Posted: | December 22, 2022 03:11 PM |
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From: | Representative Jim Gregory and Rep. Nick Pisciottano |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Veterans' Pension Program Increase |
In the near future, Rep. Pisciotano and I will be re-introducing former HB1220, legislation to increase the monthly pension amounts for the Blind Veterans Pension Program and the Amputee and Paralyzed Veterans Pension Program. Under current law, Pennsylvania veterans who suffered service-connected injuries or diseases that resulted in loss of vision, paralysis, or the loss of two or more extremities are eligible to receive a pension of $150 per month. Our bill would increase the pension amount from $150 per month to $250 per month for both programs. These two vital veterans’ pension programs have not received any increase since 1999. We believe a modest increase of $100 per month is deserving for our veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country. To accommodate rises in living costs we also propose that the amount of the pension should be increased biennially, on January 1st by the percentage change increase, if any to the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland area for the most recent 12-month period which has official reports by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that these departments shall transmit any notice of biennial increases to the legislative reference bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. During FY 2019-20, the Blind Veterans Pension Program benefited 102 individuals while the Amputee and Paralyzed Veterans Pension Program served 2008. Please join us in cosponsoring this important legislation to benefit our veterans. |
Introduced as HB542