REPORT OF BVA 60TH NATIONAL CONVENTION BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

Resolutions 1-05 through 3-05
Resolutions 4-05 through 6-05
Resolutions 7-05 through 10-05
Resolutions 11-05 through 13-05
Resolutions 14-05 through 17-05
Resolutions 18-05 through 21-05
Resolutions 22-05 through 23-05
Resolutions 24-05 through 27-05
Resolutions 28-05 through 29-05
Resolutions 30-05 through 32-05
Resolutions 33-05 through 35-05
Resolutions 36-05 through 38-05
Resolutions 39-05 through 41-05
Resolutions 42-05 through 43-05
Resolutions 44-05 through 45-05

RRESOLUTION 7-05

WHEREAS, members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America are on duty 24 hours a day and may be subject to multiple hazards, hostile environments and unknown health conditions as a matter of course during their tours of duty in the Department of Defense, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that these veterans shall not be innocent victims of indiscriminate budget-cutting efforts by attempting to change the method for service-connected compensation for injury or disease to performance of duty; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, that the current line of duty approach shall remain as the standard applied to veterans' claims.

 RESOLUTION 8-05

WHEREAS, nonpayment of both retirement pay and veteran's disability is an injustice to the veteran, AND

WHEREAS, retirement pay is for the time served in any military branch, AND

WHEREAS, veterans' disability compensation is for a disability or injury while on active duty, NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, the Blinded Veterans Association in Convention Assembled in Miami Beach, Florida on this 20^th day of August, 2005, strongly seek appropriate legislative change to permit veterans simultaneous receipt of disability compensation and military retirement pay without reduction of the retirement pay.

RESOLUTION 9-05

WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration has been forced to operate with decremental budgets for years, AND 

WHEREAS, the administration proposed in its 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 fiscal year budget for VA, that Veterans Health Administration appropriations for health care be substituted for by allowing VA to retain collections from third party payers through their Medical Care Cost Recovery program, AND 

WHEREAS, this action sends a clear message to the VA and veterans that VA must rely more heavily on revenue sources other than appropriations for funding veterans health care, AND 

WHEREAS, the VA has proposed a demonstration project that would allow VA to be reimbursed for medical care provided to certain veterans who have dual eligibility for VA and Medicare, AND 

WHEREAS, the design of the demonstration project is a win/win for both veterans and the Medicare Trust Fund; veterans would have increased choices for receiving health care and the Medicare Trust Fund would save money because the VA has agreed to provide care at a discounted rate to Medicare recipients, AND 

WHEREAS, the Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to a similar opportunity for the Department of Defense to be reimbursed by Medicare, NOW THEREFORE BE IT 

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Miami Beach, Florida on this 20th day of August, 2005, strongly urges the VA and Committees on Veterans Affairs in both the Senate and the House, aggressively pursue separate legislation, providing VA with the authority to establish a demonstration project for Medicare Subvention. 

RESOLUTION 10-05

WHEREAS, blinded veterans referred to one of the ten VA Regional Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRC) for comprehensive residential blind rehab services must travel long distances to receive these rehabilitative services, AND

WHEREAS, certain blinded veterans because of their income level are not eligible for Beneficiary Travel Benefits, AND 

WHEREAS, these same blinded veterans are required to pay the Social Security co-payment and daily per diem rates to receive VA residential blind rehabilitation, AND

WHEREAS, these veterans are required to pay their own travel to receive essential rehabilitative services, AND

WHEREAS, the expense of air transportation can be very high and serve as a strong disincentive for the veteran to take advantage of the VA BRC training, AND 

WHEREAS, the Network hosting the BRC is reimbursed at the high or complex rate for these blinded veterans, THEREFORE BE IT 

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Miami Beach, Florida on this 20th day of August, 2005, urges the U.S. Congress to amend Title 38 USC section on Beneficiary Travel requiring VA to pay travel for all veterans accepted for care in one of the VA Special-Disabilities Programs.

Resolutions 11-05 through 13-05 >