PORTAGE COUNTY GAZETTE

May 30, 2008

Legion Salutes Obey for Leadership on VA Funding

The Wisconsin American Legion saluted 7th District Congressman David Obey, D-Wausau, for his leadership on veterans' issue and last month at the American Legion's Washington Conference, Obey was recognized for his work on the 2007-08 Veterans Administration Budget.

As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Obey worked to secure an additional $11 billion in funding for the VA.  This increase totaled more than the previous 10 years of increases. In addition, the 2007-08 budget met all the recommendations of the American Legion for the first time in more than two decades.

The Wisconsin American Legion is asking Obey to show his support for Wisconsin veterans and service members by working to pass a "clean" 21st Century GI Bill.

The Democratic Congressional leadership has attached it to President Bush's $108 billion emergency supplemental spending measure for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, along with a 2009 deadline for troop withdrawal from Iraq, a requirement that Iraq match U.S. reconstruction spending, a 13-week ectension of unemployment benefits and money for the Census Bureau, a military hospital in Guam and levees for New Orleans.

The Wisconsin American Legion has been serving troops, veterans, and youth since 1919 and is the state's largest veterans' service organization with more than 74,000 members and 523 posts.  For more information on the Legion's programs and membership, visit the Wisconsin Legion' web site.