According to Rep. Steve Buyer, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, the Administration’s proposed $80.6 billion 2007 VA budget is a good first step, praising President Bush for increasing VA funding. However, he thinks there are chinks in the armor. In particular, he said at a committee hearing on Feb. 8 that he is concerned the VA “track record” indicates it is being “overly optimistic” in projecting it would collect nearly $3 billion from third-party health care insurers. Buyer also expressed concern that the budget proposal calls for annual enrollment fees and higher drug co-pays for veterans who do not have service-related disabilities—both of which failed to gain Congressional support last year.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.