Rep. Courtney Seeks GAO Study on President's Long-Term Plan for Vets Care

Rep. Courtney Seeks GAO Study on President's Long-Term Plan for Vets Care

Representative Joe Courtney and many of Congress's newest members have joined in sending a letter calling on General Accounting Office Comptroller General David M. Walker to conduct an independent study on the "adequacy of the Administration's long term plans" to meet the health care needs of returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as improving services for veterans of previous wars.

Congressman Courtney also addressed the House of Representatives today to express his disappointment over the treatment of our nation's veterans. Letter to Comptroller General Walker (.pdf of original available on request) and Mr. Courtney's floor statement (as delivered) attached below.

"The recent revelations at Walter Reed are merely the tip of the iceberg in what is a great tragedy faced by our nation's veterans. We cannot tolerate insufficient care of our wounded warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," stated Courtney. "While the headlines are of the Walter Reed catastrophe today, veterans in eastern Connecticut will continue to be shortchanged tomorrow by the President's budget."

Congressman Courtney believes that a GAO study will bring to the forefront the reality that the Walter Reed Army Medical Center is symbolic of a greater problem with the health care system to which our soldiers and veterans are subjected.

The Administration's shortfalls in VA funding have resulted in inadequate veterans' transportation and understaffing of medical facilities creating long delays in claims processing and appointments.

Congressman Courtney supported the Fiscal Year 2007 Continuing Resolution funding the federal government, which increased veterans funding by $3.6 billion over the previous Congress' funding level in FY06.

Letter to GAO Comptroller General David M. Walker:

March 1, 2007

The Honorable David M. Walker

Comptroller General

United States General Accounting Office

441 G Street, NW

Washington, DC 20548

Dear Comptroller General Walker,

As new members of the House of Representatives, we are writing out of concern over recent press reports that have exposed glaring problems in the delivery of outpatient health care for recovering soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As you know, this issue is now being investigated by various Congressional committees.

These reports raise broader questions about whether the federal government is prepared to meet the needs of all returning soldiers in addition to the ongoing needs of veterans of previous wars.

The situation at Building 18 is a clear indicator of a systemic failure in the delivery of quality outpatient health care and services to those who have bravely served our country. We are concerned that this failure may be the tip of the iceberg in terms of a lack of readiness for the significant needs of returning veterans, particularly in the context of the Administration's proposed reductions in the budget for the Veterans Administration.

We believe the cost of war must include caring for the warrior. To that end, we are asking the General Accounting Office to conduct an independent assessment of the adequacy of the Administration's long term plans to provide the full range of necessary services for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars while continuing to care for veterans of previous wars.

A thorough examination of this issue is critical to ensure that we meet our moral obligation to those who have answered the call of duty. We look forward to working with you on this important study.

Statement to the House of Representatives (as delivered):

Mr. Speaker, the long festering situation at Walter Reed's Building 18 is nothing short of a national scandal. I am glad that the new majority of the 110th Congress is taking critical steps this week to address the immediate problems at the facility and hold accountable the leadership that allowed conditions to deteriorate to this disgraceful state.

However, as we focus on Walter Reed, we must also keep in mind the larger problems facing military and veteran's health care.

Last week, I met with veterans from my district who expressed deep concern about the lack of adequate transportation for veterans, the increasing length of time it takes for veterans to receive benefits or access their health care, and the stagnant funding for the VA health system over the last six years. They described a system unable to cope with an increasing volume of patients at a time of war.

The challenges faced by these Connecticut veterans are emblematic of military and VA health systems increasingly strained both by the influx of wounded from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the gaping shortfalls in the funding needed to adequately care for them. In the first days of the new congress we took an important step in addressing this problem by providing an additional $3.6 billion for veteran's health care. Yet, there remain critical issues that need to be addressed as we move forward.

The men and women who serve our country deserve nothing less than a health care system worthy of their service and sacrifice. I look forward to working with my colleagues to fulfill this promise and address the problems at Walter Reed.

http://courtney.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=59804