DAV Action Alert---VA Funding Crisis!

[Gimpy]

DAV Action Alert
Got this in my E-mail this morning!

Time to start e-mailing, writing and/or calling your Senators & Congresspersons!

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Action Alert

House Appropriations Committee Bill Inadequate to Cover VA Health Care Costs
Please Write to Your Representative Today!







According to the House Appropriations Committee, the FY 2004 VA-HUD appropriations bill provides for a "$1.4 billion increase over last year and approximately the President's request." This increase is wholly inadequate to provide health care to sick and disabled veterans, and represents a flagrant disregard to promises made to veterans by this Congress to increase health care appropriations by $1.8 billion above the President?s request. Therefore, we ask you to call on your Representative to return the VA-HUD bill to the Appropriations committee for further consideration.

The Joint Explanatory Statement on the FY 2004 budget resolution states that the ?Conference Agreement provides for discretionary BA [budget authority] of $29.96 billion for fiscal year 2004, an increase of $3.4 billion, or 12.9 percent ? nearly all of which is expected to be for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical programs.? According to VA, as of June 13, there were 134,287 veterans on waiting lists nationally. Over 51,000 veterans are waiting at least six months for their appointment, and nearly 83,000 are waiting for their first clinic appointment to be scheduled. This is certainly the wrong signal to send to America?s 25 million veterans. It is also a very sad message to send to the millions of American men and women serving on the front lines in Afghanistan, Iraq, in this country, and around the world, to say this Congress has little care or respect for their present and future needs.

The Independent Budget recommended a $3.3 billion increase for medical care. As the budget process has moved forward this year, not without considerable contention over VA funding, there has been a general acknowledgement that veterans? health care must receive an increase of this magnitude in appropriated dollars in order to meet its responsibilities. Providing a wholly inadequate $1.4 billion increase calls into question all of the press releases we have read, and news conferences we have attended touting this Congress? level of commitment to the men and women who have served this Nation.

As always, thank you for your support.


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This SECOND URGENT message came this afternoon!

Action Alert

House Rule Needed to Prevent Potentially Disastrous Medical Care Appropriations Bill
Please Write to Your Member of the Rules Committee Today!







On July 21, 2003, the House Appropriations Committee marked up an appropriations bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs and other Federal agencies for fiscal year 2004, which begins on October 1, 2003. In the bill, the Committee provided funding for veterans? medical care in an amount that is $2.2 billion below the amount earlier agreed upon by both the House and the Senate in the budget resolution. This lower funding will be disastrous for the VA medical care system, which is already severely strained due to inadequate funding in the current and past years.

A House member can offer an amendment to increase the amount for veterans? medical care only if the rule that sets the terms of debate of the bill on the House floor permits such an amendment. If permitted by the rule, Congressman Chet Edwards (D. Tex.) will offer an amendment to add $2.2 billion to the veterans? medical care appropriation. We therefore need to press members of the Rules Committee to adopt such a rule. Use the prepared e-mail to write your member of the House Rules Committee today.

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Below is the copy of my letter to my Congressman.
You can get a copy of this prepared letter and have it fowarded to YOUR Congressman by visiting the DAV web site.

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VA Funding Crisis

Representative Michael Bilirakis

Dear Congressman Bilirakis,

I write to you as a member of the House Committee on Rules regarding a
matter of great importance to veterans. The bill making appropriations
for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other agencies, marked
up
by the Appropriations Committee on July 21, 2003, would provide $2.2
billion less for veterans? medical care in fiscal year 2004 than the
amount set by the concurrent budget resolution. Because of a serious
mismatch between funding and demand, the VA medical care system is
already
in a state of crisis in which sick and disabled veterans must sometimes
wait for months to be seen in a VA clinic, with other veterans being
turned away from VA?s doors altogether. Inadequate funding again in FY
2004 will be disastrous for veterans and the VA system.

There is strong support in the House for an amendment to restore this
$2.2
billion to the appropriation for veterans? medical care. It is our
understanding that Congressman Chet Edwards will offer an amendment for
this purpose, provided the rule for this bill permits such an
amendment.
On behalf of this Nation?s veterans, I therefore write to strongly urge
your Committee to report a rule that will permit Congressman Edwards?
amendment to add $2.2 billion to the appropriation for veterans?
medical
care.

Thank you for your consideration. Please let me know whether I can
count
on your support on this matter.

Sincerely,


Steve Johnson
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Alright guys and gals---let's get off our collective & INDIVIDUAL asses and start writing!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gimpy]

ACTION ALERT from the DAV this afternoon.

This post has had absolutely NO response from the good folks on this forum except for Lil Sis (sparrow)----FOR GOD'S SAKE PEOPLE if you are concerned at all about veterans and their EARNED health care & benefits-----GET OFF YOUR BUTTS and write your congressman or woman---this is coming up for a vote on this friday!!!!

Thanks in advance,

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Action Alert

VA Health Care Funding At Risk
Please Contact Your Member of Congress TODAY!







According to the House Appropriations Committee, the FY 2004 VA-HUD appropriations bill provides for a $1.4 billion increase over last year. This increase is wholly inadequate to provide health care to sick and disabled veterans, and represents a flagrant disregard to promises made to veterans by the House Leadership and this Congress to increase health care appropriations by about $2 billion above the President?s request.

Please use the prepared e-mail to write to your member of Congress and urge him or her to vote against this appropriations bill unless the promised increase is included. The vote on this crucial matter is expected as early as Friday, July 25, 2003. Therefore, it is crucial that you contact your Representative today either by e-mail or the phone.

As always, thank you for your continued support.


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[Gimpy]

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[Gimpy]

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