Teague’s bill for disabled vets dies
© 2010 John Taylor, Veterans Advocate
Remember the challenge I made a couple of weeks ago?
I reported, “Congressman Harry Teague recently sent me a letter that he has co-signed what could be a tremendous act of humanity toward 100 percent combat disabled veterans.
“But I’m being extremely cautious. As I stated last week, the government is violating The Americans with Disabilities Act blatantly, and without remorse!
“Be aware that there have been boat loads of bills promising to solve this shameful problem. It seems to be an old tradition to put an important bill in the headlines before an election, only to have it die in committee. But at least we tried!
“Sorry, but after a while, that song gets real old. Somehow the tune ‘fool me once, ...,’ comes to mind."
Then I ended with, “Let’s make a deal. If Mr. Teague’s bill passes, not suffering the same fate (death by inaction) as many other concurrent receipts bills for the less than 20 year/100 percent unemployable combat disabled soldiers, then very strong consideration for re-election needs to be afforded Cong. Teague.
“If on the other hand, the bill seems to languish on or about October, then ‘out with the old and in with the next hopeful’! If the replacement can’t make it either (Republican or Democrat), try the next. Eventually ‘we the people’ may just regain control of this mustang that is running amok. The race is on.”
Well, the poor thing didn’t even last long enough to languish! Bill McMichael, staff writer for the Military Times, had the following breaking news. As part of his fiscal 2011 budget request, President Obama again is asking to expand the number of disabled military retirees who are eligible for concurrent receipt of full veterans disability benefits and military retired pay. The proposal, outlined in an Office of Management and Budget document, would make all “medically retired” service members eligible for concurrent receipt by 2015. (My note: Even the president is waving a banner).
Then, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (HR 4213, Teague amendment from last week) was attached to the budget bill (which contained the request for an extension to the unemployment relief). The veterans’ part got deleted, and unemployment relief got extended.
One of the staunchest supporters of ending the so-called “disability tax” on retirees eligible for both military and veterans benefits said he could not vote for a House initiative to help retirees who were unable to complete 20 years of service because of a service-connected disability.
Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, ranking member on the House military personnel subcommittee, said he could not vote for HR 4213, an almost $200 billion package of tax extenders, economic stimulus measures and fixes to a variety of laws. He called it “a trick, a political trap, to get people like me who want to help the military to vote for bloated spending and tax increases.”
(My note: This is exactly the game being played in Congress I’ve discussed before . Put something good — help for disabled vets — in a huge piece of pork, and watch the good get eliminated!)
For Wilson, the fact that Congress has spent billions on economic stimulus, bailing out banks and businesses, giving incentives to buy cars and to make houses more energy efficient — but not provided money for the military disabled benefits — is a mistake.
"If Democratic leaders care as much about the military as I do, they would be finding money for retirees and survivors before paying a Cash for Clunkers or Cash for Caulking program,” he said. “This is so sad for me that our priorities are so wrong.”
Now before we hear how heartless the Republicans are, I have to ask the obvious question. Why didn’t HR 4213 get attached to the sacred cow, the Health Care Bill, which screamed through Washington? It was not as important as pieces of pork worth billions that did pass! How much would the Concurrent Receipts bill (for the 100 percent, combat-disabled, unemployable veterans) cost?
There are about 90,000 people retired from the military on disability with fewer than 20 years of service whose retired pay is reduced because they also receive veterans’ disability compensation. Only about 30,000 — those with disabilities rated at 70 percent of greater by the VA — would be helped by HR 4213. Let’s show how really heartless our politicians are.
The total number of 100 percent, combat disabled, unemployable veterans with less than 20 years in military service — duh — unemployable! — is approximately 400 veterans. Price tag for covering the most disadvantaged? About $12.2 million a year.
That request was in an amendment requesting $5 billion (with a “B”) for other benefits, tucked inside an almost $200 billion package of tax extenders, economic stimulus measures and fixes to a variety of laws ,as Joe Wilson put it! It didn’t stand a chance, but it was a great chance for Mr. Teague to “look good during a vital re-election campaign”!
Everyone knew the “bill for the most vulnerable of disabled veterans” was not going to pass. But politicians will shout, “This bill is an example how I’m going to help veterans” (during an election year), then blame the other guy when it gets shot down (as expected).
That’s why I issued my challenge to Mr. Teague. I knew it was coming! The most disabled, not able to work (most financially strapped), are once again denied and discarded. This is also a blatant violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Don’t be fooled by the “gamers” currently in office. They are working overtime to “sucker punch” you into re-electing an absolute non-producer of benefits you need.
Southeastern New Mexico veterans need to ask a few simple questions. Do you still have to drive almost 7 hours round trip to the VA medical center? Are 100 percent disabled veterans still being cheated out of their pension? Are you still unable to get fee-based medical services locally? Are you still having to wait up to 3 years for VA claims to be acted on? Is your “friendship” with one of their insiders worth losing benefits you are entitled to?
We are smarter than that! God bless.
John’s email is: jhtay@cableone.net