Senate Sends Va Health Care Funding Reform Bill To White House

[allan]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 9, 2009

Senate Sends VA Health Care Funding Reform Bill to White House

Long-Awaited Victory for Veterans Nears

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 - The U.S. Senate gave final approval Tuesday to legislation that will finally reform the budget and appropriations process for the Department of Veterans Affairs' medical care programs, ensuring veterans receive the health care they have earned in a timely manner The Senate's unanimous approval comes on the heels of a 419-1 vote in the House last week, passing H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. The bill is now headed to the White House. President Obama voiced support for this landmark legislation and is expected to sign it into law. "With the support of Congress, we now are on the brink of a long-overdue victory that will help ensure timely access to medical care for the men and women who have served, are serving and will serve in defense of our nation," said DAV National Commander Roberto Barrera. "For two decades, the Disabled American Veterans and other veterans service organizations have worked to reform the budget and appropriations process to ensure that veterans receive the health care they have earned in a timely manner." The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizes Congress to approve veterans medical care funding one year in advance to better meet the anticipated demand for veterans health care services. The advanced funding will give the Department of Veterans Affairs up to a full year to plan for the most effective and efficient way of delivering medical care. Additionally, this would require the Government Accountability Office to audit the budget development process to ensure that sufficient funds are included. "This legislation will help every disabled veteran and every future disabled veteran," said Commander Barrera. "This is happening because so many of DAV's members and supporters have stepped up and called on Congress to put an end to chronic lapses in budgets almost every year for decades. We stood up for veterans together, and veterans and their families are going to benefit." Commander Barrera expressed DAV's gratitude to several Senators who played leading roles in getting the legislation approved. "This was truly a bipartisan effort in the Senate, led by the very able Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Dan Akaka, who drafted and sponsored the legislation in the Senate. His dogged determination and skillful leadership proved to be central to passing advance appropriations legislation," Barrera said. "Senator Akaka has proven time and again that he is a true champion for all of America's veterans, one who we can rely on to aggressively fight for our interests in Congress, and we are grateful for all that he has done for veterans, especially disabled veterans." "Senator Richard Burr, the Ranking Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, played an important role throughout this legislative process. His insightful contributions strengthened the bill, and his steadfast support was absolutely essential to moving this legislation through the Senate," Barrera said. "Senator Olympia Snowe was a crucial supporter of advance appropriations from the very beginning. Her dedication to working in a bipartisan manner for the benefit of veterans helped lead to over half the Senate cosponsoring the legislation," Commander Barrera said. "Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Johnson laid the groundwork for this historic victory with his sponsorship of veterans funding reform legislation dating back to 2002. He has consistently worked to increase funding levels for veterans health care programs and unselfishly put his full support behind advance appropriations legislation when it was needed," Barrera said. "One of the most pivotal moments leading to this legislative victory was the inclusion of advance appropriations language in the budget resolution earlier this year. Veterans have Senator Jim Inhofe to thank for offering that amendment which protected advance appropriations in the budget. His forceful advocacy of advance appropriations at that crucial moment was essential to the ultimate approval of advance appropriations this year," Commander Barrera said. "Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad also played a key role when he supported the advance appropriations amendment in the budget, and later worked out an agreement with the House to retain the advance appropriations legislation in the final budget resolution. Senator Conrad continues to be a strong voice for veterans in the Senate," said Barrera.The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation's disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families. More information is available at www.dav.org.

Edited October 16, 2009 by allan

[Pete53]

I think that is good news

[bigoc]

This bill as wonderful as it seems still will not fully fund the Veterans Health system.  That is why I will not joint the various veterans organizations.  Most if not all of the major organizations(VFW, american legion, etc...) have provided supportive platforms for past presidents and other politicians to speak about their great support of Veterans.  Until the Veterans Health system is fully funded I will not support any of these organizations that are suppose to fight for veterans.  The politicians know exactly how to persuade these organizations into showing public support with only minimal promises of better treatment of veterans.  $250 payoff stimulus check.  Interestingly the same $250 offer is now being entertained to be offered to social security recipients.

This is nothing more than the same old partial funding no matter what the language is.  Research the VA budget requests of the past and then look at the current requests, and then finally look at what the Dept. of Treasury actually allocates the VA heath system.  The truth shall shine through all the political BS if you do a little research.

It infuriates me to see these claims of full support and funding and know that is not the truth.  Duckworth is not doing anything new.  Just shows that even a severely disable veteran in charge of the VA health system will sell out to political marching orders.

Nothing against original poster I just get aggravated at the politicians that lie and fool the uninformed veterans.

[broncovet]

Contrary to what the VA would like for us to believe, being underfunded is not Congress fault. It is the VA's own fault. There is so much fraud and theft in the VA

that there just is no money left after the VA/employee crooks rake in their take to go to Veterans. The VA doesnt need more money, it needs less fraud, and there will be plenty for Veterans.

Just in the past 3 months THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, there has been about a half billion dollars in VA employee fraud. The VA has changed their policy from "look the other way" on fraud, to "help your fellow employee cover it up".

On top of the $342 ripped off in the IT scandal, plus another $27 million in unauthorized executive bonuses, the fraud is going on in the RO's. Hillary Clinton declared the NY RO as fraudulent, and here is what is happening in Wisconsin:

http://www.cbs58.com/index.php?aid=9595

The fact is that VA employees are robbing VEterans blind.

Until/Unless the fraud problem is fixed it wont get any better for Veterans. More Money Just means More Fraud. There is a HUGE LEAK of money that goes into fraud, and as money increases, the fraud increases. Last year was a huge increase in the VA budget but Vets did not get so much as a 4% Cola, it virtually all went to fraud. Remember, there WAS no inflation, or it was negative, according to our government Cola people, but yet, the VA got a huge increase. What did the Va do with the increase? They spent it on fraud, and had no money left over to even give disabled Vets a raise.

Edited October 17, 2009 by broncovet

[Pete53]

I have been going to VA since 1991 and they are cheap bastards. I don't see how they have much room for fraud with the way they budget.