DeLauro Thanks Patients, Doctors, Nurses At West Haven VA Hospital
Press Release
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) visited the West Haven VA hospital today. She thanked patients for their service and staff for their service and continuing support of our veterans. Last week DeLauro voted to move forward with legislation funding the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"As a nation, we have an obligation to ensure that the brave men and women who serve our country have access to the medical care they need. That means mental care as well as physical. Several years ago I authored a provision--now law--that created a post-deployment mental health screening for all services. Taking care of our veterans inside and out is an essential part of the compact that binds our society together.
"I am proud to have supported legislation supporting our veterans throughout my career and oppose any measure that seeks to reduce the deficit on the backs of our veterans. The West Haven hospital in particular has been a concern and it was great to see how well the facility is doing. Secretary Shinseki and I have worked together to make sure Connecticut veterans have the most up-to-date facilities possible. The renovations underway on the inpatient facility will go a long way towards making it a more welcoming place for veterans and their families. It is the very least we can do to thank our brave service men and women for protecting our country."
The VA funding bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee last week provides $155 million for the Veterans Benefit Management System and $136 million for the Veterans Claims Intake Program. This will significantly speed up claims by converting old paper files into digital files. The VA is exempt from the deeply harmful budget cuts known as sequestration that is affecting other federal agencies.
Earlier this month, DeLauro joined Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki for the Connecticut rollout of the VA initiative to clear out the VA's claims backlog. Some veterans have waited a year or more for decisions, an unacceptably long time.
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