Vital Info

[SuperScout]

Honoring Our Commitment to America's Veterans: The President?s Record on Helping Veterans

1) Honoring Our Commitment to America's Veterans
President Bush is committed to our Nation's veterans, and has proposed unprecedented levels of funding for veterans. His Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 budget represents an increase in overall funding for our Nation's veterans by almost $20 billion ? or 40 percent ? since 2001. President Bush has increased funding for our veterans more in four years than funding was increased in the previous eight years. The FY 2005 budget includes a 41 percent funding increase in veterans' medical care spending alone since FY 2001.

President Bush also supports tomorrow's veterans and their families. In 2003, President Bush requested $87 billion in supplemental funding from Congress to help ensure that the American military fighting the War on Terror has the resources, including body armor and other vital equipment, to accomplish their mission. Since 2001, President Bush's budgets have provided an increase in basic pay for men and women in uniform by almost 21 percent, improved military housing for families living on base, and reduced to zero the average housing expenses for military families living off base.

Honoring Today's Veterans
President Bush is committed to honoring America's veterans who have sacrificed so much for our Nation. Under President Bush's leadership, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has dramatically improved health care services and the disability claims process. President Bush also kept his promise to reduce the claims backlog and waiting times to receive medical treatment, thereby ending the bureaucracy, delays, and unfair denials that were occurring when he took office. President Bush's VA medical care budget requests enable the VA to meet its core medical mission - to serve those highest priority veterans, including low-income veterans, those with service-related disabilities, and those who need VA's specialized services. President Bush also honors the families of veterans and military retirees who have made tremendous sacrifices for our country.

Improving Access to Health Care for Veterans
Increased Health Care Service to Veterans: Since 2001, President Bush's budget requests have allowed the VA to enroll 2.5 million more veterans in health care services, increase outpatient visits from 44 million to 54 million, and increase the number of prescriptions filled from 98 million in 2001 to 116 million as of August 2004. Under President Bush's leadership, 194 new community-based clinics have been opened since 2001 and are now available for veterans.

Additional Prescription Drug Coverage: Last year, President Bush took the unprecedented step of allowing veterans waiting for a medical appointment who already had a prescription from their private physician, to get those prescriptions filled by the VA - saving veterans hundreds of dollars in drug costs.
CARES (Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services): President Bush is seeking to modernize VA facilities and provide more care to more veterans in more places, where veterans need it the most. He has committed $1.5 billion in the FY 2004 and FY 2005 budgets, and additional funding will be requested in the future to increase outpatient health care services for veterans, build new hospitals, and replace outdated, pre-World War II facilities. The VA is working to better distribute its network of clinics and hospitals, so the vast majority of veterans are within 30 miles of a VA community-based outpatient clinic or similar facility.
Expands Access to Long-Term Care in the Most Non-Intrusive Settings: President Bush's FY 2005 budget request continues to expand long-term care for veterans through VA facilities, private and state facilities, and non-institutional care programs that allow veterans to live and be cared for near or in the comfort and familiar settings of their homes surrounded by their families.
More Responsive to Veterans

Eliminating the Wait List for Medical Care: This year, the list of veterans waiting more than six months for basic medical care, which peaked at 300,000, will be essentially eliminated.
Cutting the Disability Claims Backlog: President Bush promised to reduce the disability claims backlog, and at his request, Congress has provided VA with the resources it needs to reduce claims. Claims backlogs have dropped from a high of 432,000 and are approaching the VA goal of 250,000. The volume of claims decisions per month has increased from 40,000 to 68,000. The average length of time to process a veteran's compensation claim has dropped from approximately 230 days to 160 days. VA is working to meet its processing goal of 100 days this year.

Priority Scheduling for VA's Core Medical Mission: Treating veterans with military disabilities, lower incomes, and special needs has always been VA's core medical care mission and its highest priority. President Bush's Administration has established a new scheduling system to ensure that veterans seeking care for a service-connected condition are first in line. No veteran disabled in the service of our country will ever be turned away.

