WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 – As a Friday deadline neared in Congress’s latest budget showdown, Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today questioned veterans group leaders about a proposal that would cut the benefits of more than 3.2 million disabled veterans and more than 55 million Social Security recipients.
Sanders has led opposition in Congress to reducing benefits by adopting a so-called chained CPI changing how the consumer price index is calculated. “It would mean very significant cuts for Social Security beneficiaries as well as for disabled veterans,” Sanders said at a joint hearing of the Senate and House veterans’ affairs committees.
Sanders asked representatives of veteran service organizations for their assessment of the proposal.
Tom Tarantino, the policy chief for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, called it “a terrible idea.” He added, “It astounds me that we keep asking veterans to sacrifice more and more.”
H. Gene Overstreet, president of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, called it “a bad idea” and said “veterans have paid their due.”
“Unconscionable,” was how Charles Susino, the World War II veteran and national commander of the American Ex-Prisoners of War, characterized the proposal.
The proposed change in how the consumer price index is calculated would result in significantly lower annual cost-of-living adjustments for more than 3.2 million disabled veterans receiving disability compensation benefits from the 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, according to the Congressional Budget Office. More than 55 million retirees, widows, orphans and disabled Americans on Social Security also would be affected by the switch to a so-called chained CPI.
As an increasing number of our servicemembers return home and transition to civilian life, it is especially critical that charitable organizations supporting them act as good stewards of the American people’s goodwill and generosity towards our veterans. If you’re considering giving to a charity that supports veterans, please visit
www.charitywatch.org or www.charitynavigator.org
to learn more about your different giving options. Both sites rate charities using a variety of performance metrics, including financial performance, accountability and transparency
The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, championed by Senator Murray, expands education and training opportunities for servicemembers and veterans, and provides tax credits for employers who hire veterans. Below are fact sheets about some of the programs that this new law created.
Special Employer Incentive Fact Sheet
The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 provides employers with tax credits to hire unemployed veterans. Below is a fact sheet on these tax credits. Also below is other useful information for employers who want to hire veterans.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
Russell Building Room 418
202-224-9126
VISITORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Individuals who are planning to attend a Committee hearing or meeting and require an auxiliary aid or service should contact the Committee at 202-224-9126. So as to best enable staff to make arrangements, please call at least 3 business days in advance.
The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs holds most of its hearings in the Russell Building in room 418. However, we occasionally schedule hearings in public hearing rooms in the Hart and
There is no parking available to the public on the Capitol grounds. The best drop-off location for
There are metal detectors at each entrance so be prepared to empty your pockets of electronic devices, change, keys and all other items that cause concern at metal detectors. There is also the option of being “wanded” manually rather than going through the metal detector at the door.
All of the public hearing rooms in the Senate are wheelchair accessible. Please see the information on the following pages to assist you in finding the wheelchair accessible entrance(s) to the Russell, Dirksen, and
**In case of an emergency requiring you to evacuate during a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, the Committee staff has been trained to assist, and will help you reach the designated evacuation site.
The Russell Building
The
This entrance is the closest wheelchair accessible entrance to the hearing room in106 Dirksen.
Once you have entered the
Updated June 2012