House Republican Threaten To Cut VA Budget Over Agency's Warnings About Budget Cuts
House Republicans are floating investigating the Department of Veterans Affairs or cutting its communications budget as they fume about the Biden administration's messaging on the House GOP's debt limit proposal.
Pay Cuts For Military Families Overseas Coming This Month As Pentagon Delays Run Out
Cost-of-living allowances for service members and their families stationed overseas will decrease starting this month, the Pentagon announced Tuesday, after the Department of Defense spent months repeatedly delaying the cuts.
No Cancer Risk Found At Nuclear Bases So Far, Air force Says
A review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have been diagnosed with blood cancer has found no current risk factors that could explain it, the Air Force says.
Today, AFSAHQ and some members of Division 1 had the chance to visit the offices of certain senators and their representatives. During the first week of May, members of our Division 1 made the effort to travel to the area surrounding the capital to attend the Division Conference here in the Washington, D.C. area.
The Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA)'s Military and Government Team spoke with the representatives about the issues we support and highlight today in order to promote fair and equitable benefits, including the protection of current benefits, pay raises, funding for commissaries and exchanges, employment opportunities for military spouses, financial aid for education and tuition, adequate healthcare services, TRICARE benefits and reimbursements, COLA, and more.
Support Services For Homeless Veterans Set To Expire Next Week
By: Leo Shane III | Militarytimes.com
Some 40,000 veterans at risk of homelessness could see federal support services disappear next week unless lawmakers quickly extend pandemic protections that have been caught up in a congressional funding fight.
If the funding measure does not pass by May 11, tens of thousands of veterans will be cut off from services like free rides to Veterans Affairs clinics, telehealth medical services and increased financial assistance for rent costs.
“One day, these folks will be able to get from homeless shelters to medical centers for care, and the next day they won’t,” said Spencer Bell, policy analyst for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “You’re talking about people who don’t have cars or ways to get there. We’re up against the wall here.”
Veterans Affairs officials and community activists have been warning about the deadline for weeks, but have been unable to convince lawmakers to pass a solution. Now, with just seven days left before the national emergency related to COVID-19 ends, a pair of senators are offering last-minute legislation to stave off the problem. A similar House attempt has already failed, underscoring the difficult path ahead.
The legislation — introduced May 4 by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska — extends a host of COVID-19-era authorities given to VA officials, passed at the height of the pandemic to ensure veterans would continue to receive support services amid office closures and quarantine restrictions.
Under the plan, VA would be allowed to continue online conferences between veterans and administrators for health care visits, welfare checks and other case management issues. Free transportation would continue to be provided to veterans without personal vehicles or access to reliable public transportation. Higher rates for housing stipends and clothing allowances would also remain in effect until 2026.
The legislation also includes an option for virtual home visits for veteran caregivers, who must periodically check in with VA staff to confirm the health and welfare of their vets. The program is set to return to in-home visits only if the authorities approve.
Tester called the services “a critical lifeline” and pledged in a statement to move the legislation “across the finish line as quickly as possible.”
VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal had warned in late April that if the authorities do not extend it past May 11, veterans who rely on assistance will suffer.
“They’re depending on this,” Elnahal said. “We’re talking about authorities that have allowed for 750,000 free rides for veterans since the start of the pandemic. We really need this, and we need Congress to help out with this.”
VA officials say the money needed to keep the programs running amounts to a few million dollars and is already covered in available funds within department budget accounts. However, language included in last year’s Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (which is not connected to the pandemic authorities) has created technical accounting problems regarding the potential costs of new veterans legislation.
That was the cause of the failure of the proposed House fix. During a April 28 legislative mark-up, Republican leaders rejected a measure to extend the authorities because it ran afoul of chamber rules regarding new spending and budget offsets.
Whether the Senate bill can get around those issues is unclear. House and Senate leaders met with veterans groups on Monday to discuss the problem, but have not offered any long-term solutions. Other veterans bills have advanced in both chambers despite the accounting issues, but only after significant behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee members are expected to debate and advance the new bill next week, just a few days before the pandemic authorities expire. The measure would need to be fast-tracked in the House and Senate to reach the president’s desk before Thursday night, and a handful of lawmakers could derail the process with related or unrelated objections.
Bell said community leaders are just now trying to find alternative aid for the veterans who could be hurt by the vanishing support services.
“There’s not really a plan, because everyone thought that Congress would have handled this by now,” he said.
AFSA's Summit Registration
Greetings AFSA Members,
We are incredibly excited to let you know that Registration is now OPEN for The SUMMIT23: AFSA International Convention and Professional Education & Development Conferences. We are anticipating a full house with AFSA members, families, and guests, along with other Active Duty, Retired and Veteran military personnel.
DATES:You have TWO CHOICES when registering for the AFSA-International Conference (AFSA-IC):
AFSA-IC Only: Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 6. (Arrive Fri., Aug 4, Depart Mon., Aug 7) Cost $275. Includes all AFSA special event meal functions.
AFSA-IC PLUS the PEDS and the Air & Space Force Honors Banquet: Friday, August 4 to Wednesday, August 9. (Arrive Fri., Aug 4, Depart Thurs., Aug 10) Cost: $325 Includes all AFSA special event meal functions, plus the Air & Space Honors Banquet.
REGISTER ONLINE
Important: Your confirmation/receipt will be sent to the email that you use here to register today.
