IAVA Applauds Critical Increases in the President’s 2012 Budget for New Veterans

NEW YORK–Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued the following statement in response to the President’s proposed 2012 Budget:

“IAVA applauds the President for significant increases in the proposed 2012 budget for new veterans. The Administration is demonstrating a clear commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families in what is an extremely tough fiscal year. With thousands of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, a robust budget is absolutely critical to provide needed services and programs for new vets. We are pleased to see increased funding going towards vital areas like mental health care, implementation of the delayed Caregivers Bill, expanding VA homelessness services and reducing the disability claims backlog.
 
Despite increases in these key areas, IAVA is disappointed that it fell short of the Independent Budget recommendation and included cuts in funding for medical and prosthetics research. The VA is a leader in the medical research industry, especially for innovative treatments of ALS and spinal cord rehabilitation. This research has widespread implications for the military, veteran and civilian communities alike.
 
The Administration also provided much-needed funding for veterans employment and training in the Department of Labor’s budget.  With Iraq and Afghanistan- era veteran joblessness rates at a staggering 15.2%, this could not come at a more critical time. To address this, IAVA’s top legislative priority this year is addressing veteran unemployment through comprehensive legislation and public and private initiatives,” said IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff.