VFW Joins House Democrats for Veterans Roundtable

*UPDATE: The Office of Management and Budget announced this afternoon that all VA accounts and military personnel accounts would be exempt from budget sequestration. 

Yesterday the VFW joined House Democratic leadership and some of the nation’s other leading veterans’ advocates for a roundtable discussion on veterans’ issues. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has routinely hosted quarterly roundtables with the veterans’ community for the last few years, offering veterans’ advocates an opportunity to candidly discuss ways in which Congress could work to better serve our veterans.

 VFW Deputy Director Ryan Gallucci joined in the discussion, expressing the VFW’s frustration over looming sequestration cuts to the defense budget and administrative accounts for Veterans Affairs. Gallucci pointed out that while the Obama Administration had clarified that VA health care accounts were exempt from sequestration, experts had indicated that VA’s administrative accounts could be subject to cuts.

The veterans’ community has asked for clarification from Congress and the Administration as to what kinds of administrative accounts could be affected, pointing out that the timely delivery of other VA benefits, like disability compensation or the G.I. Bill, could be affected if the administrators of those benefits are forced to scale back their operations.

House Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., tackled the issue by explaining that the Administration was scheduled to deliver their analysis of how sequestration would affect each agency, but that he and his fellow committee members were still searching for ways to avoid the looming 2013 deadline when across-the-board cuts would have to take place.

Other issues raised during the roundtable were the absence of advance appropriations in the VA budget continuing resolution currently before Congress, daunting unemployment numbers among Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans, and the persistent lack of mental health resources for veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of war.

Your VFW advocates have been working hard all week, asking the 112th Congress to “Finish Strong For Veterans.” In addition to the Democratic roundtable, VFW participated in a Republican veterans affairs roundtable on Tuesday, and members of the VFW National Legislative Committee hit the halls of Congress all week, pushing for solutions to issue related to the VA budget, employment and education, health care, and benefits delivery.

As Congress wraps up business leading into the election, check back regularly for updates.

VFW Discusses Veterans Issues With House Democrats

Yesterday VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley joined leaders from many of the nation’s top veterans’ organizations at the U.S. Capitol for a roundtable discussion on military and veterans’ issues with House Democratic leadership.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hosts the discussions each quarter to hear first-hand from veterans’ organizations about issues affecting service members, veterans and their loved ones. More than 30 organizations representing diverse interests across the military and veterans’ community were invited to join in the discussion on topics ranging from mental health care and surviving spouse benefits to Agent Orange exposure, the Post-9/11 GI Bill and federal budget constraints.

In his remarks, Kelley called attention to the recent VA Inspector General report on VA’s failure to deliver timely mental health care to veterans suffering from invisible wounds like post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Kelley recognized that VA planned to hire 1,900 additional staff in an effort to overcome shortfalls, but asked Democrats and fellow veterans’ advocates what more could be done to ensure that veterans who need care can receive it in a timely and efficient manner.

In response to Kelley’s comments, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., said he remains VA’s biggest advocate, but also its harshest critic. As a retired Army National Guard sergeant major and vocal advocate on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Walz said he and his fellow committee members will continue to hold VA accountable for their obligation to meet the mental health needs of the veterans’ community, and that if the agency needed more resources to accomplish its mission, his committee would continue to fight for them.

The VFW always welcomes dialogue over veterans’ issues with leaders on both sides of the aisle, which is why Kelley thanked each of the members in attendance for their attention to the issues facing the American veterans’ community. As the current conflicts draw down and Americans ask Congress to make difficult decisions on the national budget, your VFW will continue to advocate to continually improve and preserve the quality-of-life programs and benefits earned through the sacrifices of American military men and women. Check back regularly with this blog for updates.

(Images: Top: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, center, welcomes veterans' advocates and House Democratic leaders to the quarterly roundtable discussion on veterans' issues. Middle: VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley discusses PTSD during yesterday's roundtable. Bottom: Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., shares his thoughts on PTSD treatment issues at yesterday's roundtable. Photos by Ryan Gallucci.)