1. United States
2. Letter

I'm writing as your constituent in Tallahassee to urge you to oppose the proposed VASRD changes that would eliminate the standalone tinnitus rating (Diagnostic Code 6260) and end the automatic 50% sleep apnea rating for veterans on CPAP (Diagnostic Code 6847). These changes would cut earned compensation for over a million disabled veterans purely to save money. Tinnitus is the most commonly claimed VA disability because military service exposes troops to extreme noise — flight decks, artillery, gunfire ranges, engine rooms — for years. This was made worse by 3M's defective Combat Arms Earplugs, which the company knew didn't seal properly but issued to millions of troops anyway, leading to a roughly $6 billion settlement, the largest product liability settlement in U.S. history. Many veterans with tinnitus are living with that documented failure, not filing frivolous claims. Sleep apnea requiring nightly CPAP use is often a direct legacy of burn pit exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan, a link Congress recognized in the PACT Act. A lifelong CPAP requirement is a permanent disability — it doesn't disappear because the device manages symptoms. Cutting this rating punishes veterans for following their treatment. I'd also note that the U.S. has provided roughly $175 billion in aid for the Ukraine war since 2022 and over $20 billion in military aid to Israel since October 2023 alone. If we can find that kind of money for foreign wars, we can find the money to keep the promises made to the Americans who fought our own. Please oppose these VASRD changes, raise this with VA leadership, and support legislation to block their implementation. Thank you for your time and consideration