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Last edited Thu Sep 27, 2012, 06:57 PM - Edit history (4)
Mystery Republican Blocks Cost of Living Adjustment for Disabled Veterans(Washington, D.C.) Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, announced that an as yet unnamed Senate Republican has blocked a traditionally non-controversial bill that would provide over 3.9 million veterans and their survivors with a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for the benefits they receive. The COLA increase, which is designed to offset inflation and other factors that lead to the rising cost of living, was brought to the Senate floor by Senator Murray last Thursday. The bill was cleared by all Senate Democrats but was blocked by at least one Senate Republican that has not come forward to claim responsibility.
This is stunning said Senator Murray. Particularly because we still dont have any indication why someone would block a cost-of-living adjustment for veterans and their surviving spouses, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. This adjustment for our disabled veterans is hard earned and well deserved. My hope is that whichever Senator has decided to hold up this bill will at least come forward to own up to it. That way we can move forward to overcome their opposition and get our veterans the support they need.
The Veterans COLA will affect several important benefits, including veterans disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. The COLA rate will match the annual increase provided to Social Security recipients and is based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=65d3f84b-29cb-47c0-ae77-5fea93ea6fcb
And another link: http://vetlawyers.com/vetblog/index.php/2012/09/va-cost-of-living-increase-blocked-in-the-senate/
Military.com has the story now: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/09/27/senator-puts-secret-hold-on-veterans-cola-bill.html?comp=7000023317828&rank=1
Navy Times: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/09/military-senate-delay-could-mean-late-colas-retirees-092712w/
My take: http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17539-the-scum-of-the-earth-gop-senator-blocks-bill-to-increase-benefits-for-veterans
"The Roman method for dealing with corruption was to sew the offender into a sack with a wild animal and have that sack thrown into the river. In these enlightened days, I'd be satisfied to sew whoever blocked this legislation into a sack with five veterans who depend on the benefits earned with their blood and service, and let nature take its course."
The scum of the fucking Earth.
UPDATE: According to this Washington Post report, the hold has been removed: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/patty-murray-says-gop-senator-blocking-vets-cola-increase/2012/09/27/da47ac88-08cb-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_blog.html
Great news for veterans and their families, but still thoroughly disgusting that some coward chose to play this despicable game.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Panasonic
(2,921 posts)Public scrutiny and a regular beatdown of that said senator is required.
And then throw him to Afghanistan and tell him to man up and stop being a chickenhawk.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)Response to Panasonic (Reply #2)
guyton This message was self-deleted by its author.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Kablooie
(18,634 posts)porphyrian
(18,530 posts)porphyrian
(18,530 posts)OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)....whether or not that person is running for reelection in November.
Does anyone have direct connections with The Rachael Maddow Show, The Ed Show, and The Last Word? If they don't know about this, they need to know ASAP!
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)patrice
(47,992 posts)OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)Medical coverage cost jumps for working-age military retirees
Tricare compromise plan kicks in Monday
[link:http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120927/NEWS14/309270056/Medical-coverage-cost-jumps-working-age-military-retirees?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7C%7Cs|
This is how we treat our veterans, especially those who have suffered physically and mentally from combat??
Shameful at best.
fasttense
(17,301 posts)will probably equal this COLA adjustment.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Although the piece above says:
The bill was cleared by all Senate Democrats but was blocked by at least one Senate Republican that has not come forward to claim responsibility.
That's not on the second link. The GOP will spin this to say the anti-American Demoncrats did it. So I have nothing to refute this to my right-leaning disabled veteran relatives. Because they are not about to read the blog of a Democratic Party Senator. Sigh...
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)Kber
(5,043 posts)our only option is to vote against ALL republicans, isn't it.
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)kiranon
(1,727 posts)If the Republican Senators will not disclose which Republican Senator won't allow COLA increases for veterans then throw them all out. Use this against all of them in each and every state where a Republican is running for reelection. Would appeal to independent and Republican voters. Democrats won't vote for them. Blocking by anonymous Congress persons needs to end.
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)Tom Rinaldo
(22,913 posts)That goes not only for all sitting Republican Senators, but all those running for the Senate. And it goes for Mitt Romney also if he does not bring his full influence to bear in removing this block.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)All campaigning democrats must pounce on this story, today!
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)should be held to account for this hold. Each and every one is responsible for it. And they know who put the hold on the bill, I guarantee. Someone agreed to do it, probably a Senator who is not up for re-election or who has withdrawn and is retiring.
They are all to blame, and should be blamed by every voter with a conscience.
