Democrats Force House Vote on $9.4 Billion Veterans Benefit as Funding Fight Stalls Broader Package
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 22
Democrats Force House Vote on $9.4 Billion Veterans Benefit as Funding Fight Stalls Broader Package
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 22
Summary
Enough Republicans joined Democrats last Tuesday to bypass House leaders and force action on part of the stalled Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, a last-ditch effort to rescue the package.
The fight centers on the Maj. Richard Star Act, which would let combat-disabled retirees collect full military retirement pay and disability benefits instead of offsetting one against the other.
Republicans insisted the change’s estimated $9.4 billion 10-year cost be offset by trimming future disability compensation for veterans with sleep apnea and tinnitus, a trade-off Democrats rejected.
That dispute fractured both parties, drew objections from some Republicans who said veterans were being pitted against one another, and left the broader multibillion-dollar package near collapse after the House adjourned early.