McCollum Stands with America's Veterans

McCollum Stands with America's Veterans
Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Dear Friends:

As the heroic men and women of the armed forces return from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, they and their families will need our help. Many have endured physical and mental challenges that require additional assistance from the Department of Defense or the VA.

Tragically, the VA is not prepared for the influx of new veterans from the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Washington Post recently published an article which described the challenges facing the VA in handling the new influx of wounded veterans and the severe budgetary restraints they face. A copy of this article is attached to my letter. Sadly, the House has yet to pass the Fiscal Year 2005 (FY05) Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill and the new fiscal year began on October 1st.

Severe budgetary restraints at the VA have also affected access to mental health. The Government Accountability Office (GOA), in a new report, stated that the "VA lacks the information it needs to determine whether it can meet an increase in demand for VA PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)". This report is available at the GAO website.

I believe we should provide more funding for VA health care. That is why on Tuesday, I signed a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation to increase the FY05 veterans healthcare funds. This legislation would increase veterans healthcare funds by $1.3 billion over the $30.8 billion level contained in the House's FY05 Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. I hope all my colleagues will sign the petition.

Please know I remain committed to providing the VA with the resources and tools they need to end the backlogs and provide for all our veterans. This is a promise that I will not break. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this issue or any other issue.

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum