From: FRA NewsBytes [Newsbytes@fra.org]
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2010 1:59 AM
To: fra@fra367.org
Subject: FRA NewsBytes -- 05-28-10
In this week's NewsBytes:
Senate Defense Authorization Bill Begins to Move Forward
Doc Fix Advances
FRA Opposes Protestors at Military Funerals
FRA Meets with White House Staff
Memorial Day Observances


Senate Defense Authorization Bill Moves Forward
In closed session, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and its subcommittees began the mark-up (finalizing) process for the Senate version of the FY 2011 Defense Authorization bill (S. 3280) this week. No details about the SASC's work on the measure are available at press time.

The full House began debating floor amendments to its version (H.R. 5136) of the Defense bill this week and will continue its work when it returns after the weeklong Memorial Day recess on June 8, 2010. The House bill, as approved by the House Armed Services Committee, prohibits any TRICARE fee increases and provides a larger-than-requested (1.9 percent) active duty pay increase. (A more extensive list of provisions was published in the 05-21-2010 edition of Newsbytes, available at www.fra.org.)


Doc Fix Advances
The House and Senate worked this week on a variety of tax cut extensions and social spending provisions that include delaying cuts to reimbursements rates for providers who see Medicare and TRICARE patients. In an effort to shave cost from the so-called Tax-Extenders bill (H.R. 4213), the current version would delay cuts in Medicare/TRICARE reimbursements until January 1, 2012, rather than January 1, 2014. The reimbursement rate would also be increased by 2.2 percent for 2011 and by one percent for calendar year 2011. Once again, however, the Congress failed to pass the bill before the June 1, 2010, deadline. Nearly one third of physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association said they would stop seeing Medicare and TRICARE patients if the cuts are implemented.  

The bill has also been amended to expand the concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability compensation to include service members who are medically retired with less than 20 years of service (Chapter 61 retirees) and have a disability rating of 90 to 100 percent. If approved, these retirees will receive both payments, without offset, starting on October 1, 2010. The following year (FY 2012) concurrent receipt would be expanded to those medically retired with disability ratings of 70 to 80 percent. The estimated cost of the concurrent receipt provision is $686 million. The House passed the legislation on Friday; but the Senate has no vote scheduled until they return from Memorial Day break on Monday, June 8, 2010.


FRA Opposes Protestors at Military Funerals
In a press conference today, FRA joined Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and others in the fight to prevent protestors from disrupting military funerals. The Supreme Court will hear the case of Snyder v Phelps (No. 09-751) to determine whether protests at the funerals of American service members are protected by the First Amendment. FRA supports existing laws that prohibit such demonstrations and protect a family's right to mourn in peace.

FRA signed on to a Friend of the Court (Amicus) brief for the upcoming Supreme Court case that originated with protests at the funeral of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in action in Iraq in 2006. Demonstrators carried signs saying "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and shouted claims that the deaths of American service members are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. According to the church's website, the protest was one of more than 43,000 organized by the church and its pastor, Fred W. Phelps Sr., since 1991.

The brief also asks the court to uphold the constitutionality of the "The Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act," which prohibits protests within 300 feet from the entrance of any cemetery under control by the National Cemetery Administration and at Arlington National Cemetery from 60 minutes before to 60 minutes after the funeral.

FRA members are asked to use the Action Center at www.fra.org to urge their representatives to pass legislation (H. Con. Res 261) that expresses the sense of Congress that the Supreme Court should uphold laws that allow the families and friends of fallen service members to mourn their loved ones in peace and privacy.  

Hot Topic:  Are funeral protests a demonstration of free speech or blatant disrespect for grieving families? Visit www.fra.org/hottopics to share your views.


FRA Meets with White House Staff
FRA and other military and veterans organizations met with White House staff this week to discuss issues of concern. FRA welcomed the opportunity to discuss concurrent receipt, full funding of TRICARE and VA health care programs, the backlog of VA disability claims, annual pay increases for active duty personnel and the seamless transition from DoD to VA health care systems for disabled service members.  


Memorial Day Observances
FRA Shipmates will participate in Memorial Day programs held in their local communities around the nation, reminding Americans of the sacrifices made for our freedoms. Here are just a few:

  • FRA's National Vice-President Jim Scarbro will represent the Association at Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, May 31st, where he will present a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
  • Lost shipmates will also be remembered during a special Memorial Day ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial (701 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C.) on Monday, May 31st, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. This annual event is sponsored by FRA's Central Liaison Committee (CLC), which is comprised of FRA branches in the Washington, D.C., area.
  • FRA shipmates and members of the NHQ staff will also support Rolling Thunder events on the National Mall on Saturday and Sunday, May 29th and 30th. More than 250,000 motorcyclists will visit the nation's capital on Memorial Day weekend to raise awareness of the plight of prisoners of war and those who are missing in action, demonstrate patriotism and pay respect to soldiers and veterans from all wars. An FRA information booth will be available to help veterans better understand their benefits.
  • FRA National Headquarters will be closed on Monday, May 31, in observance of Memorial Day.
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