FOR RELEASE:  November 12, 2002

BUSH CHALLENGED TO HONOR HIS COMMITMENT
TO THE NATION’S VETERANS
Veterans’ Leader in Congress Calls on President to Provide $29.5 Billion for Veterans Medical Programs in Fiscal Year 2004

Washington, DC -- Congressman Lane Evans, the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, today called on the President to fulfill the commitment he made to veterans during ceremonies held for Veterans Day yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.   

In a letter, Evans urged President Bush to add billions of dollars to the veterans health system that he indicated was overwhelmed by veterans’ demand for service.  

“During your remarks at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday you stated, ‘America must, and will, keep its word to those men and women who have given us so much. Veterans have been promised good health care when they are sick and disabled; they must be treated with fairness and respect.’  Mr. President that commitment must be more than words,” said Evans.  

Although Congress has not yet made its final funding decisions for fiscal year 2003 which began the first of October, the Administration is already considering the budget it will submit to Congress for fiscal year 2004.  The 2004 budget now being developed by the Administration will be proposed in early 2003. 

Evans said his request was based on the funding required to enact H.R. 5250, the Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2002, introduced by House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Christopher H. Smith.  H.R. 5250, supported by several major veterans’ service organizations, would require Congress to fund the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with “mandatory funds,” increasing or decreasing the amount annually in accordance with changes in the health care inflation rate and in the beneficiary population.   

In addition, Evans suggested that the Administration request funding to enable VA to reduce veteran waiting times for medical care and appointments.  Almost 300,000 veterans are currently experiencing long waits of several months for first-time appointments or for necessary follow-up care with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).   Evans also called on the President to restore $400 million to VHA’s mental health programs and add $32 million to allow VA to fully implement recently enacted homeless veterans’ legislation. 

The Illinois lawmaker also requested the President fully fund the recommendations made through the Capital Assets Restructuring for Enhanced Services (CARES) process.  While VA has only completed its recommendations for one of VA’s 21 networks, Evans believes significant funding will be required by VA for major construction projects recommended by the CARES process due to be completed in the Fall of 2004.  For only one network, VA estimated it would invest $300 million of which Congress has approved only $40 million to date.  System critics have indicated that VA has too long ignored the costs of maintaining its vast infrastructure.  Evans indicated that VA should use the first funding increment to shore up facilities that may compromise patient and staff safety and threaten VA’s accreditation with quality organizations.   

Evans encouraged President Bush to stay true to his word about honoring veterans.   “As you so eloquently said yesterday, ‘America must, and will, keep its word to those men and women who have given us so much.’  Mr. President, the time to make good on our commitment to veterans is now,” Evans said.

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