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H.R. 1222, The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act (51 comments ↓)
- This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
- This bill, or a similar bill, was reintroduced in the current Congress as H.R. 4551, The Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act.
H.R. 1222 would restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services.
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Visitor Comments 
Jerry Jackson
September 13, 2007, 5:26pm (report abuse)How could any retired military vote NO for this. Please let me know. My email is jerryjackson@hawaii.rr.com
Ray Butts
September 13, 2007, 5:28pm (report abuse)Promises were made of free medical care to many of us military retirees only to be broken ... but what can we expect other than to be used and then abused.
Art Schefler
September 13, 2007, 5:45pm (report abuse)For a fraction of the amount the government is shelling out to support illegal immigrants, they could keep the promise made to military retirees. I'm sick of these hypocrites saying "We Support The Troops". Next one I hear say that, I'm going to ask him "How?"
Jean D. Beard
September 13, 2007, 5:46pm (report abuse)As the surviving wife of a Military Retiree, it is very hard for me to comprehend why the U. S. House of Representative have not ALL cosponsored H.R. 1222. PLEASE SEE: http://mrgrg-ms.org/.
Jean
Bob Clampit
September 13, 2007, 6:06pm (report abuse)It appears that the attitude of the Senate and House is that we have gotten all from them, the ex servicemen and women, and they can do nothing more for us so we can just forget them.
Robert R. Fife
September 13, 2007, 6:16pm (report abuse)During Boot Camp indoctrination in July of 1941 (at Great Lakes) the Chief In Charge of our Battalion specifically told us we could plan on free medical care for the rest of our lives if we stayed in the Navy for over 20 years. Statements such as this kept many in the Service until retirement. However, 15 years later the congress changed this; unbeknown to those who fought in WWII and Korea. During this time the congressional leaders saw fit to continue with all of their benefits, and, to the best of my knowledge, have added to them. A type of "hooray for us - to hell with you" I would guess.
Floyd Sears
September 13, 2007, 6:19pm (report abuse)A 8 Feb 2001 court decision said military retiree had a medical care contract.
A 18 Feb 2002 court decision said the medical care promise was made but was not authorized. But, way back then nobody told the military and they kept on making the promise.
j.bolton
September 13, 2007, 6:32pm (report abuse)a post -retirement wedding and subsequent divorce entitles the gal to permanet medical care -- I dont think so -- only if an unremarried person who was a spouse DURING service
CDR. A.G. Alexander
September 13, 2007, 6:33pm (report abuse)It is very simple, the Politicians do not want us to get what we rate to save money. I am a 100% Service Connected Disabled Retiree (30 yrs)(Unemployable). They want me to die so I will no longer be paid. Also they would not have to pay for my complete medical care, which continues to rise due to my problems and the rise of prices.
Gaylon Jack
September 13, 2007, 6:38pm (report abuse)I am in favor of the government keeping the promise of medical care for retires with 20 or more years of service.
Charlie Revie
September 13, 2007, 7:00pm (report abuse)I was covered by FEHBP for 25 years and believe me, it is excellent! However, how many military retirees can afford health care insurance at $400/month for family coverage? I paid that amount in 2005 before I transitioned to Medicare+TFL. If you run the numbers 55% of military retirees can not afford FEHBP as it exceeds 30% of their military retirement pay (the standard for rejection of home mortgages).
Now, if HR1222 required Tricare Pharmancy and discounted the premiums on that basis (it does not), more retirees could afford this coverage.
Such discounting would be win-win for the DoD and the retiree because of lower overall premium.
Otis G. Kight, Sr.
September 13, 2007, 7:19pm (report abuse)So it has been, before, during, and future
"God and Sailors we adore,
In time of danger, and not before;
Dangers past, all wrongs righted,
God is forgot, an sailors slighted
Jim Wagner
September 13, 2007, 7:47pm (report abuse)I have 20 yrs.,7month's retired due to asbestos in my lungs.I lost most of one lung. I am 100 percent. Now I have trouble getting the meds. that I need becase the VA dont cary them.There has to be something done to the political world
Tommy Cox
September 13, 2007, 8:09pm (report abuse)This should have been inacted during WW 1. The men and woman of the armed forces. That can withstaned the politics of any branch of service for 20 years.Should be entitled to retirement and VA benifits.Not to mention any war activity they had to endure during the 20 year spand.
