VA health Care S.3527

Stand Up for Veterans Update More Info September 22, 2008 New York Times Covers VA Funding Legislation The Times ran a story this morning ( "Action Is Sought to Ensure Timely Financing for V.A." ) on a bipartisan VA health care funding reform bill introduced yesterday in both the House and Senate. The piece distills why an advance appropriation for VA health care funding is needed. "The legislation would allow Congress to approve the money for veterans' medical care one year in advance. In so doing, it would separate veterans' health care financing from the crush of appropriations and political horse-trading that take place at year's end." The Times story makes clear that the current funding system creates significant delays that have, according to DAV's Joe Violante in the article, "a real impact on services." The Hill: "Measure would provide predictable care for vets" An article in The Hill also discusses why an advance appropriation is endorsed by nine VSOs (AMVETS, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Vietnam Veterans of America). "Political squabbling has delayed VA funding in 13 of the past 14 years - something that has severely hampered the department's ability to plan and manage its healthcare system, according to veterans. Veterans' groups say the change would ensure the agency could better handle the growing number of veterans who depend on the government for medical care." Historic Legislation on VA Funding Reform Introduced Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-Calif.) introduced the advance appropriation proposal yesterday. The bill, titled the "Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act," directs Congress to appropriate funds to the VA in advance of the fiscal year, much the same way it does for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Section 8 housing programs and a number of other federal programs. The nine VSOs who joined together to form the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform praised Members for their leadership on this issue. Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairmen Daniel Akaka and Bob Filner also issued statements on the new legislation. Original cosponsors of S. 3527 include Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Mary Landrieu (D-La), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). Original cosponsors of H.R. 6939 include Congressmen Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Michael Michaud (D-Maine), Phil Hare (D-Ill.), and Timothy J. Walz (D-Minn.). About the Stand Up for Veterans Initiative Stand Up for Veterans is an initiative of the Disabled American Veterans, an organization of 1.4 million disabled veterans who are focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families. The initiative seeks to find public policy solutions for all veterans, particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, who have incurred devastating injuries and disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological wounds of war. Please visit http://www.standup4vets.org/ to learn more about this effort.

Vote Vets Sarah Palin's Son - Iraq?

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  Dear VoteVets.org Supporter, One the most disturbing developments we at VoteVets.org have seen this week are media outlets reporting details regarding the deployment of Track Palin to Iraq, Governor Sarah Palin’s son. In a number of outlets, the details of when and where Track will be in Iraq have been reported. This isn’t just a violation of Operational Security (OPSEC), it puts the lives of every troop around him in danger. It’s time for the Department of Defense to investigate who is leaking these details to the media. And, we need you to co-sign our letter to the Pentagon to get an investigation underway. CO-SIGN OUR LETTER DEMANDING AN INVESTIGATION HERE We’re all proud of every child of a politician who is serving in uniform – Democrat and Republican. And, their parents deserve to be proud. That’s not the point. When someone chooses to bolster that story by leaking classified details to the media, it allows the enemy to gain valuable information that allows them to strike at a symbolic target of importance – and all the troops around that target. It’s dangerous, it’s illegal, and it needs to be investigated. SIGN OUR LETTER HERE, TO STOP LEAKS OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION Whoever is divulging this information to the media should be prosecuted and punished, if found guilty. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or of another party, we should all agree that we cannot accept anyone feeding classified details to the press. Join us in demanding the Pentagon investigate. Sincerely, Jon Soltz Iraq War Veteran Chairman, VoteVets.org And Brandon, Peter, Brian, and the rest of the VoteVets.org team Paid for by VoteVets.org Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this. Tell-a-friend! If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for VoteVets.org. This message was sent to Sharon4Anderson@aol.com. Visit your subscription management page to modify your email communication preferences or update your personal profile. To stop ALL email from VoteVets.org, click to remove yourself from our lists (or reply via email with "remove or unsubscribe" in the subject line).

  
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