Kaptur Calls on Bush to Immediately Correct Shortage in Veteran's Health Care

KAPTUR CALLS ON BUSH TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT SHORTAGE IN VETERANS' HEALTH CARE
Jun 29, 2005

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) joined all 206 House Democrats, and of her Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives, and 1 Independent today in calling on President Bush to address $1 billion shortfall in veterans' health care funding identified by the Administration last week.

"Additional funding is urgently needed today to care for troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the heroes from former conflicts who rely upon the VA for their health care," Members wrote to Bush in the letter.

Kaptur and other Members asked Bush to submit a supplemental appropriations bill to Congress for FY2005 to address the veteran's health care shortfall now and also called on the President to submit budgets that more accurately meet the needs of our veterans in the future. "What is even more troubling is that funding for veterans' health care beyond 2007 is cut significantly below the amount needed merely to account for inflation," Members wrote.

Last Friday, the Washington Post reported that the Bush Administration acknowledged that it is short at least $1 billion for covering current needs at the Department of Veterans Affairs this year. The shortfall emerged during an administration midyear budget review and was acknowledged only during lengthy questioning of Jonathan B. Perlin, VA undersecretary for health, by House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.).

"This is proof positive that the Bush Administration is not living up to its promise to veterans and their families," said Rep. Kaptur. "I worry not only about the damage this shortfall will bring to the thousands of veterans currently waiting for healthcare, but also about the message this sends to our newest veterans' and the troops currently serving our country."

In addition to the FY2005 shortfall, the Washington Post also reported Monday that the Department of Veterans Affairs has recently been concerned with getting pictures of VA Secretary Jim Nicholson hanging in VA facilities, medical clinics and community clinics around the country. According to the Post, on a weekly conference call a few weeks ago among senior officials at the Veterans Health Administration, which is the medical part of the VA, "Deputy Undersecretary Laura Miller said 'many of our facilities and [other] offices have a picture of Secretary Nicholson prominently displayed…Unfortunately, however,' Miller continued, 'there are many facilities that currently do not have the picture displayed. I am aware that the mailings of the pictures occurred on April 22, 2005…and I cannot stress the importance of this enough,' she said. 'We are asking that you give this your highest priority. We will continue to ask for daily updates on the status until we are assured that all of our facilities have a current picture displayed.'"

"The Department of Veterans Affairs has a lot of explaining to do," said Kaptur. "President Bush can immediate correct this behavior by asking Congress to approve an additional $1.3 billion for our veterans. Our veterans and our troops deserve nothing less."

http://www.kaptur.house.gov/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1405