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EJMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION —THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 AMERICAN LEGION NEWS BRIEFS FOR WEEK ENDING 10-4-74 Nearly three-quarters of a million of the nation's veterans are threatened with a reduction or loss in pension benefits the first of next year because Congressional leaders have failed to schedule action on legislation which would protect against such losses. A A A The American Legion has told the Senate Subcommittee on Compensation and Pensions, Committee on Veterans Affairs, that the adequacy of the Veterans Administration death and disability pension program for war veterans or their dependent survivors and the relationship of these benefits to other Federal income maintenance programs, as well as to the advancing cost-of-living, continues to be of major concern of the Legion. A A A Former Indiana Congressman Richard Roudebush has been confirmed by the Senate to be the new administrator of the Veterans Administration. The new VA chief had been acting director since Donald Johnson resigned. A * A Members of The American Legion are urged to make their views known to their Congressmen regarding legislation to elevate the position of Director, Veterans Employment Service to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Affairs. A A A An eight-foot bronze statue of the late Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of the American Forces in World War II, is now in the last stages of casting in Italy and will be ready for shipment to the Audie Murphy Veterans Administration Hospital in San Antonio, Tex., on May 15. A A A INDIANAPOLIS — (ALNS)— American Legion National Adjutant William F. Hauck has sent the following message to President Gerald R. Ford regarding Mrs. Ford s illness: "I have just been in communication with James M. Wagonseller, National Commander of The American Legion, traveling in the Philippines. He has asked me to convey his deep personal concern for Mrs. Ford's illness. The prayers and sincere hope for complete recovery are extended from The American Legion to you and your family. -alns- "BE COUNTED AGAIN FOR AMERICA" 021H 0MERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 10-4-74 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—Nearly three-quarters of a million of the nation's veterans are threatened with a reduction or loss in pension benefits the first of next year because the majority leaders in Congress have failed to schedule action on legislation which would protect against such losses. Various forms of proposals and legislation to raise the limit of income a veteran can earn before suffering a loss in benefits have been pending before both the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees for more than two years. Action on serious pension reform and restructuring was promised in the fall of 1972 by the respective Committee chairmen but was brushed aside in the rush to adjourn at the close of the 92nd Congress. As a result, more than a million veterans and their survivors saw their pensions terminated or reduced because of the 20 percent social security increase which went into effect in 1972. These same veterans and survivors face yet another loss in benefits January 1, 1975, as a result of this year's social security increases unless Congress takes immediate action. Congressman Olin league's House Subcommittee on Compensation and Pension has held hearings on some 200 pending bills calling for improvements in the veterans and dependents pension program and is now working on a clean bill for consideration of the full Committee. Since the Congress will recess about Oct. 15 for the elections, it is doubtful that the Subcommittee will have time in this session to complete its work and recommend a bill to restructure the existing pension program. For this reason, the league Subcommittee is anxious to move a bill this year that will protect most, if not all, of the pension recipients, and hold off on broader recommendations until the 94th Congress. The Talmadge Subcommittee on Compensation and Pensions on the Senate side has also concluded that only the usual stop-gap legislation can be enacted this year to provide cost-of-living increases in monthly benefits and a raise in the income limits, with perhaps some other minor improvements. The Legion has asked that any legislation enacted provide for cost-of-living improvements in the DIC program to dependent parents whose benefits are also pegged to income limitations and who are similarly affected by inflation. -alns- INDIANAPOLIS—CALNS)—General Chairman Dale L. Smith of the 1975 Golden Anniversary American Legion Baseball World Series at Rapid City, S .D. , reports that all box seats have been sold for next year's event. Information regarding reserved seats purchases should be addressed to Advance Ticket Chairman Tom Larson, P.O. Box 609, Rapid City, S.D. 57701. -alns- 0213 ESMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 10-4-74 WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—The American Legion has told the Senate Subcommittee on Compensation and Pensions, Committee on Veterans Affairs, that the adequacy of the Veterans Administration death and disability pension program for war veterans or their dependent survivors and the relationship of these benefits to other Federal income maintenance programs, as well as to the advancing cost-of-living, continues to be of major concern to the Legion. Edward H. Golembieski, Director, National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission of The American Legion said that, "...the death and disability pension program is an income maintenance program. It is a means of supplementing the income of eligible war veterans and of their surviving spouses and children. Entitlement to pension payments is determined by a needs test, that is, the amount of countable income and corpus of estate." He added, "Traditionally, eligibility criteria for VA death and disability pension have been and are more liberal than the means test for welfare." Golembieski told the Subcommittee that, "The American Legion...is convinced that veterans and their dependent survivors should have the full measure of any social security old age, survivors, or total disability benefit increase based on cost-of-living increases without suffering reductions in death or disability pension payments." He noted that he was talking of the so-called "Notching Effect"—a term used in welfare studies, where a very small increase in countable income or earnings, causes a large drop in pension benefits. Golembieski cited an example where, "...a veteran alone exceeds the annual income ceiling of $2,600 by one cent, he loses not only the small monthly pension payable at or below $2,600, but also the increased amount of pension payable based on the need of aid or attendance of another person, or by reason of being housebound for which he may have been eligible at the time." He pointed out that unless there is a restructuring of the monthly rates payable to those whose annual income falls within the present income limitations, "...about 800,000 pensioners will receive reduced payments effective the beginning of 1975." Golembieski told the Subcommittee that The American Legion's Resolution No. 65, approved at the 1974 National Convention, follows the income security philosophy of the Supplemental Security Income plan for the aged, blind and disabled, and "...if our pension proposal is enacted, pensioners would not be subject to the 'notching effect'." He added that the maximum pension benefit or ceiling would be responsive to the Consumer Price Index, and that the proposal "...would provide war veterans and their survivors with an effective income support system." -alns- INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—The National American Legion Press Association (NALPA) , for the second consecutive year, has set an all-time high in membership. With a membership of 1 010 at the opening of its annual meeting during the 1974 National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla., NALPA had gone over the 1,000-member mark for the first time in its history. -alns- QMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE 0214 NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis. Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 0 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 10-4-74 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—Former Indiana Congressman Richard Roudebush has been confirmed by the Senate to be the new administrator of the Veterans Administration. The new VA chief had been acting director since Donald Johnson resigned. As head of the VA, Roudebush will direct the largest independent agency in the federal establishment. A native of Noblesville, Ind., and known to his many friends as "Roudy," he was graduated from Butler University in 1941 and served overseas in the Army during World War II. His Veterans Affairs activities include six years as chairman of the Indiana Veterans Commission, and seven years as Veterans of Foreign Wars service officer assigned to the Indianapolis VA Regional Office. He was elected Commander of the Indiana V.F.W. in 1953, and in 1957 was chosen National Commander-in-Chief of the V.F.W. During his 10 years as an Indiana Republican Congressman, the new VA chief sponsored many benefit bills for veterans, their dependents and survivors.

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