Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2005
VETERANS' COMPENSATION COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2005 -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 14, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. GENE GREEN
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2005
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support for this bill, but also to voice my concerns with the Leadership and Administration's handling of other veterans' issues. This bill is recognized by members on both sides of the aisle as necessary to ensure veterans' compensation is adjusted regularly each year to keep up with inflation and other market trends by linking the increase to that of the Social Security COLA, which is based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.
This is a common-sense approach to ensure veterans' compensation keeps pace with the cost of living. It would make sense then that a similar approach would be taken using an appropriate formula to determine funding levels for other programs such as VA healthcare. Instead, House Leadership has refused to move legislation for the last three Congresses to reform the discretionary budget-appropriations process for VA healthcare, and the result is the current funding crisis that the VA is experiencing.
Less than two weeks after first telling Congress it could ride out the fiscal year with inadequate funding, then reversing and asking for $975 million in supplemental funds, the Administration admitted this week that it needs yet another $300 million to take care of veterans' health care needs through September. Had this House followed the Senate's lead and appropriated $1.5 million in emergency VA funding, we would have already covered the second shortfall just recently acknowledged by the White House, and the VA would have the funds to resume providing healthcare to our Nation's veterans.
Instead, while the differing supplemental measures wait to be reconciled, more than 50,000 veterans await health care appointments, clinical positions across the VA are not being filled, VA hospitals are deferring critical equipment purchases, there are shortages of medical supplies in some locations and the number of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan seeking services at VA hospitals continues to rise.
The 2006 budget request was similarly short. What is even more troubling is that funding for veterans' health care beyond 2007 is cut significantly below the amount needed merely to account for inflation.
In a recent letter to House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer, the directors of nine Veterans' Service Organizations pointed out that VA employees in VA facilities are denying and rationing care to tens of thousands of fully eligible veterans, even those with service-connected disabilities, serious chronic illnesses and deteriorating health.
These organizations also stated that veterans are being told they are not eligible for nursing home care when they are absolutely eligible by law. They are told that visits to VA and contract mental health practitioners must be limited to one visit per month irrespective of diagnosis or intensity of need. Veterans are told they cannot be seen for routine physical examinations or preventive visits because they are not ``authorized'' to receive such care. Veterans are told if they fail to appear for scheduled appointments, they will be dropped from VA rolls altogether and must re-apply for enrollment from the back of the line. While forcing untold numbers of veterans to wait unconscionable periods, VA denies the existence of a waiting list.
Mr. Speaker, this is deplorable. If the VA cannot provide healthcare to the veterans currently needing care, how can they take care of the men and women coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan requiring care?
I urge the Veterans' Affairs Committee and the House Leadership to take steps to address this problem so that we are not faced with similar problems in the future. Our veterans have served their country bravely and deserve better than this.
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