Veterans' agenda.As Congress grapples with many challenges and stiff competition for scarce resources in the coming year, it is more important than ever for DAV See WebDAV. members to be actively involved in our grassroots lobbying efforts to preserve our rights and ensure our government honors its commitment to disabled veterans. We have witnessed an unprecedented assault on benefits for veterans in recent years that is very worrying, especially while so many of America's sons and daughters are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with severe injuries and disabilities. Federal funding for veterans programs has not kept pace with inflation, much less the increased demands on the VA for health care and other earned benefits. The administration claims to have provided record increases for the VA, yet thousands of veterans have been denied access to health care. Budget shortfalls have hit VA facilities in every region of the country. Some have had to put off hiring doctors and nurses, while still others have cut back or even eliminated medical services. We've also seen repeated attempts to deny compensation to veterans whose disabilities were not directly related to performance of their official military duties. There also are concerns that ongoing reviews of the VA disability compensation system may be part of plans to lessen our government's responsibility to adequately and fairly provide for disabled veterans. And as if that weren't enough, House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer Stephen Earle Buyer (born November 26 1958) has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993 for Indiana's At-large congressional district. (R-Ind.) has decided the DAV and other veterans service organizations will no longer have the opportunity to present our legislative priorities before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. For more than 50 years our National Commander and hundreds of DAY members from across the country have been able to speak directly to our elected representatives about the issues that are most important to disabled veterans and their families. But apparently Chairman Buyer doesn't see the value in those hearings, which have been a vital part of our annual Mid-Winter Conference. Yes, these are difficult times for disabled veterans. But with a coordinated, vigorous grassroots campaign, we can fight back against these attacks and make sure our government lives up to its moral obligation to our sick and disabled veterans. That's where our Commander's Action Network, or DAV CAN, comes in. This grassroots program has proven itself over the years and currently has nearly 5,000 members. We also have about 19,000 people who have signed up to receive legislative alerts through our Action E-List. But we must have an even stronger voice if we are to be successful in advancing a veterans' agenda. We must remind members of Congress and their legislative aides that veterans remain a strong, vital political force in this country. Our grassroots activists keep their elected representatives on notice that veterans issues are important to their constituents. DAV members, their families and others who join DAV CAN will receive a package of information that includes postcards, sample letters, suggested letters to newspaper editors, phone calling information and other materials to make them a vital part of the network. Those with computers can access the DAV Web site (www.dav.org) to use the Legislative Action site to send letters or e-mail messages to each of their elected representatives. By becoming a valued member of DAV's grassroots network, you demonstrate your dedication and commitment to improving the lives of our nation's service-connected disabled veterans and their families. To become a part of DAV's grassroots network, contact the National Legislative Department, Disabled American Veterans The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members. The DAV was controversial during the 2006 election cycle. National Service and Legislative Headquarters, 807 Maine Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024. Disabled veterans and their families are counting on us, and we won't let them down. Legislative Goals for 2006 * The DAV has established an ambitious legislative program for 2006. The National Legislative staff and our entire membership will be working together to make sure that this country lives up to its commitment to disabled veterans and their families and survivors. The DAV's legislative goals are drawn from resolutions adopted by the delegates to our National Convention. The following are some of the major objectives our organization will pursue during the 109th Congress. Disability Compensation & Other Benefits * Oppose any change that would redefine Verb 1. redefine - give a new or different definition to; "She redefined his duties" define, delimit, delimitate, delineate, specify - determine the essential quality of 2. service-connected disability or restrict the conditions or circumstances under which it may be established. * Oppose any proposal that would offset payments of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or any other federal benefits by the amount of VA compensation. * Support legislation to provide service connection to atomic veterans atomic veteran n. A former member of the armed forces who was exposed to radioactivity during the testing or use of atom bombs. for all recognized radiogenic ra·di·o·ge·nic adj. Relating to or caused by radioactivity. radiogenic 1. Being a stable element that is product of radioactive decay. diseases. * Support legislation to remove the prohibition against concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation for all longevity longevity (lŏnjĕv`ĭtē), term