Republican House has other priorities than ensuring care for veterans

[Erlkonig]

http://www.detnews.com/2003/politics/0308/20/a09w-249415.htm

Veterans plan to exact action at polls

GOP-led House reneges on pledge to pass $3.2 billion for VA medical care

By Dennis Camire / Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON -- Veterans are condemning House Republicans' failure to deliver a $3.2 billion boost for the Veterans Affairs Department that would have shrunk the agency's waiting list for medical care.

"A shameless betrayal" is how AMVETS sums it up.

"A moral outrage," the American Legion said.

"Abominable" is the word from the Non Commissioned Officers Association.

"Veterans have been pushed to the limits," said Joe Violante, national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans. "They're being lied to, and they're not tolerating it."

The broken promise -- the second time in a year Congress has reneged on a pledge to veterans -- has veterans vowing to remember at the ballot box.

"They're saying there has got to be a change made because if there isn't, we're never going to get what we're due," said Richard DeLong, a Vietnam veteran in Lafayette, La.

During April budget debates, the GOP-led House -- under criticism for not putting enough money into VA medical care -- approved a nonbinding budget that promised to increase VA medical spending by $1.8 billion more than the additional $1.4 billion President Bush had requested.

The money would have helped more than 132,000 veterans who wait six months or longer for their first VA doctor's appointment. Although the VA's medical budget has increased $8.3 billion in the past seven years, the agency's spending on each patient has decreased $624.

Last month, House Republican leadership, bowing to Bush administration pressure to curb spending and their own desire for hometown projects, cut the promised $1.8 billion.

Despite failed efforts to add the money back, the bill passed 316-109 with 59 Republicans and 50 Democrats opposing. Of the House Veterans Affairs Committee's 31 members, 20 voted against the bill, including committee Chairman Chris Smith, R-N.J., and top Democrat Lane Evans of Illinois.

The bill's next step is Senate consideration this fall.

"We got fooled, and we got whupped," said Richard F. Weidman, director of government relations for Vietnam Veterans of America. "We are not going to let individual members of this Congress forget this vote."

American Legion national commander Ronald F. Conley said the discouraging part is that the House GOP leadership warned Republicans that pet projects in the bill would be in jeopardy if they didn't vote yes.

"We have the money to pay for a statue of the Roman god Vulcan in Birmingham, Ala. We have money to pay for a bike trail in North Dakota. We have money to fund a Nevada helicopter company that performs Elvis impersonator weddings," Conley said. "And yet we have neither the heart nor the will to ensure that all United States veterans receive the medical care they earned and we owe them."

President Bush may hear more on the issue Tuesday when he is to speak to 13,000 delegates at the American Legion's national convention in St. Louis.

Congress' actions have many veterans talking about political consequences.

"Veterans more and more are beginning to sense a loss of faith and confidence in the administration," said Richard C. Schneider, director of veteran and state affairs for the Non Commissioned Officers Association. "They're no longer willing to be the quiet, accepting veterans that they have been in the past. I think they're actually going to hold some people accountable."

Veterans are talking about increasing turnout at the polls next year, veterans groups say.

[DiabloTX]

VA hospitals are such a nightmare that I don't blame the Rep's for this act.  The money would be better off contracting VA's medical needs to private industries.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by Erlkonig

WAAAAAAAAAAAAH

[AKIron]

My Dad (a Korean war vet) got a quick appointment here at the VA Hospital in Dallas and found it to be the cleanest and best maintained hospital he's ever seen.

[DiabloTX]

Good to see that.  I hope they are turning things around for the better.

[capt. apathy]

My dad has been going to the VA for many years.  it was really bad in the 80's, long waits,  rude doctors treating patients like welfare cases instead of men who earned this care.

in the 90's it got much better, much better treatment.  now I hear that the funding has been cut so much in the last couple years that the portland VA hospital is having to lease beds to the OHSU hospital.



btw- it's not just vets who are getting screwed,  active duty soliers are recieving aproxamatly a 30% cut in combat pay nexxt month

[AKIron]

Originally posted by capt. apathy
btw- it's not just vets who are getting screwed,  active duty soliers are recieving aproxamatly a 30% cut in combat pay nexxt month

That really sucks. Most GIs are already living at almost poverty level. To deny them a few extra bucks a month for getting shot at is very demoralizing.

[10Bears]

Originally posted by Martlet
WAAAAAAAAAAAAH

This is how Martlet supports the troops

[k2cok]

Originally posted by 10Bears
This is how Martlet supports the troops

Pretty obvious he's not a veteran.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by 10Bears
This is how Martlet supports the troops

Originally posted by k2cok
Pretty obvious he's not a veteran.

I AM a veteran, moron.   Quit your whining.  Had you even bothered to read the stupid article he linked to, you'd have realized that more REPUBLICANS opposed the bill with the VA cuts than Democrats did.

[MrLars]

You guys are just seeing the tip of the storm....Vet groups all over America are organizing to vote out those responsible.

This is NOT the way America honors it's Vets, there'll be hell to pay!

[Martlet]

Originally posted by MrLars
You guys are just seeing the tip of the storm....Vet groups all over America are organizing to vote out those responsible.

This is NOT the way America honors it's Vets, there'll be hell to pay!

I agree.  I hope they vote out all the Democrats this time.

[MrLars]

Originally posted by Martlet
I agree.  I hope they vote out all the Democrats this time.

This shouldn't be a partyline vote, all who voted for these cuts whether they be Dems OR Reps should be voted out....IMO

[Mini D]

"During April budget debates, the GOP-led House -- under criticism for not putting enough money into VA medical care -- approved a nonbinding budget that promised to increase VA medical spending by $1.8 billion more than the additional $1.4 billion President Bush had requested."

They were given an additional 1.4 billion, but were hoping for more.  Why was this thread going on about budget cuts again?

And Cpt... the Portland Veteran's Hospital has traditionally been one of the worst managed Veteran's Hospitals in the system.  I spent a couple years working there... it was pathetic.

MiniD

[capt. apathy]

And Cpt... the Portland Veteran's Hospital has traditionally been one of the worst managed Veteran's Hospitals in the system. I spent a couple years working there... it was pathetic.

that was deffinatly how it was in the late 80's when my dad started going there. (had to make a few 'scenes' myself, when the Dr's wheren't giving my father the respect he deserved, fortunatly for me security was very understanding after I explained the situation)

there was a huge improvement in the 90's to the point where he gets decent care now.


as far as the 'cuts issue'. while they may be getting more money it is a long way from keeping up with the rise in healthcare costs.  if the price of supplies and meds goes up 30% (just to throw a number out there for the sake of argument) and you increase funding 2 or 3 % then in effect it is a cut.