Jim Berrey
September 13, 2007, 8:26pm (report abuse)Military retirees over 65 are on medicare with TFL a supplement.Doctors are dropping Medicare which makes TFL worth nothing. FEHBP would be the only thing left. So much for Promises made by our Government. As the Military Retirees are dieing over 1,000 per day. Expect Congress will take action when they are all dead. We are talking about WWII and the Korean War retirees.
RAY GAYLOR
September 13, 2007, 9:52pm (report abuse)I AM A 35 YEAR USAF VET. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE HR CANNOT SUPPORT HR 1222
J. Meierdierks
September 13, 2007, 11:37pm (report abuse)We offered our lives, our futures, and that of our families. Many lives have been lost, while many other families have been destroyed by these discourticies. Why do members of Congress deny us what was promised when we joined up! Is it because most of these members never put in their time in the military? They don't think that our sacrafices were worth what we gave up, or paid for with our own personal lives. We have been left adrift, as has our loved ones. So many members of the Congress, the Judicial and the Executive branches have blasphemed us by denying those full benefits that were promised when we signed up, promised by representatives of our government. We urge them to give us our due!
Armando Trasoline
September 14, 2007, 5:36am (report abuse)I ask my wife daily..."What planet did you say this is??"
This is nothing like the planet I grew up on....When our country treats illegal immigrants better than our retired military folks who have given 20 years of service to our country, there is something amiss in our great country.....We need people in washington who care more about our country than they do about themselves or votes......
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 6:39am (report abuse)PART 1 of 3 -- "They served their country for at least 20 years with the understanding that when they retired they and their dependents would receive full free health care for life. The promise of such health care was made in good faith and relied upon. Again, however, because no authority existed to make such promises in the first place, and because Congress has never ratified or acquiesced to this promise, we have no alternative but to uphold the judgment against the retirees' breach-of-contract claim." - United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, case number 99-1402, Nov. 18, 2002. Of the 13 judges sitting en banc, nine found for the government and four found for the military retirees.
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 6:40am (report abuse)PART 2 of 3 -- This is part of a court's conclusion rendered in a lawsuit bought by military retirees against the government for breach of contract. However, it is also a good description of a swindle. The military hierarchy authorized the making of this medical care promise starting back in World War II, but according to this 2002 court decision they were not authorized to make the promise. So, all is forgotten, all is forgiven, we just write it off, and the military retirees who depended on that promise for medical care get swindled.
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 6:41am (report abuse)PART 3 of 3 -- What if you made payments on a house for 20 years under what you thought was a contract only to discover that the contract wasn't authorized and the house isn't yours? Would you fight for what you think is yours, or would you just roll over and play dead?
Is there a set of rules in place today that protects the men and women who are fighting today's wars from being swindled out of what they are being promised, just like the greatest generation of military retirees are being swindled?
In a few short years it will not matter because all of the military retirees who are affected by this swindle will be dead and the swindle story will die with them.
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 7:04am (report abuse)The Congress seems to be confused concerning military retirees and military veterans. It should be clearly understood by all Representatives and all Congressional Staff members that HR 1222 is a bill for military retirees only. It does not apply to all of the approximately 26.5 million veterans. MILITARY RETIREES were promised free medical care for themselves and their eligible dependents for life at Military Treatment Facilities. MILITARY VETERANS were promised medical care at a VA Hospital or Clinic basically for service connected disabilities or medical conditions. All military retirees are veterans, but not all veterans are military retirees.
Charles Helms
September 14, 2007, 7:09am (report abuse)As a retired navy cpo, I'm appalled at what this country and government has done to us and active duty personnel. We have and laid our lives on the line, and the youngs ones are doing it again everyday in in the middle east. How can you people as lawmakers just sit back and destroy us little by little and them tell us how much we're appreciated. I know that in my life I don't feel welcome for the job that I done for 22 years. Because you people in gov. have cheated and swindled us out of it.
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 7:29am (report abuse)To: The Honorable Nancy Pelosi:
HR1222 and HR1223 of the 110th Congress is HR602 of the 109th Congress divided into two parts.
