McCain’s bizarre reluctance on the new GI Bill

[Leo 9]

McCain’s bizarre reluctance on the new GI Bill
Posted April 10th, 2008 at 4:35 pm

You’ve got to be kidding me.

On ABC’s The View this morning, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was asked about the great strain placed on U.S. troops due to the Iraq war. McCain recognized the strain and said that in order to motivate Americans to join the military, the government should provide stronger “educational benefits”: “ne of the things we ought to do is provide them significant educational benefits in return for serving.”

Why, that’s a great idea. Why hasn’t someone thought of that before?

Oh wait, someone did — and for reasons that defy comprehension, McCain refuses to support the legislation.

To briefly recap for those just joining us, the GI Bill was instrumental in helping send a generation of U.S. veterans to college and helping create the nation’s post-WWII middle class, but the law has not kept up with the times. Whereas veterans used to be able to count on the government to pay for all of their college expenses, troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are finding that the GI Bill barely scratches the surface of today’s college costs.

Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) unveiled a GI Bill modernization bill over a year ago, which would increase troop benefits to pay for their education. From a patriotic perspective, this is showing real support for the troops. From a military perspective, it might make recruiting easier if young people know they can go to college after their service for free. From an economic perspective, the country benefits when thousands of educated young people enter the workforce with degrees, as opposed to the alternative.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are busy on the campaign trail, but both have signed on as co-sponsors of the Webb/Hagel bill. McCain, on the other hand, has stayed on the sidelines.

snip

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15174.html

[stellanoir]

1. He really doesn't give a shit and is owned by the MIC who only wish to turn our kids into fodder.

[DS1]

3. The MIC doesn't care whether or not the kids are blown to pieces

they just want parts worn out, rockets spent, bullets shot, armor destroyed, and new tank orders. The part about people dying requiring this is just an unfortunate part of business.

To them.

[stellanoir]

5. woof. . .hon

I mean that in the kindest sense. . .truly

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. He has to pander to the Republican anti-tax base.

Better to screw the veterans than antagonize the base.

[madrchsod]

4. who cares..best weapon the democrats have against him

his veterans stance is going to have a lot of people voting democratic this year

[UTUSN]

6. Is "GI modernization bill" same/different from THIS:

******QUOTE*********

http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com:80/rao1.html

http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html

VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION UPDATE 01: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced "America's Wounded Warrior Act," S. 2674, last week to overhaul DoD's disability retirement system and modernize the VA's disability compensation program. These reforms are an upshot from last year's Dole/Shalala Commission recommendations and would impact veterans in varied ways dependent on their disability status.

Some elements of the bill would:


. Reform the military disability retirement system and streamline the transition of disabled servicemembers from DoD to the VA. Basically, it would simplify the claims process by eliminating the need for duplicative DoD/VA ratings and disability examinations.


. Require DoD to determine a disabled servicemember's fitness for duty, and if found unfit, provide a lifetime annuity based on the member's rank and years of service. VA would then establish compensation for service-connected injuries, disease, or wounds. Under this proposal, the offset between DoD's annuity and future VA compensation would be eliminated.


. Revamped the VA compensation system into three elements - replacement value of average loss of earning capacity; a new payment for loss of quality of life; and a new transition payment provided to servicemembers who participate in treatment or vocational rehabilitation programs or who are within three months if their retirement from service.

However, the jury is still out on what the new DoD disability health care benefit and VA compensation levels would eventually look like. Currently, servicemembers who retire due to a 30% or higher military disability are eligible for lifetime family Tricare coverage (dependent children until majority age). However, the bill directs DoD to study and recommend to Congress new Tricare lifetime eligibility criteria under the new system. In the absence of a law change, the Secretary of Defense would establish eligibility by regulation effective the date of implementation of the new system. Additionally, the bill directs VA to study and provide a report to Congress within nine months and submit a proposal one year later detailing the new compensation and transition payment rate structure. Until the specific rate structure of the new VA compensation system is better understood, most veteran organizations and military advocates are withholding endorsement of this legislation. (Source: MOAA Leg Up 7 Mar 08 ++)


VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION UPDATE 02: The provisions of Senator Burr's America's Wounded Warrior Act (S 2674) and Representative Buyer's Nobel Warrior Act (HR 5509), would drastically change the disability compensation system for America's veterans. These bills are loosely based on the recommendations of the President's Commission on Care for America's Wounded Warriors (Dole/Shalala Commission), but the USDR believes the specifics of these bills would do great harm to these veterans in the following ways:

. Will offset VA Disability Compensation by Social Security when the veteran ages 65.


. Applicable to all currently discharging veterans AND any veteran under VA's current compensation system who files a subsequent claim for additional benefits.


. Once under the new system the veteran cannot return to the current system.


. The present protection for ratings in effect for 10 or more years would no longer apply.


. Would require the VA Secretary to examine or consider:
(a) The extent to which disability compensation may be used as an incentive to undergo treatment.
(b) The appropriate injuries to be covered under the new disability rating system.
(c) Age as a determining factor when considering average loss of earnings capacity


. Amends the law to provide the Secretary with authority to adopt and apply a rating schedule for specific injuries. This provision would expressly limit VA authority over the Rating Schedule and places the authority in the hands of Congress. If the Congress can not correct the Sustained Growth Rate formula of Medicare Law how can it be expected the Congress would do any better with the much more complex Disability Rating Schedule?


. Provides for a quality of life payment, but only for those enrolled in the new compensation system.


. Allows or suggests: That VA "may take into account the effect on potential future earnings caused by the age of the veteran at the time a disability rating is assigned." This provision would allow VA to compensate an older veteran at a lower percentage of disability than a younger veteran for the exact same disease or injury. Is this not age discrimination?


. Provides that
(a) As frequently as (the VA) considers it appropriate, (the VA) must reevaluate and ... adjust the disability rating for any veteran receiving compensation;
(b) The VA must ... take into account any adjustments in the rating schedule that occurred since the last assignment of a rating;
(c) The frequency of reevaluations would be determined by an examining physician. This places physicians back in the rating business, allows for frequent adjustments to a veteran's rating based on perceived improvement, and further allows reductions based on a change in the rating criteria even when no improvement in the disability is shown.

For these reasons, USDR is encouraging veterans to contact their legislators and strongly urge them to oppose S2674/HR5509 and any other legislation which is detrimental to and/or discriminatory against this nation's veterans. To facilitate doing this they have prepared a letter available at http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=11114251&q... which can be used as is or modified for forwarding to all legislators representing your zip code by the click of a button. (Source: USDR Action Alert 7 Mar 08 ++) ....



PTSD UPDATE 18: VA's new PTSD policy previously reported in Update 17 applies only to those Diagnosed as having PTSD while on active duty. For these vets there will no longer be a requirement to verify in writing that they have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event before filing a claim for post-traumatic stress disorder. However, for those not diagnosed on Active duty the present rules regarding verification still apply for VA to process a claim. (Source: VA Watchdog Org 20 Feb 08 ++)

********UNQUOTE*******

[Inuca]

7. Different n/t