[FreeTheHostages]

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All.

[FreeTheHostages]

Please welcome to Freeper's Finest FR's own (self-designated) Chief Disruptor, Chad Fairbanks

[Libertina]

BTTT ROTFLOL
Beautifully done, Freethehostages!
Congratulations Chad - let us know
when you decide to run for President :)
It's your day, Mr. FR's Finest and it will be great! WA FReepers are glad to have you as a fellow FReeper. (And you do an awesome job of representing Puget Sound Chapter sigle-handedly on Taglinus FreeRepublicus ;)

[diotima]

ping!

[Calpernia]

Mega Bump!!!!

[Diver Dave]

Great Presentation, FTW. :)

Congratulations, Chad. Always enjoy your insightful posts and tags.

AttaBoy, Chad Fairbanks!!!

[martin_fierro]

Tinfoil Armadillo

I concur. Chad is a MOST disruptive force (a nice change of pace).

<|:)~

[Temple Owl]

Good morning all. Go Chad Fairbanks!!!!

[B4Ranch]

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please call your Rep TODAY

Legion Opposes OMB on VA Funding

WASHINGTON, November 14, 2003  -  The morning after President George W. Bush delivered his Veterans Day message at Arlington National Cemetery, the administration’s Office of Management and Budget – in writing – opposed an additional $1.3 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs health care budget and reiterated its call to charge many veterans seeking treatment at VA a $250 annual enrollment fee and to raise the pharmacy co-payment from $7 to $15.

“A veteran is a veteran,” American Legion National Commander John Brieden said. “The law was changed in the ‘90s to allow all veterans to seek treatment at VA. Although OMB is willing to wield the budget to repel veterans from seeking treatment at VA, the men and women of The American Legion as well as Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain determined not to let that happen.”

Brieden made the Legion’s case to Congress perfectly clear Sept. 16 when he testified here before a joint hearing session of House and Senate committees on Veterans’ Affairs. Simply put: Health care for veterans is the delayed cost of war. Therefore, if Congress can meet the president’s request for an additional $87 billion to fund the ongoing war in Iraq, then Congress also can raise an additional $1.8 billion next year, and a $3 billion increase the following year, to meet the health care needs of veterans.

A blueprint passed by the House in April called for a Legion-backed $27.1 billion for the system, but in July the House approved an appropriations bill that called for $25.3 billion. Therein lies the $1.8 billion spending gap that the Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, is fighting alongside other veterans groups to close. As the spending bill for VA-HUD and Independent Agencies makes its way through the Senate, an amendment offered by Sen. Christopher Bond of Missouri -- an amendment that has bipartisan support -- could fill the chasm by $1.5 billion. Congress is also poised to remove the Senate Appropriations Committee’s “emergency” designation from $1.3 billion targeted for VA health care, and to send the entire increase directly to VA.

How badly does VA need the money? The American Legion’s “I Am Not A Number” survey in May identified scores of the more than 200,000 veterans who had been waiting from six months to two years for their initial primary-care appointments at VA. Recent news media accounts noted veterans of the ongoing war on terror also having trouble accessing the system. Although VA reports tremendous recent success in whittling down the backlog, about 164,000 veterans in the lowest of VA’s eight priority-treatment groups have been suspended from enrolling in the VA health care system since January because VA lacks the resources to serve all of the veterans who are lawfully eligible for treatment.

The American Legion is fighting to switch the VA health care budget from discretionary funding, which Congress must approve each fiscal year, to mandatory funding, just like Social Security and Medicare, whereby federal dollars are allocated by a formula to meet the system’s demands. The nation’s largest veterans organization also wants to end the restriction that keeps veterans from using their Medicare benefits to pay for treatment at VA.

Read the entire Statement of Administration Policy:

Download Statement (PDF file)

--30--

For Media: Steve Thomas, 202/263-2982; Pager 800/759-8888, PIN 115-8679; Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Pager 317/382-7745

[The Thin Man]

You got to use a firehose on those Greenpeace dimwits? Oh, that must've been fun!

Enjoy your day in the spotlight FR's 'Chief Disruptor' but I must warn you that the author of this piece has been making a push for that title and is closing the gap quickly. :-)

[sweetliberty]

Great job capturing the character of Chad....and he is definitely a character.

Chad, couldn't miss stopping by to say congratulations on being one of FR's finest...and funniest. You definitely liven the place up a bit. Have a great day!

.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

BMP for cutie-pie!!!!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I had no idea my freep buddy, Chad, was a celebrity! Very cute , oh, I mean this thread that is.

I do not stalk, no matter what the trolls tell you!

Good read FTH!

[Scenic Sounds]

Chief Disruptor? LOL. You've always seemed so earnest to me.

Seriously, though, congratulations - you always bring a lot to this forum. ;-)

[Molly Pitcher]

Afternoon everyone!

Thanks for the fun thread ,FTH, and Mr. Disrupter Chad, delighted to know more about you!

I wish you all the best on your future disruptions endeavors!! :-))

[DollyCali]

Bravo... great thread.. words, graphics & presenting a "fun" FReeper who I have come across a few times here & there in my short time at FR.

Love to see REAL pix of you!

Thanks

[willyboyishere]

He's good, granted, but he's no willyboyishere.

[Slip18]

I've never "stalked" you, Chad, but I've always enjoyed your posts. Congratulations to you!