AUTHOR NOTE:  This is an updated article written for Military.com about Rep. Steve Buyer changing the dates for VA budget testimony.  Also included is Buyer's ludicrous "third-party" assertion that Democrats caused the VA's PTSD review...and proof that Buyer and his cronies are lying.

It?s Buyer Beware!

In a busy week, House Vets? Chair changes dates of VA budget hearings and blames Democrats for VA?s PTSD review

Opinion by Larry Scott

Last week, most politicians were fine-tuning the speeches they would give on Veterans? Day.  But, Steve Buyer was busy fine-tuning the way veterans? service organizations (VSOs) are heard on Capitol Hill.  In the past, Buyer has called for sweeping changes to veterans? benefits and compensation.  If implemented, these changes would deny benefits to many veterans and reduce benefits for many more.

Representative Steve Buyer (R-IN) is Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans? Affairs (HCVA).  Buyer ascended to that powerful position after Republican Party politics led to the unceremonious ouster of Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) earlier this year.  Smith was an outspoken veterans? advocate and had sought increases in funding for the Department of Veterans? Affairs (VA) healthcare budget. 

Not so with Rep. Buyer.  Buyer is known in the Republican Party as a team-player who does not stray from the Party line.  In the veterans? community, Buyer is known as a hard-liner who tenaciously resists any effort to fully fund VA healthcare.

Last Tuesday (Nov. 8), in a press release, Buyer announced he would now be holding hearings on the VA budget in February instead of March.  The hearings would be before the HCVA only, not the traditional House and Senate venue.  Buyer said he was doing this to ?ensure that veterans have greater input in the [VA?s budget] process.?  (Buyer?s press flack, Jeff Phillips, wrote this and he?s a master at making the really bad sound really good.)

For almost two days this seemingly ?little? news story went unnoticed.  Then the firestorm struck.

VSOs realized that Rep. Buyer was trying to pull a ?fast one? with their annual VA budget testimony.  For 55 years the VSOs have come to Capitol Hill in March to testify before a joint session of the HCVA and Senate Committee on Veterans? Affairs (SCVA).

Now, Rep. Buyer will limit VSO testimony to just the HCVA, thus eliminating access to the Senators who are directly involved in the VA budget process.

But, there is a political side to Rep. Buyer?s decision.  By moving the testimony from March back to February, VSOs come to the table with only part of the information they need to adequately make recommendations on the VA budget.

During the Joint Committee hearings held in March, VSOs have had the VA?s budget request AND the White House?s response to that request (generally a lower dollar amount).  And, there would be enough time to analyze both sets of figures and give testimony in the best interest of veterans.

With the single committee hearing moved to February, the VSOs would have to outline their VA budget priorities at the SAME TIME the White House figures are released.  There wouldn?t be time to go through the White House?s VA budget numbers and come up with a response.

The VSOs dismissed Rep. Buyer?s contention that the February hearings would give them greater influence on the VA?s budget.  They claim Buyer is seeking to avoid the public relations nightmare of having angry veterans? groups blasting the White House.  ?Some people don?t want to be criticized for being deficient,? said Richard Fuller, legislative director for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

This move is Rep. Buyer?s way of paying back the White House for his Chair on the HCVA.  With February hearings, VSOs would not be able to criticize the low dollar figure offered by the White House for the VA budget.  Rep Buyer is doing his job by protecting the White House from criticism by VSOs who have become increasingly vocal about the Bush Administration?s underfunding of the VA.

In an act of open rebellion against Rep. Buyer, Democrats on the HCVA are now threatening to hold their own hearings on the VA budget.  The American Legion?s legislative director, Steve Robertson, said the Legion would join the Democrat-led hearings or even hold hearing of their own.  Robertson added, ?Basically, [Buyer] is saying that all of our hearings have been irrelevant.?

Then, on the eve of Veterans? Day, Buyer had to take one more swipe at veterans and conduct a political attack at the same time.

On Thursday (Nov. 10), VA Secretary Jim Nicholson announced that the VA was canceling the review of 72,000 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) claims that were granted to veterans, giving them compensation for a 100 per cent disability.  The VA had looked to lower or deny PTSD benefits based on faulty record-keeping on their part.

There was overwhelming bi-partisan praise for the VA?s decision to stop the review.  Senators and Representatives issued press releases and held news conferences to let veterans know they stood beside them and agreed with the VA?s decision.

However, there was one subdued voice.  Rep. Steve Buyer issued a press release stating he would ?accept? the VA?s decision to stop the PTSD review and added, ??the system works.?  If the system worked, the VA would not have tried to review 72,000 PTSD claims in the first place. 

There was no praise from Rep. Buyer for this decision.  He merely said he would ?accept? it.  But, the most troubling aspect of the press release is that Buyer used it to blame Democrats for ?triggering? the VA?s PTSD review in the first place.

Rep. Buyer?s press release quotes Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.  Miller said, ??we should not lose sight of the fact that the concerns of Senators Durbin and Obama actually triggered this review.  I?hope that in the future we don?t encounter another situation where two people try to gain publicity by potentially taking benefits from those who deserve them or giving benefits to those who do not.?

Rep. Buyer?s use of the quote from Rep. Miller is very clever.  It makes the point he wants to make and he can always say, ?I didn?t say that.  Rep. Miller said that.?  Deniability is an old political trick.

Here?s how we ended up with the VA reviewing 72,000 PTSD claims.  Senators Durbin and Obama did not trigger this review.  The Senators' concern was that Illinois veterans were receiving compensation for like disabilities, especially PTSD, at a lower rate than veterans in other states.  The VA's Inspector General (IG) studied the situation and agreed.

Then, the VA looked at the IG report and decided Illinois vets were not getting lower benefits, but veterans in other states were getting higher benefits.  It was the VA's interpretation of the IG report that triggered the PTSD review and not the actions of Senators Durbin and Obama who were acting in the best interests of the veterans of Illinois.

Rep. Buyer?s actions on the VA budget hearings show utter disrespect and contempt for the VSOs who work so hard to defend veterans and their benefits.  Buyer?s ?deniable? allegation that Senators Durbin and Obama caused the VA?s PTSD is just plain, old dirty politics. 

It?s time for Rep. Steve Buyer to start working FOR the veterans? community instead of trying to silence it.  And, it?s time for Buyer to stop playing politics with veterans? benefits.

? 2005 Larry Scott / VA Watchdog dot Org -- May not be re-published by any means without permission.