Urgent--crisis For All Disabled Veterans

[Gimpy]

Here's what the PVA has to say about these latest "shenanigens" being proposed by the Republican leadership in Congress.
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PVA?s Fox Denounces House Budget Committee?s
Funding Cuts in Veterans? Benefits and Services
March 17, 2003, WASHINGTON, DC?Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) National President Joseph L. Fox, Sr. condemned more than $1 trillion in cuts approved by the House Budget Committee last week. This proposal would significantly harm veterans, whose health-care and benefits programs would lose nearly $25 billion.
?It is a dark day when Congress takes the budget knife to the hard-earned benefits and health-care services earned by the veterans of this Nation to support an ill-conceived tax cut,? said Fox. ?I find it unconscionable that a majority of the members of the House Budget Committee think it appropriate to strip benefits and health care earned on the field of battle and in defense of freedom to promote their tax cut proposal, particularly at a time when we are in the process of sending more young men and women into harm?s way.?
Fox, referring to the recent long-term budget plan passed by the House Budget Committee that would cut over $25 billion from veterans? benefits and health care, added, ?The funding cuts supported by the House Budget Committee are an ?in-your-face? insult to the veterans of this country. More importantly, however, they are evidence that many members of Congress are willing to degrade the quality of life of tens of thousands of veterans who honorably served and sacrificed.?
PVA objects to the House Budget Committee?s proposal to cut $15 billion over 10 years--$463 million in FY 2004 alone?in VA mandatory spending, as justified under efforts to eliminate ?fraud, waste and abuse.? PVA strongly asserts that this funding, which are payments made to war-disabled veterans, pensions for the poorest disabled veterans and G.I. Bill benefits for soldiers returning from Afghanistan, do not constitute ?fraud, waste and abuse.? In fact, 90 percent of the spending for VA entitlements is contained in monthly payments to veterans and survivors. The House Budget Committee plan, if approved, would force cuts in each of these programs.
The resolution calls for major decreases in veterans? health care funding denying care to hundreds of thousands of veterans. A cut of this size could lead to the loss of 9,000 VA physicians equating to a loss of nearly 900,000 days of hospital care.
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Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. PVA is a dynamic, broad-based organization with more than 20,000 members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. To learn more about PVA, visit its web site at www.pva.org.
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This budget proposal is going to be voted on by the full House on march 20, 2003. That only gives us less than two (2) days to send e-mails, letters and make phone calls to our Congresspersons to let them know how pissed-off we are for them to even consider such nonsense as this!

Hey Paco----I kinda been outa commission for a while. Had some physical and emotional (PTSD) stuff that needed some attention. All this "war sh-t" ain't helpin much either. Anyway, hopefully I can spend a little more time on the discussion boards and help get out the message about our (disabled veterans) difficulties with the current leadership in Washington without upsetting to many of the "compassionate conservatives", if you know what I mean. Anyway---thanks for your letter to that rascally scalawag, Dennis H.---What a jerk he's become!

Keep up the pressure folks!

[Packo]

As I said, I am embarrassed for my party and my president. Hopefully they will get the message. Sent one to a SC Congressman from Charleston who sits on the committee. Not going to rewrite it but basically the same thing. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU GUYS THINK YOUR DOING sort of thing. I'm pissed as hell.

Yep, this war things got a lot of us going. I work with it every day and see it on the new every night. Got lots of sailors and Marines deployed from here. Know many of them. I know we are doing the right thing in nailing that thug. Just, like you, want to see them and us taken care of. Try to watch as little as possible..don't want your Gimpy Rebel Butt strokin' out on me..ya hear!

Doc Fred, DMZ Lt, xgrunt, PHO, wives, friends, etc are all convergin on Savannah Thursday to celebrate the return of the Mass Infantry to the South. (Andy) Thought we'd burn a chuch or something for him to make him feel at home. (wish Ted Kennedy would volunteer) Looking for a carpetbag to give him as a gift. Wish you could be here. Will take him to the ruins of Sheldon Church right close to here. British burned it in 1700's, Yankees in 1800's. Will probably give him a warm fuzzy feelin'.

Take Care my ol' friend.

Packo

[Gimpy]

Spent a lot of time in that pretty little "Suthern" paradise. Don't forget to take them down to River street, some of the best bars in the country down there. A few good restaraunts there as well. But, the best is Elizabeths on 37th (kinda pricey)--also Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House (REAL "soul" food), the Sapphire Grill and don't miss the Crab Shack on E. Hammock Rd. on the way to Tybee Island! Absolutely the most beautiful city in the south (Charleston ain't to bad either though)---.

