HR 2569 108th Congress House

Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003

Official title: To improve benefits for members of the Armed Forces and veterans and for their dependents and survivors.

Introduced: November 4, 2003 See on congress.gov

Armed Forces and National Security Access to health careAdministrative remediesAfghanistanAnnuities

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Armed forces abroadArmed forces reservesAuthorizationCoast guardCoinsuranceCollege costsCongressCongressional reporting requirementsCost of living adjustmentsCrime and Law EnforcementDepartment of Veterans AffairsDisabledDrugsEducationFamiliesFeesFinance and Financial SectorGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicityHealthHigher educationIncome taxInternational AffairsIraqLabor and EmploymentLawMedical economicsMiddle East and North AfricaMilitary dependentsMilitary dischargesMilitary interventionMilitary operationsMilitary payMilitary pensionsMilitary personnelPrescription pricingSouth AsiaSurvivors' benefitsTax ratesTaxationTerrorismVeterans' benefitsVeterans' disability compensationVeterans' educationVeterans' employmentVeterans' medical careVeterans' pensionsWar

Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 24, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Jul 24, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.

Jun 24, 2003

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jun 24, 2003

Introduced in House

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Latest action July 24, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003 - Allows the full payment of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation, without deduction from either (current law), without the enactment of qualifying offsetting legislation.

Repeals: (1) special compensation programs for certain severely disabled and combat-disabled military retirees; and (2) provisions requiring a dependency and indemnity compensation offset from surviving spouse annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan.

Increases the amount of basic educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve.

Directs the Secretary of Defense, for fiscal years after 2005, to provide a percentage increase in the higher learning cost index for determining basic educational assistance amounts.

Directs the Secretary to pay a bonus to members who, at any time during service under Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, satisfied eligibility requirements for the receipt of special pay for duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger. Directs the Secretary of Homeland to provide such bonus to qualifying Coast Guard members.

Authorizes additional appropriations for veterans' improved access to medical care.

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make interim payments under claims for veterans' benefits when the final decision regarding the payment of such benefits is delayed following remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims or the Board for Veterans' Appeals to the Secretary for expedited consideration.

Prohibits with respect to veterans: (1) increases in medication copayments; and (2) the imposition of health care enrollment fees.

Requires the: (1) Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Labor to provide appropriate information concerning veterans' benefits and employment opportunities; and (2) Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prepare an annual plan for the conduct of veterans' outreach activities.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to place the maximum individual income tax rate at 38.6 percent.

Bill text 1 version

Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 5

Armed Services Committee
House of Representatives
Benefits Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Veterans' Affairs Committee
Health Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Veterans' Affairs Committee
Veterans' Affairs Committee
House of Representatives
Ways and Means Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 25

Nadler, Jerrold

New York · Mar 2, 2004

Ballance, Frank

· Nov 4, 2003

McCollum, Betty

Minnesota · Nov 4, 2003

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

District of Columbia · Nov 4, 2003

Schakowsky, Janice D.

Illinois · Sep 5, 2003

Van Hollen, Chris

Maryland · Jul 24, 2003

Case, Ed

Hawaii · Jul 22, 2003

Connecticut · Jul 17, 2003

Bell, Chris

· Jul 16, 2003

DeLauro, Rosa L.

Connecticut · Jul 16, 2003

Bishop, Sanford D.

Georgia · Jul 10, 2003

Neal, Richard E.

Massachusetts · Jul 10, 2003

Massachusetts · Jul 7, 2003

New Jersey · Jun 25, 2003

Pelosi, Nancy

California · Jun 25, 2003

California · Jun 25, 2003

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2569: Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2569/

MLA

"H.R. 2569: Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2569/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 2569, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2569/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 2569: Salute to Veterans and the Armed Forces Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2569/)