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Veterans Health Care Budget Reform And Transparency Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

By: Al Green
By: Al Green
Date: June 26, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans Health and Health Care

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Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act.

The men and women who have served our nation in combat deserve to be provided with the very best that we have to offer. One part of achieving that is getting these men and women the best health care that they can possibly have. In turn, it is critically important that the Veterans' Administration (VA) have assurances regarding their funding in a timely manner so that the VA can deliver health care in an efficient and timely manner.

This important legislation authorizes Congress to approve VA medical care appropriations one year in advance of the start of each fiscal year. While we still have much further to go in terms of making sure that every hero returning home has all the care that they need, this bill will at least ensure that the VA will be able to plan ahead of time and get the most out of each health care dollar that they are allocated. Furthermore, because many VA budget cycles have, in recent years, started on continuing resolutions, some decisions may have been made on the basis rather than on the basis of the most effective treatment. We cannot jeopardize the health of our nation's finest because of what amounts to nothing more than a bureaucratic difficulty.

I was proud to work with a number of colleagues to include a similar VA advanced appropriations provision in this year's congressional budget resolution, S. Con. Res. 13. Nevertheless, there is no reason why our veterans should need to count on Congress taking action every single year to keep this sensible policy in place. For this reason, it is imperative that we pass the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this important bill. I thank my good friend, the Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman Filner for introducing it and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in support.

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