As a veteran I can say firsthand the state has wonderful people working in the system helping vets, but also as a member of both the VFW and American Legion I can say both groups (and the countless others) do wonderful work outside of the restrictions and limitations of government.

The senate passed this bill on a largely party line vote.  I have no idea what is going on in our senate.  Maybe GOP senators are standing behind a good man, Sen. Garcia, and hoping the Dem House will reject this bill.  The GOP senators took the possible need of reform and made it a major overhaul and gave the Democrats in the House and Jennifer Granholm more ways to enlarge the government and "blow" us away.

That said, here is the GCRP Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2009

HOUSE MEMBERS URGED TO DEFEAT VETERANS AFFAIRS AMENDMENTS
Veteran Service Organizations Must Continue to Receive Funding at Current Levels

( Flint , Mich. )- Following Governor Jennifer Granholm's Executive Order No. 2009-22 which slashed the budget for Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), Senate Bill 250 proposes to decapitate the VSOs in this state as leaders in serving Michigan's veterans. If enacted, SB 250 will create a new state agency, the Veterans Affairs Directorate, which will be overseen by a political appointee who will have sole responsibility for distributing the $4 million which the state currently uses to fund VSOs.

VSOs have a solid history of pursuing and maintaining benefits here in our state for over 75 years. If SB 250 were to become a reality, a political appointee, beholden only to the governor, could issue money not according to Veteran's needs, but future electoral gain or payback for electoral help. As it stands now, the non-partisan VSOs are independently audited, overseen by state and national committees and are held responsible for their actions by their members and finical contributors. The Veterans Affairs Directorate will quickly submerge under the government bureaucracy which has ruled Lansing for way too long.

Here in Genesee County we have seen the results of governmental involvement reaching down into daily lives of citizens. Broken promises have been the order of the day for quite some time now, SB 250 will put the same individuals responsible for Michigan 's disastrous economic policies since 2003 in charge of doling money and support to the bravest of our state. Politicians cannot do a better job than veterans at serving veterans, just as politicians cannot run businesses better than business leaders. If reform of veteran's services funding is needed, it would be better to maintain the current program until the state has the recourses and leadership capable of administering such an overhaul with confidence.

The Genesee County Republican Party has formally opposed SB 250 by unanimous vote with Resolution 09-01, and calls on State Representatives and State Senators to maintain funding of VSOs and oppose injecting politicians into the distribution of money to Michigan 's Veterans.