U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that he wants a coherent plan and more specifics from the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs on what is being done to reduce the growing backlog of veterans’ disability claims.
Boehner on Tuesday sent his second letter in a little over a month to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. The speaker wasn’t satisfied with Shinseki’s response to his first letter and wants him to “quickly provide specific information” on the VA’s efforts to address the backlog and to improve accuracy in rating claims.
With thousands of veterans waiting on claims decisions and an estimated 1 million service members expected to become veterans in the next five years, “the time for the VA to fix this problem is now,” Boehner said in a statement Tuesday.
The VA says 4.7 million claims must be adjudicated in the next 32 months to meet Shinseki’s goals, and Boehner says he is concerned that appropriate short-term benchmarks haven’t been set for reaching the long-term goals.
The speaker’s latest letter follows one he sent in February asking Shinseki to explain what is being done to fix a broken system. Boehner had asked for information including timing for completing the VA’s conversion of old paper files to digital ones and what the VA has done to reduce the time veterans are waiting to have claims reviewed and re-adjudicated and to improve accuracy.
The VA did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.
But Shinseki wrote in his March 27 response to Boehner’s first letter that he shares the speaker’s “impatience” with the VA’s “current shortfall in delivering timely benefits decisions.”
“We currently are not meeting the standards of service we desire, and the growing inventory of claims and lengthy delays that many of our veterans are experiencing are unacceptable,” Shinseki wrote.
About 600,000 claims for illness or injury received in active military service have been pending more than 125 days, and that number has nearly quadrupled in recent years. Part of that spike starting in 2010 is attributed to Shinseki making it easier for veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to get benefits. (more…)
There is one West Chester resident who finds himself in the national spotlight each week. With that being said, it is only fitting that WestChesterBuzz highlights what the House Speaker said last week.
Boehner “can’t imagine” he would ever support same-sex marriage – House Speaker John Boehner told ABC News he “can’t imagine” he would ever support same-sex marriage – even if one of his children were gay and wanted to get married. That’s the situation Ohio Sen. Rob Portman found himself in, and why he became the first sitting Republican U.S. Senator last week to back same-sex marriage. Boehner, however, told ABC News that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Boehner on the pope – It is the second time in as many weeks, we have seen a release from the John Boehner camp about Pope Francis. This time Boehner, released a video message. POLITICO reported, along with other media outlets, Boehner, who is Catholic, got the invite to Pope Francis’s swearing in, but turned it down to stay in Washington last week.
Boehner on keeping government open – Boehner released the following statement Thursday after the House approved legislation that avoided a possible federal shutdown and keeps the government open through Sept. 30. The Senate approved the same measure on Wednesday. “Our goal is to cut spending and balance the budget to help our economy grow. Passing this measure allows us to keep our focus where it belongs: replacing the president’s sequester with smarter cuts that help balance the budget, fixing our broken tax code to create jobs and increase wages, protecting priorities like Medicare, and expanding opportunity for all Americans.”
House Speaker John Boehner told ABC News he “can’t imagine” he would ever support same-sex marriage – even if one of his children were gay and wanted to get married.
That’s the situation Ohio Sen. Rob Portman found himself in, and why he became the first sitting Republican U.S. Senator last week to back same-sex marriage. His son Will had come out, and Portman told the Enquirer he wanted to make sure he could enjoy the same kind of loving marriage Portman had.
“It’s what I grew up with. It’s what I believe. It’s what my church teaches me,” the West Chester Republican said. “And I can’t imagine that position would ever change.”
Boehner calls out President Obama after “productive” meeting with Republican leaders
There is one West Chester resident who finds himself in the national spotlight each week. With that being said, it is only fitting that WestChesterBuzz highlights what the House Speaker said in the previous week.
Senator Rob Portman, left in red, announced that he supports gay marriage this week. Boehner, back right in red, said he still believes marriage is between a man and a woman. Photo taken at a Mitt Romney rally, just days before the election, in West Chester. Photo taken by Jeff Swinger.
