OMAHA, Neb. — Nebraska created a program after World War I to help struggling veterans, and the fund has been protected for more than 100 years. Now, some worry a new bill could set a dangerous precedent for its future.
Dave Beran served as an active military member for 19 years, traveling to Korea and Germany. He said the Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund is a critical resource for veterans in the North Platte area.
"We have a lot of people that use it and our county service officer helps so many veterans out here its unbelievable," Beran said.
The Nebraska Veterans Aid Fund works by maintaining a large pool of money that generates interest. That interest is used to help former service members cover short-term emergency expenses.
Beran said the impact of the fund can be life-changing.
"One guy had to put his food in a blender because he couldnt eat because he didnt have any teeth and couldn't chew the food because his jaw wasn't strong enough so we got him dentures," Beran said.
Looming over the fund is a state budget shortfall of more than $100 million. As lawmakers continue to debate how to close the gap, they are poised to withdraw around $3 million from the aid fund.
I spoke with Senator John Fredrickson, who is working to convince his colleagues to leave the money alone.
"Things happen in life to anyone and everyone," Fredrickson said.
As the budget deadline approaches, veteran groups are calling and emailing lawmakers, urging them to leave the money where it is.
"If they want to keep taking money out of it, where's it gonna be," Beran said.
The overall state budget is due on Governor Pillen's desk on March 25.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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