Letter to The Honorable Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Letter

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki in support of the expansion of the new VA Health Care Center in Harlingen to include an inpatient health care facility:

"Far South Texas has one of the highest per capita levels of veterans in the entire nation, and the VA has estimated that more than 117,000 veterans reside in this region. These veterans demonstrate a high demand for VA health care services, yet their inpatient needs are not being met by the existing VA facilities," Sen. Cornyn wrote.

"The brave veterans of Far South Texas have risked their lives to preserve the precious freedom of their fellow Americans, and in return we have a solemn obligation to honor their service and sacrifice by providing the full range of health care services they need, including full-service VA inpatient care."

Sen. Cornyn and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison have introduced the Meeting the Inpatient Health Care Needs of Far South Texas Veterans Act (S. 369), which directs the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs to incorporate a full-service inpatient health care facility into the existing VA center in Harlingen.

The full text of Sen. Cornyn's letter is below:

August 30, 2012
The Honorable Eric Shinseki
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420
Dear Secretary Shinseki:

I write in support of the addition of a full-service Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient health care facility at the VA Health Care Center in Harlingen, Texas.

Far South Texas has one of the highest per capita levels of veterans in the entire nation, and the VA has estimated that more than 117,000 veterans reside in this region. These veterans demonstrate a high demand for VA health care services, yet their inpatient needs are not being met by the existing VA facilities. As additional veterans from the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan return home, the need for VA inpatient services will only grow in the coming years.

While I am pleased the VA has expanded the overall health care services in the region, I strongly believe more must be done to properly care for those veterans in Far South Texas who need VA inpatient health care. To that end, I urge you expand the VA Health Care Center in Harlingen to include a full-service VA inpatient health care facility. In addition, as the VA reviews and prioritizes projects through the Strategic Capital Investment Planning process prior to submission of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget request, I ask you to ensure that the addition of an inpatient facility in Harlingen is made a high priority.

The brave veterans of Far South Texas have risked their lives to preserve the precious freedom of their fellow Americans, and in return we have a solemn obligation to honor their service and sacrifice by providing the full range of health care services they need, including full-service VA inpatient care.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your service to our nation's veterans.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

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