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Sen. Moore honors veterans with work in Senate
Senate passes legislation to ensure Welcome Home bonuses, increase burial benefits November 6, 2007... With approximately 476,000 veterans throughout the Commonwealth and 2,100 Massachusetts men and women currently on active duty, many citizens of Massachusetts, and indeed the nation, will be gathering this weekend to both celebrate and commemorate the sacrifices of American soldiers. Recently, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, and his colleagues in the Senate voted on two bills that will directly benefit Massachusetts veterans. The first bill adds a check box on state income tax forms to help better identify veterans who are eligible for the Commonwealth’s Welcome Home bonus. The second bill increases the existing burial benefits for indigent veterans. “I am honored to have worked with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that these due benefits make it to those who selflessly served to protect our way of life,” said Moore. “While this is merely a token of what we owe these young men and women, I hope it is at the very least representative of our deep appreciation for their service. It is imperative that we realize the sacrifices that the soldiers and their families have made, and that we meet their needs upon their return home.” In 2005, the Legislature passed the Welcome Home Bill. The statute provides for a one-time, tax-free bonus for veterans who are Massachusetts residents and were on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. For active service in Iraq or Afghanistan, veterans are eligible to receive $1,000. For veterans who served elsewhere either at home or abroad, a $500 bonus is available. With only one half of eligible veterans collecting their Welcome Home bonus, the legislation unanimously passed on Nov. 5th will take steps to help identify veterans eligible to receive the bonuses. The second bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Moore, increases the caps from $2,000 to $5,000 for services and increases the cost of funerals from $3,000 to $6,000 for indigent veterans. The legislation also adds Veterans Day, in addition to Memorial Day, as a day when flags shall be placed on veterans’ graves. In addition to the legislation which has passed the Senate, Sen. Moore has also sponsored or co-sponsored several veterans’ related bills. For more information on these and his other work in the Senate, please visit www.senatormoore.com/veterans. |
