Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Floor Speech

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* Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop for agreeing to offer my amendment en bloc to H.R. 2055--Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. My amendment simply removes funding from the VA Medical Support and Compliance Account and replaces it back in the very same account. My intent in doing this is to highlight an issue for my colleagues and for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

* I believe that the VA needs to comprehensively examine its wait times for processing requests for mental health services from veterans and that the VA should submit a report to Congress no later than January 1 of 2012 on changes they intend to make to ensure that veterans needing mental health services receive those services in a timely and efficacious manner.

* Veterans in my district often wait years for a resolution of their cases with the VA. My office works closely with veterans, assisting many of them in expediting their requests for the benefits to which they are entitled, including mental health benefits. Unfortunately, many of these veterans still wait years for a resolution of their cases. This is simply unacceptable. These men and women have sacrificed their health, well-being, and, in some cases, their livelihoods, for this country.

* The excessively long wait times at the VA are unjust and un-American. The wait times for veterans who are suicidal or suffering from mental health illnesses, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), are especially troubling.

* I strongly urge my colleagues to support timely mental health services for our veterans by voting ``yes'' on this amendment.

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