I've heard many lame ideas, but this one tops them all

[Ray,IN]

from the CBO.

VA Secretary Swats Down Idea To Cut VA Disability Pay For Wealthier Vets

By: Patricia Kime | Military.Com
Veterans' social media feeds erupted this week over a months-old report from the Congressional Budget Office that listed options for reducing the federal deficit, including the idea that the government could save $253 billion over the next 10 years by eliminating disability compensation for veterans who make more than $170,000.
Each year, the CBO publishes proposals for reducing the federal deficit, which has reached nearly $723 billion since the beginning of fiscal 2023. The latest list, published in December but only garnering attention among veterans this week, called for means-testing for veterans with higher income levels. But Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough shot down the idea on Thursday, saying the VA does not "think that's a good idea."
"We think it's a bad idea, and we're not going to do it. You have my commitment that we won't do it," McDonough said during a press conference with reporters in Washington, D.C.
He added that he had not been approached by anyone on Capitol Hill about the idea. The CBO assessment proposes a list of options for reducing the deficit, but they are not considered to be recommendations. They are, according to the report, "options derived from many sources" that "reflect a range of possibilities."
This year's list, first published Dec. 7, addressed VA disability compensation, which CBO analysts said has increased substantially faster than inflation, in total spending and per veteran. According to the CBO, the VA paid four times the amount in disability compensation in 2021, $110 billion, than it paid in 2000, adjusting for inflation, even as the number of vets in the U.S. had dropped by more than 30%.
Under the option, the VA would assess the household income of all veterans now receiving disability compensation, as well as those who file disability claims in the future. Only veterans whose gross household income the year before was less than an established threshold would receive their full disability payments.
Benefits would be phased out for those above the threshold, and reduced by one dollar for every additional two dollars of gross household income. Beginning in January 2024, veterans whose income was $170,000 or higher in 2023 would no longer receive disability compensation, and those whose household incomes were between $125,000 and $170,000 would receive adjusted payments.
There would be no adjustment for household size, according to the option. CBO analysts observed that Americans who work and also receive Social Security disability benefits see a decrease in their government compensation when they demonstrate that they are able to work for extended periods of time.
They added that roughly 1.5 million of 5 million veterans receiving VA disability had household income that exceeded the $125,000 threshold it set for 2023, or the 70th percentile of total household income for the entire country in 2019.
The CBO estimates that reducing or eliminating VA disability benefits for households whose gross household income exceeded the threshold would lower mandatory spending by "$253 billion between 2023 and 2032 relative to CBO's baseline," they wrote.
It's unclear what sparked the circulation on social media this week. Veterans expressed immediate outrage, taking to Twitter to voice their dismay. It appears, however, that the recommendation has no momentum; lawmakers and veterans service organizations did not respond to requests Wednesday for comment on the proposal.
On Thursday, Veteran Warriors Inc., an advocacy group that supports wounded and ill veterans and caregivers, thanked reporters for asking McDonough about the option.
The provision does not appear anywhere in the Biden administration's proposed fiscal 2024 budget. In the report Options for Reducing the Deficit: 2023 to 2032, the CBO stressed that the idea was not a recommendation.
"Inclusion or exclusion of any particular option does not imply an endorsement or rejection by CBO," analysts wrote.

[largo1005]

Why don't they think about reducing congress pay? Also do away with retirement after serving 2 terms. Congress should not be allowed to vote themselves a yearly raise. Number of aides and assistants could be cut 90%.
Leave our veterans money alone!

[bduemig]

Unfortunately, they are the vote that counts on pay raises, cuts etc.. unless we vote them out of office

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by bduemig

Unfortunately, they are the vote that counts on pay raises, cuts etc.. unless we vote them out of office

That is exactly why every citizen must take an active role in our elections and advising current elected officials! Everyone should remember these words;
We The People"

[TandW]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

That is exactly why every citizen must take an active role in our elections and advising current elected officials! Everyone should remember these words;
We The People"

Amen to that, Brother!

[Alan_Hepburn]

They never talk about cutting welfare benefits, or other "giveaway" programs that the recipients never pay into - it's always social security, which we pay for our entire working lives, and veteran's benefits that get threatened...