Got to meet Doc Fred and DMZ-LT (and PHO to I think) at the Pysco-Vets cookout at Lake lanier a couple of years ago before we moved down to Tampa. Bunch of great guys (and their wives also). Tell them all hello for me. Maybe I can make it up there later this year for another cookout. For God's sake don't let Andy get to comforatble in Savannah, we got enough uv them damn Yankees down this way already! Don't forget to "whack" him upside his head once fer me with one of them South Carolina "crabapples"---HAR--HAR!

Seriously though, try and get as many folks as you can to call or write those jerks in Washington to stop this budget bulls--t before it goes to far.

Later old friend, & God Bless our troops in the Gulf and all over the world!

[Arrow]

One thing I want to say right now. I am supporting this President and this administration in theirdecision to go to war. I don't care if anyone agrees or not. I haven't made the decison lightly without any consideration of the opposing view. I have done as much homework as I could and am still reading everything I can get my hands on. I have waded through some tomes from the opposing view that most would not give a second look. It's the most I could do. I did it with all my heart. I hate war and all of it's consquences. I don't like confrontation not even in my personal life. However my personal sense of what justice is urges me to stand up against any tryant on a personal, national, or international level.

Do not doubt my loyalty tothis President or this administration as long as we have troops in harms way. I am going to stand with them.

I, like Packo, am going to ask the hard questions and you can count on me to follow up with phone calls to my congressional reps. If they do this thing I will be without a party affiliation at the end of thiswar. There are no viable alternatives out there for me.

Arrow/Sis

[Packo]

Will do Gimp....will show them a good time.

Sis,

I agree with what you say and am proud of our President for taking the hard road and having the guts to do it. As for this legislative stuff......I agree it's BS and will do all I can to get others to write, call, and scream. Hang in there Sis, I think it's all gonna work out.

Packo

[Arrow]

Thanks Packo,

That's what Griz just told me. God bless him. He knows how to calm me down and is very good at handling unstable unexploded ordinance...

Think of me if you go to Tybee Island I spent a lot of time there with my children when they were little after we lost their daddy. Flood of memories come to mind. Hug each other real good for me. Sis

[Gimpy]

I never questioned your loyalty to Bush or our troops in any way. Sorry if you took it that way. Just because I can't stand the guy dosen't mean you aren't supposed to voice your opinion in any way you choose to. I too support our troops in the field (or anywhere for that matter), God Bless and keep them all safe in this upcoming conflict and wherever they need to be to insure our freedom. I just wish there were some other way to accomplish the goal of removing Sadam than the path our political leaders have chosen. Still, as Packo said, I feel we as veterans ( and family of veterans) should be ASHAMED that the so-called party of "inclusion" (as Bush has said) has made the decision to EXCLUDE disabled veterans and their widows and dependents from getting what this nation has PROMISED them with this outrageous Federal budget proposal!

Sorry, that's just how I feel.

Thanks again for your efforts to help reslove this issue.

[Arrow]

Gimpy,

Sometimes this medium leaves a lot to be desired.Believe me when I say my comments were not directed to you. I just wanted all who read to know where I stood.

I said the other day on another post if God would give me three stones, a slingshot and the courage of David I would take Saddam out myself.

Then the people of Iraq and our military would not have to face this terror.

I will make as much noise as I can Gimpy. It is not as though I don't have a dog in the fight. Course talkin' about cuttin' things that happened as soon as he passed away. Our income was cut in more than half. Something that worried him until the day he died. I told him not to worry that I would be alright. And I was. And I will be."Ain't nobody gonna turn me around, turn me around"

Whatevercomes I will deal with it when it gets here. One day at a time.The Fatherhelping me.

Gimpy I am glad to see you on the board again. I was worried about you.

Arrow>>>>>>>

[Andy]

Sent e-mails to John Olver, my congressman and to the two senators, who's names I will not mention. Asked them how this information would effect our fighting troops. It's sad, very sad.

Stay healthy, you have to,
Andy

[MORTARDUDE]

Thanks for the post. Good to have you back on board. I have emailed and snail-mailed my senators and representatives about this. This is a time for all those receiving veterans benefits or who know those who do, and who are not a member of any of the national veterans organizations, to consider joining at least one.
They keep up the pressure on the people who pass the laws. Each day there are fewer veterans in our population. Somewhere around 25,000,000 now. Every voice counts.

Larry