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Sec. Eric Shinseki Feels Veterans Benefits Will Be Protected From Cuts

It isn't a matter of "if" budgets will be cut, they will be cut. The question is how much will everyone be forced to cut from their budget to meet the new nation's new requirements given the national debt debate. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sec. Eric Shinseki believes VA benefits and programs will be "protected," which includes veterans disability.

Sec. Shinseki reinforced the existence of the high level of bipartisan support given to veterans benefits throughout Congress. He continued by stating the country is still at war, and there is still a strong influx of veterans returning to this country on a regular basis in needing the multiple facets of care the VA provides.

There are 12 members of Congress that have a Thanksgiving deadline to submit a plan that will prevent our nation from defaulting by increasing our borrowing limit. To do this, the plan must reduce our federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. One of the ways in which this will likely be accomplished is through reductions in spending, which means cutting programs and benefits across the governmental board, to include the VA.

Although Sec. Shinseki did reinforce the support the Obama administration has given the VA, there are outstanding issues he did not address. Under Sec. Shinseki's leadership the VA has expanded programs offered to veterans on many fronts, from medical care to the new GI Bill, and the cost of delivering the level of health care that veterans have come to expect from the VA is increasing.

The VA's budget is not much compared to the money Congress is charged with eliminating. Perhaps this is why Sec. Shinseki feels so confident in the VA continuing to be able to be the supportive agency to which they have come to be known.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.