TREA WASHINGTON UPDATE FOR DECEMBER 11, 2009
The Senate has stopped talking about health care (for a moment) to take up the new Omnibus appropriations bill for FY2010. At the moment it looks like Congress will be in session again this weekend. This is a crucial time but we should not let the pressure make us forget to wish the National Guard a Happy 373rd Birthday.
1) Senate Version of Proposed Healthcare Bill Still Silent on Status of TRICARE And VA Healthcare
2) Congress Takes Up Year End Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Including Military Construction- VA)
3) Congress Moving Towards Supporting Afghanistan Surge
4) VA Proudly States That VA Home Loans Most Reliable
From TREA HQ:
5) Early Birds Get the Bargains at Army & Air Force Exchanges
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1) Senate Version of Proposed Healthcare Bill Still Silent on Status of TRICARE And VA Healthcare-The Senate’s version of healthcare reform has been changing every day. Things are added; ideas are removed (it is now reaching 3,000 pages) but there is still NO explicit statement protecting TRICARE and VA healthcare from being affected by the plan. There is also NO explicit language excluding all the TRICARE programs (TRICARE Prime, Extra, Standard, TRICARE for Life (TFL), TRS, etc.) and VA health programs from being found to be a “Cadillac plan” and being subject to the proposed 40% excise tax that is funding the Senate Bill.
When we (and other VSOs and MSOs) have spoken repeatedly to Senate staffers they have said that TRICARE and VA healthcare is excluded by the body of the program (though not in a way that is clear to laymen) and that may well be true. But their repeated refusals to add an explicit sentence to a 3,000 page bill are making us both worried and suspicious.
The House of Representatives has passed its version of the healthcare bill (HR3962) that includes Section 311 which says that nothing in the section will affect TRICARE or VA healthcare, but does not refer to the entire bill.
The Senate has moved away from having the Healthcare bill on the floor while they are debating the Omnibus Appropriations Bill (please see below) and are waiting for the CBO to score of their latest proposal. But, of course, they are still working on it behind the scenes. (Indeed, that is where all the important work is going on.) Nothing is yet final; now is the time to contact the Senate. Go to: http://capwiz.com/trea/issues/alert/?alertid=14453766
We have posted a letter on TREA’s CAPWIZ site directed at your Senators urging them to make sure language is included that protects TRICARE and VA healthcare. Please go to our CAPWIZ site and send the e-mail letters. This is the time. This is urgent. We do not want to have to correct something after it has happened. Please go to our CAPWIZ site immediately.
2) Congress Takes Up Year End Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Including Military Construction-VA)-On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the Omnibus Appropriations Bill for FY2010 (HR3288) by a vote of 221-202 and sent it on to the Senate. The Senate has stopped its health care debate to take it up. The bill includes the Commerce-Justice-Science (HR2847), Financial Services (HR3170), Labor-HHS-Education (HR3293), Military Construction-VA (HR3082), State-Foreign Operations (HR3081) and Transportation-HUD (HR3288) spending bills.
There will (of course) be a debate over this 2,500 page bill that includes $446.8 billion in discretionary spending and (according to opponents approximately 5,000 earmarks.) But after 2 months of continuing resolutions (CR) and the end of the year fast approaching; it is more than likely that it will pass. The Military Construction-VA bill (HR3082) includes the first year of advanced funding for VA health care. There is a total of $78 billion in discretionary funding for the VA.
If the bill passes then Defense (HR3288) will be the sole remaining Appropriations bill waiting for passage. The Democratic leadership is keeping it to attach final last minute bills on it. It is believed that they are planning to use it to raise the Federal debt ceiling. The Treasury has said that it will hit the current statutory debt ceiling of $12.104 trillion by the end of this month. According to Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee has said that Republicans will not support the passage of the Defense Approps if it includes raising the debt limit.
3) Congress Moving Towards Supporting Afghanistan Surge-After more than a week of hearings (including testimony from General McCrystal, Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense Gates) Congress seems to be moving forward to supporting the Obama Administration’s surge to increase staffing in Afghanistan by 37,000. The Republicans, including HASC and SASC ranking members McKeon and McCain) are on board despite the included timeline for beginning withdrawal of troops after 18 months. The first Marines and soldiers to be called up have already been notified. They will come primarily from Camp Lejeune, NC; Fort Drum, NY; and Camp Pendleton, CA. An infantry battalion task force, with approximately 1,500 Marines, from Camp Lejeune, NC, will deploy later this month. Regimental Combat Team-2, headquartered at Camp Lejuene, NC, will deploy approximately 6,200 Marines in early spring 2010. A Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) headquarters from I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA, will deploy approximately 800 Marines in spring 2010. It is expected that a Defense Supplemental will be passed in the spring.
4) VA Proudly States That VA Home Loans Most Reliable-VA Secretary Shinseki happily announced this week that mortgages backed by the VA had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the entire U.S. in the last fiscal year. Below find the VA’s press release announcing the findings.
Shinseki Says VA’s Home Loan Program a “Continued Success”
Veterans More Likely to Avoid Foreclosure with VA-Backed Loan
WASHINGTON (Dec. 7, 2009) – Despite problems in the nation’s housing market, mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the industry, as of the end of the last fiscal year.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program. The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a downpayment. Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types—lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent downpayment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance. Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702. Information can also be obtained at http://www.homeloans.va.gov.
From TREA HQ:
5) Early Birds Get the Bargains at Army & Air Force Exchanges - DALLAS – Prices inside BXs and PXs will be dropping faster than the temperature outdoors this December as “early bird” shoppers will be rewarded with a flurry of discounts during two limited special events from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
“For just two hours on Sat., Dec. 19 and Thurs., Dec. 24, exchanges will offer exclusive ‘early bird’ discounts,” said the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s Senior Enlisted Advisor CMSgt. Jeffry Helm. “These reduced prices will, of course, be in addition to the exceptional value exchanges offer every day.”
Specials during the two-hour event scheduled for the 19th will include 75 percent off all Foster Grant sunglasses, 50 percent of all Goody Hair Accessories as well as a variety of furniture discounts ranging from $50 to $250.
Shoppers who wait until the day before Christmas to finish marking everyone off their lists will be rewarded the morning of the 24th with offers ranging from 40 percent off Oshkosh brand children’s clothing to 25 percent off all in-stock IPod accessories and Bluetooth headsets.
BXs and PXs will distribute two pages of coupons for each “early bird” event beginning Dec. 12 and Dec. 17. Discounts reflected on the handouts provided from the 12th on will be honored from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sat., Dec. 19 while coupons passed after the 17th will be accepted Thurs., Dec. 24.
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