With VA budget shortfall looming, Legionnaires send messages to Washington.
The American Legion’s 105th National Convention in New Orleans produced some big results in the area of veteran employment, small business development, suicide prevention, blood donation and more. But when outgoing National Commander Daniel Seehafer called for action to help prevent delays in VA disability payments, members responded in droves.
In a matter of four days, the American Legion’s Grassroots Advocacy Center delivered more than 17,000 emails to Congress imploring passage of legislation to cover a $3 billion budget shortfall on the horizon before the end of the fiscal year this month.
During the national convention, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told thousands that massive increases in VA enrollment, claims and health care provided through the 2022 Legion-backed PACT Act have generated unprecedented demand for VA services. “We’ve exceeded our most aggressive projections,” he told convention delegates Aug. 27, adding that a $12 billion increase in the fiscal 2024-25 budget is also necessary to provide care for the spike in VA patients, the majority of whom are now getting VA treatment for service-connected conditions related to toxic exposure; the PACT Act was expected to bring relief to some 3.5 million veterans who were previously ineligible for VA care, despite diseases and illnesses related to toxic exposure in the service.
Meanwhile, more than $400,000 in national American Legion youth scholarships were awarded in August, an American Legion Baseball World Series champion was crowned, and the American Legion Riders delivered more than $930,000 to the stage in New Orleans from the five-day Legacy Run, in support of The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation.
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