Department of Virginia

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.

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