1. Are Afghanistan vets as good as Iraq vets?
2. Are female vets as good as male vets?
3. Are Somalia vets as good as Panama vets?
4. Are Cold War Vets as good as Stateside Vietnam Era Vets ?
The answer, in the New York State budget, NO!
The Governor and legislators sent the clear message they want to keep it that way.
Last year both bills for military service credit passed virtually unanimously thru both houses (57-0 Senate, 133-1 Assembly) and were vetoed by the Governor in November. He wrote (in his veto message) that the bills must go thru the normal budget process. This year, the funding for the bills (with 100 sponsors in the Assembly and 25 in the Senate) went thru the normal budget process and was dumped in negotiations.
We have reason to believe the Senate strongly supported the effort during the budgeting process, the Assembly weakly supported the effort during the budgeting process and the governor was against the effort.
Unlike the NYC Mayor who has an ideological antipathy for the victorious Cold War veterans (his side lost the Cold War), the roots of the Governor's apparent disdain for military veterans are difficult to discern. It could be a behind-the -scenes deal-making issue gone awry, it could be a failure to grasp the monumental shamefulness of current law, it could be an ideological blind spot, it could be a number of things. Nevertheless, the Governor's actions were and are disgraceful.
Next Steps:
1. We understand that the relentless Assemblywoman Paulin and equally relentless Senator Larkin will work to get a vote on their bills in the House and Senate within the next two months. With the proper encouragement, both should again pass easily.
2. Following a vote in both Houses, the modest and funded bills (The Veterans' Equality Act) will be sent to the Governor for signature or veto.
The answer, in the New York State budget, NO!
The Governor and legislators sent the clear message they want to keep it that way.
Last year both bills for military service credit passed virtually unanimously thru both houses (57-0 Senate, 133-1 Assembly) and were vetoed by the Governor in November. He wrote (in his veto message) that the bills must go thru the normal budget process. This year, the funding for the bills (with 100 sponsors in the Assembly and 25 in the Senate) went thru the normal budget process and was dumped in negotiations.
We have reason to believe the Senate strongly supported the effort during the budgeting process, the Assembly weakly supported the effort during the budgeting process and the governor was against the effort.
Unlike the NYC Mayor who has an ideological antipathy for the victorious Cold War veterans (his side lost the Cold War), the roots of the Governor's apparent disdain for military veterans are difficult to discern. It could be a behind-the -scenes deal-making issue gone awry, it could be a failure to grasp the monumental shamefulness of current law, it could be an ideological blind spot, it could be a number of things. Nevertheless, the Governor's actions were and are disgraceful.
Next Steps:
1. We understand that the relentless Assemblywoman Paulin and equally relentless Senator Larkin will work to get a vote on their bills in the House and Senate within the next two months. With the proper encouragement, both should again pass easily.
2. Following a vote in both Houses, the modest and funded bills (The Veterans' Equality Act) will be sent to the Governor for signature or veto.
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NY Governor Cuomo happy for the photo op with 10th Mountain troops from upstate NY in Afghanistan. Any chance he told them they are less deserving of military service credit than troops in Iraq? One month after this October 2014 visit he vetoed the bill that would have put Afghanistan vets on equal footing with Iraq vets for military service credit, 6 months later he doubled down and killed its funding. Defies words.
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