Concurrent Receipt of Benefits: President Bush twice signed legislation providing "concurrent receipt" of both military retired pay and VA disability compensation for those military retirees most deserving - combat-injured and highly-disabled veterans - finally reversing a century-old law preventing concurrent receipt.
Help for Homeless Veterans: The Bush Administration has launched a $35 million program to provide permanent housing, health care, and other support services to our homeless veterans most in need.
Serving America's Newest Veterans and Caring for Families of Veterans

Benefits Delivery Available upon Discharge from Military Service: Under President Bush's Administration, the VA and the Department of Defense have developed a proactive partnership to better share valuable resources benefiting veterans, military beneficiaries, and taxpayers. VA staff is reaching out to 136 military bases to provide America's newest veterans with the services they have earned and to bring about a seamless transition for new veterans from military to civilian status. To date, more than 15,000 veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq have been provided VA care.

Caring for Families: The VA makes pensions based on need available to surviving spouses and unmarried children of deceased veterans with wartime experience. President Bush signed the Veterans Benefits Act authorizing new and expanded benefits for disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and children.
Fulfilling Our Nation's Promise: Under President Bush's leadership, VA is honoring veterans with a hallowed, final resting place. The President signed H.R. 1516, the National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003 into law, establishing, within four years, six new national cemeteries in the following areas: southeastern Pennsylvania; Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Bakersfield, California; Greenville/Columbia, South Carolina; and, Sarasota, Florida.


2) President Bush?s Record on Supporting Veterans

Annenberg Public Policy Center: Kerry?s Claims About Veterans Health Cuts Are Not True. The University of Pennsylvania?s Annenberg Center stated in a FactCheck, "[F]unding for veterans is going up twice as fast under Bush as it did under Clinton. And the number of veterans getting health benefits is going up 25% under Bush?s budgets. That?s hardly a cut. ? FactCheck.org twice contacted the Kerry campaign asking how he justified his claim that the VA budget is being cut, but we?ve received no response." (FactCheck.org Website, www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docid=144 <http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docid=144>, Accessed 2/18/04)

Increased VA Funding. The President?s FY 2005 budget proposes to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to $68 billion from the 2001 level of $48 billion. The President?s budget requests $29.5 billion for VA?s medical care for next year, more that 40 percent above the 2001 level. The past four straight VA budget increases have provided more than a 40 percent increase in VA health care alone since 2001-- enabling a million more patients to receive treatment.

Increased Health Care Service to Veterans. In the past four years, President Bush?s budgets have allowed the VA to enroll 2.5 million more veterans for health care services, increase outpatient visits from 44 million to 54 million, increase the number of prescriptions filled from 86 million to 108 million and open 194 new community-based clinics available for veterans. The number of veterans registered for health benefits increased 18 percent under President Bush and will increase by almost 26 percent by October 2004. ("Funding For Veterans Up 27%, But Democrats Call It A Cut," FactCheck.org Website, www.factcheck.org, Accessed 2/18/04)

Concurrent Receipt Of Benefits. President Bush has twice signed legislation effectively providing "concurrent receipt" of both military retired pay and VA disability compensation for combat-injured and highly-disabled veterans, reversing a century old law preventing concurrent receipt.

Cutting The Disability Claims Backlog. President Bush promised to reduce the disability claims backlog, and at his request, Congress has provided VA with the resources it needs to reduce claims. Claims backlogs have dropped from a high of 432,000 and are approaching the goal of 250,000 while the volume of claims decisions per month has increased from 40,000 to 68,000. The average length of time to process a veteran?s compensation claim has dropped from approximately 230 days to 160 days and the VA expects to meet its goal of 100 days this year.

Help For Homeless Veterans. As a result of the President?s 2003 budget, community grants were expanded to all 50 States and Washington, D.C. for the first time in history, ensuring that homeless veterans have access to housing, health care and shelter.

Additional Prescription Drug Coverage. Last year, President Bush took the unprecedented step of allowing veterans waiting for a medical appointment who already have a prescription from their private physician, to have those prescriptions filled by the VA. This is saving veterans hundreds of dollars in drug costs.

VA Expansion. The President is seeking to improve outpatient veteran?s health care services through the CARES improvements, which will result in the construction of two new medical centers in Orlando, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada; over 100 major construction projects to revitalize and modernize VA medical centers in 37 states; creation of 156 new community-based outpatient clinics; potential creation of four new - and expansion of five existing - spinal cord injury centers; and opening up two new blind rehabilitation centers.

John Kerry's Record: Kerry Voted AGAINST Last Year?s Supplemental Defense Funding, Which Included Extra $1.3 Billion For Veteran Health Care. Kerry voted AGAINST the fiscal 2004 supplemental package of $86.5 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate version included an additional $1.3 billion for veterans? medical care.

