Washington, DC 3/30/2009 10:00:11 AM
MOPH Urges Passage of 2010 Budget for Veterans Affairs
As the President’s 2010 Budget heads to the House of Representatives for a final vote this week, The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is pleased to support and encourage passage of the Veterans Affairs Budget put forth by Chairman John Spratt and the House Budget Committee. Chairman Spratt’s leadership and dedication to doing the right thing for America’s Heroes is gratefully appreciated, especially during these difficult economic times.
This year, Chairman Spratt’s mark not only builds on the President’s request by providing $53.3 billion in appropriated funding for veterans, which is $5.5 billion (11.5 percent) more than the 2009 level, it provides an additional $540 million to safeguard the provision of health care to veterans. This legislation ensures that the VA will bill private insurance companies only for treatment of non-service-connected conditions and not for the treatment of veterans’ service-connected conditions. Like the President’s budget, this legislation increases appropriated funding for veterans in every year – by at least $25 billion more than current services levels over five years. The 2009 budget would have cut funding by $20 billion over five years. This legislation allows the VA to open its services to additional modest-income veterans for VA health care, and provides additional funding for VA to research and treat mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury.
Every year, the Department of Veteran Affairs treats an increasing number of patients whose number has now reached more than 5 million. This year’s budget reverses the trend of recent years in which the number of veterans who could be treated was reduced, while fees for VA services were repeatedly increased. While the MOPH regrets that advanced funding for the VA was not included in this bill, it is hopeful that this need can be addressed in the near future. Senator Daniel Akaka and Rep. Bob Filner, Chairmen of their respective Veterans Affairs Committees, have introduced companion bills, S.423 and H.R. 1016, that would fulfill a pledge made by President Obama on October, 28, 2008 to “recommend passage of advance appropriation legislation for the [fiscal] 2010 appropriations cycle, instead of yearly continuing resolutions that lead to delays in hiring and facility construction.”
MOPH urges the Congress to also consider additional funding for research and treatment of mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury, which remains inadequate to meet the needs.
According to MOPH National Commander Jeff Roy, “We are pleased with the increased funding that will allow the VA to prepare for and deliver quality medical care to the Nation’s sick and disabled veterans, and I urge the Congress to vote in favor of its passage. I also want to reiterate my personal thanks to Senator Akaka and Congressman Filner for their tireless efforts to provide predictable advance funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is unique among Veteran Service Organizations in that all its members were wounded in combat. For this sacrifice, they were awarded the Purple Heart Medal. With grants from the MOPH Service Foundation, the MOPH and its Ladies Auxiliary promote Patriotism, Fraternalism, and the Preservation of America's Military History. Most importantly, they provide comfort and assistance to all Veterans and their families, especially those requiring claims assistance with the VA, those who are homeless, and those requiring employment assistance.
For information contact either:
National Public Relations Director, John Bircher, 352-753-5535
or
National Legislative Director, Hershel Gober, 703-354-2140
Email: PublicRelations@Purpleheart.org
Web: www.purpleheart.org
