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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 10, 2014 02:59 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Neal P. Goodman |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Iraq War Veterans’ Bonus Program |
| In the near future, I will re-introduce legislation from last session (former HB 1244) to provide a bonus to veterans who have received the Iraq Campaign Medal. This legislation is similar to my legislation that created the existing Persian Gulf Conflict Veterans’ Benefit Program (Act 29 of 2006). Now that the war in Iraq is officially declared over and there are no more approved phases for the Iraq Campaign Medal, I believe the time is right to provide Iraq war veterans a bonus, just like Pennsylvania has done for veterans of every other war since World War I. Under my bill, as has been done for previous wars, voters will be asked if they favor a bond issue to fund the bonuses. If voters approve, a one-time payment would be awarded to veterans who received the Iraq Campaign Medal for their service in Iraq between March 19, 2003, and December 31, 2011, who served under honorable conditions, and who were legal residents of Pennsylvania at the time of military service. Veterans would be eligible to receive a payment equal to $75 per month of active service up to a maximum of $600. An additional benefit of $5000 would be awarded if the service member was declared a prisoner of war at any time in theater during the period of qualifying service or if the service member died in active service in theater or as a result of service connected wounds, diseases or injuries sustained during such active service. Since only the war in Iraq is officially declared over at this point, this bonus would be limited to those who received the Iraq Campaign Medal. When the war in Afghanistan officially ends I intend to introduce separate legislation for a bonus program for those veterans, as well as those who received the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Previous co-sponsors: BARRAR, B. BOYLE, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, DEASY, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, FARINA, FLECK, FRANKEL, GIBBONS, GILLEN, GINGRICH, HAGGERTY, C. HARRIS, HESS, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MATZIE, McGEEHAN, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MURT, O'BRIEN, PARKER, READSHAW, ROZZI, SAINATO, TALLMAN, WATSON, and YOUNGBLOOD |
Introduced as HB496