The nation’s three largest veterans organizations today called on Congress to scrap proposed budget cuts in disability compensation, pensions and healthcare to offset the costs of tax breaks and huge spending increases on defense and homeland security.

A fiscal year 2004 budget plan approved by the House Budget Committee would slash $470 billion from domestic spending, including healthcare and compensation for disabled veterans provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The House budget resolution would leave intact the $1.6 trillion Bush tax cut plan and allow huge spending increases on defense and homeland security.

“Veterans’ pensions and disability compensation are parts of the costs of defending freedom. Our nation cannot, in good conscience, commit men and women to battle, and reduce the meager, yet well-deserved, compensation for those who are wounded,” said American Legion National Commander Ronald F. Conley. “Of all the citizens who benefit from mandatory federal funding, none are worthier than those who are disabled today because they risked all of their tomorrows fighting for freedom. This budget defies common sense. We’ll fight it with all our might.”

“The healthcare and benefits our veterans have earned are a powerful reminder that the price of war is ongoing, and that as a nation we have a commitment to ensure these costs are paid,” said Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander in Chief Ray Sisk. “Reducing VA healthcare funding, even by the seemingly small one percent, will worsen many of VA’s gravest problems. We cannot expect sick and disabled veterans to wait months for earned healthcare. Equally troubling is that further cuts in funding would cause VA to curb further enrollment, or to remove certain veterans from the healthcare system altogether. It is imperative that Congress fully fund the VA.”

“Cutting already under funded veterans’ programs to offset the costs of tax cuts is indefensible and callous,” said Edward R. Heath Sr., National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. “It is unconscionable to cut benefits and services for disabled veterans at a time when we have thousands of our service members in harm’s way fighting terrorism around the world and when we are sending thousands more of our sons and daughters to fight a war against Iraq.”

“Congress must rethink drastic cuts in benefits and services for disabled veterans at a time when we have thousands of our service members in harm’s way fighting terrorism around the world and when we are sending thousands more of our sons and daughters to fight a war against Iraq,” the veterans groups said in a letter to the congressional leadership.

For more information, contact: Steve Thomas of The American Legion, 202-263-2982 Bill Smith of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 202-543-2239 David Autry of the Disabled American Veterans, 202-314-5219 

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—U.S. Newswire, March 17, 2003