In a press release issued today, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, takes aim at veterans receiving Individual Unemployability (IU) compensation.  Sen. Craig, and others on the right, are worried about the surge in IU claims awarded between 1999 and 2004...the same years covered by the VA's PTSD review.

Here is the press release... http://www.vawatchdog.org/senatecvanews/senatecvanews10-25-05.htm

Veterans should be worried about this.  Under the guise of looking at the VA's employment programs for veterans, the Senate is really looking at the dollars being spent on IU awards.  The Republican-heavy Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) is also examining the issue.

Note this quote from Sen. Craig:  "With today?s modern technologies, individuals with disabilities have more opportunities than ever to become productive members of society, and I want to hear what VA is doing to make sure these opportunities are made available to our disabled veterans." 

I put the first part of the quote in bold type so you can see where Sen. Craig is headed.  He's saying there's no reason why veterans shouldn't be employed.  And, his thesis is that veterans who collect IU are not productive members of society.  It's just that simple.  Sen. Craig should be ashamed of himself for making this statement and for trying to hide his "let's cut more VA benefits" agenda.

Keep an eye on the hearing this Thursday.  IT WILL BE WORTH WATCHING THE WEBCAST.

Larry Scott