Kerry SKIPPED Vote That Funded VA With $28.6 Billion For Fiscal 2004, Including $1 Billion To Expedite Processing Of VA Benefits Claims. Kerry SKIPPED the vote on Fiscal 2004 Omnibus Appropriations, which included $28.6 billion for the VA. The amount was an increase of $2.9 billion over the previous year, and included $1 billion to ?expedite claims processing at the Veterans Benefits Administration.? (U.S. House Committee On Appropriations, ?House Passes FY04 Consolidated Appropriations,? Press Release, http//appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm

Kerry Voted AGAINST McCain Amendment To Require Equal Access To Health Care For All Veterans. Kerry was one of only 18 Senators to vote against the measure. (H.R. 3666, CQ Vote #268: Adopted 79-18: R 50-0; D 29-18, 9/4/96, Kerry Voted Nay)

Kerry Voted AGAINST Last Year?s Supplemental Defense Funding, Which Included $1.3 Billion For Veteran Health Care. (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03, Kerry Voted Nay)

In 2001, Kerry Voted AGAINST Amendment That Would Have Increased Funding For Veterans? Medical Care By $650 Million. (H.R. 2620, CQ Vote #263: Motion Rejected 25-75: R 8-41; D 16-34; I 1-0, 8/1/01, Kerry Voted Nay)

In 1999, Kerry Voted To Kill Amendment That Would Have Reallocated $210 Million For Veterans? Medical Benefits And $10 Million For Construction Of Veterans? Extended Care Facilities. (H.R. 2684, CQ Vote #286: Motion Agreed To 61-38: R 16-37; D 45-0; I 0-1, 9/22/99, Kerry Voted Yea)

Kerry Skipped Vote That Funded VA With $28.6 Billion For Fiscal 2004. (H.R. 2673, CQ Vote #3: Adopted 65-28: R 44-4; D 21-23; I 0-1, 1/22/04, Kerry Did Not Vote; U.S. House Committee On Appropriations, ?House Passes FY04 Consolidated Appropriations,? Press Release, http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?

Kerry Missed Two Votes In 2003 That Extended Military Health Coverage To National Guard, Reservists And Their Families If Called To Active Duty. (H.R.1588, CQ Vote #447: Adopted 95-3: R 51-0; D 44-2; I 0-1, 11/12/03, Kerry Did Not Vote; S.1050, CQ Vote #185: Adopted 85-10: R 39-10; D 45-0; I 1-0, 5/20/03, Kerry Did Not Vote)

[Realizing this is a long article, I simply wanted to set the record straight about what President Bush has done for veterans, vs. what Kerry did or is likely to do, God forbid, he ever occupies the White House.]

[reconeil]

The truths listed are certainly GOOD NEWS for about 25 Million or so Veterans, and their MANY MORE Millions of family members.

Regardless, even YOU (no disrespect intended whatsoever) must see the irony of it all? It being that such truths aren't daily printed or aired in The Mainstream Press/Media ALSO,...EVERYTIME that bogusly-purposeful perversions of actual realities from: "The Political Dark Side" and/or The DNC's Public Deceiving variations are daily printed and aired as if: "Gospel" and/or the definitive and never to be questioned: "Word of God". I personally believe that such journalism(???) is about as blaspemous as-it-gets.

Still, and in fairness to The Mainstream Press/Media, I like most everyone understands (or at least should understand) why what were once called: "The Guardians of The Public" despicably, preferrentially and quite biasedly,...daily do what they do nowadays.

If quite differently being totally honest about Bush FOR A CHANGE,..."They" would have to become quite differrently totally honest about: "Recapture The White House Kerry" and his gang of wild-eyed and/or fanatically political operatives (both overt and covert) FOR A CHANGE.

And, "The Darlings of The Press" and/or Dems/Socialists/Leftists,...most certainly can't have that.
Truths to and expose's such ilk are quite counterproductive and/or like garlic or crosses to blood sucking and bood surviving vampires.

Regardless Brice, and even though such GOOD NEWS is never in our local papers or TVs, where would be better read and viewed BY ALL...I've no doubt whatsoever that most everyone here on patriotfiles.com appreciates your honest informing. It's truly too bad that American Journalism in general doesn't have your high level and caliber of integrity. Maybe I would return to reading newspapers once again,...other than for just getting lottery numbers.