denoting the length or duration of the life of an animal or plant, often used to indicate an unusually long life. retired veterans. * Support compensation of Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be veterans for illnesses circumstantially linked to their service in the war. * Oppose any change in law to provide for lump-sum payments of VA disability compensation. * Support an expansion of POW presumptions. * Eliminate the requirement for dose estimates in claims for service connection based on radiation exposure. * Support legislation to clarify that service in the Republic of Vietnam includes service in the waters offshore for purposes of benefits based on exposure to herbicides. * Oppose any scheme to means test means test n. An investigation into the financial well-being of a person to determine the person's eligibility for financial assistance. means test Noun disability and death compensation. * Increase disability compensation. * Restore protections against unwarranted awards of veterans' benefits Throughout history war veterans have received compensation. Roman soldiers were given rewards at the end of their service including cash or land (praemia). Augustus fixed the amount in AD 5 at 3000 denarii and by the time of Caracalla it had risen to 5000 denarii. [1] to third parties in divorce actions. Medical & Health Care Services * Support legislation to make VA health care funding mandatory. * Ensure that timely quality health care services are provided to service-connected disabled veterans. * Support service-connected veterans' priority access to VA medical. * Support equal medical services and benefits for women veterans. * Support legislation to extend the period of eligibility for free health care for combat veterans for conditions potentially related to their combat service from two years to five years after discharge or release. * Support the repeal The Annulment or abrogation of a previously existing statute by the enactment of a later law that revokes the former law. The revocation of the law can either be done through an express repeal of co-payments for medical services and prescriptions provided by the VA. * Support repeal of beneficiary travel pay deductibles for service-connected disabled veterans and support benefit travel reimbursement Reimbursement Payment made to someone for out-of-pocket expenses has incurred. rates. General Issues * Support adequate funding for all VA programs and services. * Support increases in grants for automobiles or other conveyances available to certain disabled veterans and to pro vide for automatic annual adjustments based on the increase in the cost of living. * Provide an increase in the specially adapted housing grant and automatic annual adjustments based on increases in the cost of living. * Support the American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Commemorative coins are coins that were issued to commemorate some particular event or issue. Most world commemorative coins were issued from the 1960s onward, although there are numerous examples of commemorative coins of earlier date. Act. * Support legislation to reduce premiums for Service Disabled Veterans' Insurance consistent with current life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. . * Extend eligibility for Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance to service-connected veterans rated permanently and totally disabled. * Seek the immediate release of any American who may still be held captive following World War II, the Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. , the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. , and the Persian Gulf War and seek immediate return of the remains of any Americans who died during those wars. * Increase the face value of Service Disabled Veterans' Insurance. * Support programs in our schools to educate children on the special contributions and sacrifices of our veterans. * Provide educational benefits for dependents of service-connected veterans rated 80% or more disabled. * Encourage all disabled veterans, their families and friends to become registered voters and to vote. * Support outreach to and employment opportunities for women veterans. * Increase the burial allowance for service-connected disabled veterans. * Extend military commissary COMMISSARY. An officer whose principal duties are to supply the army with provisions. 2. The Act of April 14, 1818, s. 6, requires that the president, by and with the consent of the senate, shall appoint a commissary general with the rank, pay, and emoluments and exchange privileges Exchange Privilege The opportunity given to a mutual-fund shareholder to exchange a fund for another within the same fund family at no additional cost. Notes: This privilege allows investors to switch funds when market conditions change. to service-connected disabled veterans. * Extend space-available air travel aboard military aircraft to 100% service-connected disabled veterans. * Condemn public desecration of the flag of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . * Construct a memorial to commemorate com·mem·o·rate tr.v. com·mem·o·rat·ed, com·mem·o·rat·ing, com·mem·o·rates 1. To honor the memory of with a ceremony. See Synonyms at observe. 2. To serve as a memorial to. the sacrifices of America's disabled veterans. * Eliminate the delimiting date for eligible spouses and surviving spouses for benefits provided under chapter 35, title 38, United States Code Noun 1. United States Code - a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States; is prepared and published by a unit of the United States House of Representatives U. S. . Joseph A. Violante, National Legislative Director |
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