Issue Position: Prescription Drugs & Medicare

Issue Position

I have been an outspoken critic of the minimalist Department of Veterans Affairs funding in the 108th Congress. This shabby treatment of our veterans is intolerable. Our veterans are truly the best of the best and we must promise them that we will honor their service with appreciation, compassion and respect. They should not have to come begging at our doorstop year after year.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have been a Member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. During the 106th I served as the Ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. I presided over twenty hearing on issues relating to veterans services, health care and VA's readiness for the new millennium. Also while Ranking Member, I called the first hearing since 1994 on issues concerning women veterans. In 2002, I received the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC, and a "Legislative Leadership Award" from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

I currently serve on both the Health and Benefits Subcommittees. During the 108th Congress, I have been vocal against the veterans disability tax (also known as concurrent receipt). Congress should fully fund concurrent receipt. It's the right thing to do. We owe it to the soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines, who have served as source of pride in our nation, to fully fund the retirement that they have earned without penalizing them because they are also disabled. I believe that the full funding of concurrent receipt would be a good first step in showing veterans the respect and care they have earned through their years of sacrifice and service.

I am an ardent supporter of mandatory funding for veterans health. During my 12 years in Congress I have fought for sufficient funding for VA health care. My concerns are growing. The White House put government agencies on notice in June of 2004 that if President Bush is reelected, his budget for 2006 may include spending cuts for virtually all agencies in charge of domestic programs. This is very scary for all agencies that manage discretionary programs and an even greater reason for mandatory funding of VA health care. Making VA health care mandatory would authorize funding sufficient to cover the expenses of the program, and the funding would not be subject to varying amounts in the budget each year. Our veterans would not have to continually fight for health care dollars. This would also eliminate the year-to-year uncertainty about funding levels that prevent VA from being able to adequately plan for and meet the constantly growing number of veterans seeking treatment.

I am very pleased that Florida's Central Market, which has the largest workload gap and the greatest infrastructure investment need of any market in the United States, will be receiving a new hospital as a result of CARES. There are 380,000 veterans in Central Florida. Orlando is the logical choice for a new hospital. The new hospital will be located on top of the existing VA outpatient clinic near Baldwin Park. This will be a big difference in many veterans' lives because currently more than 50 percent of them must travel 60 miles or one hour to the nearest VA facility. This is a problem that is finally being addressed.

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