Read Article Here By Leo Shane III Stars and Stripes Published: October 29, 2013 WASHINGTON — Nobody wants veterans used as political pawns. Stopping that from happening is another matter. On Wednesday, lawmakers from the House and Senate veterans affairs committee rallied with veterans advocacy groups outside the Capitol in support of plans to fully fund all VA operations a year in advance, to remove those support programs from partisan congressional budget fights. “This would ensure that all the veterans benefits they earned, that they deserve, will be delivered to them,” said Sen. Mark Begich, D-Ala. “We need to make sure our veterans are not being used as a political football.”