Paralyzed Veterans of America Opposes Funding Cuts in New Veterans Act

CEO Carl Blake stated that while the 554-page package includes long-overdue improvements for veterans with spinal cord injuries, ALS, and MS, the organization cannot endorse the bill in its current form. The primary point of contention lies in the proposed reduction of benefits for veterans suffering from service-connected sleep apnea and tinnitus. This strategy, inherited from a previous administration's proposal, seeks to generate savings to fund the Richard Star Act.

Blake emphasized that the financial burden of these improvements should not fall on veterans already receiving support. He noted that Congress has long failed to address the systemic funding of veteran care, and relying on these specific benefit cuts to balance the ledger is a flawed approach. The organization remains skeptical that Congress will exempt veterans’ benefits from federal "Pay-as-you-Go" rules, insisting that if such funding mechanisms must be used, the revenue should strictly support programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs rather than being diverted elsewhere.