On December 28th, President Bush announced his plan to veto the defense authorization bill over an obscure provision regarding the new Iraqi government and the rights of prisoners of war. The White House is worried that Americans victimized by Saddam's former regime might use the legislation to secure compensation in court, jeopardizng Iraq's assets held in U.S. banks.
The veto took a lot of people by surprise, because normally the president lets Congress know in advance if legislation they are passing is likely to be vetoed. And there's controversy about the veto itself -- President Bush claims this is a pocket-veto, which the president can use when Congress is out of session, and which Congress cannot override. But Congress is not out of session, so Congressional leaders are considering efforts to override the veto.
That's right. The partisan divide is so wide now that Congress and the president can't even agree on the meaning of the word "veto." Unfortunately, while the politicians are playing word games, troops and veterans are missing out on:
• Better health care for veterans. As the law currently stands, Iraq vets lose access to VA health coverage two years after they get out of the military. Without the defense authorization bill, there's nothing to keep Iraq and Afghanistan veterans from joining the 1.8 million veterans without health insurance.
• Wartime Contracting Commission. A new "Truman Commission" to fight fraud and waste by military contractors.
• Pre- and Post- Deployment Assessment for Traumatic Brain Injury. Studies suggest 150-300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have received this kind of injury. These kinds of injuries don't necessarily leave a visible wound, but they can seriously affect brain function, including memory and emotional response. Right now, many of these injuries are going undiagnosed and untreated.
• Expanded job protections for family members of severely wounded troops. Currently, if a husband or wife of a wounded troop at Walter Reed needs to take more than three months to care for their spouse, they can lose their job. This would have given them six months of job protection.
Add to that a new research and treatment center for PTSD & TBI, better education benefits for National Guardsmen and Reservists, and refugee assistance for Iraqi Interpreters.
All of this in limbo, thanks to this veto.
What happens next? Will Congress invoke the little-known "I'm rubber, you're glue" rule? Will the president respond by redefining "Congress"? Who knows. What is clear is that yet again, vital new programs for returning troops are going to be put on hold while Congress and the president play games.
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Good riddance. Nothing personal.
He vetoed S-Chip and now this.
Once again however he is planning to push for tax rebates and to tell us to "go shopping" in the State of the Union address. What an abysmal leader.
Please readers: you can donate cash, air mileage etc. to help the valiant wounded veterans through a number of orgs:
saluteheroes.org
woundedwarriorproject.org
fisherhouse.org
Thank you.
Such decider wants to build a Middle East's peace while he mess up American world image and ruins American economy. The only thing he knows is bombs and bombs and bombs.
Dreaming himself as another decider an ex-POW wants to occupy other country for 100 years to show his senseless mentality.
For the sake of Checks and Balances American congress is a big joke.
This is America. Enjoy....!
The Republican Party promotes policies that support free enterprise and bless Corporations with limited Government oversight. This has shown to benefit some at the expense of the majority. The Democratic Party promotes policies that benefit everyone else by striving for efficient and caring Government.
Leaders of the Republican Party have to use controversial issues and promote candidates who profess to be “Compassionate” and “Conservative” to entice voters to vote against their own self interests. These candidates have recently been shown to be neither Compassionate nor Conservative. I am tired of being called a "Baby Killer" because Republicans have assigned that label to anyone who resists their failed policies of strong military, fiscal responsibility, and limited government.
Of course there are aspects involved that change from election to election, but the basics still hold true.
Those who vote “for the man” get the policies of the Party in either case and that determines how all of us will be governed.
The Iowa Caucuses show that Democrats, Independents, and Republicans want change from the Status Quo but everyone must vote based on the reality of the moment.
This first indication of “Democrats expanding their base, picking up the majority of independents, winning the Presidency, and increasing their margins in Congress in the fall.” is good news but we have a long way to go so don’t divide the Democratic Party, help the Republicans divide their Party.
How can screwing over our young soldiers yet again compare to that in the realm of media significance?
Shame on us.
Why is it that if something goes wrong, it must be laid at the feet of this President as though it falls exculsively into his purview to ensure that Congress is responsible in their legislation?
Why are your minds so closed as to believe that anyone with an "R" next to their name is inherently evil and anyone with a "D" next to theirs is inherently good?
Open your minds people! Open your minds...
gives a rat about veteran's and their problems. "Hey, they volunteered. I'm workin' on my legacy over here.".
Rahm Emanuel takes credit for winning in the 2006 elections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel
It had nothing to do with voters wanting to end the war.