Lewis and Clark Chapter

A New Restaurant

The May meeting will be a new restaurant, or an old one in a new location. We'll meet at the Country Gentleman, which has moved from its downtown Kennewick location to West Clearwater Avenue, between Columbia Center Boulevard and Leslie Road. The program is still pending, but check out the menu below. This looks like a good meal.

We need reservation by Friday, the 11th. That's the end of this week, so don't delay in calling in your res-ervation.

 

From HQ MOAA

Key Panel Acts on Big Issues

The House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, chaired by Representative Vic Snyder (D-AR), drafted its portion of the FY2008 Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 1585) on May 2. In the process, the Subcommittee took at least some action on several of MOAA's key issues.

Most details of the Subcommittee action won't be available until they're approved by the full House Armed Services Committee next week, but Chairman Snyder highlighted some specifics on selected issues:

• TRICARE fees: Prohibit increases in TRICARE fees for FY2008.
• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP): Authorize a special $40 monthly "military survivor indemnity allowance" to survivors whose SBP annuities are reduced by VA survivor benefits, beginning on October 1, 2008.

New SBP Bill Introduced

Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) introduced a new bill (H.R. 1927) that would end deduction of VA survivor benefits from SBP and accelerate implementation of 30-year paid-up SBP coverage. H.R. 1927 is identical to Sen. Bill Nelson's S. 935.

MOAA Storms Hill for Troops, Survivors, Retirees

• This year, the "Hill stormers" focused on three main issues, supporting efforts to:
• Oppose disproportional TRI-CARE fee increases proposed by Defense leaders
• Fix Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) inequities for survivors of members who died of service-connected causes and "Greatest Generation" retirees
• Authorize a larger pay raise for the troops than the 3% proposed in the President's budget

MOAA representatives carried a wealth of information supporting those goals, including information brochures outlining the problems and the needed fixes.

Hillstormers received very positive feedback from most legislators, and we've already seen a jump in the number of cosponsors for MOAA-supported bills on these topics. Check your representatives' and senators' cosponsorship status for the bills listed below:

• H.R. 579 and S. 604 - Protect against disproportionate health fee increases
• H.R. 1589 and S. 935 - Repeal the SBP-DIC offset
• H.R. 784 (and S. 935) - Accelerate paid up coverage for SBP to October 1, 2007

May Meeting

Tuesday, May 15

Country Gentleman 9221 West Clearwater Kennewick

Menu Marinated tri -tip and salmon (both!) Oven roasted new potatoes Grilled vegetables Rolls and butter Coffee, tea, iced tea, or soda Fruit cobbler

Social Hour: 6:30
Dinner: 7:00

$20 per person

Reservations by Friday, May 11 to

Bob Allen, 627-6226
Jim Newsom , 967-3804

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