(September 8, 2005)

 

In order to further improve the lines of communication and to respond to the concerns between the National VA Council and you our members, I have established a National VA Council Briefing. This NVAC Briefing will bring you the latest news and developments within DVA and  provide you with the current status of issues  this Council is currently addressing. I believe that this NVAC Briefing will greatly enhance the way in which we communicate and the way in which we share new information, keeping you better informed.

Alma L. Lee

National VA Council, President

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In This Briefing:  EVANS INTRODUCES HEALTH CARE

 LEGISLATION TO ASSIST VETERANS AFFECTED BY

HURRICANE KATRINA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2005

CONTACT: Geoffrey Collver @ 202/225-9756

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/welcome.htm

 

STATEMENT OF REP. LANE EVANS, RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

 

Washington, DC – “Once again the Bush Administration has failed to level with veterans and the American people.  The VA has finally acknowledged that it needs a $3 billion increase to adequately fund the VA health care system for fiscal year 2006, a number very close to what Democrats have been fighting for since February.

 

“The Bush Administration’s concession that it has under-funded the VA to meet increasing demand should come as no surprise to anyone.  The House Democratic Caucus recognized this shortfall long ago and advocated for additional funding of nearly $3 billion during the budget and appropriations process.

 

“Astoundingly, the President yesterday submitted a new request that continues to rely on bad proposals that have been rejected time after time by Congress instead of telling us the bottom-line amount they need.  On the same day the administration submitted this request, an amount that is still $1.5 billion below what we have recommended, Josh Bolten, the President’s primary budget advisor testified that the administration has provided too much money for VA health care. 

 

“Every day we see more and more veterans turned away and health care rationed across the country because the VA lacks the resources it needs to care for veterans.  Every day we don’t act, means veterans are not being taken care of.  That’s the problem when you let politics, rather than principles, guide your policies.

 

“Even this late in the process, the administration continues to cling to rejected policies that would require some veterans to foot the bill to provide health care to other veterans.  These policies have been put forward with the clear intent to discourage eligible veterans from seeking health care. Yesterday’s revised budget submission from the White House fails to provide the nearly $1.2 billion needed to properly account for these failed proposals, and is still $1.5 billion off of the amount recommended by the Democrats.

 

“Congress has rejected, on a bipartisan basis, these proposals three years in a row.  The administration needs to learn from its mistakes and stop playing budget games with the well-being of veterans.  This is not just some fiscal miscalculation or actuarial shortcoming – this is a moral failure.”

 

###