Veterans Groups Criticize Bachmann Plan to Cut Benefits

For years, federal spending on the military and veterans affairs seemed nearly as sacrosanct as Social Security. But with some House Republicans now talking about cutting the Pentagon budget, veterans groups have grown nervous that the Department of Veteran Affairs will be next. And so today, a number of groups took preemptive action, vigorously blasting a proposal for V.A. budget cuts that came from a Tea Party leader, Representative Michele Bachmann, Republican of Minnesota.

The veterans groups were responding to a plan recently posted on Representative Bachmann’s congressional Web site to cut federal spending by $400 billion. The plan calls for deep cuts to just about every federal agency, and veterans affairs is not spared: She proposed lopping $4.5 billion from its annual $125 billion budget, including by capping increases to health care spending for veterans and reducing some disability compensation.

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