September 25, 2006 

The Honorable Larry E. Craig                        
Chairman
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee 
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Daniel K. Akaka
Ranking Member
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Steve Buyer                                   The Honorable Lane Evans
Chairman                                                               Ranking Member 
House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs                   House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs  
Washington, DC  20515                                        Washington, DC 20515 

      The Honorable Bob Filner           
      Acting Ranking Member
      House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
      Washington, DC  20515

RE: PROPOSALS TO ALLOW USE OF VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE DOLLARS FOR PRIVATIZATION REVIEWS 

Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:  

On behalf of working families across the country, we urge you to oppose any proposal that would allow veterans’ health care dollars to be diverted to wasteful privatization studies, including the language currently included in Section 7 of S.1182.  Our efforts last year to block repeal of the current spending ban on the use of VA medical dollars for privatization studies received bipartisan support in the Senate and the endorsement of the Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AmVets, Blinded Veterans Association, and Vietnam Veterans of America.  

These cost comparison studies fail to produce taxpayer savings and target jobs held mostly by disabled veterans, women and minorities. GAO’s newest VA report found that the VA’s budget process utilizes “unrealistic assumptions, errors in estimation, and insufficient data.”  Last year, GAO found that VA lacks the mechanisms to track the costs of privatization studies. Clearly, it is not in the interest of veterans and taxpayers to give VA permission to divert scarce health care dollars to these studies.  

On behalf of working men and women, we ask that you oppose any VA health care legislation that includes provisions to use veterans’ medical dollars on cost comparison studies.  Thank you for your consideration of our views. 

Sincerely, 

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO 

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO 

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO 

COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA, AFL-CIO 

DEPARTMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO 

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS, AFL-CIO 

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL ENGINEERS, AFL-CIO 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 

PROFESSIONAL AIRWAYS SYSTEMS SPECIALISTS, AFL-CIO 

SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION 

UNITED AMERICAN NURSES, AFL-CIO 

UNITED AUTO WORKERS, AFL-CIO