Craig blocks vets’ bill

December 2, 2007  --  Got something to say?
Print This Post Print This Post

Sen. Larry Craig
Pension for Pinoys is ‘too generous’
WASHINGTON D.C. Sen. Larry Craig, the Idaho Republican who was recently involved in an airport scandal, is blocking Senate deliberation on the Filipino Veterans Equity bill because it is too generous.

This was revealed by Tom Philpott of the Stars and Stripes who said American veterans organizations are thrilled by the $43.1 billion appropriations bill that Congress is set to pass next month.

He said Craig, a ranking minority member of the Veterans Affairs committee, has put a hold on the bill because a provision was added after it cleared committee to reopen VA health care to new Priority 8 enrollees. These are veterans with no service-connected disabilities and adequate incomes by government standards.

Akaka and Filner support Priority 8 enrollments.

Dan Whiting, Craigs spokesman, said he opposes reopening VA health care to every veteran because it would take resources away from returning injured veterans.

Philpott said Craig also is blocking the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act (S. 1315) which would improve veterans life insurance, adaptable housing and other benefits. What he opposes in this bill is language to give service pensions to Filipino veterans of World War II. Craig argues the pensions are too generous and they would be paid with dollars earmarked to provide a special monthly pension for elderly and housebound U.S. veterans.

Whiting said Craig was talking with Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, (D-Hawaii) veterans affairs committee chairman, about a possible compromise. Akaka and Filner pushed the Filipino pension provision through committee. Both have large Filipino populations among their constituencies, Philpot added.

Whiting said Craig is talking with Akaka about a possible compromise.
Except for these stumbling blocks, the Senate is said to be ready to pass the bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs next month.

The funding level for veterans programs and facilities is almost 20 percent higher than demoralized Republican leaders left behind a year ago. The $6.9 billion increase will allow VA to hire 1,800 more claim processors, beef up medical staffs and modernize long-neglected hospitals and clinics.

I cant praise the Democratic leadership enough for what theyve done with addressing the budget that was handed to them the day they took office, said Steve Robertson, legislative director for the American Legion.

The 109th Congress adjourned last December without passing a VA appropriations bill. It left the department operating under a continuing resolution with VA spending frozen at its fiscal 06 level.

In taking control of the 110th Congress, Democrats immediately raised VA funding for fiscal 2007 by $3.5 billion. They then turned to veterans groups for guidance on setting the VA budget for 08, Philpott said.

As usual, four major organizations - Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and American Veterans (AMVETS) - prepared an independent budget to guide lawmakers. The American Legion followed up, also as usual, with its own budget wish list.

The Democrats used the budget guidance from vet groups to set their budget blueprint, making VA funding a clear priority.
But observers said it was not sure which benefits would finally be adopted by the Senate.

Philpott continued:
In separate phone interviews before Thanksgiving, Democratic Sens. Daniel Akaka (Hawaii) and Rep. Bob Filner (California), chairmen of the veterans affairs committees, cited the VA funding increases as the clear highlight of their first year holding their committee gavel.

The key thing is resources have been put in place to do the job, said Filner. He described a VA health system stretched to its limit by an aging veteran population and the special challenges of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

Both chairmen said they continue to emphasis to colleagues, and to Bush administration officials, that care of veterans must be seen as a cost of war.” Therefore VA budget increases must be part of any wartime supplemental budget bill passed to fund continued wartime operations.

Though Akaka and Filner helped to secure sharp increases this year in VA funding, they also chair the committees responsible for authorizing new programs and raising current benefits. Their success in that role has been established. Akaka confirmed that two major bills, which were cleared by his committee and are flush with initiatives to improve veterans health care and other benefits, might not be enacted until 2008.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, has put a hold on the bill, however, because of a provision was added after it cleared committee to reopen VA health care to new Priority 8 enrollees. These are veterans with no service-connected disabilities and adequate incomes by government standards.

Akaka and Filner support Priority 8 enrollments. Dan Whiting, Craigs spokesman, said he opposes reopening VA health care to every veteran because it would take resources away from returning injured veterans.

Craig also is blocking the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act (S. 1315) which would improve veterans life insurance, adaptable housing and other benefits. What he opposes in this bill is language to give service pensions to Filipino veterans of World War II. Craig argues the pensions are too generous and they would be paid with dollars earmarked to provide a special monthly pension for elderly and housebound U.S. veterans.

Share This
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

Posted by News Team | Filed Under Articles/Stories 

Comments

Got something to say?





Authentic Diecast Model Cars
Close
E-mail It