Obama to Advance Funding to Veterans’ Medical Programs
EmailABC News' Jordyn Phelps reports:
President Obama is honoring a campaign promise today by signing the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act into law.
The legislation will guarantee “a timely and predictable flow of funding for the Department of Veteran Affairs medical care,” according to White House spokesman Nick Shapiro.
Funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs has been late in getting approved by Congress in 20 of the last 23 years, which has affected the planning of veterans’ health care programs. The legislation would advance funding for these medical programs by one year ahead of the fiscal year. The advance funding will ensure that the VA can depend on receiving funding for these programs on time and that they will not be affected by politicking on Capitol Hill.
In a letter to the president of the American Federation of Government Employees in October 2008, then-Senator Obama promised that, if elected, his administration would support the legislation.
The legislation has been strongly supported by Democrats and Republicans in Congress alike.
In remarks early this month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., described the 409 votes supporting the legislation in the House as “a very, very strong bipartisan show of support.” Stephen Buyer, R-Ind., was the only representative to vote no to the legislation in the House.
The president will deliver brief remarks in the East Room of the White House this afternoon when he signs the legislation into law. He will be joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, members of Congress, and leaders from various veterans service organizations.
–Jordyn Phelps
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YEAH Obama….
Posted by: Parallex View | October 22, 2009, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
Thank you for highlighting another Obama administration accomplishment.
A very important action for the welfare of our veterans.
Posted by: gus amaral | October 22, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
Ok, this is one Obama spending move, I can approve of.
This country has to take care of the needs of those who serve it, and stop short changing those who lay their lives on the line for the country.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | October 22, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
For 20 years……….!!!!!and they really,really, cared for our veterans…….Thanks Mr. President!!!! Finally. Sen.Buyer of Indiana should be ashamed of himself….yeap, he’s a Republican…….keep watching and listening, and the truth will be told!
Posted by: sara | October 22, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
Yeah team Obama some good news. Hang in there. It took a long time for the country to get in this mess and it is gonna take a little time to get out.
Posted by: jenny | October 22, 2009, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
I didn’t vote for Obama , but this is one of his “highpoints”. Take care of those who take care of us.
Posted by: lfrichar | October 22, 2009, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
jenny…sara…Not so fast, he still has NO CLUE what to do in Afghanistan…Like it or not, he’s laid claim on Afghanistan, through his campaign blustering “We will focus our attention on Afghanistan” 11/07/2008……..OR NOT…. and with each passing day of indecision in regard to his Generals.Secretary of Defense advice, more troops, causes more needless loss of life as proven by the highest US casualty rates in Afghanistan in August of 2009…You bought it Obama with your campaign promises, it is now yours and yours alone to fix…SO FIX IT…
Yay for Obama, YES….The Vets are going to need the advanced funds for medical care…
Posted by: Parallex View | October 22, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Great Job President Obama! Finally someone taking care of our vets!
Posted by: Angie in PA | October 22, 2009, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
SHAME ON YOU STEPHEN BUYER!
Oh but your a Republican What else do we expect?
Posted by: Angie in PA | October 22, 2009, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Does anybody have a clue what you’re praising Obama for? This is sleight of hand accounting. There hasn’t been any changes in provisions for Vets. Now, instead of having an elapsed deadline to pressure legislators, there will be ample opportunity to nitpick and redline the VA budget, which has always been the cause of the previous delays. At every turn, the Vet loses. While men in suits argue, men in uniform die.
Posted by: J Pryor | October 22, 2009, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
And yet he wants the servicemen pay for their own insurance.
Posted by: Lizzie | October 22, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
Praise GOD for President OBAMA.
Taking care of the least of these…
Posted by: USA | October 22, 2009, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
“You bought it Obama with your campaign promises, it is now yours and yours alone to fix…SO FIX IT…”
You forgot to add SO FIX IT NOW – THIS INSTANT. Just because you want instant gratification is no reason to run around like a headless chicken.
Obama, unlike Bush, realizes that to fix Afghanistan you have to have a plan – a comprehensive plan that addresses the big picture. And you don’t get those out of a bubblegum machine.
Instead of just throwing troops at every pet project, like you-know-who, we need to know what the best strategy is to solve the deeper problems. You see Afghanistan is not a military problem and no matter how many troops you throw at it, they won’t solve the political problems that exist on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
This administration is drawing up a plan – not a banner or a bumper sticker.
Posted by: OB-Wan222 | October 22, 2009, 10:26 pm 10:26 pm