If you own a business or know of a business that supports military families, we have a wide range of sponsorship opportunities during the AFSA-IC & SUMMIT23. Our goal is to help businesses share, recruit and network with their targeted market. To view and share our Sponsorship levels visit:
Do you own a business that supports military families, or know of an organization that does? The SUMMIT Info/EXPO is the perfect place to be! Learn about our exhibit booth opportunities by visiting:https://www.thesummitafsa.org/InfoExpoExhibitors
MAIN WEBSITES
The Master SUMMIT Page has information for ALL planned events including the AFSA International Convention (AFSA-IC), the AFSA-IC Plus PEDS registration, the Enlisted Leaders Conferences (ELCs – by invitation only), the PEDS, and the USF Golf Scramble. The Master SUMMIT page is located at:https://www.hqafsa.org/summit23.html
Enlisted Leadership Conferences (ELCs): As of today, we are planning to host 11 ELCs. ELCs are by invitation only, and they require an ACCESS CODE (provided by your ELC/POC) to register and attend. You may learn more about them here https://www.thesummitafsa.org/EnlistedLeadersConferences
Below are the campaigns that are currently located on our Action Center. Please take no more than 5-10 minutes to scan through each of the campaigns and click on the custom links provided below.
The Military Spouse Hiring Act would encourage companies to employ military spouses, who frequently face disproportionate impediments in the job market, by extending the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include them.
Intends to help military spouses find better work opportunities.
Support the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act!
Authorizes veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation.
Makes qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service eligible for concurrent receipt, subject to specified reductions in retired pay.
Qualify approximately 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation.
Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.
Allowsthe receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.
Support the Military Family Nutrition Access Act of 2023!
The Military Family Nutrition Access Act was created to aid military families with active duty members who are facing food insecurity.
By eliminating Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the income calculations used to establish eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the bipartisan bill will combat food insecurity.
Military personnel risk their life to protect our nation; they shouldn't have to worry about providing for their families.
The Not Just a Number Act would oblige the VA to look into how veterans use their benefits in their yearly report on suicide prevention in order to assess the connection between VA benefits and suicide outcomes.
In its fight against veteran suicides, the VA evaluates which VA benefits have the best impact on preventing suicide and requires the Department to submit recommendations for an increase in such benefits.
If you have any questions, please reach out to AFSA's Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.
AFSA International Convention and PEDS is LIVE! Register to attend now. Book your Hilton Anatole Resort rooms, play in the USF Golf Scramble, and reserve your Info/EXPO Booth now! Visit: https://www.hqafsa.org/summit23.html
Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?
This edition features Port Mortuary and America’s Missing Heroes, Living with Bipolar Disorder in the Military, Fly-By Wire Defense and AFSA’s American Award Recipient – Don Ward. Read, download, print and share: https://www.hqafsa.org/fallmagazine.html
Greetings AFSA Division and Chapter Leadership,
We are pleased to share the AFSA Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay procedures and marketing materials to help share the process with our members, your membership and potential new recruits.
The Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay program creates an opportunity to JOIN AFSA or RENEW a membership by making a $36 once-a-year/every-year auto payment, or a $4-each-month/every- month auto payment. The $36 once-a-year option is set at $36, and the $4-a-month option includes a bank processing fee of $1 each month.
Review the two ways to enroll, the benefits to using the auto-pay option, and the marketing materials to help share the details of this program and ensure its success.
For questions, please contact AFSAHQ Member & Field team at 800-638-0594 x 288.
Please Update Your Contact Information Today!
Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,
In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.
We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways:
Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right
We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.
In sum, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the third-ranking House Republican, hosted a press conference over the weekend where a few lawmakers raised the possibility of retaliation. Republicans insisted, in contrast to recent VA warnings, that the debt limit and spending cut bill they recently passed would not result in reductions to veterans health care and benefits.
The bill, known as the debt ceiling increase, was approved by the House of Representatives last week in exchange for a cap on the total amount of money the government can spend. The bill neither either requires nor specifically protects any department from budget cuts, including those to the VA or any other department. Instead, during the annual appropriations process, lawmakers would decide which agencies would receive cuts and which ones wouldn't.
The Biden administration has issued warnings based on the supposition that every other government department would experience a 22% loss in order to achieve the cap in the GOP measure, despite the fact that some House Republicans have sworn to shield the Pentagon from budget cuts as part of the debt ceiling struggle.
In addition, OCOLA, or the overseas cost of living allowance, will be reduced for service members on May 15 and November 15, according to senior defense officials who talked with reporters under the condition of anonymity. Their June 1 and December 1 paychecks will reflect those reductions. The stipend is paid overseas to more than 230,000 soldiers.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the Defense Travel Management Office's (DTMO) OCOLA calculator, which military personnel and their families use to determine their stipends, was not functioning properly and would not display the reduction anticipated for May 15 or later.
An E-4 with three years of service stationed in Oahu, Hawaii, with two dependents would see a $414 decrease in the monthly allowance in 2022, according to an infographic the Pentagon published to explain the impact of the cuts. On May 15 of this year, another $19 will be taken off, bringing the overall reduction to $433 per month. On November 15, another $433 will be taken off, making the monthly total to $433.
And lastly, Since news broke in January that at least nine missileers who had worked at Malmstrom Air Force Base had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the service has been looking into the matter. Since then, more than 30 cancer cases have been reported at Malmstrom and the country's other nuclear missile bases, including Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.
However, according to the medical review, "overall, there were no factors identified that would be considered immediate concerns for acute cancer risks," according to a report from the Air Force's 711th Human Performance Wing that was obtained by the Associated Press.
And that's the way it is for Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!
