Federal Daily - December 30, 2008

VA to Pay 11,000 Surviving Spouses

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) last week said it has identified about 11,000 surviving spouses of deceased vets who will receive a lump-sum payment before the end of the year to fix errors in their benefits. The funds were released on Dec. 29. “I am pleased that our task force working to correct this problem has been able to identify this first group this week,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake. “We understand the difference these funds can make for these surviving spouses, especially during the holiday season.” VA also documented another 73,000 who had been previously paid and said it was still tracking down other eligible survivors. The total value of the payments is about $24 million, VA said. The payments come under a 1996 law that made surviving spouses eligible to receive VA compensation or pension benefits for the month of a vet’s death. Those who may be affected are spouses who never applied for survivors’ benefits for vets who died after Dec. 31, 1996. Spouses who believe they may be eligible for a retroactive benefit can call 1-800-749-8387 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., CST, or go to www.vba.va.gov/survivorsbenefit.htm. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1632.

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Park Police Chief Named

National Park Service (NPS) Director Mary Bomar announced Dec, 24 that Salvatore R. Lauro has been selected as chief of the U.S. Park Police (USPP). Lauro, who currently serves as USPP acting deputy chief, will assume the post in January. “Sal has done an outstanding job since returning to the U.S. Park Police as acting deputy chief nine months ago,” said Bomar. “Selecting him for the position ensures not only stability in the short term, but also positions the Park Police for continued improvements in the future.” In his new role, Lauro will manage more than 600 officers who serve primarily in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. USPP is a unit of the National Park Service. Lauro began with USPP as a police officer in Washington, D.C., in 1978. To see more, go to: http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm
?type=PressReleases&id=838&urlarea=npsnews.

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