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Closing VA loophole
Washington, DC,
August 16, 2010
One longtime perk for serving in the military has been qualifying for a Veteran's Affairs loan to buy or repair a home. It even extends to surviving spouses.
A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., would extend the benefit. She correct
Greensboro News & Record (editorial) Closing VA loophole One longtime perk for serving in the military has been qualifying for a Veteran's Affairs loan to buy or repair a home. It even extends to surviving spouses. However, a quirk in the rules limits spousal benefits to cases where the death can be directly connected to a service-related disability. This unfairly excludes too many applicants. A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., would extend the benefit. She correctly points out that a disability can be a contributing factor to a death and should be taken into account even if it's not ruled to be the direct cause of death. Although it may be too late for this session, Foxx says she plans to reintroduce the bill, backed by major veterans organizations, at the next one. Neither today's recruits nor their families may be thinking about buying a house; that will come later. Yet making service in the military more inviting is an integral part of maintaining the nation's all-volunteer force. |