The Committee on Pensions was a standing committee of the United States Senate from 1816 to 1946, when the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 abolished it, moving its functions to the Committee on Finance. [1]
Although the Committee was involved in the passage of some broad pension bills, under which individuals could apply to executive agencies for relief, it also handled thousands of private requests from specific individuals petitioning for special consideration. During the lifetime of the Committee, pensions were entirely considered in the context of veterans of war. [1]
Shortly after the founding of the United States, federal pension bills were passed on behalf of Revolutionary War veterans but were implemented by the States, as the federal government had no means to pay for them. Pensions initially consisted of half-pay for 7 years for disabled military veterans, and were extended to include widows and orphans of veterans a few years later. In 1789, the federal government started paying for some pensions as well. [2]
In 1818, the federal government under President James Madison passed a large pension bill for veterans of the Revolutionary War at his urging. The bill didn't require applicants to provide evidence of poverty or disability to be granted benefits, unlike previous programs. However, as a result, the program cost more money than expected due to fraud, and was amended in 1820 into a means-tested benefit. [3]
Confederate soldiers were not granted pensions by the federal government; their pensions had to be granted and funded by Southern states. [4]
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Source [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50]
Source [51]
The 51st United States Congress, referred to by some critics as the Billion Dollar Congress, was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1889, to March 4, 1891, during the first two years of Benjamin Harrison's presidency.
Walter Folger Brown was an American politician and lawyer who is served as the Postmaster General of the United States from March 5, 1929, to March 4, 1933, under Herbert Hoover's administration.
The 50th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887, to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth years of Grover Cleveland's first presidency. The president vetoed 212 pieces of legislation, the greatest number in a single session of Congress.
The 52nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1891, to March 4, 1893, during the final two years of Benjamin Harrison's presidency.
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district is a United States congressional district located in the western and central part of Massachusetts. The state's largest congressional district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock; the district includes the cities of Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee and Westfield.
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The Congressional Pictorial Directory is a picture directory of leaders and members of the United States Congress and other key officials including the President. It is published at least once every Congressional Term and is in the public domain. It was previously published as the Pocket Congressional Directory.
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