- Watching C-SPAN 3's telecast of the hearing on VA Disability Compensation, Presumptive Disability Decision-Making by the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs is an illustration why no veteran or advocate in Virginia should consider voting for Sen. James Webb (Traitor-VA) -
This morning, while posturing as the earnest student of empirical investigation, Webb prefaced his hostile line of questioning of witness Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki saying Webb is concerned about protecting the "credibility of our [VA] programs."
I was hoping Shinseki would pull out a can of aerosol composed of dioxin [tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD)] and offer to spray it around the Committee room and see if anyone of the august senators had a presumptive problem with it.
Shinseki and the other witnesses responded politely and on-point, more than the Committee deserved.
"[This hearing] is also about the accuracy of the scientific process as it pertains to the Agent Orange and service in Vietnam. We have struggled with this now for more than 30 years," said Webb.
As if it to illustrate his point of concern about the recent Presumptive Agent Orange Disability rule, Webb asked his assistant to produce a chart (who is also a Marine Webb pointed out) showing that 431,699 additional Vietnam veterans would now be eligible for service-connected benefits because of the expanded Agent Orange VA rules.
You mean Vietnam Veteans will get diability benefits? Horrors.
This piece of wasted space named Sen. James Webb is up for reelection in 2012. Virginia should send him home to his fat military and Senate pensions.
Showing posts with label Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule. Show all posts
Sep 23, 2010
Sep 21, 2010
VA Senate Comm Hearing Draws Attention as Cuts in Veterans' Benefits Feared
- Hearing Thursday (September 23) United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Oversight Hearing: VA Disability Compensation: Presumptive Disability Decision-Making. VA Secretary Shinseki should publicly blast the sad sacks who sit on the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs -
As the continuing lurid, anti-veteran drips emit from congress, it appears one U.S. senator after another issues statements of concern that veterans' benefits cost money.
Early this Summer it was Sen. James Webb (D-VA) and Sen Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) of United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs fairly squawking for a delay in the implementation of the expanded Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule.
Of course, the usual cabal of anti-veteran interests has kept up the pressure.
Former Sen. Alan Simpson, Republican co-chair of the President’s Deficit Commission, in early September said, “the irony (is) that the veterans who saved this country are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess.” Simpson once was chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and his anti-veteran commitments help guide us to this disgraceful situation where we are still arguing about helping victims of Agent Orange.
Yesterday, the ranking leading Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) joined the anti-veteran chorus.
Mike Baker reports Burr blasting the Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule: "We’d like to make sure that, one, the science has a causal link, and two, that the defined population is an appropriate one,” said Burr.
Webb and his anti-veteran cohorts appear upset that VA Sec Shinseki has pushed on moving forward the Agent Orange presumtives rule without partnering with the sufficient Congressional stalling.
"On March 25, 2010, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced his intention to add B-cell Leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and coronary artery disease to the list of presumptive conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange," wrote Sen Webb in July in reply to a veteran who wrote Webb blasting his stall tactics. "This decision was taken without full consultation with the Congress."
Whether the hearing Thursday will be an exercise in political damage control or a continuation of the Vietnam veteran animus in Congress, one thing is certain: Never will Vietnam veterans ever trust this Congress again.
And VA Secretary Shinseki has gained some new supporters for his commitment on this issue. He should continue the fight Thursday and publicly blast the sad sacks who sit on the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Agent Orange is a political game for the likes of Webb, Burr and Simpson. Veterans who don't play know better.
As the continuing lurid, anti-veteran drips emit from congress, it appears one U.S. senator after another issues statements of concern that veterans' benefits cost money.
Early this Summer it was Sen. James Webb (D-VA) and Sen Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) of United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs fairly squawking for a delay in the implementation of the expanded Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule.
Of course, the usual cabal of anti-veteran interests has kept up the pressure.
Former Sen. Alan Simpson, Republican co-chair of the President’s Deficit Commission, in early September said, “the irony (is) that the veterans who saved this country are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess.” Simpson once was chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and his anti-veteran commitments help guide us to this disgraceful situation where we are still arguing about helping victims of Agent Orange.
Yesterday, the ranking leading Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) joined the anti-veteran chorus.
Mike Baker reports Burr blasting the Agent Orange-related presumptives illnesses rule: "We’d like to make sure that, one, the science has a causal link, and two, that the defined population is an appropriate one,” said Burr.
Webb and his anti-veteran cohorts appear upset that VA Sec Shinseki has pushed on moving forward the Agent Orange presumtives rule without partnering with the sufficient Congressional stalling.
"On March 25, 2010, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced his intention to add B-cell Leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and coronary artery disease to the list of presumptive conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange," wrote Sen Webb in July in reply to a veteran who wrote Webb blasting his stall tactics. "This decision was taken without full consultation with the Congress."
Whether the hearing Thursday will be an exercise in political damage control or a continuation of the Vietnam veteran animus in Congress, one thing is certain: Never will Vietnam veterans ever trust this Congress again.
And VA Secretary Shinseki has gained some new supporters for his commitment on this issue. He should continue the fight Thursday and publicly blast the sad sacks who sit on the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Agent Orange is a political game for the likes of Webb, Burr and Simpson. Veterans who don't play know better.
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