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This week the Senate is considering its budget resolution, a bill that would fund the entire federal government, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, for fiscal year 2014. One provision in this bill would have a long-lasting consequence: it would drastically change the way annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are added to disability compensation and pension payments to veterans, their dependents and survivors. If adopted, this change will reduce government payments for these obligations by billions of dollars over the next ten years.
The Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has asked for help from DAV (Disabled American Veterans) in gaining other Senators’ support for his amendment to stop this change from occurring, thereby preserving the current system for calculating COLA additions to payments to veterans and others.
Please use the prepared email in this alert, or write your own individualized email to your Senators to urge their support of the Sanders’ amendment. Veterans and their survivors earned the compensation and pension payments they receive by virtue of their military service to the nation. The federal deficit was not created by sick and disabled veterans, and they do not deserve to be unfairly penalized.
DAV appreciates your use of the Commander’s Action Network in helping DAV communicate our priorities to Congress. Your grassroots advocacy is key to our effectiveness in Washington. With your help, DAV CAN!
Please send your message to your Senators TODAY!
Sincerely,
Ken Kooyman
Department Sr. Vice Commander/Legislative Chairman
kkooyman@davma.org |