Congressman Bob Filner
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Veterans

 

"As the newly appointed Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives Veterans Affairs' Committee, I am committed to serving the men and women who have risked their lives for our freedom. You can help fellow veterans by being informed and knowledgeable about the legislation that directly affects American veterans. I encourage you to contact your Member of Congress, write letters to the Editor, call talk radio shows, and be vocal about your support for veterans legislation."--Bob

                   ***Stolen Veteran's Information***

 

I was outraged at how the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) staff handled the May 3rd theft from the home of a VA employee of the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of 26.5 million of our nation’s veterans.  The VA waited over two weeks before notifying the Justice Department and the FBI--and the victims of the crime, our nation’s veterans, were not notified for 19 days. For 19 days, our veterans were left totally unaware that their personal information had been compromised.

As you may know, the FBI has recovered the stolen laptop and the veterans’ information, and they report that none of the veterans’ data was copied. But this situation revealed several past breaches of security at the VA. A bill to prevent similar problems in the future and to “make whole” all veterans who might suffer from id thefts has been passed by the House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs Committee and will soon be voted on by the full House.

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The President's proposed budget for veterans for 2006 is woefully inadequate. Congressman Filner is working hard--along with his colleagues on the VA Committee--to increase this budget for veterans' services. Bob is deeply upset about the inadequate amount of funding for veterans' health care in this veterans appropriations bill. Furthermore, he is alarmed that the House Republican leadership did not allow any amendment to be offered or voted upon that would add funding for VA medical care to this bill. This is unconscionable! Our nation's veterans deserve better. 

We will have another chance to improve the veterans' budget--when the House and Senate get together to come up with the final version of the Veterans Appropriations bill. If funding stays at the level passed by the House, waiting times for health care services will get longer, currently eligible veterans may be turned away from services because of inadequate resources, some VA hospitals may have to close, and veterans who make over $25,000 a year will not be allowed to enroll in the VA health care system. We cannot allow this to happen!

Congressman Filner supports “mandatory” funding for veterans health care, which means that Congress will not have to debate the amount of funding each and every year. Instead, mandatory funding will automatically increase each year to accommodate inflation and the increase in enrollment.

Bob is a supporter of the “GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century”
This is a comprehensive package of legislation to improve benefits for our men and women in uniform and for the nation’s military retirees and veterans. This legislation will bolster support for our troops in harms way and their families here at home. In addition, included are special provisions for the National Guard and Reserves that provide better education, health care and job training to these men and women whose service has been above the call of duty.

This “GI Bill of Rights” also ends the Disabled Veterans’ Tax and provides concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA compensation to all eligible disabled retirees. Democrats tried to offer this as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill, but consideration was blocked by the Republicans.

Bob has received several awards for his work for veterans.
In August 2001, the Air Force Sergeants Association presented Congressman Filner with the prestigious L. Mendel Rivers Award of Excellence for his work on behalf of veterans. Previous winners include former Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Sonny Montgomery, for whom the Montgomery GI Bill is named. Other awards have been presented to Bob by the Paralyzed Veterans Association, the Retired Enlisted Association, the American Legion, the Jewish War Veterans, the National Gulf War Resource Center, and the American Gold Star Mothers.

Bob is the sponsor of bills to improve the lives of veterans.
Congressman Filner’s legislation, passed by Congress, will provide dental services to all ex-Prisoners of War, improve insurance for veterans, increase the amount of the VA home loan, and improve recruitment and retention of VA dentists by increasing their pay. His bill to eliminate the Military Widows’ Tax by removing the Social Security offset to the Survivors Benefit Plan (SBP) for military widows was passed last year. While he strongly supported the bill which passed that partially eliminates the Disabled Veterans Tax and allows concurrent receipt of VA compensation and military retired pay for disabled military retirees, he has introduced legislation to finish the job—and pay concurrent receipt to all eligible veterans (H.R 2368). His amendment to allow a study of space-available travel on military aircraft for many disabled veterans and their families has been included in the Defense Authorization bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives.

He has introduced bills to give Purple Heart recognition to POWs who died of causes other than wounds while in captivity (H.R.2369).  Additionally, he has attempted to give recognition and a medal to veterans who died from causes related to their service in Vietnam but who are not eligible for inclusion on The Wall at the Vietnam Memorial in the nation’s capital (H.R. 2370).  Bob has also made strides to provide benefits to World War II Merchant Mariners to compensate them for exclusion from the GI Bill for over forty years (H.R. 23). Other Filner bills would provide veterans with direct access to chiropractic care at the VA (H.R. 917), provide disabled veterans with access to commissaries (H.R. 1188), and extend the time period when veterans can use their Montgomery GI Bill educational benefits (H,R. 2365). 

Congressman Filner introduced an amendment to the recent Iraq Supplemental bill that would give preference to veterans for contracts for the rebuilding of Iraq. He called for a GAO investigation of the health effects of exposure to depleted uranium in military personnel and veterans. He has introduced a bill (H.R. 2962) with Congressman Abercrombie to eliminate “dose reconstruction”, a timely and misleading process, that is currently required to determine compensation for Atomic Veterans. 

Bob has also worked, along with the other members of the San Diego Delegation, to establish an annex to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. Representatives from the Navy Department and the VA Department recently announced that they have reached an agreement that will provide space at MCAS Miramar for additional local burials. The new site will provide approximately 200,000 gravesites, with the first phase opening in 2006.
 

Veterans History Project

Take part in the Veterans History Project, an initiative of the Library of Congress and its American Folklife Center! The Veterans History Project honors veterans for their service, by collecting their stories and experiences. The Veterans History Project web page provides information about how you can take part in this important effort.
 


BOB'S STATEMENTS ON VETERANS!

Fighting for WWII Merchant Marines - September, 13, 2005

Increase the funding for Veterans Budget - June 29, 2005

Ensuring the well-being of Veterans - June 28, 2005

Keeping the Promise to Disabled Veterans - June 7, 2005

Appropriations Woefully Inadequate for Veterans - May 26, 2005

Support the Service Members Health Insurance Protection Act - May 23, 2005

Honoring Our Wounded and Fallen Heroes - May 16, 2005

Military Retirees Are Waiting - May 16, 2005

Phone Cards for the Troops - May 16, 2005

Leading the Charge for the Nation's Veterans - April 12, 2005

Hire Veterans First - March 16, 2005

Continuing the Fight for the Nation's Veterans - March 15, 2005

Filner Demands $3.1 Billion for Veteran's Healthcare - March 15, 2005

Equity to Filipino WWII Veterans - February 2, 2005

Justice for Merchant Marines - January 4, 2005



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