New Government Omnibus Bill: A bipartisan congressional committee produced an omnibus spending package earlier to fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year, Sept. 30. The Pentagon’s portion of the trillion-dollar bill is $598.5 billion, which is almost $20 billion more than originally recommended. Along with more ships, aircrafts, missiles and air defense weapons is the 2.1 percent military pay raise, an increase in troop numbers and additional funding for operations, maintenance, research and development.
Also of note is that the agreement adds $331 million to the Transportation Security Administration to hire more officers and canine teams; and no border wall, but $1.5 billion was added to repair existing border fencing and to purchase new surveillance technology, such as drones and sensors.
Appeals Modernization Act: The VFW testified before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on H.R. 457, the VA Appeals Modernization Act of 2017. The bill would create more options for veterans appealing their claims, including one option to take their appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals and another to request a higher level VA adjudicator to make a decision on the claim. It also aims to better notify veterans on the status of their appeals and submit reports on how long it’s taking appeals to go through the process. A modernized appeals system must be responsive to future needs of veterans. This change to the appeals system will allow VA to properly adjudicate the growing number of appeals for the 21st century, providing veterans with more due process protections and non-adversarial options for resolution at the local level, potentially avoiding years of contentious appeals. VA officials and VFW National Veterans Service Director Ryan Gallucci testified that they are supportive of the proposed legislation, which will hopefully have immediate, positive effects for all veterans.
House VA Oversight Hearing: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies held a hearing to review VA’s budget recommendations and other oversight matters. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin informed the subcommittee of the progress VA is making to improve the VA Caregiver Program, expand access to urgent mental health care for veterans with other-than-honorable discharges and redesign the Choice Program. Members of the subcommittee discussed interoperability between VA and DOD electronic health care records and expansion of disability compensation benefits to Blue Water Navy veterans, and asked Secretary Shulkin to elaborate on his proposal to stop supporting more than 1,000 unused or underutilized buildings which cost VA $25 million a year. The VFW has asked VA for the list of buildings it is looking to have taken off the books and will make certain that facilities which provide veterans’ health care and benefits are not shut down without acceptable replacements or alternatives.
DOD Releases Annual Sexual Assault Report: Its annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military. According to the FY 16 report, the number of active duty military members who experienced sexual assault in the last year decreased compared to previous years, declining from an estimated 20,300 in 2014 to an estimated 14,900 in 2016. While sexual assault reporting is up slightly (+1.5 percent), which is a positive sign, over half of those who reported sexual assaults also perceived negative experiences as a result, such as ostracism by their peers or reprisal by their commanders. Prosecution of sexual assault cases remains a challenge as well, with 791 of the 3,677 cases completed in FY 16 having court-martial charges preferred.
Veterans Remember: This month our Post makes about 700 sandwiches on Friday night, May 26, at 6 p.m. They feed the volunteers that flag the graves at the National Cemetery in Farmingdale at 2040 Wellwoood Ave., between 6 and 8 a.m. on May 27. Then on May 28, the L.I.N.C.M.O. (Long Island National Cemetery Memorial Organization) conducts a service at 2 p.m. sharp, at the cemetery. It is a short service done with dignity and chairs are provided for your comfort. Then on Memorial Day, we have our parade at 10 a.m. and conduct a service at the monuments located at the Village Green, on Main Street, Farmingdale Village. For info, call Bob at 516-694-5539.
