The legislation contains worthy veteran measures, including long-awaited support for combat-injured retirees. But it also proposes tighter future disability compensation rules for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea. Veterans should not be told that helping one group requires cutting another group loose.
Veterans filing future claims for tinnitus or sleep apnea. These conditions can be tied to blast exposure, chronic pain, trauma, medication effects, hearing injury, and other service-connected health consequences.
The VFW warns the proposed offset could affect up to 1.5 million veterans and remove roughly $57 billion in disability compensation over ten years. That is a benefits rollback, not bureaucratic housekeeping.
Support the benefit. Reject the offset.
Support the Major Richard Star Act. Support earned benefits. But do not finance one veteran’s care by weakening another veteran’s disability compensation. That is not a left or right issue. It is a question of whether Congress keeps faith with the people it sent to serve.
Contact Congress
Tell your representative and senators to oppose H.R. 9237 and S. 4744 unless the disability compensation cuts are removed. The House tool uses your ZIP code. The Senate directory uses your state, because every state has two senators.
Ask Congress to honor the contract with veterans.
Dear [Representative or Senator Last Name],
I am writing as your constituent to ask that you oppose H.R. 9237 and S. 4744 unless the proposed reductions to future VA disability compensation for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea are removed.
I support efforts to improve benefits for veterans, including the Major Richard Star Act. But Congress should not fund one earned benefit by weakening another. Veterans accepted obligations when they served. In return, the United States made a continuing commitment to care for disabilities connected to that service.
Tinnitus and sleep apnea are not trivial conditions. They can be connected to hearing injury, blast exposure, trauma, chronic pain, medications, and other service related health consequences. A veteran should not receive less support simply because a claim is filed later or because Congress chooses veterans’ benefits as a budget offset.
This is not a partisan request. It is a request to honor the commitment made to those who served. Please support veteran legislation that expands earned benefits without reducing disability compensation for another group of veterans.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City, State ZIP]
