The House passed H.R.3553,
the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act, on Tuesday.
The bill ensures that Indian veterans who receive federal disability and
survivor benefits are not denied support under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act.
"This is a simple question of right and wrong. Some of our finest young men and women are being disadvantaged by their service to our Nation, and we cannot let that stand,” Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) said in a press release. "I am honored to be fighting for Native American Veterans so that they are not punished for receiving the benefits they have earned.”
According to the National American Indian Housing Council, disability and
survivor benefits are not considered "income" by the Internal Revenue Service.
That conflicts with the existing language of NAHASDA, which treats the payments as income.
"Native American soldiers who have put themselves in
harm?s way protecting our nation should not be penalized for their
service to this great country," said NAIHC executive director Mellor C. Willie.
A version of the bill hasn't been introduced in the Senate.
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