U.S. Veterans Benefits Laws — Chronological History
1776—June 20 (Continental Congress)
First Veterans Committee Established
1776—August 26 (Continental Congress)
National Benefits System created for Disabled Veterans
1777—April 22 (Continental Congress)
Invalid Corps created for Disabled Veterans to work in Garrison
1778—September 25 (Continental Congress)
Disabled Veteran Benefits Extended Retroactively
1780—August 24 (Continental Congress)
Disability and Death Benefits Extended to Widows and Orphans
1780—October 21 (Continental Congress)
Officers Granted 1/2 Pay Pensions for Life
1862—July 14 (Ch. 166) (12 Stat. 566) **An Act to grant Pensions. (General Pension Law)
1865—March 3 (Ch. 84) (13 Stat. 499) An Act supplementary to the several Acts relating to Pensions.
1866—June 6 (Ch. 106) (14 Stat. 56) An Act supplementary to the several Acts relating to Pensions.
1868—July 27 (Ch. 264) (15 Stat. 235) An act related to Pensions.
1944—June 27 (58 Stat. 387) An Act To give honorably discharged veterans, their widows, and the wives of disabled veterans, who themselves are not qualified, preference in employment where Federal funds are disbursed.
1980—October 17 (Pub. L. 96-466) (94 Stat. 2171)
GI Bill Amendments Act of 1980.
1981—August 14 (Pub. L. 97-37) (95 Stat. 935)
Former Prisoners of War Benefits Act of 1981.
1981—November 3 (Pub. L. 97-72) (95 Stat. 1047)
Veterans Business Loan Act of 1981.
1983—August 15 (Pub. L. 98-77) (97 Stat. 443)
Emergency Vietnam Veterans’ Job Training Act of 1983.
1984—October 24 (Pub. L. 98-542) (98 Stat. 2725)
Agent Orange and Atomic Veterans Relief Act.
1987—June 1 (Pub. L. 100-48) (101 Stat. 331)
New GI Bill Continuation Act.
1988—October 25 (Pub. L. 100-527) (102 Stat. 2635)
**Department of Veterans Affairs Act.
1990—October 15 (Pub. L. 101-426) (104 Stat. 920)
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
1991—February 6 (Pub. L. 102-4) (105 Stat. 11)
**Agent Orange Act
1991—April 6 (Pub. L. 102-25) (105 Stat. 75)
Persian Gulf Conflict Higher Education Assistance Act
1992—November 4 (Pub. L. 102-585) (106 Stat. 4943)
Veterans Health Care Act of 1992
1998—November 11 (Pub. L. 105-368) (112 Stat. 3315)
Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998.
1999—November 30 (Pub. L. 106-117) (113 Stat. 1545)
Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act
2000—November 9 (Pub. L. 106-475) (114 Stat. 2096)
**Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000
2002—November 7 (Pub. L. 107-288) (116 Stat. 2033)
Jobs for Veterans Act
2005—December 20 (Pub. L. 109-437) (120 Stat. 3266)
Stolen Valor Act of 2005
2006—May 26 (Pub. L. 109-228) (120 Stat. 387)
Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act
2011—November 21 (Pub. L. 112-56; title II) (125 Stat. 711)
VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011
2013—June 3 (Pub. L. 113-12) (127 Stat. 448)
Stolen Valor Act of 2013
2018—June 6 (Pub. L. 115-182) (132 Stat. 1393)
VA MISSION Act of 2018
2019—June 25 (Pub. L. 116-23)
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019