SR0010

LRB094 04312 CSA 34339 r






1

SENATE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Illinois has recognized 
3
the inadequate funding that Illinois disabled veterans have 
4
been receiving compared to other states; the federal Veterans 
5
Affairs office located in Chicago, Illinois has been noted for 
6
having a problematic system with regard to granting 
7
compensation for Illinois disabled veterans; according to the 
8
2003 Veterans Affairs Annual Benefits Report, 6 percent of 
9
Illinois' 922,000 veterans received disability payments; the 
10
national average for veterans receiving disability payments is 
11
10 percent; and

 
12
    WHEREAS, Disability benefits vary greatly among the states 
13
and U.S. territories; for example, veterans living in Puerto 
14
Rico (ranked number one) received an average of  $11,607 per 
15
year in benefits, while veterans living in Illinois (ranked 
16
50th) received an average of  $6,802 per year; and

 
17
    WHEREAS, For the last several years, Illinois veterans have 
18
received the lowest, or near lowest, disability payments 
19
compared to other states; delays in rulings and appeals have 
20
left many Illinois veterans waiting many years to receive 
21
responses to claims; some have even died before receiving 
22
responses to claims; it is imperative that such claims be 
23
considered and awarded in a much more expedient manner; 
24
Illinois veterans who are disabled as a result of their service 
25
to this country deserve compensation equal to that received by  
26
their peers in other states; and

 
27
    WHEREAS, Wounded soldiers, as a result of their military 
28
service in Iraq and Afghanistan, are surviving at an 
29
unprecedented rate thanks to better medical technology, 
30
improved equipment, and faster evacuations and surgery; 
31
soldiers injured in these operations will only add to the 
32
growing demand for services from the federal Veterans Affairs 
 


 






SR0010
- 2 -
LRB094 04312 CSA 34339 r




1
office in Chicago; therefore, be it

 
2
    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
3
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the federal 
4
Department of Veterans Affairs to address the inequities that 
5
have been so identified; and be it further

 
6
    RESOLVED, That we encourage the Illinois Congressional 
7
delegation to pursue legislation or administrative remedies to 
8
ensure that benefits granted  to Illinois disabled veterans are, 
9
at a minimum, comparable to the national average so that 
10
Illinois can begin to compensate its disabled veterans in a 
11
manner equivalent to other states.