VVA: Beware the Senator Who Speaks With Forked Tongue

[pinboy3niner]

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release
September 23, 2010
No. RI-002


Beware the Senator Who Speaks With Forked Tongue
By John Weiss, Vietnam Veterans of America Rhode Island State Council



North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, the leading Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said yesterday, as reported by the Associated Press, that he has “concerns about a proposal to spend billions of dollars on disability compensation for Vietnam veterans who get heart disease and wants to make sure that science supports the expansion of benefits.”
<snip>

There is no doubt, that Burr, though too young to have faced conscription during the Vietnam Conflict, views himself as a supporter of those who served.

In fact, seven months ago, it was Sen. Burr who introduced a resolution recognizing March 30 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.” Proclaimed Burr, “There’s no question that our troops served our country bravely and faithfully during the Vietnam War, and these veterans deserve our recognition and gratitude. Unfortunately, when these service members returned home, they were caught in the crossfire of public debate about our nation's involvement in the war.”

Today, Vietnam veterans are again caught in the “crossfire of public debate,” as Burr and others balk at the price of providing for the continuing cost of care for those whom he and others recognize “served our country bravely and faithfully during the Vietnam War.”

Words of praise and gratitude do not cost anything. Veterans’ compensation for service-related health conditions do. Sen. Burr, which is it?

http://www.vva.org/PressReleases/2010/RI-002.html

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I'm one of those in line to get disability benefits for CVD.

I'm sure not counting any eggs, but it would make an actual retirement maybe possible for me. I'm still working at 66.

[pinboy3niner]

3. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about

Besides the difficult position it puts pols in to oppose it (especially with vets' groups--look at the unusually harsh way the VVA headed its press release), another story points out that first-year funding has already been approved:

After final a regulation is published, VA still will have to wait 60 days under the Congressional Review Act to begin paying claims, given the cost of adding these three diseases to the list of ailments presumed caused by exposure to defoliants used in Vietnam. That would give Congress time to block the regulation, though that seems unlikely given that funds already have been approved for anticipated first-year and retroactive payments.

http://articles.dailypress.com/2010-08-05/news/dp-nws-philpott-agent-orange-20100805_1_disease-or-b-cell-leukemia-three-diseases-appeals-court

You might check the website of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to find out more about what's happening. They should also have video and/or a transcript from the hearing they held on this issue (Sept. 23, I think. I also may have saved a link for the hearing, if you need it).

It looks like there's good reason to be optimistic that Congress won't tamper with the new presumptive conditions. In any case, good luck with your claim--and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Love & Peace,
pinboy3niner

:patriot:

[mike3121]

2. Republicans will, as usual, go too far.

It's happened before. When the Republicans get in power some of them always want to reduce VA benefits. It's a wasteful "entitlement" to them. 25th ID wounded Tet 68 & came home on a stretcher.

[pinboy3niner]

4. Welcome home, Brother

And welcome to DU.

I was 101st Abn., '69-'70. Also medevac'd on a stretcher, did 18 months at Letterman Army Hosp. in SF. I had a friend and roommate with the 25th who was MoH (posthumous) in '69.

DU has a lot of vet members (all eras, including ours)--welcome to the club. :patriot:

[unhappycamper]

5. Yes, welcome!

:hi:

I was up in Chu Lai during Tet of 68. I did make the invasion of Cambodia in April 1970 with the 25th ID.



on edit to add: Burr is an asshole.