Opinion -- Bill Would Give 50,000 Combat Injured Vets Full Disability, Retirement

By Senator Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, Senate Veterans Affairs

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today announced they are filing the Major Richard Star Act as an amendment to the annual must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the NDAA next week.

Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments—leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees. If adopted, the Senators’ Major Richard Star Act will fix this unjust policy for medical retirees with a combat-related disability—providing them their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.

“The Major Richard Star Act would correct one of the deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system. As an amendment to the NDAA, it would enable tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans to collect the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Ranking Member Blumenthal. “Right now they’re denied fair, complete compensation because they are subject to a dollar-for-dollar offset of their VA disability and military retirement benefits. It’s unacceptable—and I’m joining my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to right this wrong by seeking to attach our legislation to this year’s NDAA. With more than 31 cosponsors, adopting our amendment is a commonsense next step to finally provide these military retirees who already sacrificed so much the benefits they need and earned.”

“The Major Richard Star Act corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans,” said Senator Crapo.  “The support for this correction is clear.  Though the namesake of our legislation is no longer with us, we must pass this fix on behalf of the more than 50,000 veterans, including hundreds in Idaho, who stand to benefit.” 

"Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country and it’s time our government gives them the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Warren. “Including this bill in the NDAA will ensure the federal government keeps its promise to our veterans."

This bipartisan legislation is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Major Star sadly lost his battle with cancer on February 13, 2021.

 

 

Bill Would Protect Works from Copyright Infringement by AI

On Monday, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect consumers’ data rights and hold Big Tech companies accountable for illegally pirating creators' copyrighted works to train their artificial intelligence (AI) models.

Senator Hawley's legislation follows his recent Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing where he sounded the alarm on AI companies' willful engagement in "the largest intellectual property theft in American history."

“AI companies are robbing the American people blind while leaving artists, writers, and other creators with zero recourse. It’s time for Congress to give the American worker their day in court to protect their personal data and creative works. My bipartisan legislation would finally empower working Americans who now find their livelihoods in the crosshairs of Big Tech’s lawlessness," said Senator Hawley.

"This bill embodies a bipartisan consensus that AI safeguards are urgent—because the technology is moving at accelerating speed, and so are dangers to privacy. Enforceable rules can put consumers back in control of their data, and help bar abuses. Tech companies must be held accountable—and liable legally—when they breach consumer privacy, collecting, monetizing or sharing personal information without express consent. Consumers must be given rights and remedies—and legal tools to make them real—not relying on government enforcement alone," Senator Blumenthal said.

Senators Hawley and Blumenthal have previously teamed up to put power back in the hands of users when it comes to Big Tech. Last Congress, they introduced a bipartisan framework to implement guardrails for AI that would protect consumers.

The AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act will: 

—Bar AI companies from stealing and training on copyright works. The bill safeguards individuals’ copyrighted materials from being used in AI training or AI-generated content without permission. 

—Create a federal tort for data misuse. The legislation allows individuals to sue any person or company that appropriates, uses, sells, or exploits their personal data or copyrighted works without clear, affirmative consent. 

—Provide transparency for creators. The bill requires companies to clearly disclose every third party that will access an individual’s data at the time consent is sought. 

—Ensure robust remedies. The legislation provides for stiff financial penalties, injunctive relief, and protects the ability of individuals to sue in court and join class actions. 

 

Editorial -- As Americans are Hurting, Two Senators Call for War With Russia

As Americans are hurting, two Senators, Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are calling for war with Russia. They made their remarks after a trip to Russia, where they were treated to President Zelensky begging for more and more weapons – many of which will be sold on the black market to be used on Americans at some time in the future.

On July 5th, a new Monmouth poll found that President Joe Biden’s policies were not benefiting them. For the record, preference for party control remains divided, hardly surprising given that the bipartisan grandstanding for war with Russia continues.

More than 4 in 10 Americans say they are struggling to remain there they are financially. This number has skyrocketed; this is the first time ever that the Monmouth poll in question even showed 3 out of 10. The number of people who say they are struggling has increased by 18 points since last year from 24% to 42%.

Factors cited include inflation, gas prices, the economy, and paying bills. 57% say that the actions of the federal government have hurt their families. This is the first time this sentiment has ever been in the majority. Just 23% think future government actions will help their family’s top concern, while 45% say it will hurt them. One year ago, that number was flipped.

Currently, the same poll shows that Joe Biden’s approval rating is now at 36% – a steady downward trend since April of last year. Most tellingly, just 10% think we are on the right track and 88% say we are on the wrong track. 

So what do Senators Graham and Blumenthal do? They go to Ukraine and grandstand for war in Ukraine, as though that will help anything. They want Congress to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, which would throw gas on the fire even if true. Mr. Graham supports the assassination of Putin, which would be an act of war. And he believes there should be no off ramp in Ukraine.

It is really interesting how so many of these politicians who want to send our troops off to die halfway around the world and risk killing billions in a nuclear conflict have never fought a war themselves and have actively sought to dodge service. Donald Trump is the most obvious example, but another is Mr. Blumenthal himself.

In 2010, the New York Times reported that Blumenthal had lied about serving in Vietnam. In March 2008, while honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, he falsely stated that he had served in Vietnam. In fact, as the Times reported, he had obtained five military deferments before landing in the Marine Reserve, a group that was not sent to Vietnam. 

In 2003, Blumenthal praised the support of the troops in Iraq while contrasting the lack of support that happened “when we returned,” again falsely implying that he served. In 2007, the Milford (CT) Mirror reported that he had again falsely implied that he had served in Vietnam.

While Mr. Blumenthal has described his military service in more accurate terms since 2008 and apologized for “misspeaking,” the US subsequently passed a law pushed by then-Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) known as the Stolen Valor Act. Signed into law in 2013 by President Barack Obama, it states that you cannot make fraudulent claims about military service with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit. That would seem to include running for office.

While he actually served in the military, Mr. Graham has just as spotty of a record. In 2015, the Washington Post reported that after he was elected to the US House, the Air Force promoted him twice even though he did little or no work. Later, they gave him a job assignment in the Air Force Reserve that he highlighted in his biography but never performed work for. He engaged in 108 hours of training between January 1995 and January 2005. Despite that, they kept awarding him promotions.

Furthermore, Mr. Graham exaggerated his service record. From 2006 to 2015, he listed himself as a senior instructor for a base at Montgomery (AL). But it turns out he never taught any courses there or even visited it during that period. In 1998, Mr. Graham falsely stated that he served in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. In fact, while he was on active duty at the time, he was never deployed overseas.

These are the sorts of people who want to send our young people off to die in Ukraine. If they can’t be trusted to talk about their record, then why should we trust anything they say about the conflict in Ukraine?