Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) said on Thursday that an unnamed Republican Senator last week
blocked a bill that would have provided an annual cost of living adjustment, which means that payments of the new COLA could be delayed.
Senator Murray brought the bill, H.R. 4114 (which passed the House in July) to the Senate floor
on Sept. 21. The bill was cleared by Senate Democrats but was blocked by this unnamed Republican
Senator. So the Senate went into recess without passing the bill.
Once again Congress has stepped on our nation's veterans and one more time shown how little
our Congress thinks of those who served our country.
The bill as passed by the House would have given a cost-of-living-adjustment to 3.9 million veterans
and their survivors a raise in their disability compensation and benefits which is supposed to offset
inflation. Similar bills are usually passed each year with no controversy.
So, now with Congress not scheduled to return to work until Nov. 13, in order for the increase to
show in Jan. 1 checks the bill will have to be passed almost immediately.
Thursday afternoon the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that Congress must pass the
COLA no later than Nov. 13 if the increase is to be included in the Jan 1 checks. If the bill is
passed any later than that the VA would not be able to make all the changes to programming
of their system. Which means the increase would have to be paid retroactively.
This follows the move last week that saw the Veterans Job Corps Act fail to pass. A bill that
would have provided $1 billion to help veterans find employment. Their is now a bill in
the House that would direct the VA to create a Veterans Job Corps.
And so it continues, the ongoing disregard and disrespect for the brave men and women who
have served in our Armed Forces. The Veterans who sacrificed so much for our nation are again
left to hang in the winds of ill will.
America, it is time to say enough! Time to give our veterans what they were promised and what
is fair and just. If your elected officials are not standing up and voting for veterans and our military,
vote them out of office.
----
Jerald Terwilliger
Former Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
----------------
"And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades."
-- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
September 21, 2012 POW/MIA DAY
The third Friday in September is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, this year it is September 21.
A day, and a matter that is close to the heart of every veteran of our Armed Forces.
We must hold true to the "No Man Left Behind" that makes this a burden on our country, a blot
on our history that must be cleansed. Bring Them Home.
As Americans we must demand that all countries provide a full and complete accounting of all
POW/MIA's and that all those still held, or any remains be repatriated as soon as possible.
We will never forget and must do all possible to honor those still missing. To provide closure to
the families of the missing and the return of their loved ones.
The American Legion has a policy starting with Resolution No. 288 adopted at the 67th National
Convention that calls for designating a POW/MIA Empty Chair at all official Legion meetings.
The American Cold War Veterans have asked Congress to expedite the return of all missing
personnel, military and civilian from all wars.
The numbers of missing according to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
are:
WWII 73.000
Korea 7,500
Cold War Era 126 (although other sites claim 172 and 343)
Vietnam 1,600
Iraq 6
Others listed
USS Stark 1
Grenada 4
Persian Gulf War 21
Somalia 2
The closest I could find for Afghanistan is 2 MIA as of 2011
I also could not find information on civilian or contract workers that are missing. They are no less
deserving of our honor and respect and the demand of their return.
Please contact your elected officials asking them to demand this full accounting of all POW/MIA
---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
A day, and a matter that is close to the heart of every veteran of our Armed Forces.
We must hold true to the "No Man Left Behind" that makes this a burden on our country, a blot
on our history that must be cleansed. Bring Them Home.
As Americans we must demand that all countries provide a full and complete accounting of all
POW/MIA's and that all those still held, or any remains be repatriated as soon as possible.
We will never forget and must do all possible to honor those still missing. To provide closure to
the families of the missing and the return of their loved ones.
The American Legion has a policy starting with Resolution No. 288 adopted at the 67th National
Convention that calls for designating a POW/MIA Empty Chair at all official Legion meetings.
The American Cold War Veterans have asked Congress to expedite the return of all missing
personnel, military and civilian from all wars.
The numbers of missing according to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
are:
WWII 73.000
Korea 7,500
Cold War Era 126 (although other sites claim 172 and 343)
Vietnam 1,600
Iraq 6
Others listed
USS Stark 1
Grenada 4
Persian Gulf War 21
Somalia 2
The closest I could find for Afghanistan is 2 MIA as of 2011
I also could not find information on civilian or contract workers that are missing. They are no less
deserving of our honor and respect and the demand of their return.
Please contact your elected officials asking them to demand this full accounting of all POW/MIA
---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Veterans Job Corps Act of 2012 Down In Flames
The Veterans Job Cops Act of 2012 which would have in the next five years spent $1 billion dollars
to create jobs for veterans working in police and fire departments as well as tending to federal lands
was defeated today.
Forty Republicans voted against the bill, reinforcing in many veterans minds the fact that Congress
just does not care about our nations veterans. This has been a hit and miss year, while many good
bills were passed, many others just as important, did make the grade; going down in flames in
either the House or the Senate.
The Republicans opposed the bill that was introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, a long and hard fighting
friend of our military and veterans.
Could it be that John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chamblis and the remainder of Senators who
have not always been friendly to veterans saw this as a chance to take another shot at President Obama?
Five Senators voted with the Democrats, Scott Brown (MA), Dean Heller (NV), Lisa Murkowski (AK)
and both Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from Maine. All staunch supports of our military and veterans.
Senator Tom Coburn claimed that there is "no evidence that jobs for vets will work.
So the Republicans claiming the bill was too expensive decided to thank veterans by denying them
a chance for employment. And then it appears that the Senators declined to take any questions
concerning the bill at their weekly press conference.
If your Senator voted against this bill ask them WHY? Go to one of their events, as many of them
are gong home soon in an attempt to gain voter support. Ask them why a veteran should support
them.
More important when it come time to vote, vote them out of office. If they don't like us, we sure
don't like them.
---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
to create jobs for veterans working in police and fire departments as well as tending to federal lands
was defeated today.
Forty Republicans voted against the bill, reinforcing in many veterans minds the fact that Congress
just does not care about our nations veterans. This has been a hit and miss year, while many good
bills were passed, many others just as important, did make the grade; going down in flames in
either the House or the Senate.
The Republicans opposed the bill that was introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, a long and hard fighting
friend of our military and veterans.
Could it be that John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chamblis and the remainder of Senators who
have not always been friendly to veterans saw this as a chance to take another shot at President Obama?
Five Senators voted with the Democrats, Scott Brown (MA), Dean Heller (NV), Lisa Murkowski (AK)
and both Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from Maine. All staunch supports of our military and veterans.
Senator Tom Coburn claimed that there is "no evidence that jobs for vets will work.
So the Republicans claiming the bill was too expensive decided to thank veterans by denying them
a chance for employment. And then it appears that the Senators declined to take any questions
concerning the bill at their weekly press conference.
If your Senator voted against this bill ask them WHY? Go to one of their events, as many of them
are gong home soon in an attempt to gain voter support. Ask them why a veteran should support
them.
More important when it come time to vote, vote them out of office. If they don't like us, we sure
don't like them.
---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)