House approves bill creating more accountability at VA after string of scandals

Retiredin1993 · June 14, 2017

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/13/politics/veterans-affairs-bill-passes-house/index.html

Ray,IN · June 17, 2017

Ya, I watched Paul Ryan on TV last week, I was flabbergasted when he said he just learned about VA problems. How could anyone not know? It's been in the news for some years now.

prplehearts · June 20, 2017

But in another matter, President Trumps' proposed budget will eliminate benefits for some quarter million disabled veterans in order that other veterans can have access to choice. Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul! The rationale that another non veteran (Shulkin) uses is so senseless it's almost laughable if it weren't so damaging to the veterans who rely on their disability checks to make ends meet.

Pieere · June 21, 2017

Wish I could remember the veteran site. I read that Shulkin had agreed with the petitions of Veterans and will not take any benefits from the Veterans! I believe it was from the AmVETS organization's website!

Five Wood · June 22, 2017

On 6/20/2017 at 1:32 PM, prplehearts said:

But in another matter, President Trumps' proposed budget will eliminate benefits for some quarter million disabled veterans in order that other veterans can have access to choice. Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul! The rationale that another non veteran (Shulkin) uses is so senseless it's almost laughable if it weren't so damaging to the veterans who rely on their disability checks to make ends meet.

Hello, and welcome to the forum. You have to be sort of careful here not to get into a political discussion. . . but I'm curious. Can you cite an article that supports what you are saying?

remoandiris · June 22, 2017

12 hours ago, Five Wood said:

Can you cite an article that supports what you are saying?

Here is the aftermath.

https://www.stripes.com/news/va-backs-off-budget-proposal-to-cut-benefits-for-disabled-unemployable-vets-1.473551

When the proposal first came out, I read it to mean it targeted those who were getting disability because they could not work and were also getting social security because of age. Some may call that double dipping, IDK. Some may have felt the vets were living beyond their means if they needed both benefits to survive. Never much detail in the news, only what the reporter/editors want people to know. Regardless, it looks like the money will come from somewhere else.

Pieere · June 22, 2017

We at AMVETS wanted to share the fantastic news that the proposal to stop IU payments to those who reached Social Security age has been termed "dead" by VA Secretary Shulkin, which he said after the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on the VA Budget yesterday. They are no longer coming after IU benefits to fund the Choice Program.

Thank you to the thousands of you who responded to our call to action, and wrote or called your members of Congress. On Monday of this week, nearly 60 members of the House of Representatives sent a signed letter to Secretary Shulkin decrying the outrageous idea to cut IU benefits to fund Choice.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, a team of AMVETS went to the offices of all 100 U.S. Senators and asked to talk with the person who handled veterans issues. They were provided the bipartisan House letter and this flyer. Many impromptu meetings were held, in addition to the many that we had scheduled, including with those on the Veterans Affairs Committee. We want to specifically thank Senator Tester (D-MT) and Senator Heller (R-NV) for asking pointed questions on IU to the VA Secretary at the hearing, and standing strong for IU veterans.

We could not have done this without your support. Every office visited had heard from veterans and veteran advocates on this issue. We are proud of our AMVETS team!

Here Is What I received from AMVETS,ORG, What i understood is it was Revoked, (DEAD)

RV_ · June 26, 2017

Good job guys! Thanks Pieeere!

Pieere · June 27, 2017

14 hours ago, RV_ said:

Good job guys! Thanks Pieeere!

YW RV!

prplehearts · August 1, 2017

On June 21, 2017 at 6:27 PM, Five Wood said:

Hello, and welcome to the forum. You have to be sort of careful here not to get into a political discussion. . . but I'm curious. Can you cite an article that supports what you are saying?

The article was originally referenced in a Cnn report. Dr Shulkin was initially supportive of the concept of eliminating some "redundant " compensation for certain disabled veterans in order to make available more services for more veterans...and it's true, he later reversed his thinking once he did additional research on the matter. As an aside, I don't see discussing veterans issues as being particularly political but I take your comment in the spirit it was intended.

DJW · August 1, 2017

prplehearts

Sometimes the folks get pretty worked up when it comes to discussing veterans issues and they can become very political very fast. There are a group of folks that think that the veterans get to much because they themselves have never served their country in uniform and there is a group of folks who thing we do not get enough for the sacrifices we made. So yes you do need to watch what you say and how you say it because it can go South quick.

Dennis

Kirk W · August 1, 2017

8 hours ago, DJW said:

So yes you do need to watch what you say and how you say it because it can go South quick.

Not all veterans agree on every issue either and like most anything that is dependent on actions by Congress, it gets to be a very thin line. Not so very different than health care or many other subjects. Fortunately, veterans are looked upon much more favorably today than was the case back in the 70's.