Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
On August 1, 2008, the House passed the FY 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, H.R. 6599 and it became law on September 30, 2008 under H.R. 2638. This bill provides another much-needed funding increase for veterans’ care (11 percent more than last year and $2.9 billion more than the President’s request) – building on last year’s largest ever increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans’ Administration.
The New Direction Congress is putting our troops and veterans first, providing them with real support including a New GI education bill, the largest increase to veterans funding in history, critical reforms to our military health system, and a pay raise for our troops that exceeds the President’s request.
This bipartisan measure expands access to and strengthens the quality of veterans health care for the 5.8 million patients, include 333,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan by:
- Increasing enrollment in VA medical care for veterans making as little as $28,430 (Priority 8) by 10 percent. The Bush Administration stopped enrolling these veterans right before the Iraq War;
- Strengthening mental health care for the growing number of veterans with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury -- providing $3.8 billion;
- Providing veterans with advanced prosthetics -- investing $116 million more than the President – helping those who have lost limbs rebuild their lives;
- Bolstering maintenance at VA medical facilities to prevent a Walter Reed-like tragedy – a $300 million increase over the President;
- Increasing gas mileage reimbursement from 28.5 to 41.5 cents per mile for veterans traveling to get health care to help those in rural areas; and
- Expanding access to fee-based care for veterans in areas where the VA does not offer services.
All of the major veterans groups endorse the measure – including Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and AMVETS – as it “reflects the continuing cost of war and the personal investments in national security by the men and women of the Armed Forces.”
Veterans’ organizations have called for its swift passage: “we urge that no impediments are put in its way and that its passage can come quickly and smoothly. The issues in this bill …are not controversial, and they have broad bipartisan support. Attaching non-germane issues to the veterans funding bill that serve to delay or block passage would truly be wrong.” [VFW, 7/25/08]
The White House is once again trying to use our veterans as political bargaining chips, creating roadblocks to this bill’s swift enactment. Yesterday, the White House issued a veto threat, requiring that any increases in veterans’ funding be offset through cuts to other programs – including investments in homeland security, renewable energy, health care, and education.