thedrifter
09-06-07, 06:50 PM
Senate: Stop rounding down veteran checks
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Sep 6, 2007 14:10:12 EDT
The Senate voted Thursday to stop reducing veterans’ disability checks by rounding the monthly payments down to the next lowest dollar.
The result would add, at most, slightly less than $12 a year to the paychecks of disabled veterans. But it is symbolically important, said the chief sponsor, Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, a political independent and member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The practice of rounding down checks began years ago as a budget-cutting measure and has continued, even during times of budget surpluses, because few complaints have been heard.
For low-income veterans, even $12 a year is important, Sanders said. More important, he added, is the fact that the government has been saving up to 99 cents a month by rounding down checks at the same time it spends billions on contracts for Iraq that often are awarded without even seeking lower bids.
Sanders’ amendment to end the rounding down of veterans’ paychecks was passed by voice vote, and is now part of HR 2642, the 2008 funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Ending the practice would add $20 million to the VA’s budget, a small portion of the overall budget, Sanders said.
The effort tells veterans “we are no longer going to nickel and dime you,” he said.
The House has not passed any similar legislation, but Sanders expects help from major veterans’ groups to push his legislation forward. The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans and AmVets are all supporters.
Ellie
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Sep 6, 2007 14:10:12 EDT
The Senate voted Thursday to stop reducing veterans’ disability checks by rounding the monthly payments down to the next lowest dollar.
The result would add, at most, slightly less than $12 a year to the paychecks of disabled veterans. But it is symbolically important, said the chief sponsor, Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, a political independent and member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The practice of rounding down checks began years ago as a budget-cutting measure and has continued, even during times of budget surpluses, because few complaints have been heard.
For low-income veterans, even $12 a year is important, Sanders said. More important, he added, is the fact that the government has been saving up to 99 cents a month by rounding down checks at the same time it spends billions on contracts for Iraq that often are awarded without even seeking lower bids.
Sanders’ amendment to end the rounding down of veterans’ paychecks was passed by voice vote, and is now part of HR 2642, the 2008 funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Ending the practice would add $20 million to the VA’s budget, a small portion of the overall budget, Sanders said.
The effort tells veterans “we are no longer going to nickel and dime you,” he said.
The House has not passed any similar legislation, but Sanders expects help from major veterans’ groups to push his legislation forward. The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans and AmVets are all supporters.
Ellie