AARP: Don’t Cut Hawaii Veterans’ Benefits

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From a press release Tuesday (Feb. 19):

As budget negotiations continue in Washington, AARP has released an analysis showing the negative impact one proposal – the so-called “chained CPI” – would have on Hawaii’s veterans’ compensation and pensions.

The chained CPI would change the way the cost-of-living adjustment is calculated for veterans’ compensation and Social Security, reducing amounts veterans receive every year, and over time cutting benefits the most for the oldest veterans, including those with severe disabilities. AARP joins more than a dozen veterans’ groups in opposing adoption of the chained CPI, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans. …

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Hawaii was home to 117,000 veterans in 2011. Using data from the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, AARP calculates that adoption of the chained CPI would result in Hawaii’s veterans losing $101.6 million over a 10-year period. Nationally, 23 million disabled veterans and military retirees would see their compensation and benefits cut by $17 billion over that 10-year period. …

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Photo courtesy Official U.S. Navy Imagery.

—Chad Blair

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