HOUSE PASSES SECOND VETERANS BENEFITS BILL

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee reported out its second benefits bill of the year on 7/19/01, "The "Bill" would expand the definition of illnesses for Persian Gulf War veterans and grant a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to the compensation of disabled veterans and their survivors.

In introducing the Veterans Benefits Act of 2001 (H.R. 2540), Chairman Chris Smith stressed the importance of the COLA and described the bill as a companion to the Veterans Opportunities Act of 2001 (H.R. 801), which has already been signed into law.

The VA estimates the COLA will be 2.5 percent. H.R. 2540 would authorize the VA Secretary to provide disability compensation to Persian Gulf veterans whose claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, or other "hard-to-diagnose" illnesses have previously been denied.

The "Bill" would also authorize the VA Secretary to continue disability payments to a Persian Gulf War veteran who participates in VA-sponsored medical research and who is subsequently diagnosed with a specific disease. Other provisions of the "Bill" would:

• Add Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) to the list of service-connected benefits presumed for Vietnam Veterans;
• Authorize the VA Secretary to pay unclaimed National Service Life Insurance Proceeds and U.S. Government Life Insurance proceeds to an alternate beneficiary when the first beneficiary cannot be located within three years of the insured's death;
• Extend to 2005 the VA's direct loan language program for Native American veterans living on tribal trust lands;
• Modify the requirement for loan assumption language in home loan documents;
• Require the VA Secretary to establish a two-year pilot expansion of the available hours of the VA's 1-800 toll-free information service, and to assess the demand for the service.

SKIN CANCER PROTECTION UPDATE

Had your last sun bath for the year? Good! But, don't drop your guard. Summer is the highest-risk season for sun-damaged skin but you should keep up your guard year round. Fact is, your face and hide are at risk anytime when the sun's up. While you bask in compliments about your great tan the usual health carps about tans are valid: You injured the largest organ of your body. You've sped the day you will be a leathery prune. You upped your chances of contracting skin cancer.

You tan when your body begins to find ultraviolet-B radiation intolerable. The most potent UVB source is sunlight for most people. Your body's defense is to create UVB-absorbing melanin skin coloring. You get darker as the exposure continues. The defense is not perfect; that's why people burn. Repeated tanning and burning damage skin cells and wear out the skin's natural immunity and repair systems over time. As UVB compromises the skin's ability to protect and fix itself, damaged cells and tissues can wreak havoc. If you're unlucky, moles, rashes and other lesions erupt. If the only luck you have is bad, you're looking at lethal malignant melanomaskin cancer. Then there's ultraviolet-A radiation. UVA plays no role in tanning and burning, but it penetrates the skin deeper than UVB rays and also damages the skin's immunity and repair systems. The skin dries, loses flexibility and wrinkles in time; the risk of cancer increases.

On any given day of the year, the sun's most intense UVB radiation arrives at midday. While people usually know to take precautions at high noon, they may not realize the sun's ultraviolet energy is almost all a constant, imperceptible, day-long, year-round stream of deep- penetrating UVA radiation. Keep that in mind when you've been out long enough to catch a tan. People of color may have a protective head start against UVB, but they too can darken and burn. It may just take longer. Further, skin color offers no protection against UVA. Fortunately, protection is easy. Stay indoors. Stay out of the sun. When those aren't options, your best defenses are the same as in summer: sunscreens and clothes. Sunscreen racks may be gone from stores. Sunscreen chemicals, however, are increasingly easier to find year-round in commercial cosmetics, skin creams and lotions, and lip balms. Sunscreen protection is expressed as a "sun protection factor." The SPF multiplies the time you can be exposed to UVB safely. If your normal limit in the sun is 10 minutes, a UVB sunscreen rated at SPF 15 would help protect you for 2.5 hours. There's no standard way to express UVA protection, such as an SPF, so it's possible your sunscreen and cosmetics offer none. Read the ingredient list. Common screens such as padimate and homosalate only stop UVB. If your product contains an effective UVA sunscreen such as benzophenone and avobenzone, the maker probably trumpets that fact.

