American Legion Slams Proposed Budget

American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt expressed extreme disappointment in the Trump administration's fiscal year 2018 budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs. "The administration's budget for the VA would effectively lower the earnings of our most vulnerable veterans by reducing or eliminating disability payments from veterans who are the most in need," Schmidt said. If approved by Congress, the president's budget would stop higher disability payments to veterans once they become minimally eligible for Social Security. Veterans currently enrolled in the Individual Unemployability program would see their benefits slashed by nearly two-thirds in some instances. Also, another provision caps working age unemployability at age 62. Schmidt pointed out that many members of Congress continue to work past 70. For more details on the budget and veterans benefits, see this Military.com article.