Giving Veterans a Lift
Giving Veterans a Lift
I know first hand the quality care and important services provided by our U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals in Iowa. The medical centers in Iowa City, Des Moines and Knoxville have given first rate care to Iowa soldiers throughout the 20th century and continue to today.
Unfortunately, the trip to these hospitals can be hundreds of miles for veterans living in the rural areas of our state. That distance can take an especially heavy toll on veterans that are older or infirm.
To help care for veterans closer to where they live, the VA is scheduled to open new community-based outpatient clinics in six communities around the state. Clinics are expected to open in Carroll, Marshalltown, Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa, Shenandoah and Spirit Lake over the next few years.
To further ease the travel burden on these veterans, I have signed on as a cosponsor of the VetsRide Act. This bill would make grants of up to $50,000 available to state Veterans Service Officers and Veterans Service Organizations that provide transportation to VA medical centers or otherwise help veterans in rural areas receive care.
Currently, many veterans service groups have some sort of a transportation program in place. But, they are often ad hoc arrangements without consistent and reliable funding systems. That means veterans who rely on these services can be left without a ride if the funding stream dries up.
The VetRide Act is a relatively small investment, $3 million a year to fund programs across the country, that can make a big difference in the lives of veterans by making sure a reliable ride is ready to take them to get the care they need.
And, it further demonstrates our commitment to making sure that the soldiers, sailors and airmen that have protected America's interests throughout history have access to and receive the best possible care.
Congress is also in the process of funding the entire veterans health system through the annual appropriations process. I'm working with my colleagues in Congress to make sure the system has the money it needs to take care of older soldiers who are needing the VA's services more and more, as well as new veterans who are returning from the frontlines in the war on terrorism.
From the inpatient hospitals in Des Moines, Iowa City, Sioux Falls and Omaha to the planned outpatient facilities across the state, I will continue to work to make sure that the VA healthcare system is able meet all our veterans' needs.
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