Hey,...who knows? Maybe The Press/Media will change next year, or next, or next, or next, etc., etc., etc.? Well, at least if we can survive Dems and their supportive Press from undermining and sending America further down-the-tubes,...that far out in time, anyway?

Neil

[SuperScout]

Tis true indeed that the mainstream media would willfully ignore any good news coming out of this administration. But the other side of that coin is that the 'mainstream' guys just don't get it anymore, and are about to be floated downstream by a more discerning viewing public.

While I normally eschew the cutNpaste methodology in favor of a more personal approach, the above article was just so important that I felt behooved to post it verbatim. It will also get a very wide dissemination via my email address book, and those folks in turn will probably see it and send it on to even more people. In this age of the Internet, although they don't know it, the newspapers are becoming dinosaurs, stumbling around, looking for a tar pit to fall into.

[Jerry D]

SuperScout: some good info there

I just recently heard about the New Jan 1st law stating that any veteran with 10% or more Combat related/Hazardous duty injury are eligible for Concurrent receipt for Both Retirement Pay and VA Disability payments. My personal take on the subject I was just recently after a WEEK approved for 20% Concurrent Receipt so now Uncle Sam is only docking me 20% of my Military Retirement for payment of VA Disability. I consider that a good start also!

Neil: It would be Outstanding if the Press/Media would start unbiased reporting on the News ! Thanks for your valued input

[Seascamp]

I don?t see media bias as nearly as big an issue as media miss representation. News should be objective and opinion editorials can be anything the media outfit wishes. However, what we have now is news and opinion editorials are all mish-mashed together and cobbled together with a rip-roaring case of deception by omission. I?d call it severe mission drift and a virulent case of opportunistic propagandizing. Case in point, there is no such thing as a significant business organization, military unit, law enforcement organization, medical association or facility, legal association, professional association, Labor Union, political organization or person, on and on, that will be open with the media. Nope, those days are long gone and never to return. What we get now is well prepared press releases coupled with ?no further comment? and the media imposing the issues they wish to drive or have us believe and calling it ?news?.

I agree that traditional media forms are rapidly becoming incredibly obsolete and objective journalism is exceptionally rare to non-existent. Objectivity looks to be considered a stone ax methodology that has given way to social engineering causes and slight of hand subtrafudge that are billed as, ?good for us?. Too bad, but that?s the way things go at the tar pits and perhaps one day museum comedy artifacts will include a tar encrusted copy of a CBS Evening ?News? script.

Scamp

[Gimpy]

you go again SuperStoryTeller!

Regurgitating more nonsense and propaganda from the RNC web site that attempts to cover up the TRUTH of what this poster-boy for disaster has done (and NOT done) to the veterans community these past four years.

Yeah, BFD........his "percentage" increase has been more than the previous 8 years....37% to 31.9%.........the "PROBLEM is that the "demand" has outgrown the "support" he has been proposing!

Why can't you and your repub cronies get the truth straight, huh?

Here, let me help you out!

#####



Bush: Too Busy Attacking To Get The Facts Right
For Immediate Release

Washington, DC - During his speech to the VFW recently, George W. Bush continued his pattern of misleading rhetoric, glossing over his failed record on veterans and failing to articulate a plan for winning the peace in Iraq.


?George Bush needs to learn a certain four letter word: FACT . It is a fact that he has overextended the military to its thinnest levels in years and forced thousands of soldiers to involuntarily extend their deployments. It is a fact that he threatened to veto the $87 billion supplemental and sent troops into battle without body armor. It is a fact that he has broken his promise to America?s veterans and made it harder for them to access quality health care. George Bush is too busy attacking to get his facts straight and he is out of credibility,? former Senator Max Cleland said.


