Daily News Summary 1/29/09

Daily News Summary 1/29/09
Posted by Michelle McCarthy [1] on January 29 [2] 2009

Here are some of today’s top stories and happenings at IAVA. Headlines

Officials: Army suicides at 3-decade high [3]
'Difficult decisions' [4]on Iraq, Afghanistan ahead: Obama
Army questions aspects of electrocution story [5]
Army orders recall of body armor [6]
Buyer’s Plans to Create Jobs for Veterans Excluded from Stimulus Plan [7]

Iraq

White House: Obama review of Iraq to wrap up soon [8]
Iraq to Deny New License To Blackwater Security Firm [9]
Gallup survey: Iraq matters most [10](after Israel)

Afghanistan

Afghan Elections Delayed until August as violence rises [11]
NATO says enough time to reinforce Afghan poll [12]
Spurned by U.S., Karzai Eyes Russia [13]
Inside an Afghan battle gone wrong: What happened at Wanat? [14] (I)

Military News

Spat stalls eye-trauma center [15] for troops
Lawmakers press for more progress on assault cases [16]
Alliance asks for steady rise in BAH rates
Deadline extended for overseas Tricare claims [17]
DOD announces new officer assignments [18]
Firm charged with deceptive practices at Drum [19]
Army Deserter Seeks Asylum in Germany [20]
Service dog group lost $5,000 on failed Inaugural ball [21]

Nation

$820B Obama stimulus clears House Vote [22]
Jobless claims hit record peak [23], orders plummet

World

Gaza violence complicates U.S. envoy's mission [24]
UN asks for $600m [25] to avert new humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Russia Halts Missile Move As U.S. Ponders Shield [26]

Opinion

Don't move the goalposts on Afghanistan [27]
For Holbrooke, Situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan Is 'Dim and Dismal' [28]
Afghanistan Deployment puts Germany in al-Qaeda's Crosshairs [29]

DC THE SENATE The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST HR 2 [30]— SCHIP reauthorization COMMITTEE HEARINGS and MARKUPS of INTEREST January 29, 2009 -- Small Business and Entrepreneurship roundtable on investing in small businesses. 9:00 a.m., 428-A Russell January 29, 2009 -- Senate Budget hearing on the global economy. 10:00 a.m., 608 Dirksen January 29, 2009 -- Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on health care overhaul’s impact on quality. 2:00 p.m., 430 Dirksen COMMITTEE REPORTS and PRESS RELEASES of INTEREST:

Inspector General Releases Investigation on VA Staffer's Email Discouraging PTSD Diagnosis: Chairman Akaka remains concerned that VA is overburdened and underfunded [31]
Veterans Organizations give Unanimous Support for Advance Funding of Veterans’ Health Care: Akaka signals intention to reintroduce advance funding legislation [32]

PRESS RELEASES of INTEREST:

Inspector General Releases Investigation on VA Staffer's Email Discouraging PTSD Diagnosis: Chairman Akaka remains concerned that VA is overburdened [33] and underfunded
Akaka Questions Defense Secretary Gates On G.I. Bill, Walter Reed Reforms, and China Military Modernization [34]

THE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES The House is not in session. FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST H.R. 1 [35] – American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Reps. Obey/Rangel/ Waxman/Miller/Oberstar/Gordon/Frank/Velazquez/Towns/Spratt - Appropriations) (Subject to a Rule) Postponed Suspension Vote (1 bill)1) S. 328 [36] – To delay the Digital Television Transition until June 13, 2009, as amended (Sen. Rockefeller – Energy and Commerce) COMMITTEE HEARINGS and MARKUPS of INTEREST No issues today. COMMITTEE REPORTS and PRESS RELEASES of INTEREST

Buyer’s Plans to Create Jobs for Veterans Excluded from Stimulus Plan [7]

IAVA In The News Media Outlet: Leslie Marshall Show Topic: IAVA’s 2009 Legislative Agenda Date: Tuesday, January 27 Representative: Todd Bowers What The Blogs Are Saying Blog: Veteran Dissent Title: Paul Rieckhoff on Todd Bowers testifying before congress [37] Date: Thursday, January 29 Representative: Paul Rieckhoff Blog: Military & Veterans: Politics for the deserving Title: VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS GIVE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR ADVANCE FUNDING OF VETERANS' HEALTH CARE [38] Date: Wednesday, January 28 Representative: Todd Bowers Blog: Radio Free Wisconsin Title: Stimulus offers tax credit for hiring vets [39] Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Representative: Todd Bowers

Links:
[1] http://iava.org/user/42
[2] http://iava.org/blog/all/200901
[3] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jrRijfpxg8ZdUbcDpGbmnEpYPH9wD960RSG01
[4] http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g1p_q8vJccAojohSLfFe8ZS806jA
[5] http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_iraq_electrocution_012809w/
[6] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ie3E8xI1zhgguCFKHUyUZLzewvSAD960JHTO3
[7] http://republicans.veterans.house.gov/news/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1668
[8] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jdIrHElf2_i22ZbfZYDTjqmcoy5gD960C0MO0
[9] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/28/ST2009012803363.html
[10] http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/01/28/gallup_survey_iraq_matters_most_if_you_dont_include_israel
[11] http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/01/29/asia/OUKWD-UK-AFGHAN-ELECTIONS.php
[12] http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE50S30320090129
[13] http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/afghanistan/090128/spurned-us-karzai-eyes-russia
[14] http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/01/28/inside_an_afghan_battle_what_happened_at_wanat_last_july_i
[15] http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-01-28-eye-center_N.htm?csp=23&RM_Exclude=aol
[16] http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60313
[17] http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/military_tricaredeadline_012809w/
[18] http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60314
[19] http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_drum_deceptive_hiring_012809w/
[20] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318899887026687.html
[21] http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/military_veteransball_dogs_012809w/
[22] http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18136.html
[23] http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2927263820090129
[24] http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/29/africa/30mideast.php
[25] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article5611951.ece
[26] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5602899.ece
[27] http://shadow.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/01/28/dont_move_the_goalposts_on_afghanistan
[28] http://www.cfr.org/publication/18391/for_holbrooke_situation_in_pakistan_afghanistan_is_dim_and_dismal.html
[29] http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=34422&tx_ttnews%5bbackPid%5d=7&cHash=eec2385e21
[30] http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.00002:
[31] http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=12&release_id=11851
[32] http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=12&release_id=11852
[33] http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Home&month=1&year=2009&release_id=2541
[34] http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Home&month=1&year=2009&release_id=2539
[35] http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR1:/
[36] http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:S328:/
[37] http://veterandissent.blogspot.com/2009/01/news-thursday-january-29-2009.html
[38] http://vets4politics.blogspot.com/
[39] http://radiofreewis.blogspot.com/2009/01/stimulus-offers-tax-credit-for-hiring.html
[40] http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://iava.org/blog/daily-news-summary-12909&title=Daily+News+Summary+1%2F29%2F09
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Daily News Summary 1/29/09

Daily News Summary 1/29/09 Posted by Michelle McCarthy [1] on January 29 [2] 2009

Daily News Summary 1/29/09
Posted by Michelle McCarthy [1] on January 29 [2] 2009