Joseph Dolliver ([log in to unmask]) wrote: : http://www.msnbc.com/news/844162.asp?cp1=1#BODY : : I noticed that there were no news stories about today 61 years ago. : Thoughts and prayers to all service men and woman around the world : who serve our great country. : : Never forget who we are! : It's a shame that the government has reneged on its promise to the vets of free lifetime health care: http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/11/19/retired.veterans.hearing/ CNN.com - Court Overturns Ruling On Vets' Free Lifetime Health Care - Nov. 19, 2002 "From Terry Frieden, CNN WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled that the U.S. government does not owe free lifetime medical care to World War II and Korean War veterans who agreed to serve 20 years in exchange, despite promises made to them when they were in the armed forces. The ruling represents a victory for the federal government, which had argued the veterans were not entitled to the benefits. The ruling will potentially save the government billions of dollars in health care costs. The 9-4 ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., overturns a ruling by a three-judge appeals panel in February, 2001, which ruled that the veterans were entitled to the lifetime health care based on the military's promises. In the opinion issued Tuesday the Court said that action taken this year allows for free care in the future, but that the government is not obligated to pick up the medical expenses incurred from 1995 to 2001. "Because [the law] at most authorizes space available treatment and not free health insurance for life, we hold that the Air Force Secretary lacked the authority in the 1950s when plaintiffs joined to promise free and full medical care," the Court majority said. The majority of judges, however, clearly seemed sympathetic to the veterans against whom they ruled. "We ... can do no more than hope Congress will make good on the promises recruiters made in good faith to plaintiffs and others of the World War II and Korean War era from 1941 to 1956 when Congress enacted its first health care insurance act for military members, excluding older retirees," the court majority said. In an emotional dissent four judges sided with the veterans. "If Congress can appropriate billions for this aspect of national defense and not know how it is accounted for, then God save the Republic. Of course Congress knew; of course the service secretaries authorized promises in return for service; of course these military officers served until retirement in reliance, and of course there is a moral obligation to these men," read the dissent." http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=14&ID=73816&r=1 Government Breaks Its Health-Care Promise to Vets "Saturday, November 30, 2002 By Jonathan Turley Special to the Los Angeles Times It may be one of the cruelest bait-and-switches in history. At issue is a promise by the government to World War II and Korean War veterans that their health-care benefits would be guaranteed for life. Now that this bill has come due, the government has reneged and said it is not legally bound to make good on its promise..." But the government has plenty of money to subsidize business ventures with Communist China: http://www.exim.gov/country/ebd-y-05.html U.S. Exports to The Peoples Republic of China "All of Ex-Ims programs are available to finance the sale of U.S. goods and services to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Ex-Im Banks exposure is approximately $6 billion, the largest of any country in the world...." --Jerry Leslie (my opinions are strictly my own) Note: [log in to unmask] is invalid for email "Sure, you can trust the government. Ask any Indian" * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *