Moore's Statement On Expected House Passage Of Veterans Legislation

Statement

The United States House of Representatives is expected to take up and pass two critical measures for America's veterans later this evening, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act (H.R. 1016) and The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act (H.R. 1211). Congresswoman Gwen Moore, D-Wisc., made the following comments on both pieces of legislation, which she supports.

"I am proud to support these two bills, one of which would give the Department of Veterans Affairs the tools to plan and enact its budget on schedule, so that our brave service members can access care with the expediency they deserve. These men and women did not hesitate when their country called upon them, and it is unfair that they should have to wait for the care they have rightly earned because of bureaucratic budgeting delays.

"The second piece of legislation would expand and improve the provision of VA health care services to female service members, who comprise 8 percent of the total veteran population nationwide. Females in the service make the same sacrifices as their male counterparts. It is unacceptable for our female veterans to face unequal access to health care services, including medical care for their newborn babies, VA sexual trauma programs and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment.

"In Wisconsin alone, there are 446,000 veterans. That number is equal to almost three-quarters of the population of the city of Milwaukee alone. And, while the VA distributes about $1.2 billion annually to veterans services in our state, it is crucial that these funds arrive on time and are allocated to equitable services for the brave service members we have relied on."

The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act would allow Congress to approve veterans' medical care funding one year in advance to better anticipate, and meet the demand for, veterans' health care services. The advanced funding would give the VA up to a full year to plan for the most effective and efficient way of delivering medical care.

The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act addresses the specific issues faced by women veterans - expanding and improving the health care services available to them, and working to make those services more accessible.

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