Bush Has Not Kept His Promise To Vets

Closing Vet Hospitals: In May 2004, the Administration decided to push for the closure of hospitals in Brecksville, OH; Gulfport, MS; and, Highland Drive, PA. Eight VA hospitals will be partially closed. The Administration is planning partial closures in Knoxville, IA; Canandaigua, NY; Livermore, CA; Montrose, NY; Kerrville, TX; Saginaw, MI; Ft. Wayne, IN; and Butler, PA. [USA Today, 5/7/04; Associated Press, 8/4/03, 10/28/03, 12/16/03 ]


Imposing New Fees On Vets: Bush?s 2005 budget will institute a new annual $250 enrollment fee and an increase in prescription drug co-pays from $7 to $15 for middle-income veterans. In December 2001, Bush more than tripled the prescription co-payments for nonservice-connected veterans from $2 to $7. [CQ, 2/2/04; Statement of Administrative Policy, 11/12/03; The Times Leader, 10/9/03]


Leaving Vets Without Health Care: While Bush said in his speech: ?I want to thank Ed Banes for his service in being an effective commander of the VFW ,? in fact Ed Banes said this about Bush?s budget earlier in the year:

?The President ignored veterans in the State of the Union Address and with today's release of his 2005 budget. It is further evident that veterans are no longer a priority with this administration.?

?This funding package is a disgrace and a sham?

?What the administration is proposing for veterans is a shell game. Veterans are being asked to pay for their own health care to make up for shortages in the budget.?


?This budget indefensibly will not meet the increasing health care needs of our veterans, nor will it lessen the many months they wait for disability benefits.? [Usnewswire.com, 2/2/04]


Bush's 2005 budget falls more than $2.6 billion short of the amount needed to fully fund quality veterans' health care, according to The Independent Budget, an annual collective assessment by four veterans service organizations of the funding levels and policy changes needed at VA. [AMVETS Release, 2/3/04; VFW Release, 2/2/04]

Opposing Helping Disabled Vets. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommended that Bush veto the defense appropriations bill if it contained a fix to the concurrent receipt problem that penalizes veterans who also receive disability assistance. The concurrent receipt ban stops a veteran who receives disability compensation from also receiving military retirement pay, effectively punishing our disabled vets. Rumsfeld wrote that if the bill, ?authorizes concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and veterans? disability compensation benefits, or expands TRICARE, then I would join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the bill.? [Rumsfeld Letter to Rep. Duncan Hunter, 7/8/03]


Bush Claimed Support For Concurrent Receipt: "For more than a century, federal law prohibited disabled veterans from receiving both their military retired pay and their VA disability compensation. Combat injured and severely disabled veterans deserve better. I was proud to be the first president in over 100 years to sign concurrent receipt legislation." -George W. Bush, VFW National Convention .....??????????

It Is Bush Who Opposed The $87 Billion, Over Vet Funding
Bush Threatened To Veto $87 Billion Supplemental Over Additional Funding For Reservists And Veterans. As part of the $87 billion emergency supplemental appropriations for security and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, the Senate passed an amendment that provided an additional $1.3 billion for improved medical benefits for reservists and veterans. OMB Director Josh Bolten wrote to the Congressional Appropriations' Committees, stating, "The Administration strongly opposes these provisions, including Senate provisions that would allocate an additional $1.3 billion for VA medical care and the provision that would expand benefits under the TRICARE Program. ..If this provision is not removed, the President's senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill." [Foxnews.com, 10/21/03, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,100777,00.html; BVA legislative bulletin, http://www.bva.org/aut03bulletin/l_update.html; CQ, 10/20/03]
###############

And here's some MORE for ya!

STATEMENT OF JOSEPH A. VIOLANTE
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON VA FY 2005 BUDGET


We are extremely concerned about the inadequate resources requested for VBA (Veterans Benefit Administration) in the President?s budget. At a time when the United States has just fought a major war and our troops are involved in hostilities around the world, at a time when disabled and other veterans will likely be separating from military service in increased numbers, and at a time when demand for veterans? benefits will increase, the President?s budget proposes major reductions in resources for the delivery of benefits and services to veterans.

For VBA, the President?s budget requests 829 fewer full-time employees (FTE) for FY 2005 than authorized at the end of the last fiscal year, FY 2003. The request is 540 FTE below the FY 2004 level. Every benefit line except Insurance Service would lose employees under the President?s budget. We do not see how VBA can achieve enough productivity improvements to offset such a substantial loss of resources. The President?s budget would also substantially scale back investments in ongoing programs to modernize VBA?s essential information technology improvements. These two proposed reductions strike the core of the veterans? benefits delivery system.


