More conservative values from Larry Craig

[BOSSHOG]

The pride of Idaho who has to go to public restrooms for sex has turned his conservative values to a bill designed to assist Veterans,

Larry has put a hold on S-1315 (Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act) which would improve veteran's life insurance, adaptable housing and other benefits. Larry opposes the bill in that it would give service pensions to Filipino Veterans of WORLD WAR II. Larry says the pensions are too generous. Lordy there must be millions of them who will live for another 40 or 50 years. To hell with any pension assistance for those free loaders.

Doesn't it just warm your heart reading about how people administer their conservative values.

Source: Military Update

[Wickerman]

1. an excellent summary by the CPO of costs associated with the bill here

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/85xx/doc8580/s1315revised.pdf

Chickenfeed compared to Bush cost runups.

examples of what the bill would provide:

Supplemental Plot Allowance. Under current law, VA pays a $300 plot allowance for
veterans who died in a VA facility or who are to be buried in a state or private cemetery.
Section 702 would increase the plot allowance to $745 and would adjust the payment
annually by a cost-of-living index. Based on information from VA on veterans mortality
rates, CBO expects about 72,000 grants to be made for plot allowances in 2008, increasing
to about 77,000 grants by 2012. CBO estimates that implementing section 702 would
increase the cost of this program by $32 million in 2008 and by $176 million over the 2008-
2012 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.

--snip--

Medical Care for Filipino Veterans. Section 401 would qualify Filipino veterans for VA
medical care if they served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines or the Philippine Scouts while they were in the service of the U.S. armed forces
between July 26, 1941, and July 1, 1946. Based on information from VA, CBO estimates
that there will be about 30,000 eligible veterans living in the Philippines in 2008, and that
their numbers will decline to about 24,000 by 2012. In 2006, the VA’s average annual cost
of providing medical care to veterans in the Phillippines was about $1,700 per person and,
after accounting for inflation, CBO estimates that average would increase to about $2,100
per person by 2012.


According to VA, about 25 percent of all eligible veterans use VA medical care. Assuming
a three-year phase-in of new users, CBO estimates that implementing section 401 would
increase VA health care costs by $5 million in 2008 and by $55 million over the 2008-2012
period, subject to appropriation of the necessary amounts.

[yardwork]

2. Rank racism.