Veterans Affairs Committee on March 11th, 2009

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Does this amount cover all of the student's university tuition fees, including housing costs?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

For a spouse or a child who is going to school full time, for what we consider to be full time, they currently receive $915 per month. They can apply that to either their tuition and fees or their housing, whatever they feel they need.

Depending upon what school they go to, that may or may not cover all of their expenses. If it's a state institution or a community college, it definitely would cover their tuition and fees. It may not cover their total housing costs, but it is a substantial benefit.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you, Madam Skeens.

Mr. Stoffer, one question only, please.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Do I detect a Kentucky accent there?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

No, it's Virginia.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Here's my question for you. In Canada we have a policy that says if a veteran's spouse passes away and he or she remarries after the age of 60, lives another 10 years, let's say, and then passes away, their pension is not transferable to the second spouse after 60. Do you have the same restrictions in the United States?

Basically we call it the “marriage after 60 act”. If a veteran lives for 56 years with a particular spouse and then dies, under normal circumstances, 50% of that pension is transferred to the spouse. But if he or she dies in their fifties, and then the veteran remarries after the age of 60 and lives for another 10 years, that pension dies with them. It's not transferrable to the second spouse. Do you have the same restrictions in the United States?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

If I'm understanding your program correctly, our program works a little bit differently. We can only pay one spouse of a veteran at a time.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

But if the first spouse dies and the veteran remarries after the age of 60 and lives for 10 years, and then dies, would the second spouse be entitled to the individual's pension?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

Now I understand better.

Actually, yes. In our program, they can get that benefit. It doesn't matter how old a veteran is or how many times he has married. If he is eligible to receive additional benefits for a spouse and he divorces that spouse or that spouse dies and he remarries sometime later, we will then establish that spouse as a dependant on his benefits program. At the time of his death, the spouse he is currently married to would be the one who would be eligible for any death benefits that might be available.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you, Madam Skeens.

And because I'm getting some concern about this, and I have great respect for the concern, that's not gender-specific, is it? If it were a woman who was the service person, it would be the male who would receive the pension, or vice versa. Is that correct?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

Yes. I apologize. I should have said he or she.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

That's quite all right. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to clarify that.

Now, Mr. Kerr, one question, please—although Mr. Stoffer did ask two questions.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

I was going to point out that Mr. Stoffer struck out on the first question.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

It's a great accent she's got.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

I'm going to try to meld one and a half together, if I could.

On page 2, you talked about the discretionary part of your budget being about 1%. That's available to you.

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

Yes.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

I'd like you to explain how that's utilized or what you do with the discretionary funds.

The other part of that same first question is, what are the biggest pressures that you can't cover, either in your regular budget or on your discretionary side?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

Our discretionary funds are primarily used for administration of new initiatives and programs: information technology programs, any enhancements to how we process claims, employee training, and those sorts of issues. So the 1% is generally adequate to cover what our needs are.

The remaining part of our budget, the other 99% of DVA's budget, is mandatory to pay all the benefits that we administer. Our benefits are mandated by Congress, so they are always covered. We never have a shortfall on those.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you.

Thank you to the committee members. You're being quite disciplined.

Madam Foote, one question please.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Leigh Ann.

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

Thank you.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

I have just one question.

On your comprehensive home care program, I'm wondering if it covers the spouse and dependent children and things like medications for the entire family, that is, the spouse and the dependent children?

[Leigh Ann Skeens]

When you mention comprehensive home care, which program are you referring to?