The White House called a meeting late Tuesday with leaders from several veteran’s service organizations to discuss the potential impact on veterans benefits if a debt ceiling deal can’t be reached by next Tuesday. Most of the VSO leaders came away frustrated, having no more information to give veterans and families who rely on their veteran and military benefits to survive.
Jonathan Schleifer, policy director of the IAVA, told Military.com that nothing said by White House officials helped clarify how veterans, their families or active-duty personnel would be affected if the debt ceiling is not raised by Aug. 2.
“We did not receive any information that will make our members any less concerned then they were before the meeting at the White House,” Schleifer said.
Obviously displeased with the outcome of the meeting, the head of the VFW, National Commander Richard Eubank, warned that cuts to pay and benefits would result in protests, which he likened to the 1932 Army Bonus March on D.C.
VSO leaders who attended the meeting said White House officials wouldn’t speculate on what the priorities would be if a deal isn't reached. Instead, the WH emphasized how important it was for both sides to reach a compromise.
To the casual observer, it appears the WH was trying to get the VSO’s to lobby Congress to compromise rather than to share any helpful information.
