Sen. Cornyn: We All Have a Moral Obligation to Protect & Help Our Veterans
Press Release
Sen. Cornyn: We All Have a Moral Obligation to Protect & Help Our Veterans
U.S. VA Secretary James Peake Joins Senator at Dallas VA Hospital to View Recent Improvements, Meet with Local Veterans
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was joined today by U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake to visit the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center and meet with staff and local veterans organizations. Today's visit followed a written request earlier this year from Senator Cornyn to Secretary Peake in which the Senator urged the VA to investigate a string of apparent suicides at the facility and determine what actions might need to be taken to strengthen medical care for veterans in Texas.
"I want to thank Secretary Peake for accepting my invitation to come to Dallas and joining me at the VA hospital today. We had a productive visit and discussed and saw firsthand many of the important upgrades underway at the facility to improve mental health care and prevent future tragedies. As a new generation of veterans returns from Iraq and Afghanistan, we have a moral obligation to ensure they are receiving the best in health care and benefits. These men and women have served selflessly on behalf of our freedoms and well-being; the very least we can do in return is help them make a smooth transition back to civilian life.
"The staff at the Dallas VA has demonstrated they are committed to making significant improvements to the facility and the level of care provided. I was pleased to see progress underway and will continue to closely monitor these enhancements," Sen. Cornyn said.
"We also had the opportunity to meet with several local veterans organizations. We heard from them directly on their priorities and concerns. Easier access to care for rural veterans remains a top priority for Texas veterans. They are also seeking improved and more affordable housing options to reduce the number of homeless veterans. I reiterated my shared support for these priorities. I have and will continue to work in the Senate to improve housing, education and health care benefits for veterans in Texas and across the nation. I also remain committed to seeking increased resources for research of the invisible wounds of warmental health conditions like post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. It's critical we devote as much attention as possible to these conditions so we can provide our veterans with the tools they need to make a full recovery."
"Today Senator Cornyn and I were able to see firsthand the quality healthcare our Dallas veterans receive and the ongoing improvements we are making here," Secretary Peake said. "Senator Cornyn has been a tireless advocate for veterans and we will continue to move forward in providing the best services we can, from health care to benefits, for our brave men and women who served so honorably."
Sen. Cornyn and Sec. Peake toured the psychiatric ward, part of which is still temporarily closed to the public for renovations, and were briefed by medical center staff on the various upgrades that have been made or are underway. They also toured the Spinal Cord Injury Center and the Fisher House, a living facility under construction for families of patients.
Following the tour, Sec. Peake and Sen. Cornyn hosted a roundtable meeting with various local Veterans Service Organizations, including the Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Greater Dallas Veterans Commission, Disabled American Veterans, Texas Veterans Commission, and the Tarrant County Veterans Council. Also joining the roundtable were General Richard E. Carey, USMC (Ret.), and Charles Kelker, the Assistant County Veterans Service Officer for Ellis County.
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