Walz Stands Up For Veterans

From the Austin Daily Herald: Tim Walz has introduced legislation aimed at making travel cheaper for America's veterans by raising mileage reimbursement 30 cents. Many have criticized this Congress as do-nothing - I have found myself in that choir at some points - but their record on veterans has been at least one point of pride. Led by veteran-legislators like Tim Walz, Patrick Murphy, and Tim Webb, this Congress has raised the bar for the treatment of veterans who are so deserving. From the article:

Calling the bill “moral” and in the interest of national security, Walz said the Veterans Travel Program Reform Act of 2008 would increase mileage reimbursement from 28.5 cents to 58.5 cents for official travel; eliminate mandatory veteran deductibles; and remove income, pension and other eligibility standards.

Introduced July 31, the legislation is awaiting action in the House Veterans’ Affairs committee.

“We should just say, ‘What is it going to take?’ And then doing it in a fiscally responsible manner,” Walz said.

It’s a welcome change, according to local veterans, who admitted hardship because of the cost of travel, particularly for medical care. The closest veteran’s hospital is 100 miles away in Minneapolis, and, at current rates, the trip can feel cost prohibitive because of spiking gas prices, they said.

Good one, Tim.