Guest guest Posted October 16, 2003 Report Share Posted October 16, 2003 > > House GOP, Senate Leaders OK $22B Vet Aid > Wed Oct 15, 8:14 PM ET > By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent > > WASHINGTON - Bowing to pressure, congressional Republican leaders agreed > Wednesday to spend $22 billion over the next decade to allow more veterans > to receive both disability benefits and full military retirement, according > to GOP officials. > > > > The package would extend dual benefits for the first time to some veterans > whose disabilities are not combat-related, according to these officials, > who spoke on condition of anonymity. They said the provision would be > phased in over a decade, and eventually would cover individuals whose > disabilities were rated at 50 percent and higher. > > Under current law, disabled military retirees lose a dollar in retirement > payments for each dollar they receive in disability compensation, a rule > that affects an estimated 500,000 veterans. > > Veterans groups have mounted a fierce lobbying campaign to win dual > benefits for all retired military personnel who are disabled, pleadings > that have taken on fresh potency in the wake of wars in Afghanistan > (<http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news./sear ch/news?p=%22Afghanistan%22 & c= & n=20 & yn=c & c=news & cs=nw>news > - > <http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search./bin/search ?cs=nw & p=Afghanistan>web > sites) and Iraq > (<http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news./sear ch/news?p=%22Iraq%22 & c= & n=20 & yn=c & c=news & cs=nw>news > - > <http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search./bin/search ?cs=nw & p=Iraq>web > sites) in the past three years. > > The agreement came on a plan that House GOP leaders crafted in response to > pressure from their own rank-and-file lawmakers. Key Senate Republicans > accepted the proposal during the day. Additionally, Republican aides said, > the White House had tacitly agreed to the terms, which call for far less > than the $58 billion plan that veterans groups sought. > > Republicans said the provision to sweeten dual benefits for veterans would > be attached to another piece of legislation and sent to the White House as > quickly as possible. > > Apart from the provision relating to non-combat disabilities, the package > calls for full dual benefits to become available beginning on Jan. 1, 2004, > to retirees of the National Guard and reserve units who were wounded in > combat. > > In addition, dual benefits would be made available to more military > retirees who served in regular units and whose disabilities were > combat-related but not suffered on the battlefield. They now are eligible > if their disabilities are 60 percent or higher. Under the proposal, all > veterans with combat-related disabilities would be eligible for dual benefits. > > Retirees who suffered their disabilities in combat on the battlefield are > already eligible for full dual benefits. > > Politically, the issue has roiled the House in recent weeks. Democrats > began an effort to force legislation to the floor to grant full dual > benefits to veterans. Republicans, normally loath to sign such petitions, > notified their own leadership they would do so unless GOP leaders came up > with an alternative. > > Underscoring the importance of the issue, Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., > and Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt, the GOP whip, have been responsible for > crafting the package in an atmosphere of unusual secrecy, and are seeking > agreement by Senate Republicans. > > The issue is particularly tricky given the crosscurrents among Senate > Republicans. While many lawmakers favor extending additional benefits to > veterans, some have raised concerns about the cost. > > Because the money is not contained in the spending plan Congress approved > earlier this year, critics could erect a procedural hurdle requiring > supporters to gain 60 votes to prevail. > > Supporters of dual benefits argue that former members of the military are > singled out unfairly among all government workers. > > The Senate agreed earlier this year, voting as part of its defense bill to > give retirees who are disabled the full amount of both benefits. The House > bill omits mention of the issue. > > Apart from expanding benefits available to some veterans, House GOP leaders > also are proposing creation of a commission to study the issue. The panel > would be required to report to the administration and Congress 15 months > after it convenes a deadline that is beyond the 2004 presidential and > congressional elections. > > While lawmakers have come under pressure from veterans, the General > Accounting Office > (<http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news./sear ch/news?p=%22General%20Accounting%20Office%22 & c= & n=20 & yn=c & c=news & cs=nw>news > - > <http://us.rd./DailyNews/manual/*http://search./bin/search ?cs=nw & p=General%20Accounting%20Office>web > sites) recently warned against hasty action on the issue. In a letter to > several members of Congress, Comptroller General David M. Walker wrote that > a change could, by itself, have long-term effects on government spending. > > > > In addition, he said there could be " a precedent for other federal benefit > programs that could prove very costly. " > > ___ > > Associated Press writer Jim Abrams contributed to this article. > > http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20031016/ap_on_go_co/veter ans_benefits_2 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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