“Nearly 44,000 veterans in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District — which covers much of western Wisconsin from Chippewa Falls to Platteville and Stevens Point — could be affected by across-the-board funding reductions in the House of Representatives’ spending bill.”
Monday, May 22, 2023
LA CROSSE, Wis. – In case you missed it, the La Crosse Tribune recently highlighted how devastating cuts in the “Default on America Act,” which Congressman Derrick Van Orden voted for, could reduce access to care for tens of thousands of veterans in the 3rd Congressional District. While the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and recent fact checks detail how devastating this plan could be for America’s veterans, Congressman Van Orden continues to mislead his constituents by falsely claiming that the bill does not cut funding for veterans’ benefits.
Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh: “Wisconsin veterans deserve a straight answer from Congressman Van Orden on why he voted for a devastating plan that could slash access to health care benefits and job training programs for those who have served their country. The ‘Default on America Act’ would make drastic across-the-board cuts that threaten these programs, in addition to education, food assistance for seniors, and more, while forcing the nation closer to default and protecting wealthy tax cheats.”
La Crosse Tribune: Proposed federal spending bill could lead to cuts in veterans’ medical care, benefits, job trainings
Fewer medical appointments and backlogged benefits could be a reality for veterans in the Coulee Region and nationwide, according to a report from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Nearly 44,000 veterans in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District — which covers much of western Wisconsin from Chippewa Falls to Platteville and Stevens Point — could be affected by across-the-board funding reductions in the House of Representatives’ spending bill.
The VA department released a fact sheet on how the House Republican spending bill would affect veterans’ operations for fiscal year 2024. The budgetary change will lead to staff reductions, fewer medical treatments and job training services, the fact sheet stated.
Congressional Republicans passed a spending bill that sets the fiscal year 2024 top line at $1.471 trillion, equal to the fiscal year 2022 level, while exempting defense spending from a reduction.
Under the assumption that funding for defense in 2024 will at least match the current baseline level of $885 billion, non-defense funding would total $586 billion, which is 22% lower than the currently enacted level of $756 billion.
Despite the claims from the department, U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, supported the legislation and said on Twitter: “There are zero cuts for vets.”
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Under the proposal, the Veterans Benefits Administration stated it would have to eliminate more than 6,000 staff, increasing the disability claims backlog by an estimated 134,000 claims.
“Forcing veterans and their surviving loved ones to wait longer for the benefits they have earned, including pensions, life insurance, GI Bill educational support and employment services,” the department stated.
More than 80,000 jobs would be cut from the Veterans’ Health Administration leading to 30 million fewer medical appointments for care, including wellness visits, cancer screenings, mental health services and substance use disorder treatment, the fact sheet stated.
The proposed spending reduction would mean 4,200 fewer veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness would receive job training, counseling and job readiness services provided through the Department of Labor’s Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program.
The proposal would eliminate funding for Housing Choice Vouchers for as many as 50,000 veterans, putting them at greater risk of homelessness, according to the fact sheet.
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