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AMVETS SAYS VA BUDGET FALLS SHORT
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2008—AMVETS, one of the nation’s leading veterans’ service organizations, takes exception to some of the provisions in President Bush’s proposed Department of Veterans Affairs budget for fiscal year 2009.
AMVETS National Cmdr. John P. “JP” Brown III calls on Congress to address multiple funding shortfalls in the proposal.
“We’ve seen trends develop since the start of the Global War on Terror and we have an opportunity to do this right in 2009,” said Brown. “Every year, our leaders nickel-and-dime the VA, compromising the care that we give our veterans. We have to do better than this.”
AMVETS legislative affairs department has found discrepancies in spending for research and development, construction, mental health screening, and increases in premiums for lower-tier veterans.
The total VA budget is set to increase by nearly $3.4 billion—nearly $3 billion short of the Independent Budget assessment recommendations. Many of these increases are slated to fund programs designed to improve communication between Department of Defense and the VA, as recommended by the Dole-Shalala Commission.
While AMVETS supports this open line of communication, it must not come at the expense of acute care for veterans who need it.
“We still don’t know enough about traumatic brain injuries or the long-term problems veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan will face,” Brown said. “It makes no sense for the VA to cut spending in these areas just when we need it the most.”
In recent years, the VA has had to fight for supplements late in the fiscal year. AMVETS hopes that Congress and the Bush Administration will keep this from happening in 2009 by approving a budget that will adequately fund the VA.
About AMVETS:
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community services that enhance the quality of life for this nation’s citizens. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.
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