The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
September/October 2002
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCECall To Action: Contact Your Congressman
BY DENNIS ST. GERMAINE
While we met at the National Leadership Conference in Tucson, important events took place in Washington, D.C.President Bush announced that he will hold the $5.1 billion Homeland Security Bill that Congress passed. Unfortunately, it included $275 million slated for Department of Veterans Affairs health care - your VA hospitals and facilities - for the remainder of the fiscal year ending September 30. Combined with the President's request for a VA budget diminished for the next fiscal year by $2 billion or more, veterans will take a double hit.
VVA President Tom Corey and Richard DeLong, president of the State Council of Presidents, as well as all the state council presidents, wrote a letter to President Bush. In addition, they issued a press release calling for the President to release immediately the funds for veterans health care.
The freezing of funds by President Bush will have both long- and short-term effects, and requires the attention of each chapter and state council. You can do your part by writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper or, if you have the influence, get the editor to let you write a guest editorial.
Welcome Home. We've got some work to do to help all of our brothers and sisters to make it home all the way.
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