Saturday, March 23, 2013

23 March 2013 Veterans cheap and disposable



Cassi Creek:  From an on-line plea by DAV. 

“Please Write to Your Senators Today!http://bit.ly/YgEcCH

This week the Senate is considering its budget resolution, a bill that would fund the entire federal government, including the
 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for fiscal year 2014. One provision in this bill would have a long-lasting consequence: it would drastically change the way annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are added to disability compensation and pension payments to veterans, their dependents and survivors. If adopted, this change will reduce government payments for these obligations by billions of dollars over the next ten years.

The Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs CommitteeSenator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has asked for help from DAV (Disabled American Veterans) in gaining other Senators’ support for his amendment to stop this change from occurring, thereby preserving the current system for calculating COLA additions to payments to veterans and others.

Please use the prepared email in this alert (http://bit.ly/YgEcCH), or write your own individualized email to your Senators to urge their support of the Sanders’ amendment. Veterans and their survivors earned the compensation and pension payments they receive by virtue of their military service to the nation. The federal deficit was not created by sick and disabled veterans, and they do not deserve to be unfairly penalized.

DAV appreciates your use of the Commander’s Action Network in helping DAV communicate our priorities to Congress. Your grassroots advocacy is key to our effectiveness in Washington. With your help, DAV CAN!

Please send your message to your Senators TODAY!http://bit.ly/YgEcCH
 — at DAV.


Follow up from DAV:
Thank you ALL for the taking such strong action. With your support, the Senate tonight voted to block cuts in benefits for service-connected injured and ill veterans and Social Security.http://1.usa.gov/Z9WVN5 You made a real difference!

The amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) put the Senate on record against changing how cost-of-living increases are calculated in a way that would result in significant cuts.

The amendment opposed switching from the current method of measuring inflation to a so-called chained consumer price index.

The proposed change would affect more than 3.2 million veterans receiving disability compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans who started receiving VA disability benefits at age 30 would have their benefits reduced by $1,425 at age 45, $2,341 at age 55 and $3,231 at age 65. Benefits for more than 350,000 surviving spouses and children who have lost a loved one in battle also would be cut. Dependency Indemnity Compensation benefits already average less than $17,000 a year.”

          This is something to stay atop of.  With less than 01% of our population serving in the armed forces, service men and women, and veterans have become easy to overlook by much of the populace.  Disabled veterans have earned every penny of their compensation, often paying the premiums in blood.  Please demand that your elected officials in D.C. provide a more realistic budget for the VA so that our veterans can receive the medical care they were promised and need.

         

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