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Buckeye Valley News And Buckeye Review
Buckeye, Maricopa County, Arizona
What is this article about?
Congressional leaders doubt passage of a veterans' pension bill in the current session due to opposition from the Truman administration, which favors existing programs over new benefits for non-disabled veterans. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rankin, would provide $60 monthly pensions at age 60 plus disability pay, costing billions.
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Vets Must Wait
Little possibility was seen by congressional leaders for enactment of a veterans' pension bill during the current session.
The administration is openly opposed to any such measure, being quoted as saying a program already offered "could not be considered in accord with the program of the President."
THE PROPOSAL to which the reference was made is a veterans' pension bill to give servicemen of the last two wars a $60 monthly pension when they reach age 60, plus disability payments. It is estimated this would cost almost two billion dollars the first year, with later outlays reaching multi-billion dollar levels.
Under this measure, sponsored by Mississippi's Rankin, a veteran need only to have served 90 days in either world war to qualify for pension. The extra disability pay would range from $20 to $120 a month, with no proviso that the disability must have been incurred in service.
Veterans administrator Carl R. Gray, Jr., said that while he was neither opposing nor favoring the legislation in his capacity as veterans' administrator, its magnitude must be weighed closely now to prevent unwarranted financial outlays in the future. He pointed out the cost burden might be so great as to endanger the entire veteran compensation program.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN was on record with this statement: "The necessity for new or extended benefits for veterans without service disabilities should be judged not solely from the standpoint of service in our armed forces, but in the light of existing social welfare programs available to all veterans and non-veterans alike."
Mr. Truman also said in his budget message: "The program of veterans' services and benefits should reflect the fundamental fact that our primary long-run obligation is to dependents of veterans deceased from service causes, and to veterans disabled in the service. At the same time, we should preserve and stress our basic objective of assisting the recipients of these benefits to be as nearly as possible self reliant and self-supporting members of our society."
All of which indicates that veterans of both world wars expecting pensions and disability allowances had best be prepared to wait awhile.
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Domestic News Details
Event Date
Current Session
Key Persons
Outcome
little possibility for enactment; administration opposed; estimated cost almost two billion dollars first year, later multi-billion
Event Details
Congressional leaders see little possibility for enactment of a veterans' pension bill during the current session. The administration opposes it, stating it does not accord with the President's program. The bill proposes $60 monthly pension at age 60 plus disability payments for servicemen of the last two wars who served 90 days, costing almost two billion dollars first year. Veterans administrator Carl R. Gray, Jr., advises weighing its magnitude to avoid endangering the veteran compensation program. President Truman emphasizes judging benefits in light of existing social welfare programs and prioritizing dependents of deceased and disabled veterans while promoting self-reliance.