55601 22= 08

Neugebauer, Randy, 19th TX ........... 54005 429

Norton, Eleanor Holmes, (Delegate) DC .... 58050 21= 36

Norwood, Charlie, 10th GA .............. 54101 2104=

Nunes, Devin, 21st CA ...................... 52523 = 1013

Oberstar, James L., 8th MN ............ 56211 2365<= /p>

Obey, David R., 7th WI .................... 53365 2= 314

Olver, John W., 1st MA .................... 55335 1= 111

Ortiz, Solomon P., 27th TX .............. 57742 211= 0

Pallone, Frank, Jr., 6th NJ .............. 54671 23= 7

Pascrell, Bill, Jr., 8th NJ ................. 55751= 2464

Pastor, Ed, 4th AZ ............................ 540= 65 2465

Paul, Ron, 14th TX ........................... 5283= 1 203

Payne, Donald M., 10th NJ ............. 53436 2209<= /p>

Pearce, Stevan, 2d NM ..................... 52365 1= 607

Pelosi, Nancy, 8th CA ....................... 54965= 235

Pence, Mike, 6th IN .......................... 5302= 1 1317

Perlmutter, Ed, 7th CO .................... 52645 4= 15

Peterson, Collin C., 7th MN ............. 52165 221= 1

Peterson, John E., 5th PA ................ 55121 12= 3

Petri, Thomas E., 6th WI ................. 52476 24= 62

Pickering, Charles W. ‘‘Chip’R= 17;, 3d MS .... 55031 229

Pitts, Joseph R., 16th PA ................. 52411 4= 20

Platts, Todd Russell, 19th PA .......... 55836 1032=

Poe, Ted, 2d TX ................................. 5= 6565 1605

Pomeroy, Earl, At Large, ND .......... 52611 1501

Porter, Jon C., 3d NV ....................... 53252= 218

Price, David E., 4th NC .................... 51784 = 2162

Price, Tom, 6th GA ........................... 5450= 1 424

Pryce, Deborah, 15th OH .................. 52015 32= 0

Putnam, Adam H., 12th FL ............. 51252 1725

Radanovich, George, 19th CA .......... 54540 2367

Rahall, Nick J., II, 3d WV ............... 53452 23= 07

Ramstad, Jim, 3d MN ...................... 52871 10= 3

Rangel, Charles B., 15th NY ........... 54365 2354<= /p>

Regula, Ralph, 16th OH ................... 53876 23= 06

Rehberg, Dennis R., At Large, MT .. 53211 516

Reichert, David G., 8th WA ............. 57761 1223=

Renzi, Rick, 1st AZ ........................... 523= 15 418

Reyes, Silvestre, 16th TX ................. 54831 2= 433

Reynolds, Thomas M., 26th NY ....... 55265 332

Rodriguez, Ciro D., 23d TX .............. 54511 245= 8

Rogers, Harold, 5th KY .................... 54601 2= 406

Rogers, Mike, 3d AL .......................... 5326= 1 324

Rogers, Mike, 8th MI ........................ 54872= 133

Rohrabacher, Dana, 46th CA ........... 52415 2300

Roskam, Peter J., 6th IL .................. 54561 5= 07

Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana, 18th FL ......... 53931 2160<= /p>

Ross, Mike, 4th AR ........................... 5377= 2 314

Rothman, Steven R., 9th NJ ............ 55061 2303<= /p>

Roybal-Allard, Lucille, 34th CA ....... 51766 2330<= /p>

Royce, Edward R., 40th CA ............. 54111 2185<= /p>

Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch, 2d MD 53061 1730

Rush, Bobby L., 1st IL ..................... 54372 = 2416

Ryan, Paul, 1st WI ........................... 5303= 1 1113

Ryan, Tim, 17th OH ......................... 55261 = 1421

Salazar, John T., 3d CO ................... 54761 1= 531

Sali, Bill, 1st ID ................................= 56611 508

Sa´nchez, Linda T., 39th CA ............. 566= 76 1222

Sanchez, Loretta, 47th CA ............... 52965 123= 0

Sarbanes, John P., 3d MD ............... 54016 426<= /p>

Saxton, Jim, 3d NJ ........................... 5476= 5 2217

Schakowsky, Janice D., 9th IL ........ 52111 1027

Schiff, Adam B., 29th CA ................. 54176 32= 6

Schmidt, Jean, 2d OH ...................... 53164 2= 38

Schwartz, Allyson Y., 13th PA ......... 56111 423

Scott, David, 13th GA ....................... 52939= 417

Scott, Robert C. ‘‘Bobby’’,= 3d VA ...... 58351 1201

Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr., 5th WI ..... 55101 24= 49