During the 109th Congress 174 Democrats cosponsored HR602. As of today there are 115 Democrats that cosponsored HR602 that have not cosponsored both HR1222 and HR1223.
Please take those actions necessary to cosponsor and to encourage your colleagues to cosponsor HR1222 and HR1223.
Floyd Sears
September 14, 2007, 7:46am (report abuse)Since I'm hogging the show, this will be my last post for now. A lobbying plan to gain cosponsors for HR1222 and HR1223 is in progress. The plan is explained at http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress-info.html. In addition to the plan we keep track of what we are doing at http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress.html. The lobbying schedule started on 4 Sept 2007, but you can jump in anywhere you like.
Earl Warmath
September 14, 2007, 10:11am (report abuse)A phrase has been coined for the department of Defense and also the US Governement.US--EM,ABUSE--EM AND LOOSE--EM
Dave Kisor
September 14, 2007, 9:57pm (report abuse)I didn't retire, but one administration made the promise and another one just said chuck you farley. This has a lot to do with the prevailing attitude of those who never served in uniform against those who did. The poem is a wee bit dated, but if you change the color of the uniform from red to whatever color you wore and from sailing on the tide to flying on a jet transport, you'll see things haven't changed much in over a hundred years.
http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html
Sten Nelaon
September 15, 2007, 6:33am (report abuse)Any person that put in 20 years of Military Service and was Honorably Discharged deserves any Health Care Benefits that we can offer. You can't put a price on Defending our Country
Bob Record
September 15, 2007, 2:56pm (report abuse)We have the greatest counntry in the world and yet we fail to allow our citizens the necessities of health care essential to a long happy life style. Our elected officials live in luxury while millions of retirees live below the poverty line. Congress allows its representatives to allocate funds for questionable projects at the expense of retirees in great need of minimal health care. Our Federal government has checks and balances in place, but none of the three branches will restrict the funding of pork barrel of another branch less it curtails their own pork barrel projects. Let us control the three branches then they will be more judicious with federal funds.
Richard Taylor
September 16, 2007, 8:54am (report abuse)When I signed the enlistment papers in 1963, the promise of continued FREE medical care was reiterated more than once. It's time for the "Government" that made the promise to 'step up' and make the promise good, even if that causes their over-priced salaries to go down.
As a Disabled American Veteran, I have to drive nearly 100 miles, one way, to visit a V A Hospital once or twice a month. Changing the law and reneging on the promise made is just DEAD WRONG.
Floyd Baird
September 16, 2007, 9:06pm (report abuse)Hello Congress, We are going to stay alive till you pass HR-1222, So there is no need to wait any longer. Pass the bill now..
Robert Brink, Retired CSM USA
September 17, 2007, 10:04am (report abuse)Give us back what we were promised by our Government, and President Bush.
L Noble; USN - Ret. 30 yrs
September 17, 2007, 10:19am (report abuse)In 1967 I attended the Navy Career Counselers Training School in New Orleans. We were instructed to tell our men that they would receive FREE medical in order to get them to stay in service
Charles Boswell
September 17, 2007, 1:09pm (report abuse)I am a 21 year Air Force retiree. This is not a "give away", we all have earned it.
Lcdr James E Fancher MSC USN Ret.
September 17, 2007, 1:16pm (report abuse)It is about time that you people keep the promise that was made to all Veterans with 20 or more years of service. It has been 14 years fighting for what was promised, and you still sit on your hands. Act now and do what is right.
Harold D. Carr
September 17, 2007, 3:10pm (report abuse)Wrote this to the Supreme Court and it still holds true. Your Honor, at our age we have little time left to wage another court battle against the United States. Col. Day, a Medal of Honor recipient and lawyer with very little other than faith has managed to bring this case before you. The current recall regulations states that a Military retiree can be recalled to active duty no matter what age, that alone would require at least medical care to retain such a force on call for the security of the U.S. I retired in 1968 and I had pocket orders through the Gulf War. The Government wants us to believe than our Commander in Chief gave unlawful orders and allowed contracts that were not lawful to be written and that congress was unaware that their constitutes were being lied to. The Government allowed free health care to retirees for years and under contract law I'm told, would be enough to indicate it was in fact, a contract, Please Find in favor of the retired.
