MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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Joining me now is Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak, retired three star naval admiral, and also Congressman Adam Smith of Washington, who just got back about a month ago from Afghanistan. Both gentlemen are members of the House Armed Services Committee.

Congressman Sestak, where are we making mistakes here? I know the

G.I. Bill has passed, which was really fantastic, not long ago. But when it comes to our veterans, where are we making mistakes?

REP. JOE SESTAK (D), PENNSYLVANIA: We're making two major errors. First off, we have to get this bill, this health care bill through. It is going to take care of many of these veterans who are just above poverty level. What I mean by that is back in 2003, the Bush administration kicked out of the V.A. Priority Eight veterans, those that were making just a bit more than 29,000 dollars. So they no longer have access if they have a service-related disability to the V.A. That's why we need this public health care option. Although the president's budget does get them back into the V.A. system, but not for about five years.

Second, it really does become a matter of getting the V.A. to be even much better at its ability to have our veterans, as they leave the service, to be able to address the signature issue of this war: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Someone said there's no war where there is not a wounded soldier, all of them. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is still not being properly addressed.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Smith, the numbers are growing every year. We're about to make another commitment to Afghanistan. There are reports we may end up sending another 40,000 to Afghanistan. The president expected to make a decision here in the coming days. This is going to go on. And we're going to have to address this. What do you think we should do?

REP. ADAM SMITH (D), WASHINGTON: There's no question. No matter what decision we make going forward in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's going to be a while that we're still going to have our men and women serving overseas in combat roles. We're going to need to do a better job of dealing with them when they come home. I think Congressman Sestak hit on the biggest point, and that is PTSD, and changing the way we handle our veterans when they come back.

Now we have made steps in the last couple of years. We have made mandatory that when veterans come back from serving in the field that they sit down with a mental health professional and have a conversation. But we also need to do more in the transition, when they leave the service. Do they still have care? A lot of that is funding for the V.A. A lot of that, also-

SCHULTZ: I want to talk about that. I don't mean to interrupt you. But this is a big sticking point with a lot of Americans. Someone goes into the military, spends two or four years, should they come out with a lifetime benefit? What about that, Congressman Smith?

SMITH: I think they should come out-I think, first of all, I think every American should have access to health care. That's what we're working on in health care reform. The number of people who don't have access to health insurance, and through that health care, is large. It's not just veterans. So I think that needs-we need have to a universal access program. That's what we're working on in Congress.

I don't know that every veteran that serves two or four years should automatically have free health care for life. But they should have access to more than they have right now.

SCHULTZ: Admiral, where do you stand on that? Admiral, if somebody goes into the military, and four-year commitment, and, you know, they get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and they're afflicted for life. Should there be a time limit on how long their benefits should last with them or should it be lifetime? What about that?

SESTAK: We actually, in Congress, two years ago, extended the amount of time that they could have access-

SCHULTZ: But they have to go prove themselves, too?

SESTAK: That's the problem. So here's my belief: if it is a service-related disability, they should have access to health care from the V.A. for life.

And the missing part here is PTSD. I was at a prison today. I sat down with four veterans. All of them had had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from Vietnam or Gulf War. All of them had a substance abuse issue for many years, because they weren't so sure where to turn because nobody knew what PTSD was in those days, or they just couldn't get the right treatment over the years.

Now they're incarcerated. And 61 percent of all veterans that are in our prisons across America actually are dependent upon a substance like alcohol or drugs. So my issue is they must do a better job of getting them lifetime access for that invisible wound of the war, and that is the mental challenges of PTSD and other mental anxiety issues.

SCHULTZ: Finally, Congressman Smith. the resource challenge here is that a lot of these homeless veterans are chemically dependent. Now, that takes more than just a doctor's visit and somebody paying for it and universal health care. That takes providers. And it takes people doing follow-up with these veterans. This is going to take a major commitment on the part of this country, if we're going to turn these numbers around.

SMITH: No question about that. I am pleased that Congress the last three years, every year, has increased the V.A. budget by the largest amount in its history, every year, to try to meet that. You're right. The challenge is going to be great. We're going to have to concentrate on providing those long-term funds.

I think that's one of the messages of Veterans Day, is not just thank you for your service, but I think it's really important that we concentrate on what can we do to support and help all of our veterans, throughout the year, not just on this one day, and their families as well? You mentioned the G.I. Bill. Congressman Sestak has mentioned some of the changes we made in PTSD. Efforts are ongoing, but more needs to be done. We need to view this as a commitment, a lifetime commitment, not just the occasional thank you to make sure that we take care of the veterans who serve.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Sestak, Congressman Smith, good to have you with us tonight. Thanks so much. Thanks for what you do for the vets.

SESTAK: Thanks, Ed. Appreciate it.

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