U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson was among legislators who opposed President Obama’s now-abandoned plan to require military veterans’ private insurance companies to pay for treatment of combat-related injuries.

On March 18, Obama dropped the idea contained in his proposed budget after it was met with universal opposition from veteran service organizations and members of Congress, who sent him a letter the same day asking he withdraw the proposal.
Wilson, in a news releases, said he was among the bipartisan group of legislators who expressed their opposition to the proposal.

“I am so pleased the White House listened to us and is now doing right by our veterans. Our veterans and military retirees have earned their benefits and our support,” he said.

The proposal to bill private insurance companies of those veterans with combat injuries rather than have the Department of Veteran Affairs pay the cost was expected to save the federal government $530 million, which the White House intended to spend on other veterans care programs. Obama’s proposed budget calls for a $25 billion increase in veterans spending over the next five years.

“We do not give our veterans health care – they earn it – and it would be unacceptable for the VA to ask our veterans to pay for their treatment of injuries while serving our nation in uniform,” the legislators wrote in the letter sent to the president. In other news, Wilson announced he introduced legislation that would entitle Head Start teachers to a tax break of up to $250 for using their own money to purchase classroom supplies.

The St. Clairsville Democrat said Head Start teachers typically earn $20,000 or less per year than kindergarten teachers, forcing many to often use their own money for classroom supplies.

“When funding falls short and teachers sacrifice to fill the gap, it seems only fair that they should at least get a tax deduction,” Wilson said, in his speech that introduced the bill.

Wilson’s office also announced he voted in favor of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which excludes home mortgage debt from the current maximum debts levels under Chapter 13 bankruptcy and gives judges the ability to modify those mortgages.

“This is not about the government bailing out homeowners who bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford. This legislation is about fairness. This is about giving families who own one home the same rights to keep their home when they face bankruptcy as wealthy investors and speculators have,” he said, in a news release.

The bill contains a provision granting judges the authority to forgive some of the mortgage’s principal, which critics feel will force lending institutions to raise interest rates for future homeowners to make up for the loss.