Stimulus Package Must Fully Support New Veterans

Stimulus Package Must Fully Support New Veterans
IAVA Supports Senate Version of Stimulus Bill and Recommends Critical Additions

NEW YORK - Today, as the Senate begins debating the new economic stimulus package, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonprofit group for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, applauded the Senate Appropriations Committee for prioritizing support for veterans in their draft of the bill.  

The Senate Appropriations Committee included significant funding allocated for veterans and their families. Money is designated for veterans' hospitals, national cemeteries, and new childcare centers.  Although the Senate bill includes three times the veterans' funding passed by the House, it still fails to cover the total backlog of needed repairs at veterans' facilities which is priced at approximately $5 billion.

"The Senate Bill is a huge step in the right direction, but it must do more to ensure that veterans are getting maximum support in this critical time. IAVA calls on the Senate to add funding to address the entire VA repair backlog.  This money would put Americans back to work and would support our nation's bravest men and women," said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. "As the GI Bill effectively demonstrated, investing in our nation's veterans is a smart and patriotic way to improve the American economy."

In addition to supporting the Senate version, IAVA recommends new measures that will support America's veterans and will stimulate the economy, including:

• Retroactive payments to help cover the student loans of veterans serving after September 11th who attended college under the previous ineffective GI Bill.
• New funding to triple the number of OEF/OIF outreach coordinators employed at VA facilities.
• Increased grant funding to hire more state and county service officers who help veterans file their disability claims.  This will shorten claim approval wait times and support disabled veterans.
• Funding for programs that provide job training for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. This recommendation was initially proposed by Representative Buyer (R-IN), but it was not included in the House version of the stimulus package.

"Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families are being hit especially hard right now.  As the economic stimulus bill moves forward, veterans must not be forgotten. IAVA looks forward to working with the Senate to ensure that veterans play a critical role in the rebuilding of America's economy," added Rieckhoff.

For complete details on veterans' funding in the economic stimulus package, along with all of IAVA's recommendations for improvements, please see: http://iava.org/blog/support-veterans-and-military-families-2009-stimulus-proposal.

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or combat veterans being impacted by the economic stimulus package, please contact Chrissy Stevens at (212) 982-9699 or Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.