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THE CRISIS TODAY #2 Vets seek better health care; Say budget falls short June 30, 1999Dear Colleague: From coast to coast and border to border, our Nations’ veterans are calling on Congress to provide significantly increased funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and especially for veterans health care. VETERANS FUNDING – "We must send a message to the power brokers in Washington that veterans need adequate health care," said Ken Warr, a Vietnam veteran and supervisor of the national service office for Disabled American Veterans in Los Angeles. The protest at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Center this past Memorial Day weekend was part of a nationwide effort by Disabled American Veterans to persuade Congress to provide more funds for veterans’ health care in the budget for next year. The group provides services to disabled veterans and their families. At Sunday’s protest, veterans said they were not protesting the care at Pettis Memorial hospital. They say the hospital’s staff does all it can do on a tight budget. Rather, they said, they are tired of a federal government that is neglecting veterans. And the problem will get worse, they say, as medical costs go up and veterans age. Clarence Huckaby, 75, of Loma Linda, said he was shot by German soldiers in France during World War II. He has worn a brace on his left leg since 1944. "I’ve gotten anything I’ve needed here (at the Loma Linda VA center)," Huckaby said. "But the politicians don’t care about veterans. Every time I turn around, they’re cutting something." Mike Bowman, 50, of Riverside, seeks treatments at the Loma Linda facility for a variety of conditions, including diabetes, which developed during his 20 years in the Marines. Bowman said veterans’ health care has not kept pace with medical advances in the rest of the industry. "The VA simply can’t afford it," he said. Source: The San Bernardino (CA) Press Enterprise, 5/31/99; By Jeremy Berzon (excerpts)
THE CATASTROPHE TOMORROW -- The following facts, unfortunately, speak for themselves. House VA-HUD-Independent Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee (Discretionary Spending In Billions of Dollars)
If Congress truly honors the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans, it will increase the FY 00 discretionary spending appropriation for VA to fully offset current shortfalls in VA health care funding and continuing increases in the cost of health care. Our Nation’s veterans deserve no less. Sincerely, LANE EVANS |