Modern Era of Veterans Benefits
The modern era of veterans benefits began in 1988 with the passage of two landmark pieces of legislation. First, the Department of Veterans Affairs Act renamed the Veterans Administration and, more importantly, elevated the agency to cabinet-level department. Second, the Veterans Judicial Review Act opened up VA claims decisions to appeal and judicial review, removing the 50-year ban on veterans appeals. The 2000 Veterans Claims Assistance Act set VA’s Duty to Assist veterans who apply for disability and other benefits, and the 2017 Appeals and Modernization Act reshaped the claims appeals system to combat inefficiency.
October 25, 1988
November 18, 1988
February 6, 1991
November 9, 2000
December 22, 2006
May 19, 2017
Use the links on this page to access original documents from online public records.
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