Durbin: Congress Increases Investment in Veterans Health Care and Research

Press Release

Durbin: Congress Increases Investment in Veterans Health Care and Research

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate has approved $47.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs - $2.84 billion above the President's request. The funding is included in the fiscal year 2009 appropriations bill for military construction and veterans affairs that passed the House earlier this week and will now go to the President for his signature.

"For too long, this administration has shortchanged our veterans. With the sizeable increase in funding contained in this bill, Congress is now giving the VA more resources to take on the challenge of caring for all veterans including those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," said Durbin. "This bill will allow the VA to offer more and better services to veterans in rural areas; help veterans pay for travel costs to and from VA facilities; process veterans' benefit claims more quickly; and provide more educational opportunities to veterans. We have a responsibility to make sure our returning service men and women have access to the best health care and treatment available."

Today's legislation builds upon Congress' successful efforts over the past two years to bolster investments in veterans' health care priorities, including medical services, facilities and cutting-edge research. Several initiatives in the legislation will directly benefit veterans in Illinois including:

* Better Service in Rural Areas: $250 million for the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch a major new rural health initiative for veterans. The initiative will build on the successes of the Office of Rural Health by allowing the VA to expand initiatives such as telemedicine, mobile clinics and to open new clinics in underserved and rural areas.
* Increase in the Mileage Reimbursement Rate: $133 million to raise the mileage reimbursement rate to at least 41.5 cents. The change in reimbursement rates would help veterans who must drive long distances to be treated at VA medical facilities.
* Lower Wait Times for Claims Processing: $94 million above the budget request for the VA to hire at least 1,100 additional claims processors. This will reduce the amount of time veterans have to wait to have their benefit claims processed. The problem is especially acute in Illinois where the claims backlog is among the worst in the nation.
* Increase in Resources for Veterans Education: $746 million above the President's request for costs associated with the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which becomes effective on August 1, 2009. The legislation is designed to expand the educational benefits that our nation offers to veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan after September 11, 2001.

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