Durbin: Congress Must Act to Fix $1 Billion Shortfall for Veterans' Healthcare

DURBIN: CONGRESS MUST ACT TO FIX $1 BILLION SHORTFALL FOR VETERANS' HEALTHCARE

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a bipartisan effort to address a $1 billion shortfall in the fiscal year 2005 budget for the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA). Today's announcement by the Administration comes just two months after efforts led by Durbin and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to increase funding for the VA above the amount requested by President Bush.

"Nearly 25 percent of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans discharged so far have sought treatment from VA hospitals," said Durbin. "Many of our newest veterans struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when they return from combat. Democrats have been working for months to convince this Administration that the VA is ill-prepared to deal with the increasing number of veterans who will require treatment from the VA system, and that resources must be available to them. Sadly, the Administration seems to be the last to recognize this need."

Durbin expressed his support for an emergency supplemental appropriations bill introduced today by Senator Murray that would address the VA's $1 billion budget gap.

"Before Congress goes home to march in Fourth of July parades, we ought to march into the House and Senate chambers and pass a supplemental appropriations bill to fix this problem," said Durbin. "We have no right to wave the flag and say we support our troops if we don't take action to provide the men and women who have served our nation with access to the health care and treatment that they need."

"The costs of war are not limited to the battlefield," said Durbin. "Congress must do everything it can to ensure that our returning soldiers are cared for when they come home. I urge my colleagues from both parties to come together and pass the Murray emergency supplemental before the July 4th recess."

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=239511&&