On Roemer-Sanford Amendment
H.R. 2684
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Roemer-Sanford Amendment which would provide a $350 million increase for health care for our nation’s veterans. This will bring the total funding increase for VA Health Care to $2.05 billion.
This amount is almost exactly what was proposed in the additional and dissenting views offered to the Budget Committee by Democratic Members of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Roemer and Mr. Sanford for inviting me to work with them on this important amendment.
The Roemer-Sanford amendment will allow VA to make important enhancements in veterans’ health care. It will provide funding to reimburse emergency care for veterans — this will ensure veterans are not reduced to second-class citizens as other Americans benefit from a Patient Bill of Rights.
It will allow critically needed funding to shore-up long-term care and mental health programs. It will assure adequate funds to provide screening and treatment for veterans who have the Hepatitis C virus.
Veterans who served during Vietnam are at greater risk of having the Hepatitis C virus than other Americans. Yet, I have had to request VA’s Inspector General to investigate allegations that, because of underfunding, VA has to ration the screening and care it provides to our nation’s heroes with this disease.
I understand that this debate is about our priorities. I have been encouraged by the efforts I have seen from Members on both sides of the aisle. It is high time we made our veterans a high national priority. A vote for the Roemer-Sanford Amendment allows us to do this. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.