Congress chided for not keeping promises to veterans
By Jim Smedley
Staff Writer

NORWAY – The parade was short. The band was good. The Cub Scouts were cute.

And a small gathering of about 50 parade goers heard a biting speech after the parade, that took Congress to task for failing to keep promises to veterans concerning health care.

The parade was also sparsely attended. About two dozen people were in the parking lot across form the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Main Street in Paris.

Paris Street in Norway was barren.

“I wish more people were here,” said Peter Bickford, 59, of Paris. “I’m usually hunting, but this year I said I’m going to be here.

“Part of it may be age, but part of it is the situation we’re in,” he said. “War is a political decision, but the men and women involved are the people of our country.”

About 30 people other than those associated with the parade, gathered at the Veterans Memorial Park in Norway at parade’s end for memorial ceremonies.

American Legion Post 82 Commander David Tilley delivered the speech, which he later said was written by Department Headquarters in Waterville and the local post added to it.

“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 to meet the health care needs of veterans from the war on terror and earlier periods of service,” Tilley said.

Tilley was referring to a $27.1 billion Veterans Administration medical package promised by Congress prior to Memorial Day, that had $1.8 billion sliced off it by the House of Representatives, just prior to a month-long summer recess.

He said the Senate Appropriations Committee increased the VA medical care by $1.6 billion, but $1.3 billion of that could only be spent if the president declared VA medical care an emergency.

“Senators simply passed the buck to the president,” Tilley said.

He said some in Congress have also said the VA disability compensation is broken because it is too liberal, too generous with its decisions.

“Obviously, those critics are not disabled vets – or veterans waiting months or years for a disability rating – or veterans waiting years and years for a remand in a case decision,” Tilley said. “If this nation is going to continue to maintain an all-volunteer military, it must treat these patriotic citizens with the dignity and respect they are owed by a grateful nation.

“It is this nation’s moral, ethical and legal obligation to provide VA medical care and compensation,” he said.

Tilley said veterans see what is happening in Washington and even though veterans turned in their equipment and weapons they still have their best weapon left – the right to vote.

He encouraged registering voters and educating them on veterans issues and conduct get-out-the-vote campaigns.

“Now is the time to make our choices heard,” Tilley said. “Now is the time to make choices that are morally right.”

jsmedley@sunjournal.com

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