Following Calls from Senator Hassan and Colleagues, Veterans Receiving VA Benefits Will Automatically Receive COVID-19 Direct Cash Assistance
Hassan and Colleagues’ Advocacy Will Lead to Over 18 Million More Americans Receiving Their Assistance Automatically – Including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and VA Beneficiaries
WASHINGTON – Following bipartisan calls from Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and colleagues including Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the U.S. Treasury Department announced today that veterans, their caregivers, and family survivors who receive Department of Veterans Affairs pension payments, disability compensation, or survivors’ benefits will automatically receive direct cash assistance included in the CARES Act without having to file tax returns.
“Today’s announcement will ensure that our country’s heroes and their families – many of whom are among the most at-risk during the COVID-19 pandemic – do not miss out on the COVID-19 stimulus payments that they were promised,” said Senator Hassan. “I am very glad that the Treasury Department acted on our bipartisan call to remove unnecessary hurdles and ensure that veterans get this much-needed financial assistance automatically.”
“I’m glad the administration heeded our bipartisan call in Congress to fix this problem and ensure every veteran receives their direct payment from the IRS as swiftly as possible,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our veterans face enough challenges as it is, which have been exacerbated by this public health crisis, so I’m pleased the Treasury Department is addressing this issue. New Hampshire veterans deserve the very best and I’ll keep fighting to ensure the administration implements the CARES Act properly so that they have the care and assistance they need to weather this crisis and live safe, healthy lives.”
The Treasury Department's announcement today is the latest in a series of decisions it has made following Senator Hassan’s advocacy with her colleagues to allow more groups of people to receive their COVID-19 payments automatically. Senators Hassan and John Hoeven (R-ND) led a bipartisan group, including Senator Shaheen, urging the Treasury Department to issue payments automatically to veterans, their caregivers, and family survivors. Senators Hassan and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also led a group of their colleagues, including Senator Shaheen, in calling on the Treasury to make automatic payments to veterans and those on Supplemental Security Income, which the Treasury announced it would do earlier this week. Previously, also in response to calls from Senators Hassan, Brown, Shaheen, and colleagues, the Treasury Department announced that Social Security retirement and disability recipients will automatically receive their direct cash assistance.
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