House Bill to Cut Veterans Benefits and Privatize VA Services Loses Support and Is Pulled Moments Before Floor Vote -- Read Union Letter to House Lawmakers Opposing Bill
This week, the ill-named "Taking Care of America's Veterans Act," H.R. 9237, was stopped from passing in the House of Representatives after a "motion to recommit" was moved by Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA17) and showed that enough Republicans would join with Democrats to oppose and defeat the bill on the House floor.
Several unions representing VA federal workers and unions with members who are veterans sent a letter to House Members opposing the bill because the " legislation cynically packages long-sought, well-deserved new benefits for disabled veterans with benefit cuts to other veterans and a slew of provisions designed to further privatize the VA healthcare system." The bill was also opposed by a number of veterans services organizations for similar reasons.
The part of the bill that IFPTE and other unions and veterans groups support exists as a standalone bipartisan bill called the Major Richard Star Act, H.R. 2102 / S. 1032. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA39) has filed a discharge petition to bring the Major Richard Star Act to the House floor once the petition has 218 Representatives signed on. Currently, 215 Members of the House have signed the letter. IFPTE will work towards passage of the Major Richard Star Act will opposing any efforts to cut veterans' benefits or VA services.