5 April 2013 - Despite growing pressure for budget cuts, the Obama administration will propose a $63.5 billion increase for veterans next week, asking for a 4 percent increase over current spending.
The money is targeted at eliminating the backlog of veterans claims for benefits and increasing mental health services, including treatment for military sexual trauma. The budget proposal, which will not be officially unveiled until next week, also will make permanent two tax credits to encourage employers to hire veterans.
If enacted, the measures would boost the discretionary spending of the Department of Veterans Affairs from just under $100 billion in 2009 to $203.8 billion in fiscal year 2014, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki told reporters at the White House Friday. That's roughly half of what the VA spends each year, Shinseki said, and doesn't count mandated programs and benefits. read more>>>
Neither war nor especially the results of, decades to come added to previous decades and wars of, have been paid for as the abandoned, and now forgotten, continues and those still sent want in a drawdown to try an accomplish at least a very small portion of those main missions sent to accomplish!!
From the Costs of War Project: Because the Iraq war appropriations for FY2003 - FY2013 were not funded with new taxes, but by borrowing, it is important to keep in mind the interest costs already paid, and future interest costs. Iraq War appropriations for DOD and State were 54 percent of the interest costs. If one were to include Iraq's share of cumulative interest through 2053, those costs could be more than $3.9 trillion.
So far, Washington has paid some 260 billion dollars in interest charged on war-related borrowing, but the potential interest cost of the U.S. war debt reaches into the trillions
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