Serrano, Jose´ E., 16th NY ................ 5= 4361 2227

Sessions, Pete, 32d TX ...................... 52231= 1514

Sestak, Joe, 7th PA ........................... 520= 11 1022

Shadegg, John B., 3d AZ .................. 53361 30= 6

Shays, Christopher, 4th CT .............. 55541 112= 6

Shea-Porter, Carol, 1st NH .............. 55456 150= 8

Sherman, Brad, 27th CA .................. 55911 224= 2

Shimkus, John, 19th IL ................... 55271 24= 52

Shuler, Heath, 11th NC ................... 56401 51= 2

Shuster, Bill, 9th PA ........................ 5243= 1 204

Simpson, Michael K., 2d ID ............. 55531 1339=

Sires, Albio, 13th NJ ........................ 5791= 9 1024

Skelton, Ike, 4th MO ........................ 52876= 2206

Slaughter, Louise McIntosh, 28th NY ..... 53615 246= 9

Smith, Adam, 9th WA ...................... 58901 24= 02

Smith, Adrian, 3d NE ...................... 56435 5= 03

Smith, Christopher H., 4th NJ ........ 53765 2373

Smith, Lamar S., 21st TX ................ 54236 240= 9

Snyder, Vic, 2d AR ............................ 525= 06 1330

Solis, Hilda L., 32d CA ..................... 55464= 1414

Souder, Mark E., 3d IN .................... 54436 2= 231

Space, Zachary T., 18th OH ............. 56265 315<= /p>

Spratt, John M., Jr., 5th SC ............ 55501 140= 1

Stark, Fortney Pete, 13th CA .......... 55065 239

Stearns, Cliff, 6th FL ....................... 5574= 4 2370

Stupak, Bart, 1st MI ........................ 54735= 2352

Sullivan, John, 1st OK ..................... 52211 = 114

Sutton, Betty, 13th OH .................... 53401 1= 721

Tancredo, Thomas G., 6th CO ......... 57882 1131

Tanner, John S., 8th TN .................. 54714 12= 26

Tauscher, Ellen O., 10th CA ............ 51880 2459=

Taylor, Gene, 4th MS ....................... 55772 = 2269

Terry, Lee, 2d NE .............................. 54= 155 1524

Thompson, Bennie G., 2d MS .......... 55876 2432

Thompson, Mike, 1st CA .................. 53311 231=

Thornberry, Mac, 13th TX ................ 53706 245= 7

Tiahrt, Todd, 4th KS ........................ 56216= 2441

Tiberi, Patrick J., 12th OH .............. 55355 11= 3

Tierney, John F., 6th MA ................. 58020 22= 38

Towns, Edolphus, 10th NY .............. 55936 2232<= /p>

Turner, Michael R., 3d OH .............. 56465 1740=

Udall, Mark, 2d CO .......................... 52161= 100

Udall, Tom, 3d NM ........................... 56190= 1410

Upton, Fred, 6th MI ......................... 53761= 2183

Van Hollen, Chris, 8th MD .............. 55341 1707=

Vela´zquez, Nydia M., 12th NY ........ 52361 = 2466

Visclosky, Peter J., 1st IN ................ 52461 = 2256

Walberg, Timothy, 7th MI ................ 56276 325=

Walden, Greg, 2d OR ........................ 56730 = 1210

Walsh, James T., 25th NY ............... 53701 2372=

Walz, Timothy J., 1st MN ................ 52472 152= 9

Wamp, Zach, 3d TN .......................... 53271 = 1436

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, 20th FL .... 57931 118

Waters, Maxine, 35th CA ................. 52201 234= 4

Watson, Diane E., 33d CA ............... 57084 125<= /p>

Watt, Melvin L., 12th NC ................ 51510 223= 6

Waxman, Henry A., 30th CA ........... 53976 2204

Weiner, Anthony D., 9th NY ........... 56616 1122

Welch, Peter, At Large, VT .............. 54115 140= 4

Weldon, Dave, 15th FL ..................... 53671 2= 347

Weller, Jerry, 11th IL ....................... 5363= 5 108

Westmoreland, Lynn A., 3d GA ........ 55901 1213

Wexler, Robert, 19th FL ................... 53001 2= 241

Whitfield, Ed, 1st KY ....................... 53115= 2411

Wicker, Roger F., 1st MS .................. 54306 2= 350

Wilson, Charles A., 6th OH ............. 55705 226<= /p>

Wilson, Heather, 1st NM .................. 56316 44= 2

Wilson, Joe, 2d SC ............................ 524= 52 212

Wolf, Frank R., 10th VA .................. 55136 24= 1

Woolsey, Lynn C., 6th CA ................ 55161 226= 3

Wu, David, 1st OR ............................ 5085= 5 2338

Wynn, Albert Russell, 4th MD ........ 58699 2470

Yarmuth, John A., 3d KY ................ 55401 319<= /p>

Young, C. W. Bill, 10th FL .............. 55961 240= 7

Young, Don, At Large, AK ............... 55765 2111=

For complete contact info go to www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html and fill in your home address to find your legislator’s political profile, committee membership, distinct office address along with= maps on how to get there, email/web site, local and DC Fax numbers, personal bio, and names of their key office staff members. [Various: Jan 07 ++]

VETERAN LEGISLATION STATUS 30 SEP 07: For a listing of Congression= al bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in the 110th Congress refer to the Bulletin attachment. By clicking on the bill number ind= icated you can access the actual legislative language of the bill and see if your representative has signed on as a cosponsor. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to mo= ve through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication on that likeliho= od is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. A cosponsor is a me= mber of Congress who has joined one or more other members in his/her chamber (i.= e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment. The member who introduces = the bill is considered the sponsor. Members subsequently signing on are called cosponsors. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.g= ov you can also review a copy of each bill, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To determine= what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110/sponlst.html. The key to increasing cosponsorshi= p on veteran related bills is letting our representatives know of veteran’s feelings on issues. At the en= d of some listed bills is a web link that can be used to do that. Otherwise, you= can locate on http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making. [S= ource: RAO Bulletin Attachment 30 Sep 07 ++]

Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)

Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy W= arden & IRS VITA Baguio City RP

PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517

Tel: (760) 839-9003 when in U.S. & Cell: 0915-361-3503 when in Philippines.

Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html

AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/= DD890/AD37 member

BULLETIN SUBSCRIPTION NOTES:

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