EANGUS, The Military Coalition (TMC) & the Government Shutdown
Today, the Military Coalition (TMC) held a press conference at the World War II Memorial urging the Administration and Congress to end the government shutdown. TMC is a group of 33 military, veterans and uniformed services organizations who believe that by working together on issues of mutual agreement, participating organizations can harness the grassroots support of more than 5.5 million members plus their families and accomplish far more than by working on those initiatives separately. EANGUS is a founding member of TMC and was represented at the press conference by Seth Waugh, EANGUS’ Director of Government Affairs. Below is a video of the entire press conference and a series of news articles covering the event.
Veterans & Military Groups Call for End of Gov’t Shutdown; C-SPAN; October 15, 2013
Click here to view full video of press conference
The Military Coalition holds a press conference at the World War II Memorial to call for the end of the government shutdown. The coalition, composed of 33 leading military-related organizations representing more than 5.5 million veterans and uniformed services personnel, will detail the impact of the government shutdown on veterans and service members.
Military Coalition rallies to end government shutdown; By Rick Maze; Air Force Times; October 15, 2013
With details still elusive on a possible deal to restart the federal government and avoid defaulting on U.S. debts, the 33-member Military Coalition is pressing Congress to resolve the impasse and stop scaring people.
At a news conference and rally held Tuesday at the National World War II Memorial, retired Army Col. Herb Rosenbleeth, national director of Jewish War Veterans and the Coalition’s president, said Congress and the White House are letting down service members and veterans as the partial government shutdown extends into its 15th day, with just three days before the U.S. Treasury won’t have enough money to pay all of its obligations, including military and veterans benefits.
Military groups protest handling of veterans affairs during shutdown; By Meredith Somers; The Washington Times; October 15, 2013
A coalition of military associations on Tuesday lambasted Congress for its handling of veterans affairs in the wake of the government shutdown and demanded a permanent solution to balancing the federal budget.
Standing along the eastern plaza of the National World War II Memorial, dozens of veterans and military advocates pleaded their case that using veterans as political leverage harms the country.
“We were assured the budget would not be balanced on the backs of veterans, and yet here we are today,” said Steven Gonzalez, assistant director of the American Legion’s economic division.
Tuesday’s protest was different from other recent shutdown-inspired rallies at the war memorial, several of which devolved into confrontational shouting matches and aggressive dismantling of National Park Service-enforced barriers.
Vets rally at WWII memorial for end to ‘devastating’ impact of partial shutdown; FoxNews.com; October 15, 2013
Veterans returned Tuesday to the closed World War II Memorial in Washington to highlight what they call the partial government shutdown’s “devastating impact” on the military community.
The rally at the memorial — now a national symbol of allegedly excessive cutbacks tied to the partial government shutdown – was organized by the Military Coalition, a group of 33 veteran and military-oriented services groups representing more than 5.5 million members.
Members say that veterans have become a pawn in the jockeying over the partial government shutdown — pointing to decisions to block visitors from the open-air WWII memorial and threaten the cut-off of military benefits for millions of active and retired military if no deal is reached to increase the federal debt limit.
“Millions of men and women who are transitioning or have already transitioned from military service will be forced to depend on charity,” Steve Gonzalez, an American Legion economic director, told those in attendance.
Click here for full article.