Just as VA must have sufficient staffing to match its compensation and pension claims workload, it must continue to have efficient procedures and technology for processing claims and related information. To aid in accuracy and uniformity in claims adjudication, and to achieve the greater efficiencies of modern information technology, VA began its Compensation and Pension Evaluation Redesign (CAPER) initiative during 2001. To determine and implement its optimum performance in record development, disability examinations, and claims decisions, VA is undertaking a review of its claims process with the goal of developing and deploying an integrated electronic format to aid in uniform and correct application of procedures and substantive rules and to allow for the electronic transmission of data from its source into the claims database.

VA now hopes to have this system fully in place by September 2006. To achieve that goal, VA needs $3.5 million in FY 2005 to continue development of this system, and the IB recommends that Congress provide this essential funding to VA. The President?s budget requests only $2.7 million for this initiative.


VA?s project, known as ?Virtual VA,? has been deployed at VA?s Pension Maintenance Centers and is undergoing evaluation and assessment based on experience at these three sites. With eventual full implementation, all VBA regional offices will have document imaging capabilities, and VA medical centers will have electronic access to veterans? claims folders for review in connection with disability examinations ordered by claims adjudicators. Accordingly, the IB recommends that Congress provide VA the $8 million it needs in FY 2005 to continue document preparation and scanning at the Pension Maintenance Centers and to continue development of the system for application nationwide. The President?s budget requests only $1.6 million for Virtual VA.


As with C&P Service, VBA?s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service (VR&E) faces major challenges in meeting its responsibilities to disabled veterans under circumstances of heavy workloads and limited resources. The impact of the worldwide war on terrorism, hazardous duty in other locations around the world, and major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, will undoubtedly be felt by VR&E when these veterans begin pouring into the system with the need for rehabilitation training and employment suitable to their service-connected disabilities. To sustain current levels of performance with its projected workload, VR&E needs to retain the staffing strength that it had at the end of FY 2003 . In addition, the VA Secretary?s VR&E Task Team has made a number of recommendations to improve vocational rehabilitation and employment services for veterans. It is projected that approximately 200 additional FTE will be needed to implement these substantial reforms in the programs, organization, and work processes of the VR&E program. At the end of FY 2003, VR&E direct program staffing was 931 FTE. The IB therefore recommends that Congress authorize 1,131 direct program FTE for VR&E in FY 2005, an increase of 200 above the FY 2003 level. The President?s budget requests only 876 FTE for FY 2005, and seeks 21 fewer FTE for management direction and support and information technology than VR&E had in FY 2003.


Turning now to the issue of medical care for veterans , I want to join with our IB witness who is covering veterans? medical care in this hearing in stressing the importance of putting a mechanism in place to alleviate the need for an annual ordeal to get adequate funding for veterans? medical care. In the past three years, the President?s budget request has fallen well below the minimum needed to maintain medical services for sick and disabled veterans seeking those services from the medical care system established to serve them. Despite support from this Subcommittee, we must fight an uphill battle year after year to get more realistic appropriations, and that annual battle is getting ever more difficult in this era of limited discretionary dollars.


To get funding to continue operation of their medical programs, veterans should not have to compete with all the many other interests who seek part of the limited allocation of discretionary money. Veterans and VA should not have to face the yearly uncertainty of whether there will be sufficient funding provided to continue essential medical care services for disabled veterans.


Veterans should not have to wait months to be treated for their illnesses. VA should not have to continue operating the largest medical care system in this country on the shoestring of annual appropriations and without any means to plan strategically for long-term efficiencies. Unfortunately, it is the political will of Congress and the competing interests, rather than actual resource needs, that determine how much funding veterans? medical care receives each year under the discretionary appropriations process.


With consistent experience that funding veterans? medical care under that process puts veterans? medical care at risk, the remedy is to guarantee adequate and stable funding through a permanent authorization that uses a reliable formula to project resource needs. We have received strong bipartisan support from the members of the Veterans? Affairs Committee for mandatory funding.


Finally, let me add that the President?s budget proposal to impose substantial reductions in total discretionary funding below current levels adjusted for inflation in FY 2006 through FY 2009 by rigid discretionary caps, and the consideration that proposal is receiving in the budget process of the House, reinforces the need to protect funding for veterans? medical care.

If these draconian caps are adopted by Congress, this Subcommittee will have little latitude to ensure veterans? medical care is adequately funded. The likelihood that the costs of defense, the global war on terrorism, and homeland security will eat deeper into total discretionary spending than is projected in the President?s budget makes this matter all the more urgent and critical. Frankly, veterans are not a priority in the President?s budget, and adequate funding for their medical care is seriously in doubt for future years.

