Taking Care Of America's Veterans: The Chairman Mike Bost and Senator Moran Plan is NOT what it's being sold to be.
We need to move fast. We have approximately 5 days to get the message out.
TCAVA is being sold as a victory for the Major Richard Star Act, but the fine print tells a different story.
This is the legislative version of an E-2 buying a Dodge Challenger at 25% interest.
It looks good for five minutes, then the payment destroys you.
The myth being pushed is that VA was going to reduce tinnitus and sleep apnea ratings anyway, so Congress might as well use those projected savings to pay for TCAVA.
That is dangerous.
VA told Government Executive: “No changes are planned or imminent.”
So Section 108 is not just accepting something inevitable.
Section 108 puts future wounded veterans at risk by turning a non-imminent VA proposal into the pay-for for TCAVA.
That means anyone with tinnitus, sleep apnea, or ratings tied to future VA rule changes should be paying attention.
It also creates risk for veterans relying on TDIU, because any forced review, rating reduction, or future rating schedule change can become a threat to total disability status and family income.
This is how the trap works:
TCAVA gives some combat-injured retirees a partial win.
Then it pays for that partial win by putting other disabled veterans at risk.
That is veterans paying for veterans.
That is not the real Major Richard Star Act.
The real bills are H.R. 2102 in the House and S.1032 in the Senate.
We are demanding Wounded Warrior Project, AMVETS, and American Legion publicly withdraw support for TCAVA and return to supporting the real Major Richard Star Act.
Email them now:
amvets@amvets.org; media@amvets.org; membersupport@amvets.org; programs@amvets.org; dzumatto@amvets.org; ksmith@amvets.org; legislativedivision@legion.org; leg@legion.org; publicrelations@woundedwarriorproject.org; care@woundedwarriorproject.org; resourcecenter@woundedwarriorproject.org
Copy/paste message:
I am asking your organization to publicly withdraw support for TCAVA and return to supporting the real Major Richard Star Act: H.R. 2102 and S.1032.
VA has stated that no tinnitus or sleep apnea rating changes are planned or imminent, yet Section 108 puts those future wounded veterans at risk by turning that proposal into the pay-for.
TCAVA also includes a 50% cap and “lesser of” language.
Veterans should not pay for veterans.
Please publicly withdraw support from TCAVA and demand passage of the real Major Richard Star Act.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
No VA cuts. No 50% cap. No Section 108. No TCAVA.
Pass the real Major Star Act.
Stay in the fight!
Senior Chief Shane Junkert, USN (Ret)