VFW Washington Weekly, January 4, 2008

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VFW WASHINGTON WEEKLY
January 4, 2008

In This Issue:
1. Emergency VA Funding on Hold
2. Congress on Break
3. Bush Vetoes NDAA
4. Reserve Retirement Bill Introduced

1. Emergency VA Funding on Hold: Before the holiday break, Congress passed an historic funding bill that gave the VA the largest increase in its history, one that fully meets the needs laid out by the VFW and the Independent Budget. The large funding bill included a sizeable $2.9 billion increase for veterans' health care and benefits. There is an additional $3.7 billion in potential veterans funding that VA could receive, but only if the President declares it "emergency spending." Without that declaration, VA will not get that additional increase. Please contact the President to ask him to release the "emergency" funding for VA. The current increase, while appreciated, is not enough, and VA must have the additional $3.7 billion to fully meet the needs of all veterans. Below is the link to the Legislative Alert the VFW sent out this week to encourage quick action on the funding. The President must make the declaration by Jan. 18. Logon here to help: http://www.vfw. org/index. cfm?fa=news. newsDtl&did=4403.

2. Congress on Break: The House and Senate remain in recess and are expected back in Washington the week of Jan. 15 to begin the 2nd session of the 110th Congress. Items on the agenda include the FY 2009 Budget, Omnibus Veterans Health and Benefits Bills, and continued debate on a new GI Bill and Iraq War funding. Stay tuned to the Weekly Washington Updates for more on these items, as well as other developments regarding veterans, active duty, and Guard and Reserve issues. To sign up for weekly email updates sent directly to your inbox, go to: http://capwiz. com/vfw/mlm/ signup.htm.

3. Bush Vetoes NDAA: President Bush vetoed the FY08 National Defense Authorization Act because some provisions included in the bill risk imposing financially devastating hardship on Iraq that will unacceptably interfere with their political and economic progress. As the Congress considers a vote to override the veto, the White House is working with Congressional leaders to strip the objectionable language and get a new bill to the President. The VFW is confident that nothing else in the NDAA will be affected, except for the timing on a couple issues. A military pay raise of 3% was effective on Jan. 1 and the additional half percentage point will be delayed until the Act is signed, but retroactive to Jan.1 for a total military pay raise of 3.5%. The early reserve retirement pay benefit takes effect on the day the NDAA is signed. The VFW is keeping a close watch on the movement of this legislation.

4. Reserve Retirement Bill Introduced: On Dec. 19, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced HR 4930, the National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act, which will correct inequities left unresolved by the National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation would require retroactive eligibility for the newly passed early retirement pay benefit to include all Guard and Reserve members who have supported contingency operations since Sept. 11, 2001. Ask your member of Congress to support this measure and sign on as a cosponsor. The VFW will continue to work for an early retirement pay benefit for all Reserve Component members.


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