Government Funding on Gulf War Illness Research- DOD CDMRP

Keep your Eye on the Pot (Developing)

The writer of articles here on VT tried to tell everyone this was going to be one heck of a battle!  The writer has been in DC many times fighting till the end and being sure GWI stuff got in.  The writer’s health isn’t what it was before so there is a need to pace differently but doesn’t mean the writer is dead.  Sound the alarm when the need is to get more calls made from all.  Never know a miracle could happen behind closed doors not that the writer thinks/believes that much anymore…but at least we needed to let them know we weren’t all “Christmas shoppi’n and not watchin’ what was happening or not happenin’ or the shendadoggin’ that was.”

We know we have less funds for research than we need to make a difference faster and more effectively.  And when researchers have to bare bones their requests for grants/funds review process and no money can  even be included much to help GW Vets get to the researcher by air or car it cuts us vets from participating as we would like and have vets that were  in all the different locations in theater, and different jobs all this could impact exposures….WE do need to help and encourage veterans from all the different services, locations in theater, and jobs people did so we get more details on exposures.

Usually we are not really for sure re Appropriations and Authorization (the very specifics, since we don’t have a lobbyist being paid millions to be sure our interest on Gulf War Illness Research Projects are fully taken care of in contrast to say weapons systems etc)  IE. 100%  until after the dust clears and the ink is dry after it goes house, senate, conference committee(final deal cutting)(which then becomes more secretive), then back to   each house(Representative, Senate) for final approvals and then to president’s desk.

In a year with continuing resolutions, partisan battles, and omnibus bill that runs in the thousands of pages that throw everything into the soup when they can’t get the 13 funding bills through in any form of clean method.  Well, lets us say it is not a clean recipe at that point, behind the scenes cooks can be known to help or hinder.  Even when a number of us advocates and those on the hill ie staffers are doing everything to track and monitor.  AS the old song goes Behind closed doors……You  never can tell where a secret supporter, Santa, Cook can either spice up the recipe or make it go sour.

So here is the latest information IT IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED  How Much For Sure For Gulf War Illness Research Program at DOD-CDMRP For FY2011.  IT never hurts to keep your voice and written words in front of your US Representatives and US Senators and for you to share those to as many elected officials in all the parties from local to State to National!  And to get the news of that out in all ways possible!!!

NEVER EVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!  NEVER EVER PULL BACK YOUR FORCES TILL YOU WIN!  USE THEM WISELY, REST the ones you can, Test the enemy, check defensive and offensive lines, be wary of counter strikes, be wary of counterintel, check, recheck, verify, etc!  RECON repeatedly, check battle damage, Reassess. USE FORCE MULTIPLERS!

NEWS Update on Funding on the Hill:

Senate Democrats Unveil CR To Fund Government Through March 4.  CQ (12/20, Krawzak, Young) reports, “Senate Democrats on Sunday unveiled a stopgap funding measure that would increase government spending by $1.16 billion through March of next year, including additional money for veterans’ programs.” After noting that the Democrats’ continuing resolution calls for a “$460 million increase to the Veterans Benefits Administration to prevent layoffs of claims processors and to help reduce processing times for disability claims,” CQ adds, “The House is expected to return Tuesday to take up whatever spending legislation the Senate produces.”

Politico (12/20, Rogers, 25K) says Democrats have “predicted final approval this week of a year-end budget compromise ceding major leverage to Republicans in future battles but also giving the White House added protection for Pell Grants for low-income college students.” An “estimated $459 million has also been added” to the compromise measure to “prevent…layoffs of claims processors at the Veterans Benefits Administration.” The “Washington Insider” blog for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/20, Dupree, 227K) makes the same point.