Floyd Courtade
September 17, 2007, 4:53pm (report abuse)I retired in 1965 having spent 21 years active duty in the US Army, having served approximately 15 years overseas of which 16 months in the pacific theater l944-l944 and approximately 15 months during the Korean conflict 1950-1952. Have all kinds of health problems and cannot help but ask....after keeping my promise to be faithful,where is the faithful promises of our government to us? I will not see it being kept.
Dale Wilson
September 17, 2007, 8:27pm (report abuse)This legbislation is good--as far as it goes.It should, however, be extended to cover ALL retired servicenen and women. A court may hold that there was no legislation offering free medical care to retirees and their dependents, but that never stopped reenlistment NCOs from including that offer in their sales pitch. . . .
Everett Fernandez
September 18, 2007, 9:29pm (report abuse)Retired in 1974.I kept my promise and now I demand that you"CONGRESS" PASS both HR 1222 and HR 1223.
Clyde D Howe UT-1 USN Ret.
September 19, 2007, 4:54pm (report abuse)I retired in 1973. Each time I reinlisted I was made the same promise. At that time I did know it was a shame to get me and many otheres to reinlist. DoD did not mean to KEEP the PROMISE to us. It was all a lie. Now it is time for CONGRESS to step up to the plate and force the DoD to keep the PROMISE.
Hurant Karibian
September 22, 2007, 9:40pm (report abuse)We will never get our promised benefits until we elect honorable people to congress and the white house. That is why we are still waiting.
Floyd Sears
October 2, 2007, 3:49pm (report abuse)HR1222 and HR1223 is HR602 (the Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act) of the 109th Congress divided into two parts.
At the close of the 109th Congress HR 602 had 260 cosponsors. HR 602 was introduced on 2/2/2005.
As of 2 Oct 2007 HR1222 has 95 cosponsors.
We have lobbied every REP to cosponsor HR1222. Currently we are lobbying those REPs that cosponsored HR602, but have not cosponsored both HR1222 and HR1223.
Floyd Sears
October 2, 2007, 3:56pm (report abuse)To see how many times a given REP has been contacted look at http://mrgrg-ms.org/cgi-bin/educate-the-congress.cgi
Floyd Sears
October 2, 2007, 4:02pm (report abuse)To see the current plan which started 4 Sep 2007 look at http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress-info.html
To see how we track what we are doing look at http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress.html
Jim Goodwin
October 2, 2007, 8:45pm (report abuse)From '51-'74,I served in the Military.I EARNED Health Care For Life,with that Svs. Members of Congress if YOU won't return our Health Care,YOU do not represent 1.5 million Mil. Retirees.
Lowel J Mix
October 2, 2007, 10:12pm (report abuse)What we have here is a Congress full of members who have zero knowledge of the military, and zero interest in knowing or under standing the price military people who serve long enough to retire, pay. Generally that means we have far too few retired military people serving in Congress. But that makes sense in that retired military people are men and woman of honor, integrity, discipline; God-fearing people whose word can be taken to the bank; people who keep their promises. This disqualifies them from government office.
Bill Lock
November 16, 2007, 9:41am (report abuse)My Congressman, Adam Smith, Wa says HR1222 will cost 3.5 B for 10 years. Told him this was a drop in the bucket, Told him to get money by stopping free Med and other perks to illegals.
SUZANNE FOGLE
February 21, 2008, 10:21am (report abuse)WHO DO WE CONTACT? MY FATHER IS RETIRED AFTER 25+ YRS IN THE AIR FORCE AND PROMISED THE SAME THING ONLY TO BE PAYING OUTRAGEOUSLY OUT OF POCKET. WHERE CAN WE GO FOR HELP? THE TREATMENT OF OUR MILITARY VETERANS IS JUST A DISGRACE.
Jim Woods
October 27, 2008, 10:39am (report abuse)In a time when some want to give health care to illegal aleins and others, and make the hard working guys pay for it, we should take care of those who are here for our protection
J.C.
November 1, 2008, 12:20pm (report abuse)No promises made, no expectation of free anything. Quit the whining and go on with your lives.
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