Blog post

IAVA Daily Brief 11.16.09
Posted by Terrell Frazier on November 10

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA. Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking? Follow us on Twitter @IAVAPressRoom.

MUST READS

1) Army Secretary Orders Arlington Cemetery Probe

Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced Friday that he has ordered an investigation into allegations of lost accountability of some graves, poor record keeping and other issues at Arlington National Cemetery. The investigation ordered by McHugh follows a separate internal investigation by the Military District of Washington over the discovery of an unmarked grave. A PDF copy of the Article 15-6 investigation by MDW is available by clicking here.

2) Obama Asks Congress to Wait on Fort Hood Investigation

President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Congress to hold off on any investigation of the Fort Hood rampage until federal law enforcement and military authorities have completed their probes into the shootings at the Texas Army post, which left 13 people dead. On an eight-day Asia trip, Obama turned his attention home and pleaded for lawmakers to "resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the political theater." Obama has already ordered a review of all intelligence related to Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan and whether the information was properly shared and acted upon within government agencies.

3) Shinseki Calls for More Extensive Sharing of Data Between DOD, VA

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki recently described post-traumatic stress disorder and the mental health issues facing recent veterans. Shinseki highlighted a new push to find opportunities to share data with the Department of Defense and use the VA's extensive doctor-patient records to further probe veterans' health issues. Asked in an NPR interview whether these new efforts might result in "more claims, more demands" on the agency, Shinseki replied that "I think it's likely, but the reason we exist is to serve veterans."

AFGHANISTAN

The latest internal government estimates place the cost of adding 40,000 American troops at $40 billion to $54 billion a year. The rough formula used by the White House estimates that the added cost will be about $1 million per soldier a year. Even if President Obama opts for a lower troop commitment, Afghanistan’s new costs could wash out the projected $26 billion expected to be saved in 2010 from withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Two American servicemembers and an American contractor were killed in two separate bombing attacks on Friday in Afghanistan, according to a statement from a NATO spokesman. One service member was killed by a roadside bombing in eastern Afghanistan. The other attack took place on a road in southern Afghanistan, killing an American serviceman and an American contractor.

The Obama administration’s effort to remake the American detention system in Afghanistan takes a critical step forward at the end of the month, when detainees move into a new facility on the edge of Bagram Air Base. The complex is designed to accommodate new review boards, giving detainees a chance to challenge their internment and present evidence of their innocence. Reporters and Afghan and international human rights officials were allowed to tour it on Sunday.

IRAQ

The Iraqi government has taken strides to help refugees displaced by the violence in the country over recent years return home, but still "needs to do a heck of a lot more," a U.S. official said Saturday. Eric Schwartz, the assistant secretary of state for refugees, said Baghdad has proposed a 250 percent increase to the budget to assist refugees and plans to appoint a coordinator to help people move back home.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has blocked the release of more photographs of foreign detainees abused by their American captors, saying their release would endanger American soldiers. The Obama administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court late Friday saying Mr. Gates had invoked new powers blocking the release. The American Civil Liberties Union had sued for the release of 21 color photographs showing prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq being abused by Americans. Federal courts had rejected the government’s arguments to block their release, so Congress gave Mr. Gates new powers to keep them private under a law signed last month by President Obama.

Every Army Medical Department active-duty soldier and Reserve-component soldier on active duty must carry at all times two bottles of sanitizer: one for the soldier’s use and the second to share. The new policy, announced in an All-Army Activities Message, is aimed squarely at the H1N1 flu virus.

The Army will streamline the switch to new career specialties for most basic-branch captains and majors under a test program to be launched early next year. Called the Officer Service Management Pilot Program, the new system is a marked improvement over previous procedures that required assignment officers — typically captains and majors — to deal with transfer requests on a case-by-case basis. Under the new system, panels of lieutenant colonels who are experienced human resource managers will consider requests quarterly, said Col. Rick Nieberding, chief of Human Resources Command’s officer leader development division.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday urged Afghan President Hamid Karzai to "do better" if he wanted U.S. support, and that included creating a major crimes tribunal and anti-corruption commission. Clinton, in an interview on ABC, said Washington expects "a major crimes tribunal" to be set up and "an anti-corruption commission established and functioning". She said the Afghan government needed to take action against people who have "taken advantage of the money that has poured into Afghanistan" in the past eight years. She said she had made it clear that civilian aid would not be given unless the US could track it if it went to government ministries.

Looking ahead to the Obama administration's next budget, the president is weighing public anxiety over the government's debt and is shifting emphasis from spending policies to deficit reduction. Domestic agencies have been told to brace for a spending freeze or cuts of up to 5 percent as part of a midterm election-year push to rein in record budget shortfalls. It also notes that, since the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs would likely be shielded from such cuts, which would likely offset any gains made in other agencies.

Six Senators have introduced a bill to grant permanent residency to family members of immigrants actively serving in the U.S. military — even in cases where the service member has died. The Military Families Act isn’t expected to receive a floor vote anytime soon, with the Senate racing to pass healthcare reform by the end of the year. For now, the bill has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE

The Senate will convene at 2:00 p.m.

SENATE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3082, MilCon VA Appropriations until 5:30pm.

Votes:  5:30pm 2 roll call votes in relation to the following: Coburn amendment #2757: (public disclosure of reports) Coburn motion to commit

COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

No issues today

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

No issues

THE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES  

The House will convene at 2:00 p.m.

HOUSE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

No issues today

HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST  

No issues today

FUTURE HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST  

November 19, 2009 Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health Hearing: Review of VA Contract Health Care: Project HERO 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon

November 19, 2009 Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Hearing: Adaptive Housing Grants 1:00 p.m.; 334 Cannon

December 2, 2009 Veterans’ Affairs Committee Hearing: VA Health Care Funding: Appropriations to Programs 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

December 3, 2009 Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Roundtable 1:00 p.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles. These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA