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Previous messages By this author |
Message From the National Coordinator, Editor
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Write to me at; williamgast@wesupportthevets.com meet me in St Louis Mr. President July 24,2003 The pressure is on July 18,2003 This week's progress May27,2003 where are they now? June 15,2003 |
October 15,2003 The subject of the disabled veterans tax and HR303 is getting to be quite the “buzz” around Washington from what we hear. Some say we will have an answer this week and it may not be what disabled veterans have fought for according to our source. It would appear that George W. Bush has some decisions and problems that he is having a difficult time fixing. The subject of HR303 has become a daily talking point not only with the Senate committee but also with people within the SECDEF’s office. Some say it is typical of Rumsfeld to jump into areas where he has no expressed authority and attempt to lead or change direction. He (Rumsfeld) has had some issues with other in the President’s cabinet and is getting to be a bit of a control problem according to statements from agency personnel that work between the WH and DOD. The other part of the chatter is that GWB has been given three different versions of a compromise to agree to sign and has bounced all of them on the basis of adamantly considering any combination of V.A. Disability Compensation and retirement pay as “double dipping” which infuriates any and all veterans that say that this is two different funds. Sometime back in June GWB asked Speaker Hastert and Congressman Hunter to bring forward a compromise that he could sign. Evidently they have done as requested but the proposal was bounced. In the interim, Republican Congressional leaders are getting the heat from their electorate - and it is increasing. Congressman Michael Bilirakis, the author of HR303 this year has been silent since he organized a blockade of the discharge Petition of Jim Marshall to make HR303 move out of committee. There is a saying that goes “They have too much time to think—and that’s dangerous.” This applies very aptly to the next problem arising in front of Rumsfeld and GWB. Disabled veterans that have been researching and writing about the tax on disabled veterans. It is the question of where the money that is deducted from the retirement fund is going. The disabled veteran is entitled to their military retirement after twenty years of service. When they apply for V.A. disability and are granted same, the disability compensation is deducted from their retirement pay which comes from the military retirement fund—a separate DOD accounting than the V.A. disability. Enter the SECDEF again here. Secty Rumsfeld is tasked with the responsibility of accounting for this fund and has so far, neglected to explain or answer the question being asked of Congressmen and in several articles on the net and in military publications. Sooner or later the Secretary will have to answer the question—in a statement or in a hearing before the Senate. The disabled veterans want to see a Senate investigation of the accounting because of the amount that is taken out of their retirement on a yearly basis is said to be approximately 3.8 billion. Obviously, the President would like to wait to announce the approval of the “compromise” until closer to Veteran’s Day (November1 1 ) to get more political mileage from it with the disgruntled vets but that may not be possible.
Bill Gast Editor- Support the Vets
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