[Sweetbriar]

It's been just over 90 almost years since the 1932 Bonus Army March on DC due to the government going back on a promise to vets. If they do cut benefits to those who deserve them the most the event that occured on a certain day back in early January 2020 will look even more like a frat party than it already does once the millions of vets, disabled or not, converge on DC. I don't think the current or any of the potential future Army Chief of Staff has or will have the spine to stand up to the President when he issues orders for the removal of veterans from the National Mall or elsewhere. MacArthur and Patton certainly had to problem using tanks, machine guns and mounted cavalry back in 1932.

I got lucky and did 24 years with the USN and left with 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes and 2 ears that all work almost as well as they did back in 1980 when I enlisted so don't have much interaction with the VA.

[KenZ71]

Congressional compensation should be tied to the entire country's economic health.

Likewise congressional healthcare and retirement plans should be same exAcT plan given to Military or Postal workers. Let those crooks eat their own cooking then we will see some improvement.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

It's been just over 90 almost years since the 1932 Bonus Army March on DC due to the government going back on a promise to vets. If they do cut benefits to those who deserve them the most the event that occured on a certain day back in early January 2020 will look even more like a frat party than it already does once the millions of vets, disabled or not, converge on DC. I don't think the current or any of the potential future Army Chief of Staff has or will have the spine to stand up to the President when he issues orders for the removal of veterans from the National Mall or elsewhere. MacArthur and Patton certainly had to problem using tanks, machine guns and mounted cavalry back in 1932.

I got lucky and did 24 years with the USN and left with 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes and 2 ears that all work almost as well as they did back in 1980 when I enlisted so don't have much interaction with the VA.

I encourage you to register with the VA now. Every registration adds to the numbers, and aids the VA when appropriations time comes around.
If you have tinnitus now, it only gets worse as you age. VA supplies hearing aids to qualified vets.

[Old-Biscuit]

The VA has been a life saver for me!

'WE' are to blame for what Congress does.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

If you have tinnitus now, it only gets worse as you age. VA supplies hearing aids to qualified vets.

And, it's almost an automatic 10% disability rating for tinnitus...

[wildtoad]

Not a vet, but you guys should be taken care of by the rest of us, especially those who served overseas, doing what our government asked of you. Thanks to all.

My comments relate to SS & Medicare. Both of these programs are at risk of outflows exceeding inflows for a variety of reasons. Thus far Congress has failed, for political reasons, to address the issue. Those that have quickly get lambasted by “The other side”, the media, or both. There are things that could be done to address contributions, such as lifting or removing the cap on wages/income subject to the tax. It doesn’t make sense to me that Elon only pays on income up to todays cap, baseball players making millions per game, might should pay more into the system. On the benefit sides, nobody believes that Bill Gates needs to collect a SS check or even help with his medical expenses. The argument that he paid into it, he should get it sounds a bit hollow. Bill would be the first to agree he doesn’t.

Doing nothing about the costs and income streams of these two “entitlements” (you’re entitled cause you paid into them) isn’t an option. Perhaps those with the means should receive less or nothing in benefits so that those that depend on the benefits to exist can continue to receive theirs.

Just my thoughts others may disagree. And that’s ok.

[Cat320]

What gets me is the billions of dollars we give to ungrateful countries, and countries that hate us:

Top 10 countries that received the most foreign aid obligations from the U.S. in 2020:


Afghanistan ($3.97B)
Israel ($3.31B)
Jordan ($2.6B)
Egypt ($1.47B)
Ethiopia ($1.21B)
Iraq ($1.18B)
Nigeria ($1.11B)
South Africa ($1.11B)
Congo (Kinshasa) ($965.4M)
Syria ($837.1M)

[2cyber71]

Well, it’s another example of terrible priorities in this country.
Believe me, a successful person in the USA is the # 1 target.

They just have too many getting free everything, it’s going on it’s 4th generation. Some families, it’s all they know, free everything.

The VA is in the same boat. They need the money for the increasing number of do nothing population.