Doesn’t agree with Portman on gay marriage – Another local politician, Rob Portman, who played a big role in Mitt Romney’s campaign for presidency, made national news this week by changing his stance on gay marriage. In an announcement on Thursday, Portman, who has a gay son, said, “I have come to believe that, if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married.” The following day, POLITICO reported that Boehner, through a spokesperson, called Portman a “friend and ally … but the speaker continues to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Boehner’s column on the sequester – Also on Friday, Boehner released a column titled “The President’s sequester still needs to be replaced.” “For two weeks now, President Obama’s sequester has been in place. And for two weeks, the White House has rightly faced criticism for its implementation of the sequester’s across-the-board cuts. From shutting down White House tours to spreading fear of long lines at airports, I’m disappointed in the way that the administration has chosen to respond to the sequester. In the House of Representatives, we’re keeping the U.S. Capitol open to the American people by cutting elsewhere in our operating accounts.” For the entire column, view it on the speaker’s website.
Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope Wednesday, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. He chose the name Francis, associating himself with the humble 13th-century Italian preacher who lived a life of poverty. AP photo by Gregorio Borgia.
Boehner on the new Pope – “Thanks be to God for our new pope, Francis I. American Catholics rejoice over this news, and offer our prayers and blessings to His Holiness with confidence that he will fill the Chair of St. Peter with grace. Even more special is that our church will be led for the first time by a Holy Father from the Americas, marking a new milestone in the history of a faith that has endured for millennia. For me, it is truly inspiring that our new pope has taken the name of Francis, the saint who lived a simple life of humility and charity, setting an example for how to make God’s love visible to all, especially those in despair or pain.”
Boehner on Obama’s visit – See video above – House Speaker John Boehner made a statement following President Barack Obama’s visit to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Boehner thanked the President for the meeting and called it “productive,” but then said: “We know, however, that there are some very real differences between our two parties like issues jobs, balancing the budget and what do we do to get our economy moving again. Republicans want to balance the budget. The president doesn’t. Republicans want to solve our long-term debt problem. The president doesn’t. We want to unlock our energy resources to put more Americans back to work. The president doesn’t.”
This motion graphics video consists of data from The National Journal. It shows how conservative House Speaker John Boehner of West Chester is on economics, social, and foreign policy issues from 1993-2010.
The video was produced by Enquirer graphic artist Mike Nyerges.
Speaker calls ex-congressman’s accusations in book baseless, false
Deirdre Shesgreen reports:
After spending 17 months in prison on corruption charges, ex-Rep. Bob Ney is out with a new book that delves into his downfall and casts House Speaker John Boehner, among other Republicans, as complicit in Washington’s pay-to-play culture.
Former Rep. Bob Ney signs copy of his new book March 6 in Washington D.C. Photo by Deirdre Shesgreen.
Ney, a Republican who represented southeastern Ohio, was back in Washington on Wednesday schmoozing and glad-handing with political insiders at one of Capitol Hill’s swanky restaurants.
This time, Ney was here to condemn this city’s pay-to-play culture – not partake in it – as he worked the room of Hill staffers, political reporters and curious onlookers who came to see him at a signing for his new book: “Sideswiped: Lessons Learned Courtesy of the Hit Men on Capitol Hill.”
The former Ohio Republican and powerful House committee chairman’s book delves into his downfall in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. In 2006, Ney pleaded guilty to two felony counts of trading legislative favors for a string of gifts, including an Abramoff-financed golf trip to Scotland and more than $50,000 in poker chips.
But Ney also uses his book to takes swipes at others – specifically House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, whom Ney portrays as complicit in Washington’s fundraising-obsessed, lobbyist-greased culture.
He describes Boehner as someone who was “more interested in the high life – golf, women, cigarettes, fun, and alcohol” than in serious policy debates.
“If the Justice Department were ever to make John produce receipts for his addiction to golf just for the years from 1995 to 2004, he would be hard-pressed to comply,” Ney wrote. “John got away with more than any other Member on the Hill.”