Three year-round sunscreen rules: Use it liberally. Use it often. Apply it to exposed skin at least 20 minutes before going outside. According to some medical researchers, sunscreens fail because people skimp. Follow the product instructions. While "apply generously" doesn't say how much is enough, it's a hint that the stingy little dab on your fingertip that you've been using is not enough to protect your whole face. If you wash your hands? Reapply sunscreen. Wash your face? Reapply. Sweat? Reapply. Wipe your brow? Reapply. SPF protection time's up? Reapply. Sunscreens don't work until they set, generally in 20 to 30 minutes. If your normal sun limit is 10 minutes but you apply your SPF 3000 screen only after you're on that lift up the sunny ski slope, you may be overdosed on UVB before you reach the top. All clothing can provide some protection against UVB rays and also some against UVA if layered or heavy. Yardsticks: One layer of T-shirt fabric provides minimal protection against UVB and none against UVA. Tightly woven fabrics protect better than loose weaves against both UVB and UVA. Dry protects better than wet. The Centers for Disease Control estimate blue denim jeans have an SPF of 1700! The jury's still out on whether fabric color makes any protective difference. It's smart to wear a hat and sunglasses in the sun outdoors, regardless of the season. Sunglasses should say they filter both UVA and UVB. If they don't say or they filter only UVB, consider them good only for fashion statements. Don't use tanning booths and beds. UVB radiation isn't safe whether it's from Mr. Sun or bulbs. Better to look pasty from October to June.

[Source: American Forces Press Service 10 SEP 2001]

TREASURY TO COLLECT VETERANS DEBTS FROM IRS REBATE CHECK

Your tax cut may be only a wish. The Treasury Department will send letters to about 380,000 veterans to remind them that they owe the federal government and that money can be withheld from their Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rebate checks this summer. The rebates are a result of President Bush's tax-cut bill and will be mailed during a 10-week period starting July 23.

Federal law says that when veterans, their dependents or survivors owe more than $25 to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the debts are more than 180 days overdue, VA officials must report the debts to Treasury for possible offset from most government payments.

From January 1 through June 22, VA referred more than 314,000 health care debts and more than 71,000 benefit debts (education, home loans, etc.) to the Treasury. The combined amount owed is approximately $184 million.

The Treasury Department will notify veterans in writing about anticipated deductions. The letters will include the name of the VA agency that is owed money and a point of contact who will answer questions about their debt.

VA has already mailed letters to each beneficiary notifying him or her of an outstanding debt and the possible referral of the debt to the Treasury Department for collection. The VA letter also provided a toll-free number for making payment arrangements to avoid further action. Those who did not pay their debts were referred to the Treasury Department.

For additional information, see the Treasury Department's web site at http://fms.treas.gov/news/factsheets/taxpayments.html.

COOP APARTMENT HUNTERS LISTEN UP

Senator Charles E. Schumer's letter of July 30th, 2001 addresses a problem faced by veterans who want to use VA loans to purchase coop apartments:

I am writing to update you on a potential solution to an injustice that veterans face when trying to find the best and most affordable place to live. The issue is of particular importance to New York not only because of the housing options available, but also because of the number of veterans who reside in our state.

As you know, under current law, veterans may use their guaranteed VA loans to purchase a house, townhouse, condominium, or mobile home, yet are inexplicably prohibited these same loans to purchase co-operative residential units. This is a problem because, in many communities, the cost of houses and condominiums are very high and co-operative residential units provide an important, affordable alternative. In New York City alone, co-operatives comprise as much as 30 percent of all individually-owned residential housing.

In order to correct this problem, I have introduced S. 1203, the Veterans Housing Fairness Act of 2001. If enacted, this bill would end the disparity by simply allowing veterans the option of using their guaranteed VA loans to purchase co-operative residential units. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY- 14) has introduced the companion bill into the House of Representatives, H.R. 1808.

These bills will go a long way towards helping the men and women who have served our country in their efforts to purchase a home. I believe we should do everything we can to assist veterans; not throw senseless roadblocks in their way.

Please feel free to send me your comments on this issue and be assured, that I will continue to update you as the bill makes its way through Congress. As alway please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance on this or any other issue. /s/ Sincerely, Charles E. Schumer, United States Senator

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