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DAV EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT MERCHANT MARINER

AND FILIPINO EQUITY LEGISLATION -- Vets' org worried funds

may be pulled from other VA programs to pay for two bills.

 

 

Story below:

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Two bill passed by the House have the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) concerned.

And, as always, the issue is money.

The DAV feels legislation granting benefits to Merchant Mariners and Filipino veterans will take funds away from other veterans' programs.

For more on Merchant Marine legislation use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch
.php?q=merchant+marine&op=ph

For more on Filipino veteran legislation use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=filipino&op=and

The DAV's question is a good one.  Will these two bills take funds from other vets' programs?

Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, speaking about the Filipino equity bill, says the VA has the money.  That story here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
nf07/nfAUG07/nf080207-10.htm

Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), the Committee's Ranking Member, is screaming bloody murder about Filipino equity, saying it will take funds away from a benefit for older, disabled veterans.  However, it must be noted, that benefit has not been legislatively-funded, so nothing is being take away, it just doesn't exist yet.  More here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
hcva07/hcva071807-3.htm

The DAV, in a press release, stated:  "While the DAV acknowledges the bravery, sacrifice and contributions of those Merchant Mariners, we oppose offsetting the costs associated with the measure against other VA programs."

After a chat with two DAV officials, I learned their stance on the Filipino equity legislation is the same.  DAV press release here...
http://www.dav.org/news/
news_20070802.html

These two pieces of legislation have to do with pensions ... monthly payments.  Currently, Filipino veterans and Merchant Mariners do receive some VA benefits.  For more on that, consult the VA benefits handbook, available for download here...

The Legion and VFW are mostly silent on these two bills.

While the DAV says it's about "the money," there is the appearance of an undercurrent  here that seems to hint that Filipino veterans and Merchant Marines don't deserve the benefits because they didn't actually serve in the armed forces of the United States.

It's time for the DAV, as well as the Legion and VFW, to let us know what they really think.

If they support these two bills, they should say so and urge Congress to find the money.

If they don't, they should tell us why they don't and drop the old "money" nonsense.

The service organizations have to be open about Filipino veterans and Merchant Mariners.  Are these two groups to be welcomed into the veteran community, or will they always be considered "special groups" to be used as political footballs?

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Larry Scott  --