Chairman Buyer Extends Vet Orgs More Time

[Guest Berta]

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

807 Maine Ave., SW • Washington, D.C. 20024 • Phone (202) 554-3501 • Fax (202) 863-0233

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2006

Vets Panel Chairman Concedes More Time to Hear Veterans

WASHINGTON—House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), who recently unleashed a torrent of criticism from veterans organizations, has reversed his original decision and extended from three minutes to 10 minutes the amount of time those groups may have to present testimony centering on their legislative priorities. Testimony from veterans service organizations on the President’s budget request and proposed policy initiatives, however, will still be limited to three minutes, a restriction which the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) considers totally inadequate and counterproductive.

“Veterans were outraged by the three-minute time limit, and Chairman Buyer heard their voices loud and clear,” said DAV National Commander Paul W. Jackson. “It remains unfortunate that the voice of veterans will be stilled in the debate on the President’s budget request and proposed policy initiatives.”

The DAV reacted angrily when Chairman Buyer last November decided to do away with a decades-long tradition in which veterans groups presented their legislative agenda to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees.

Chairman Buyer, in a Jan. 26, 2006, letter, informed Commander Jackson that oral statements on the DAV’s legislative agenda would be extended from three to ten minutes.

“The DAV is pleased that Chairman Buyer has conceded more time to hear our proposed solutions to problems facing our nation’s veterans,” said Commander Jackson. “We hope that this action will lead to the realization that veterans must be adequately heard on budget and policy proposals. The attempt to silence dissent in the House only serves to censor the informative and expert testimony of veterans.”

The 1.3 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation’s disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site www.dav.org.

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[Pete53]

There is a Veteran running against Buyer I guess he got nervous.

[john999]

The guy in Indiana running against Buyer is named Cornstable or something like that. I sent him a small cash contribution. Buyer is a piece of trash in a three piece suit. Send the opponent some dough. Money talks in this democracy of ours.

[jessejames]

The guy in Indiana running against Buyer is named Cornstable or something like that. I sent him a small cash contribution. Buyer is a piece of trash in a three piece suit. Send the opponent some dough. Money talks in this democracy of ours.

http://corn4congress.com/contact.htm

[jimlane1949]

There is a Veteran running against Buyer I guess he got nervous.

Isn't Buyer a veteran also?