Ney, who moved back to Newark after being released from prison, also writes that Boehner offered to help Ney land a cushy private-sector job and to raise money to cover his legal fees, in exchange for dropping his House re-election bid.
“If you resign the next day, I will personally guarantee you a job comparable to what you are making, and raise legal defense money for you that should bury all this Justice Department problem for you,” Ney quotes Boehner as saying. (more…)
After spending 17 months in prison on corruption charges, ex-Rep. Bob Ney is out with a new book that delves into his downfall and casts House Speaker John Boehner, among other Republicans, as complicit in Washington’s pay-to-play culture.
In “Sideswiped: Lessons Learned Courtesy of the Hit Men of Capitol Hill,” Ney, R-Heath, writes that in the wake of the Jack Abramoff, Boehner offered to help Ney get a cushy private-sector job in exchange for stepping down from the House, according to National Journal, which got an advance copy of the book and an interview with Ney.
In October 2006, Ney pleaded guilty to two felony counts of trading legislative favors for a string of gifts, including a golfing trip to Scotland and more than $50,000 in poker chips, and then lying about his actions. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Here’s a key snippet from the National Journal’s review:
Ney’s most dramatic accusations are against his fellow Ohioan John Boehner, the man he once saw as his biggest rival to someday being speaker. He describes Boehner as “a bit lazy” and “a man who was all about winning and money. He was a chain-smoking, relentless wine drinker who was more interested in the high life–golf, women, cigarettes, fun, and alcohol.” He said Boehner “spent almost all of his time on fundraising, not policy.” He “golfed, drank constantly, and took the easy way legislatively.” Ney recalled Boehner handing out checks on the House floor and said his ties with a tobacco company were so tight that lawmakers could get free cigarettes from Boehner’s office. His golfing, Ney said, was “nonstop” and “paid for by lobbyists.”
Ney wrote: “If the Justice Department were ever to make John produce receipts for his addiction to golf just for the years from 1995 to 2004, he would be hard-pressed to comply. John got away with more than any other Member on the Hill.”
The most inflammatory accusation against Boehner in the book is Ney’s contention that he ended his reelection campaign after winning the primary in 2006 only after Boehner, then the majority leader, summoned the cash-strapped and embattled congressman to his office and told him if he quit the race, Boehner would take care of him. “If you resign the next day, I will personally guarantee you a job comparable to what you are making, and raise legal defense money for you that should bury all this Justice Department problem for you,” Boehner said, according to Ney.
… But Ney said Boehner did not keep his word. “I had been lied to and ditched,” Ney said.
Here’s the response Boehner’s spokesman Michael Steel gave to the National Journal:
“This is a convicted felon with a history of failing to tell the truth, making a lot of baseless accusations to try and sell books,” Steel said in a statement. “More than anything else, it’s sad. Congressman Boehner urged his friend to resign and deal with his personal and legal issues. The allegations that a resignation was traded for specific promises are untrue.”
We’ll update when the book arrives in this reporter’s mailbox, which, according to the Ney’s spokesman, will be tomorrow. In the meantime, you can read the full National Journal story here.
Did you see this? Alpacas invade West Chester last week
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Lakota East head coach Nikki Drew gives instructions to her team during their girls basketball game against Lakota West Jan. 9, 2013. Photo taken by Tony Tribble.
Nikki Drew steps down from coaching job at Lakota East – The only coach to ever lead a Lakota East girls’ basketball team to a winning season is stepping down, so she can spend more time with her 8-year-old daughter. Drew posted a 55-40 overall record at Lakota East. In other words, Drew led East to more wins in 4 seasons than East had been able to win its previous 12.
Cincinnati Tea Party elects Ann Becker as president – The Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Tea Party announced last Thursday that it has elected Ann Becker, who is currently the president of the West Chester Tea Party, as its new president. Becker, 36, of West Chester, succeeds George Brunemann, who has served as the Cincinnati Tea Party’s since 2011. Becker said that she will also remain president of the West Chester branch.
