Urgent message from the DAV

[Gimpy]

Please see below an urgent message from the Disabled American Veterans asking that you contact your representatives in Congress concerning the budget proposal now before Congress and coming up for a vote.

Thanks, Gimp
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From: "Lisa Bogle" Add to Address Book
Subject: House Budget Resolution
To: dav_list@mailmanager.net
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 13:52:26 -0500 (EST)





House Budget Resolution, H. Con. Res. 393 Take Action!

Please Contact Your Representative Today !

Debate on the House budget resolution, H. Con. Res. 393, is scheduled to begin Wednesday, March 24, 2004.

For discretionary veterans? programs, primarily veterans? medical care, H. Con. Res. 393 would provide $2.7 billion below the amount recommended by The Independent Budget, formulated by the DAV, AMVETS, PVA, and VFW, and $1.1 billion below the minimum amount determined necessary by the House Veterans? Affairs Committee.

With the funding level that would be provided by H. Con. Res. 393, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would be forced to reduce medical care services to veterans just to meet inflationary costs, such as increases in employee wages. As a consequence of inadequate funding, VA would be required to delay medical care for some veterans and deny it altogether for others.

The House budget resolution would shortchange veterans? medical care at the same time it includes plans for tax cuts costing more than a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Also, the budget resolution is part of a greater plan to reduce spending on veterans? medical care in the years 2006 through 2007; freeze spending on veterans? benefit programs, such as disability compensation; and possibly even impose reductions in benefit programs.

As stated by DAV National Commander Alan W. Bowers in a letter to all House members, ?To the veterans of this Nation, it is incomprehensible that our Government cannot afford to fund their medical care and benefit programs at a time it can afford generous tax cuts costing hundreds of billions of dollars more.?

Tell your House member he or she must vote against this ill-advised budget plan. Contact your House member by telephone, fax, or e-mail today to urge him or her to oppose and vote against H. Con. Res. 393. If you prefer, you may send a prepared e-mail message by visiting the DAV web site.

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[Gimpy]

From: Lisa Bogle"

To: dav_list@mailmanager.net

Mon, 29 Mar 2004 1331 -0500

House Passes Budget Resolution

Please send a message to your Representative TODAY!

After extended debate and defeat of an alternative budget resolution offered by Budget Committee Ranking Member John Spratt, Jr. (D S.C.), the House passed H. Con. Res. 393 by the narrow margin of 215 for and 212 against the resolution.

The DAV and all other major veterans organizations had urged House members to vote against H. Con. Res. 393 because it under funds veterans? programs, primarily veterans? medical care, in 2005 and cuts funding below current levels in the 4 years that follow.

Those members who voted for H. Con. Res. 393, voted against veterans; those members who voted against H. Con. Res. 393, voted for veterans.

You are encouraged to let your House member know of your disapproval and disappointment if he or she voted for H. Con. Res. 393, or to let your House member know of your sincere appreciation if he or she stood by veterans and voted against H. Con. Res. 393. If you enter your zip code, the proper letter based on your member's vote will automatically come up.


As always, thank you for your support.

*****

How did YOUR Representative vote??


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