##########

And THOSE.................are the FACTS ............JACK!

[reconeil]

You just-gotsta-love-it? Whenever you say anything even slightly questioning or desparaging about Gimpy's gods and/or religiously-political masters,...it produces about the same effects as if pulling a junkyard dog's chain, or holding up a necklace of garlic or cross to a vampire.

Still, it would be nice for a change if Gimpy's denials and blusteringly unwarranted indignations weren't so over-used, repetitive and so-damn-obvious and/or DNC expected. I've heared so many of such Democrat Fools deny, deny, deny, scoff, scoff, scoff, ridicule, ridicule and ridicule diversionary tactics already daily on TV. Enough is enough already.

Besides Gimpy, people here on patriotfiles.com aren't shrewd, conniving and quite deceptive politicians or gullible believers of such Dem Hogwash journalists (well that I know of anyway). So, you must be aware that only a few (if any?) can be taken-in by any Leftist and/or America UNDERMINING bullshit, of which God only knows why hacks insist on dispensing here,...or anywhere for that matter?

Neil

[Gimpy]

Originally posted by reconeil

Still, it would be nice for a change if Gimpy's denials and blusteringly unwarranted indignations weren't so over-used, repetitive and so-damn-obvious and/or DNC expected. I've heared so many of such Democrat Fools deny, deny, deny, scoff, scoff, scoff, ridicule, ridicule and ridicule diversionary tactics already daily on TV. Enough is enough already.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM???? I was unaware that Ed Banes, commander of the VFW would fall into your above category???

Besides Gimpy, people here on patriotfiles.com aren't shrewd, conniving and quite deceptive politicians or gullible believers of such Dem Hogwash journalists (well that I know of anyway). So, you must be aware that only a few (if any?) can be taken-in by any Leftist and/or America UNDERMINING bullshit, of which God only knows why hacks insist on dispensing here,...or anywhere for that matter?

I was also unaware that JOSEPH A. VIOLANTE,
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS would be so categorized either??????????
Neil

You folks MUST be suffering from some sort of "comprehension" malady or brain cell destructive disorder to be unable to SEE :re: who is making these charges and reporting these FACTS, ya suppose????

[MORTARDUDE]

Gimpy :

Yes, the demand is greater than the funding. But guess who was President 7 years ago when the VA embarked on the campaign to sign everybody up ? Did you forsee what would happen at the time ??

Larry

[Gimpy]

Larry I didn't forget who was president 7 years ago when the eligibilty criteria was changed to include all military veterans access to VA health care. Don't forget it was ALSO a Republican controlled Congress that pushed this issue to completion also, remember?

But, the VA GAO did a study THAT year and nearly EVERY single year SINCE then which showed in great detail (and CONTINUES to show) how this change in policy would affect the overall VA health care system. You think that the republicans in Congress and GEE-W have listened to the GAO?.............NOT! And, to be honest, Clinton didn't listen to them enough either! That STILL doesn't change the F-A-C-T that GEE-W told us ALL he was gonna "FIX" all that "stuff" in his campaign of 2000, remember???

Still, this has absolutely NOTHING at all to do with fully funding con-current receipt, or the amendment that provided an additional $1.3 billion for improved medical benefits for reservists and veterans, or the President?s budget request for 829 fewer full-time employees at the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) for FY 2005 which is 540 FTE below the FY 2004 level, or Bushs'other proposed reductions at the VBA (of more than $10 million in one year and MORE $millions from FY 2006 thru FY 2009 which will decimate the core of the veterans? benefits delivery system. He has failed miserably to keep his "promises" he made nearly four years ago!

Like the man said, "The impact of the worldwide war on terrorism, hazardous duty in other locations around the world, and major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, will undoubtedly be felt by VR&E when these veterans begin pouring into the system with the need for rehabilitation training and employment suitable to their service-connected disabilities." "Frankly, veterans are not a priority in the President?s budget, and adequate funding for their medical care is seriously in doubt for future years." "At a time when the United States has just fought a major war and our troops are involved in hostilities around the world, at a time when disabled and other veterans will likely be separating from military service in increased numbers, and at a time when demand for veterans? benefits will increase, the President?s budget proposes major reductions in resources for the delivery of benefits and services to veterans." ............END QUOTES'