Suspect has recently spent 12K from stolen credit cards – Police are looking for a man, who is accused of stealing credit cards from two different Greater Cincinnati LA Fitness locations this month and then using them to buy gifts worth thousands of dollars. In both incidents, the victims had used combination padlocks on their gym lockers. Each time, the suspect was able to open the lock, go through the locker and re-lock it before being seen.
Lakota West junior running back Mikel Horton has received four Division I offers to play college football last week. The latest coming from Miami (Ohio) on March 1. Photo taken by Joseph Fuqua II.
Lakota West RB Mikel Horton has big week – Miami (Ohio) was the fourth Division I football program to offer Lakota West junior running back Mikel Horton last week. Louisville, Cincinnati and Purdue offered on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. In addition, Horton has received interest from Penn State, Michigan State and Arkansas, as well as offers from Indiana, Minnesota, Kent State, Toledo, Bowling Green, Western Michigan and Kentucky.
O’Gara pays $10M for BAE armored vehicle division – The O’Gara Group Inc., a maker of armored vehicles and other security products, completed its purchase of BAE Systems’ Fairfield-based commercial armored vehicles division last Monday, the company announced. Fewer than 20 BAE employees were laid off prior to the $10 million sale, O’Gara Group CEO Bill O’Gara said; the remaining 110 employees will remain.
Liberty Township development takes on new look – A new plan for the Carriage Hill development will provide residents of all ages everything from an ice cream shop to hiking trails. The 400-acre project is located on the east side of Ohio 747, between Millikin and Princeton roads. It is also the site for this year’s Homearama custom home show, put on by the Homebuilder’s Association of Greater Cincinnati.
Lakota East and Lakota West fall in sectional finals – Lakota East came up just short, 57-56, against Withrow, while Walnut Hills defeated Lakota West, 60-46, in the sectional finals Friday night at the University of Cincinnati. Both losses ended the boys’ basketball seasons for each program.
Boehner tells Senate to get off their … – After making a famous comment about the Senate’s inactivity (watch video below) before the sequester took affect last week, House Speaker John Boehner didn’t resort to any foul language last Thursday when talking about his political opponents in the U.S. Senate. The West Chester Republican mostly avoided responding directly to reporters’ questions about the imminent across-the-board spending cuts.
In his remarks on the sequester Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner didn’t resort to any foul language when talking about his political opponents in the U.S. Senate.
The West Chester Republican mostly avoided responding directly to reporters’ questions about the imminent across-the-board spending cuts. Asked, for example, if he would engage in one-on-one negotiations with President Obama to come up with a broad deficit reduction deal to block the cuts, Boehner said he is “happy” to talk with Obama but Congress should follow “regular order.”
He offered a tart retort to another scribe’s question about why Republicans believed new tax increases should be off-the-table, given that the GOP has won more spending cuts than Democrats have won tax increases in the last few rounds of fiscal battles.
“How much more money do we want to steal from the American people to fund more government? I’m for no more,” Boehner quipped.
Asked if he was concerned about the “optics” of House members leaving town today, just as the so-called sequester is set to take effect, Boehner didn’t directly respond.
“I’ll be here tomorrow,” he said, noting that he and other congressional leaders are scheduled to meet at the White House with Obama. But, he added, “we’ve laid our cards on the table. We’ve shown that we can pass bills to replace the sequester. It’s time for the Senate to act.”
If you missed it on Tuesday, below is the video where Boehner said that the Senate needs to “get off their ass.”
“It’s time for the Senate to act,” Boehner said during a media availability after the meeting, according to Politico. “It’s not about the House. We’ve acted. Where’s the president’s plan to avoid the sequester? Have you seen one? I haven’t seen one. All I’ve heard is he wants to raise taxes again. Where’s the president’s plan? Where’s the Senate Democrats’ plan? I want to see it.”
