In This Issue:
1. VA Budget Update
2. VFW Testifies before Appropriations Subcommittee
3. House VA Committee Hearings
4. Senate Hearing on Caring for Families of Wounded Warriors
5. CENTCOM Commander Resigns
6. FY09 Defense Budget Resolution
1. VA Budget Update: The House and Senate have both approved their respective versions of the FY09 federal budget. The two versions are similar. Notably, they bump up VA funding by $3.2 billion over the President's request, which is in line with the veterans healthcare recommendations we laid out in the Independent Budget. Both versions reject the proposed copayment and fee increases, which the VFW strongly opposes. This is just the first step of the VA funding process. The budget forms the framework for the appropriations process. It gives broad outlines of spending for the department, which the respective Appropriations Committees will use to fund specific accounts and tasks within VA. The process is not complete until the President signs the Appropriations bill.
2. VFW Testifies before Appropriations Subcommittee: VFW testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction /VA. Representing the Independent Budget, we testified to the FY2009 proposed budget for VA construction accounts. We believe the VA construction funding is woefully inadequate and does not come close to meeting the IB's recommendation of $1.275 billion for construction projects. Both major and minor construction are almost half of what was in last's year's budget, with major construction almost $700 million short and minor construction almost $300 million short.
3. House VA Committee Hearings:
• On Tuesday, The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the treatment of substance abuse disorders. Witnesses discussed VA's current treatment programs and research being conducted in the areas of mental health, traumatic brain injury and PTSD. According to VA, substance abuse disorders are among the most common diagnoses. Congress recently increased funding for VA substance abuse treatment programs, but has found that stigma associated with seeking treatment for mental health disorders prevents some veterans from seeking help at medical facilities operated by VA.
• On Thursday, The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the care of seriously wounded once they become outpatients. Compelling testimony from injured veterans and their families emphasize the need for clarification of services and consistency between VA and DOD coordination. Meredith Beck, of the Wounded Warriors Project, identified several obstacles to care as veterans attempt to transition back into their communities Among them were options for care, discrepancies in benefits, respite care, and caregiver compensation. Identifying the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission as a model for Congress to follow, she and the other witnesses stressed the need for oversight, and that a joint structure be put in place to ensure future inter and intra-agency coordination
For more on either hearings visit the House VA website at:
http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/ 4. Senate Hearing on Caring for Families of Wounded Warriors: The Senate VA Committee asked family members of veterans wounded in OIF to discuss the care and contact they have had with DOD and VA. VFW sponsored a witness whose husband returned from Iraq with PTSD and other health problems. The witness talked of being overwhelmed trying to cope with her loved ones problems while moving thru the maze that is VA-DOD services. Another witness described a "not so-seamless transition" from DOD to VA care after his son was injured in his second tour in Iraq. Committee members stated that VA and DOD need to pay more attention to the families who are caring and advocating for their loved one by providing clear cut services and coordinators to help them through the process. For complete hearing coverage, visit the Senate VA website at:
http://veterans.senate.gov/public/ 5. CENTCOM Commander Resigns: Adm. William "Fox" Fallon has submitted his resignation as commander of U.S. Central Command and has asked to retire from the Navy. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has accepted the request. Fallon will remain in the job until the end of March, when he will be temporarily replaced by his deputy, Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, until a permanent replacement is nominated. Admiral Fallon, who has led the command responsible for all U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia since March 2007, has been portrayed in recent news stories as being at odds with White House policy on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the administration's position on Iran. He stated that there have never been any differences between himself and the Administration over policy in his area of responsibility. It's been reported that the decision to retire was Fallon's, citing "the distraction this causes from the mission makes resigning the right thing to do."
6. FY09 Defense Budget Resolution: The House Budget Resolution, which is a blueprint for spending, provides $537.8 billion for national defense, and prioritizes resources to restore military readiness that has been worn down by repeated deployments after more than six years of war. Especially important are the Budget Resolution's instructions that rejects Tricare fee increases for military retirees, provides funding to continue addressing problems such as those identified at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and calls for enhanced pay and benefits to improve the quality of life of our troops and their families.
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