The chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), has mixed emotions on the Administration’s proposed VA budget for 2007. He says he is “pleased” it is a top priority but “sobered” by the rate of spending it implies. He predicts in the near future, “VA spending will collide with spending demands made in other areas of government.” Craig disagrees with those who do not think the “record budget” will be adequate to care for global war on terrorism veterans. In fact, he thinks VA should be able to handle this group—some two percent of veterans receiving VA medical care—within its existing medical budget. “We cannot pretend that taxpayer funding of programs that support our nation’s veterans exist in a vacuum.” Craig is already at odds with his House counterpart. Stand by for fireworks.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is looking for a few good Airmen to swap jobs and become special agents. No, they won’t get the 007 James Bond code—but they could learn to conduct counterintelligence and investigate procurement fraud and major crimes.