House OKs cemetery, chiropractic bills

VFW Magazine, Sept, 2003 by Tim Dyhouse

The House approved two VA-related bills in July. One would add five new national VA cemeteries and the other would provide chiropractic care from VA.

H.R. 1516--the National Cemetery Expansion Act--directs VA to establish five cemeteries in southeastern Pennsylvania; Birmingham, Ala,; Jacksonville, Fla.; Bakersfield, Calif.; and Greenville/ Columbia, S.C. It requires the VA secretary to report to Congress where the cemeteries would be built in the specific areas within 120 days of enactment, as well as a schedule and cost for each.

H.R. 2357--the Veterans Health Care Improvement Act--would require VA to hire licensed chiropractors. Specifically, they must"hold the degree of doctor of chiropractic, or its equivalent, from a college of chiropractic approved by the secretary and be licensed to practice chiropractic in a state." The bill also extends VA health care to Filipino WWII veterans living in the United States.

At press time, both bills had been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.