House Passes Hare's Bill Honoring Disabled American Veterans
House Passes Hare's Bill Honoring Disabled American Veterans
The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 995, a bill introduced by Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) to extend the authorization of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial (http://www.avdlm.com/) until 2015.
Extending the memorial's charter will allow the necessary time to raise private resources and navigate the approval process required to bring the memorial to Washington, DC. Authorization for the memorial is set to expire in October.
"There are more than 3 million disabled veterans living today, and millions of veterans from past and future conflicts who will be honored by this long overdue memorial," said Hare, a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "A structure alone cannot repay the sacrifice of those wounded in battle, but it is my hope that a memorial will serve as a shining reminder of the debt we owe them."
Hare praised Lois Pope, chair of the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, who has led the efforts to establish the memorial since 1996 and Congressmen Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Dennis Moore (D-KS), who are working to make sure the memorial is fully funded and dedicated by 2010.
In light of the recent scandal at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Hare said he was happy to provide disabled veterans with a bit of good news, even if it is symbolic. "No memorial is a substitute for providing America's disabled veterans with the quality care they deserve," he added. "The deplorable conditions at Walter Reed are a national disgrace, and I will use my appointment to the House Veterans Affairs Committee to fully investigate any wrongdoing and demand that every American veteran is treated with the utmost dignity."
On Thursday, Hare will participate in a Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on the importance of providing our servicemen and women with a seamless transition from military to civilian life. "Many of our wounded soldiers that endured the horrid conditions at Walter Reed were waiting to be transferred into the care of the VA," Hare said. "Whatever allowed these brave men and women to get caught in bureaucratic limbo must be fixed immediately."
Hare said he will continue to fight for a budget that honors the sacrifice of our veterans. "The President's proposed budget actually cuts VA health care in Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010 and freezes funding thereafter," Hare said. "With thousands of new veterans expected to return from battle over the next several years, we should be increasing our investment in their care, not cutting back."
http://hare.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=59725