A bill to provide expanded readjustment benefits for Vietnam-era veterans by promoting employment of such veterans through tax credits and job vouchers; by providing increased funding and improved programs for health and psychological care for such veterans, by improving education assistance under the GI Bill for such veterans, and for other purposes.
Vietnam Veterans Act - Title I: Employment - Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to create a tax credit program for employers hiring eligible Vietnam-era veterans. Defines eligible Vietnam-era veteran for purposes of this Act to include a food stamp requirement.
Provides that Vietnam veterans eligible for specified veterans' educational benefits may use up to 12 months of such benefits for employment assistance payments to non-Federal Government employers hiring such veterans. Establishes eligibility requirements and guidelines for participating veterans and employers.
Title II: Health and Psychological Care - Authorizes the Veterans' Administration to provide outpatient mental health services to Vietnam veterans with emotional or psychological civilian readjustment problems.
Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to establish a program of treatment for Vietnam-era veterans or members of their immediate families with alcohol or drug abuse problems.
Provides that any individual eligible for treatment in either of such readjustment or alcohol drug program may elect to have such treatment at any community health center providing such services under the Community Mental Health Centers Act. Directs the Administrator to reimburse such centers for such treatment.
Authorizes any employee of the General Accounting Office assigned to duty in a Veterans' Administration health facility to act as ombudsman for the patients of such facility.
Title III: GI Bill Education Assistance - Extends the ten year delimiting period for veterans' educational assistance eligibility to January 1, 1984, for veterans discharged before December 31, 1970.
Revises the educational supplemental assistance allowance from a flat rate to one in which an eligible veteran pays the first $400 and the Veterans' Administration pays 50 percent of the next $1,200 in tuition and related fees for each school year.
Removes the requirement of State matching funds for veterans' accelerated payment of educational assistance allowances.
Title IV: Administrative Costs for State Home Loan Programs - Authorizes the Administrator to provide grants to States for start-up costs of veterans' home loan programs.
Title V: Commission to Study Veterans' Benefits - Establishes the Commission on Veterans' Benefits to make a comprehensive study of United States laws providing benefits to veterans and their dependents, with particular attention to the needs of Vietnam veterans.
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.
Introduced in Senate
Referred to Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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