Posted: | December 2, 2014 12:19 PM |
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From: | Representative Neal P. Goodman |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Extend application deadline for Persian Gulf Veterans' Bonus |
I will soon be re-introducing legislation from last session (former HB 2550) to extend the application deadline for the Persian Gulf Veterans' Bonus Program. As you may know, the deadline for submitting applications expires August 31, 2015 under the provisions of Act 29 of 2006, the Persian Gulf Conflict Veterans’ Benefit Act. Approximately $500,000 remains in the fund, and applications are still being submitted on a regular basis. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs receives about 60 new applications per month. Paperwork delays from the federal government have also slowed the application process for some veterans. To date since the enactment of Act 29, the Department has processed 10,764 claims totaling $3,584,063 in compensation to Persian Gulf veterans. The maximum bonus is $525 per eligible veteran. Given the ongoing receipt of applications, I do not want to risk denying these benefits to eligible veterans when we can simply extend the previous deadline prescribed in Act 29. My legislation would extend the application filing deadline to August 31, 2018. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation on behalf of our Persian Gulf veterans. Previous co-sponsors: BISHOP, BIZZARRO, BROWNLEE, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, D. COSTA, P. DALEY, DeLUCA, DiGIROLAMO, ELLIS, GIBBONS, GODSHALL, HARHAI, KAUFFMAN, KINSEY, MAHONEY, McCARTER, McGEEHAN, McNEILL, MILLARD, MIRANDA, MURT, MUSTIO, PAYNE, READSHAW, SABATINA, SACCONE, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, TALLMAN, THOMAS, and YOUNGBLOOD. |
Introduced as HB175