By Tom Miller
Veterans Under Attack
Many national Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and seasoned
Capitol Hill observers claim that veterans are under attack in
the 109th Congress. This argument is founded on the fact that
both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs have
new Chairmen who appear to be much more fiscally conservative
than their predecessors. They have joined with the Bush Administration
in trying to identify reductions in veterans’ benefits and
services
The President has made it very clear that he hopes to cut all
domestic discretionary spending in an effort to reduce the deficit.
Health care for veterans is considered discretionary spending.
Representative Steve Buyer (R-IN-4) was appointed by the House
leadership as the new Chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
This appointment came after Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)
had been stripped of his chairmanship. Under House rules, Smith
should have had two additional years to serve as Chairman.
Smith was also removed from the Committee altogether. This action
was in response to his challenge of the House leadership last
year on the Budget Resolution. He had advised the leadership that
he and nine of his Republican colleagues would not vote for the
Resolution unless it provided more funding for veterans.
The appointment of Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) as the new Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs was not the result
of such draconian action as occurred in the House Committee. Senator
Arlen Specter (R-PA), the former Chairman, requested and was granted
the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee.
Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) is the new ranking member of the
Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Representative Lane Evans (D-IL-17)
continues as the Ranking Member on the House Committee.
Further concern has been generated by the reorganization of the
respective Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) now falls within the jurisdiction
of the "Subcommittee on Military Quality Of Life and Department
of Veterans Affairs." This means that VA is competing with
the active military force for already scarce dollars.
Budget Request Inadequate
The President’s Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Request for VA Health
Care falls woefully short. The proposal calls for only a .04 percent
increase over the FY 2005 funding level. Former Under Secretary
for Health Dr. Robert Roswell testified more than a year ago that
the Veterans Health Administration needs at least a 12-14 percent
increase each year just to maintain current services.
The budget proposal also contains a number of budget gimmicks
that require veterans to pay more for services. Nonservice-connected
veterans enrolled in Priorities 7 and 8 are required to pay an
annual $250 enrollment fee. The proposal also increases the prescription
drug co-pay for this same group from $7 to $15 for each 30-day
supply. The terms of the budget request also cut funding for medical
and prosthetic research.
Both the House and Senate have adopted budget resolutions for
FY 2006, but significant differences must be reconciled in a Conference
Committee. It seems quite clear that VA will not receive essential
funding and that a reduction in services is inevitable.
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