-Caveat Lector- http://www.vaiw.org/vet/modules.php? op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=59 With our military poised to attack Iraq,the Republican Party is poised to devastate the budget of American veterans. By Kate McLaughlin
Today the House of Representatives will vote on a resolution that if passed will devastate the Veterans Administration's budget and severely reduce its medical, disability, and benefit programs. On the verge of war in Iraq, the Republican Paty has placed in its cross-hairs American veterans from earlier wars. The Republican majority of the House Budget Committee is reducing President Bush's proposed budget by about $844 million in health care and an additional $463 million in benefit programs including disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education survivor's benefits, and pension programs from next year's budget. In addition to these cuts, the GOP is planning to cut $15 billion from the veteran programs over the next 10 years. The soldiers and sailors that are currently in harms way in the the Middle East, are about to have their future veterans' benefits and health care slashed. If, that is, the Republicans get their way. According to the Veterans Administration, 28 million veterans are currently using VA benefits and another 70 million Americans are potentially eligible for such programs, a quarter of the county's population. With the economy in a downward spiral and unemployment rising quickly, an increased number of veterans will be turning to the Veterans Administration for assistance. Yet, the VA budget is about to shrink. "As the nation expresses support for our soldiers and sailors on the verge of war in the Middle East, even from us who are deeply opposed to this unnecessary war," says Stewart Nusbaumer of Veterans Against Iraq War" (www.vaiw.org), the Republicans are expressing contempt by cutting the veterans budget." Nearly a third of the Gulf War veterans have submitted claims to the Veterans Administration for disability, this is about 209,000 veterans. Gulf War II may have as many or more requesting VA assistance, but with a Veterans Administration that will be smaller and with less resources. “This could mean the loss of 19,000 nurses, equating to the loss of 6.6 million outpatient visits or more than three-quarters of a million hospital bed days,” says Edward Heath, National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. “But that is not all of the devastation that will be caused by the proposed cuts. Congress will be reaching into the pockets of our nation’s service-connected veterans, including combat disabled veterans, and robbing them and their survivors of a portion of their compensation. Ninety percent of VA’s mandatory spending is from cash payments to service-connected disabled veterans, low-income wartime veterans, and their survivors.” “Is there no shame?” Commander Heath asked. According to Congressman Lane Evens (D-IL), the ranking Democratic Member of the House Veteran's Affairs Committee, these cuts are picking up the slack for the controversial tax cuts, he stated. "These cuts must be made, so that our government can afford to provide a tax cut which will benefit only the wealthiest Americans, many of who never served in the military." “This is utterly humiliating to every veteran and every active duty service person. On the verge of war, the Republicans are stabbing veterans of earlier wars in the back.” Veterans and family members go to VAIW's Homepage (above & right is a button), then scroll down the homepage and read the Statement of Purpose, and if you agree fill in the appropriate box, there is one for veterans and one for family members. Note: Kate McLaughlin served in the US Air Force and the Force Reserve. She is currently a full time student and is studing nursing. Posted Wednesday, March 19, 2003 Forwarded for your information. 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