Care Acutely
(1,370 posts)OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)heaven05
(18,124 posts)don't have facebook or tweeter, someone please send this so it can go viral. repugthugs again!
UrbScotty
(23,980 posts)TrollBuster9090
(5,954 posts)Remember the last time an "anonymous Senator" blocked something, and the media just started phoning the Senators' offices to ask for a denial that it was them? I think it took about an hour to find out who blocked it.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)nt.
Pat Riot
(446 posts)They pretty much all march in lockstep and are the same.
atreides1
(16,081 posts)"If the Senator provides notice privately to his or her party leadership of their intent (and the party leadership agreed), then the hold is known as a secret or anonymous hold. If the Senator actually objects on the Senate floor or the hold is publicly revealed, then the hold is more generally known as a Senatorial hold."
So it does matter.
DollarBillHines
(1,922 posts)And they are fucking with me and mine.
DBH
julian09
(1,435 posts)Hubert Flottz
(37,726 posts)The GOPers.
WestWisconsinDem
(127 posts)Support the troops (until they come home) and be pro-life... as long as that life exists within the uterus. After they're born or they come home, fuck 'em!
Ian_rd
(2,124 posts)Ian_rd
(2,124 posts)Republicans love the idea of troops and the idea of children. They see in their head 80s action movie star style troops who never get hurt, and happy cute children born into Norman Rockwell homes of plenty.
But ACTUAL troops? And ACTUAL children? Just like you say ... Republicans think: "FUCK THEM!"
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)Republicans on the committee, and say, "One of these committee members is the anonymous blocker."
Hold then ALL responsible for this shit.
Flaxbee
(13,661 posts)DirtyDawg
(802 posts)All you, and the country, needs to know is that they've got 'R' next to their name. The Dems need to blast this across the nation and into military and retiree heavy states and areas before the SOB gets a chance to change their mind or the other Repigs to 'off him/her'.
Hubert Flottz
(37,726 posts)Probably gets a big kick out of knowing, that he of she has the power to make all those veterans suffer, want and need. It must give the bastard who did this a big thrill. Like shotgunning game birds as they fly from a cage.
justice1
(795 posts)There is a misconception with many in the military, that Republicans are better for people that serve.
dorksied
(348 posts)LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Richard Burr, NC
Ranking Member
Johnny Isakson, GA
Roger Wicker,MS
Mike Johanns, NE
Scott Brown, MA
Jerry Moran, KS
John Boozman, AR
I think I'll drop him a note. I dropped him a note.
tavalon
(27,985 posts)But hey, I could be wrong.
amygdalavet
(3 posts)I am a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War.
I would have been receiving this COLA but now
the do nothing Republicans are once again proving
that they DO NOT support veterans !
I hate them all !
Bastards !
Send YOUR child off to war asshole !
Edit to add:
Oh and Thank You.
Tumbulu
(6,291 posts)I hate what these republicans are doing!!!!!!!
Ian_rd
(2,124 posts)Ever since the great political realignment after the Civil Rights movement, the Republican Party has been based on two pillars: 1. Serve the interest of super rich, and 2. Retain political power by whipping up the prejudices and religion of the white voter, while lying to them about the effects of their economic policies.
That big lie is cracking. People are starting to "get it." Republicans are having a harder time lately with their tired bullshit lies and their true character is beginning to show to more and more people.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Spread the word. Let's show people how Republicans "support the troops."
alfredo
(60,074 posts)WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)spanone
(135,846 posts)this is exactly how these assholes treat veterans time after time after time.
cr8tvlde
(1,185 posts)Support the troops, President Obama, even if the lily-livered Republicans hide behind their proverbial "mommy skirts", and exuse me Mom, but it gets the point home.
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)w8liftinglady
(23,278 posts)kentuck
(111,104 posts)It would be sad if it wasn't so damn deceitful.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)After Murray issued a statement Thursday morning calling the development stunning, the office of Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the ranking Republican on the Senate veterans committee, said the issue had been resolved.
It has cleared our side, meaning there is no hold, David Ward, a spokesman for Burr, said Thursday afternoon.
- snip -
The bill, HR 4114, was passed by the House in July and is intended to provide more than 3.9 million veterans and their survivors with a cost-of-living adjustment to disability compensation and benefits meant to offset inflation and other factors, according to Murrays office. The bill normally passes each year without controversy.
With the Senate out of session until Nov. 13, it will have to immediatley pass the legislation to provide the increase in time for Januarys disability checks, according to Murrays office.
Jazzgirl
(3,744 posts)Thanks Will for writing such a great article. I was royally pissed when I finished reading it. Grrrrrr........