In the news today...(my take)

The U.S. Senate passed legislation Thursday designating a Perryville, Arkansas Post Office as the “Harold George Bennett Post Office.”

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The House of Representatives passed the Intelligence Authorization Act on Tuesday, which determines the funding for most of the United States’ intelligence community.

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Not that I am for the mistreatment of dogs in any way shape or form, (I have three dogs that I love very much, as much as I do my own children), but I can't help but wonder, what if China felt about cows the way we do about dogs? Do we really have a right to meddle in the affairs of the Chinese about their culinary tastes?

It's just a thought.

Hastings Sends Letter to China’s Ambassador Cui Calling for an End to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival

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On May 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 2393, the Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act of 2015, to extend foreclosure protection for military homeowners from 90 days to a one year period until January 1, 2018.

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On Tuesday, the House of Representatives today passed legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada in honor of Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean. The bill passed the House by unanimous voice vote.

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U.S. Rep. Mike Honda (D-Silicon Valley, Calif.), the top Democrat on the relevant appropriations subcommittee, worked with Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and others to pass a bipartisan amendment to the Commerce, Science and Justice Appropriations legislation, increasing spending on Native American crime victims by more than 7100 percent.

That number is not a typo.

Currently, less than 7 cents per $100 from the Crime Victims Fund goes to tribal programs, despite Congress tripling overall allocations for the Fund. The Fund is completely fee-funded through criminal fines and penalties, costing the taxpayer nothing. Honda’s amendment, which passed overwhelmingly, will mandate that five percent of these life-saving funds be dedicated to Native American victims.

Although I am for relieving the pains and costs of healing for any victims, I think this measure would better be served to help ALL victims of crimes, not just Native Americans. Is it me? or does dedicating funding toward a specific group of people seem discriminatory? I applaud that victims are getting relief, I just think that ALL victims should get the same relief, and that the government should not be in the business of giving help to those who they deem as "more deserving".

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During an interview with WHTC, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) called for VA Secretary Robert McDonald to step down following the Secretary's out of touch remarks that compared wait times at the VA to waiting in line at Disney. McDonald is quoted as saying, “When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or what’s important? What’s important is, what’s your satisfaction with the experience?”

I think the whole thing was taken out of context, and that asking him to step down is a violation of freedom of speech. What if every American were held accountable for HOW he says everything he says? I honestly don't think he meant harm in his wording, and that focusing on how he was trying to make a point is wrong. There is a lot of truth in what he was trying to convey. I'm sorry, but there IS a lot of veterans, and the wait time is inevitable.

We, as a nation, just don't have the money or resources to provide immediate one on one care for everyone asking for or needing it. I have great respect for our veterans, but we need to realize that just because you have to wait in line doesn't mean you aren't going to get cared for. I have to wait in line in the emergency room at the civilian hospitals. I don't think it is any different.

The level of need dictates the importance of care anywhere. The importance is, are you happy you got the help when you did?

I think too many people took it too personal, and it is going to cost Veterans the loss of a VA Secretary who is doing all he can possibly do to help them.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged to U.S. Rep. David Jolly (FL-13) that it wrongly declared more than 4,200 people dead between 2011 and 2015, disrupting benefits to veterans and dependents. In 2015 alone, the VA says it erroneously terminated benefits to 1,025 individuals. In each case, the veteran or person receiving VA benefits was very much alive.

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In February, U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, a Marine Corps veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, introduced legislation to require that women register for the selective service. The legislation, titled the Draft America’s Daughters Act, requires registration for women no later than 90 days after the enactment of the measure or 90 days after the Secretary of Defense opens all combat specialties. Hunter is joined by U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke in introducing the bill, which comes on the heels of recent statements by the leaders of the Marine Corps and the Army that women should register for the draft.

With Obama's new transgender rules, and the dominance of sexual attacks in the military, this ought to work out pretty well, don't you think? (I'm being facetious).

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