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Smith Praises Record Budget Increase for
Veterans
Says It Will "Maintain Our
Commitments And Sustain Vital VA Health Care Programs"
(Washington, DC) - Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4), Chairman of the House
Committee on Veterans' Affairs today backed the 2003 budget proposal of
the House Budget Committee, saying it will "maintain our commitments
and sustain vital VA health care programs." Smith particularly
welcomed elimination of the Administration's ill-fated proposal to impose
a new $1,500 deductible on some veterans seeking VA health care, as well
as an historic breakthrough on the issue of concurrent receipt.
"Under Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle's proposal, the VA's
budget authority for fiscal year 2003 will jump to a record $56.9 billion,
an increase of 11.6%, including a whopping 12% increase in VA health care.
That's $2.6 billion above this year's spending level, more than $1.2
billion above the Administration's proposed budget for medical care,"
said Smith.
"Combined with spending on disability compensation and other VA
benefit programs, this budget will give veterans about 99% of the funding
that we requested on their behalf," said Smith
On Monday, Smith and the Veterans' Affairs Committee had recommended that
the Budget Committee significantly increase VA health care funding,
without imposition of the controversial $1,500 deductible. The
Administration had proposed an annual $1,500 deductible for 'Priority 7'
veterans - those without service-connected disabilities and whose incomes
are above poverty levels. The VA estimated 471,000 veterans would
have had their health care services diminished or eliminated as a result.
"Under the budget plan we recommended, and which is now being adopted
by the Budget Committee, the Administration's $1,500 proposal will be
replaced dollar-for-dollar with new funds," said Smith.
"From day one, I have called that proposal a 'nonstarter' and I am
pleased that Chairman Nussle and his colleagues on the Budget Committee
have agreed," he said.
Smith also hailed the language included in the Budget Committee's draft to
resolve the problem of concurrent receipt, the glitch in the law that
requires military retirees to have their pensions lowered by the amount of
disability compensation payments they also receive. "There is
no reason that a veteran, who risked life and limb for his country, and
suffers from a disability as a result, should be penalized because he
choose to serve honorably in our military until retirement," Smith
said.
"Last year, we made historic improvements in the delivery of benefits
and services to our nation's 25 million veterans and their families,"
said Smith. "We reinvigorated the GI Bill education and
training program, jump-started the fight to end homelessness among
veterans, increased disability compensation payments, and strengthened the
provision of VA health care nationwide. Now, by adopting this budget
proposal, we will be taking a giant step forward to ensure that we leave
no veteran behind," he said.
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Please visit http://veterans.house.gov,
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs web site, named 'One of the Best
Web Sites in Congress' by the Congressional Management Foundation, May 3,
1999.
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