For more information, contact:    Joe Chenelly, AMVETS, 301-683-4035
David Autry, Disabled American Veterans, 202-314-5219
David J. Uchic, Paralyzed Veterans of America, 202-416-7667
Joe Davis, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 202-608-8357

Veterans Funding Increase Praised

WASHINGTON, June 1—Draft legislation to boost funding for veterans programs to $87.7 billion next year is being hailed as a major victory by organizations representing millions of America’s former defenders.

            The $109.2 billion bill crafted by the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee provides $43.29 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “This represents a significant, much-needed investment in health care and the benefits delivery system for our nation’s sick and disabled veterans,” according to AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
 

            The four veterans’ service organizations said the bill provides a $6 billion increase in VA health care funding, exceeding their own recommendation by $294 million. “This is the first time that lawmakers have surpassed our recommendations in the 21 years that we have been publishing The Independent Budget,” the groups noted. The bill also funds the VA biomedical research program at $480 million, as recommended in The Independent Budget, an increase of $68 million over the 2007 funding level.

            In addition to the increase for veterans medical care and construction projects, the bill includes enough funding for the VA to hire more than 1,000 new employees to tackle a large backlog of almost 640,000 disability compensation claims. Cutting the backlog would reduce the time veterans must wait for a decision on their benefits, which averages 177 days for an original claim and more than two years for initial appeals.

            “The proposed increase in VA funding is a recognition that caring for our veterans is a continuing cost of national security and a willingness to provide the resources to meet those needs,” the groups said. They praised Subcommittee Chairman Chet Edwards (D-Texas) for his leadership in crafting the measure, as well House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.), Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for their support of additional funding for veterans programs.

             The Independent Budget provides the nation's decision-makers a veterans' perspective on federal spending and national policy priorities for veterans programs. These recommendations are well-considered policy and funding proposals based on the actual needs of the men and women these programs were created to serve. As a comprehensive, authoritative policy document, The Independent Budget focuses on funding recommendations for veterans health care, benefits delivery, medical facilities construction, veterans' cemeteries and other so-called discretionary programs that will be needed in the coming fiscal year.

            AMVETS—a leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s Armed Forces—provides not only support for veterans and the active military in procuring receipt of their earned entitlements, but also community services that enhance the quality of life for this nation’s citizens. www.amvets.org

            The 1.3 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. (www.dav.org)

            The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a veterans service organization chartered by Congress, has for more than 60 years served the needs of its members, all of whom have catastrophic paralysis caused by spinal cord injury or disease. (www.pva.org)

            The VFW is a 1.8 million-member veterans service organization, now in its 108th year, with a nationwide network of 8,500 Posts and service officers working to build better communities and assist all veterans and their dependents with problems involving VA entitlements and pensions. (www.vfw.org)