Collins Announces Support for Veteran's Concurrent Receipt Discharge

Mac Collins Campaign Website ^ | 7-13-04 | Unknown

[SmithPatterson]

Collins Announces Support for Veteran's Concurrent Receipt Discharge

ATLANTA -- Congressman Mac Collins, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate told listeners of WSB Radio's Royal Treatment that he would fly to Washington to sign the veteran's concurrent receipt discharge petition on Tuesday.

During the debate, the six-term Congressman expressed his support for our veterans and discussed all of his efforts as a Member of the House and the Budget Committee to bring Concurrent Receipt Legislation to a vote.

While the panel of candidates discussed the issue, businessman Herman Cain, who has no political experience, admitted that he wasn't familiar with the legislation.

Under current law, retired veterans with a service-connected disability and twenty years of honorable service are not permitted to receive both disability compensation and military retired pay for their years of military service from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the legislation Collins worked on, those who are 50 percent disabled or more will have a ten-year phase-in to receive both their pension and their disability. Legislation introduced in the House, H.R. 303, would authorize the government to implement full payment of both retirement pay and disability compensation to half a million disabled military retirees. This legislation is considered to be bipartisan and has 326 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. Similar legislation has already passed the Senate.

"I know that 50 percent disability with a ten-year phase-in is unacceptable, but it at least broke through the ceiling on this issue and gave our veterans a start in fixing this inequity," Collins said. "I have been listening to my constituents on this issue. I have a longtime record of supporting veterans, and I will sign the discharge petition to allow a vote for 100 percent disability coverage for all disabled veterans."

A discharge petition is a special House rule allowing for a majority of the House, 218 Representatives, to force a vote on an issue that is stalled in committee or by the leadership.

In addition to the announcement for the discharge petition, the debate took an ironic turn when candidate Johnny Isakson praised his opponent, Collins, for his sweeping tax reforms.

"The tax bills he cited were all key provisions of the Collins Tax Reform and Worker Assistance Package I introduced on the first legislative day of the 108th Congress."

The Collins Tax Reform and Worker Assistance Package addressed four provisions of U.S. tax law; repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax on corporations and individuals, elimination of the double taxation on stock dividends, reduction of the capital gains tax rates, and more realistic depreciation schedules for capital expensing. Portions of all four provisions were incorporated into the President's Tax Relief legislation.

Confirming his position as the proven conservative Republican in the race, Collins has earned the support of the following conservative organizations: National Right to Life PAC, Georgia Right to Life PAC, Traditional Values PAC, 60 Plus Association, Free Congress PAC, Citizens United Political Victory Fund, American Conservative Union PAC and the Concerned Women PAC.

Since entering the race in September, Mac has earned the support of former Congressman and Secretary of the Army Howard "Bo" Callaway, who serves as Chairman of the Collins for Senate campaign. Collins has also earned the support of numerous conservative leaders from across the state including many long-time sheriffs, state legislators and local business leaders.

Collins is currently serving his 6th term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Middle Georgia. He is traveling the state of Georgia with a conservative, issues-oriented campaign based on limited government, lower taxes, tort reform and local control of issues.