Moran Opposes Policy Change For Injured Veterans

Statement

Congressman Jerry Moran joined members of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in opposing the Obama administration's plan to charge veterans' private insurance for care related to service-connected injuries. Moran is a senior member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

"Commitments should be kept to those who have sacrificed to protect our country," Moran said. "It is the wrong approach to bill veterans for the care they deserve after sustaining a service injury. Congress has a responsibility to make sure veterans continue to receive the benefits and services they have earned- without a bill attached."
Moran joined the following House members in this effort: Rep. John Boehner (OH); Rep. Eric Cantor (VA); Rep. Mike Pence (IN); Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA); Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (MI); Rep. Steve Buyer (IN); Rep. Cliff Stearns (FL): Rep. Henry E. Brown, Jr. (SC); Rep. Jeff Miller (FL); Rep. John Boozman; (AR); Rep. Brian Bilbray (CA); Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO); Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (FL); Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL); Rep. David P. Roe (TN).

The below letter was signed by Members and sent to President Obama:

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to express our profound disappointment over news reports that your Administration is considering a proposal to breach a solemn obligation to our nation's veterans who have courageously fought for our freedom. If true, the proposal under consideration would permit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ignore its core responsibility to provide health care services to our men and women who have a service related disability. We recognize much work needs to be done to improve access to health care services for veterans; however, turning our backs on our veterans by shifting the burden to private health care insurers for their disability-related health care is the wrong policy course.

In his second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln uttered the immortal words, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." These words are engraved at the entrance of the VA in Washington D.C. They remind us of the Department's mission on behalf of a grateful nation for the men and women who have served in military uniform, particularly for those who have become disabled as a result of their service. Since colonial times, our forebearers have recognized this moral responsibility of civil government.

We adamantly oppose any attempt to shift this responsibility to private insurers and veterans themselves. We intend to protect and honor the service of our highest priority veterans by appropriating the resources necessary for their care.

We hope you will not go forward with this ill-conceived plan and will assure our service-disabled veterans that your Administration is committed to meeting its obligations to them.

Sincerely,

Source