OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009

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


VETERANS HEALTH CARE BUDGET REFORM AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2009 -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 26, 2009)

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Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1016--To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide advance appropriations authority for certain medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill would ensure sufficient, timely, and predictable veterans funding so that the Department of Veterans Affairs would have the federal funding to better serve veterans' medical needs and improve health care services. This is a very timely and important measure as many of our troops today are returning home in need of accessible and adequate health care services. Therefore I strongly commend my colleague BOB FILNER for bringing this measure before the floor.

This bill would authorize Congress to provide investments in the Department of Veterans Affairs medical care one year in advance so the department can have sufficient time to plan how to deliver the best care to an increasing number of veterans with increasingly complex medical conditions.

My military constituents often turn to me for support in confronting the many challenges they face when working with the Department of Veterans Affairs. We have come to understand, that many of the challenges in efficient health care services are attributable to the Department of Veterans Affairs' inadequate funding. For most of the past two decades, the appropriated funds for medical care have not been provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs in a timely manner. This has resulted in the department's problems in planning and managing care for enrolled veterans. Accordingly, this bill addresses this budgetary problem and allows for advance appropriations to ensure the department has the Federal backing to effectively address the medical needs of our nation's veterans.

As a vocal advocate for veterans' rights, I am pleased to add my voice of support for H.R. 1016. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that we continue to provide the necessary resources towards improving our Department of Veterans Affairs' health care programs and administrative services.

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