The Daily News

Wahpeton resident Carroll Quam returned from Washington, D.C., Thursday where he lobbied for veterans and their families, a strong national defense and action against illegal immigration. He also visited with elected representatives.

Quam is the North Dakota American Legion Department Commander and joined a delegation of North Dakota Legionnaires also vying to fight for funding to care for the nation's veterans of past wars and to protect benefits for men and women currently serving.

"It was very interesting. It was a good visit," Quam said.

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Although at the conference Quam sat through a number of meetings, Quam connected most with a presentation given by American Legion National Commander David Rehbein. Rehbein discussed his visits with American troops and wounded soldiers, stressing through President Barack Obama's budget funding for Veterans Affairs, health care should be granted in a timely and sufficient manner.

"Therefore, the American Legion wants approved advance appropriations of discretionary funding," Rehbein said in a press release issued by the American Legion. "Congress already provides many federal agencies and programs with advance appropriations, so adding VA health care just makes good sense and should help VA medical care decision-makers craft better short and long range funding strategies."

A summary of Obama's proposed 2010 fiscal year budget indicates Department of Veterans Affairs funding would increase from $50.4 billion to $55.9 billion. Veteran funding could increase then by $25 billion over the next five years.

"The budget is going to be the key thing," Quam said. "It's important to get that funding so we're able to take care of these returning veterans."

Other issues Quam and his fellow Legionnaires addressed with lawmakers included taking a firm stand on illegal immigration, support for the war on terrorism, proper funding of the armed forces to reset units new equipment and replacement parts,

and much neglected training of specific job skills.

Legionnaires also lobbied for lawmakers to more effectively address quality of life issues for troops including salary, retirement, compensation, housing, education and disenfranchisement.

Comments

american wrote on Mar 15, 2009 4:19 PM:

" I've got an idea that would solve all of these problems. Instead of sending our youth to die in another country, arrest all of the illegal aliens and send them. The jobs the illegals have stolen from Americans could then be done by American youth, and the illegals could invade another country. "




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