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OUT OF THE CHAIR BUT NOT OUT OF WIND -- In his
own
words: Former House Vets' Chair Steve Buyer
(R-IN)
continues to assail veterans with
condescending attitude.
Now that Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN) is no
longer the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, some
thought he'd quietly sit back in his role as Ranking Minority Member of
the Committee.
Not so!
Buyer is as pugnacious and disrespectful
of veterans as ever.
How do we know this? Just read his
press releases.
His latest was issued today and appears
below.
Some items of note...
He praises VA Secretary Jim Nicholson for
a great VA budget: "This budget will allow them to receive the
care they need and lead full lives." Don't tell this to all
the veterans on waiting lists around the country.
He continues to diss veterans who appear
before the Committee: "...these groups here do not represent
all veterans. We’ll get other input later..."
And, he refuses to admit that the VA
needs more funding. Here is a comment on the VBA claims backlog:
“Simply throwing money at the problem is not the answer.” Well,
then, how do we hire more claims people for VBA and end the backlog
there?
As the Chair, and as a Member, Steve
Buyer is out of touch.
Some reading on Buyer is listed below:
http://www.vawatchdog.org/milcom/areyoureallyaveteran.htm
http://www.vawatchdog.org/milcom/itsbuyerbeware.htm
http://www.vawatchdog.org/milcom/veteranstargetofthirdpartyslurs.htm
And, there's plenty more on this page...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/military%20dot%20com%20articles.htm
Buyer press release here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/hcva07/hcva020807-1.htm
Press release below:
---------------
REPUBLICAN PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Buyer says strong veterans’ budget reflects VA secretary’s leadership
Washington D.C. — Praising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for
his leadership in getting America’s veterans a strong fiscal year 2008
budget proposal, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member
Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), heard testimony today from VA and veterans groups
on the president’s annual budget request. The $86.75 billion budget,
which drew acclaim but also some concern, is an increase of about 8
percent over the request for FY 2007, the largest amount ever requested
by VA.
“I commend you for yet again embracing the challenge of improving VA’s
budgeting process,” Buyer said. “Building on last year’s progress,
improving the integrity of the process has borne fruit with this
budget.”
“There are significant changes and challenges facing our veterans as
they return from the war on terror. This budget will allow them to
receive the care they need and lead full lives,” Buyer said, noting that
much of the federal government received a 2.2 percent increase in the
president’s request, due to the need to reduce the national debt.
Buyer commended Nicholson’s decision to embrace the idea of centralizing
its information technology under VA’s chief information officer. “This
innovation will be seen as part of your legacy to the Department of
Veterans Affairs.”
The committee also heard testimony from representatives of the
Independent Budget, the American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America,
although in contrast to proceedings last year, the majority of veterans
groups will not be permitted to testify until after the budget has been
developed.
“This input is important, but these groups here do not represent all
veterans. We’ll get other input later, when veterans are in town for
their conventions, but that will be after the budget is done,” Buyer
said, expressing disappointment that in calling for “joint” hearings in
the spring, some veterans’ service organizations (VSOs) have chosen
“theater” over substance. “I set up a process to let veterans into the
budget process and now they are being relegated to the back bench,
silenced.”
Buyer, noting that no military service organizations (MSOs) have been
asked to share their budgetary views, has asked Committee Chairman Bob
Filner (D-Calif.) to convene a meeting of VSOs and MSOs to hear their
views before the budget is written.
The administration’s budget request includes $36.6 billion for veterans’
medical care, including $740 million for medical facilities
construction. These facilities will include new hospitals – some
authorized last year – in Las Vegas, Nev., Denver, Colo., and Orlando,
Fla., a spinal cord injury center for Syracuse, N.Y., and an outpatient
clinic in Lee County, Fla. This year’s major and minor medical
construction request is more than a 60 percent increase over the FY 2007
request.
“The building of these facilities is long overdue and I am pleased to
see that the funding for these projects is included in this request,”
Buyer said.
The budget also includes record funding of $44.7 billion for the
veterans benefit administration. The funds will in part hire an
additional 457 claims adjudicators. Buyer expects VA to explore
innovative ways to reduce an unacceptably large backlog of claims beyond
hiring more compensation and pension claims employees, which require two
to three years of training.
“Simply throwing money at the problem is not the answer,” Buyer said.
“Every one of these claims is not just a number but a veteran and their
family who deserve the compensation that is owed to them. I am troubled
by what I would characterize as an insufficient use of technology, and
instead, the status quo – throwing more people at the problem.”
Discussing the Montgomery GI Bill for veterans returning from Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom with VSO leaders, Buyer
reviewed accomplishments made during the last Congress.
“You asked for improvements to the GI Bill,” Buyer said. “In the last
Congress we made [GI Bill] chapter 35 more flexible for spouses and
dependents, we restored the entitlements for National Guard and Reserve
called to active duty during the school year, we extended work study
provisions to ensure a vet didn’t lose a job during the school year, and
we required VA to report ways to streamline administration of the GI
Bill to shorten the time to get that first check.”
Buyer praised VA’s agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee that
permits participants in VA’s National Wheelchair Games and National
Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic to qualify for the U.S.
Paralympics.
“You are tapping into hope,” Buyer said to Nicholson. “You are giving
great hope to a lot of veterans, helping them aspire to levels in those
sports they never dreamed would be possible.”
Buyer concluded, saying, “There is more to be done to ensure access to
quality care and prompt delivery of benefits to all who have earned
them, and I look forward to working with other members of the committee
on these issues.”
---------------
Larry Scott --
