DAV: CONGRESS MAY WALK AWAY FROM VETERANS' LEGISLATION

CONGRESS MAY WALK AWAY FROM FROM VETERANS’ LEGISLATION

AN OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESS FROM THE DAV

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader Boehner, and Minority Leader McConnell:

As National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), I am writing to express grave concern over the lack of progress on a number of bills vitally important to the health care of America’s veterans. Although the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees have held dozens of hearings and marked up numerous bills, several of which have been passed by the House or the Senate, the Congress has failed to reach agreement and approve the great majority of these bills. There are now troubling reports that the House and Senate may not reach any further agreements this year, thereby allowing these vital measures to die at the end of the 110th Congress, which is rapidly drawing to a close. On behalf of DAV’s 1.3 million members, and with overwhelming support from the American people, veteran and non-veteran alike, we ask for your personal commitment to take action this year to support better health care for injured, sick and disabled veterans.

While we greatly appreciate all that this Congress has done to support veterans, including approving record increases in funding for veterans health care and a historic new GI Bill for veterans, we would be deeply disappointed if vital authorizing legislation concerning traumatic brain injury (TBI), mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, women veterans, family caregiver assistance and a number of other issues was allowed to die due to the failure of Congress to reach agreement. These pending measures would significantly enhance the health care of sick, injured and disabled veterans, particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and we respectfully ask that you use your position as leaders in the House and Senate to stand up for veterans, reach agreement between the House and Senate, and enact these measures this year. In particular, let me highlight a few of the most important bills and provisions that remain unfinished.

Post-Deployment Mental Health Issues, including Substance Abuse.

Both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs have approved important legislation (H.R. 5554 and S. 2162) to strengthen mental health programs, including very important provisions to address the growing problems related to PTSD and substance abuse. These bills contain provisions to ensure a full continuum of substance abuse services is accessible and available to the veterans who need them, improve access to post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, improve our understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder and other postdeployment mental health issues through research, and authorize a pilot program to provide veterans with internet access to post-traumatic stress disorder self-care. Congress needs to resolve differences in these two important bills expediently so final approval can be achieved before adjournment.

Women Veterans Health Care, including Mental Health Services.

Historic legislation was introduced in the House (H.R. 4107) and the Senate (S. 2799) to improve access to health care for women veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and better ensure sensitive care for their gender-specific needs. Hearings were held by both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Senate Committee subsequently included provisions from S. 2799 within S. 2969, which was reported by the Committee to the full Senate; however, the House Committee has not taken action. We understand that the two Committees are discussing these provisions and ask that you encourage them to agree on this vital legislation to support the growing number of women veterans.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

We applaud Congress for including the Wounded Warrior Act provisions within the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act of 2008; however, there remains much more to be done, especially in terms of recognizing and treating mild and moderate TBI. A recent RAND report on the “Invisible Wounds of War” estimates that 320,000 veterans of current deployments have mild brain injuries, yet only a handful of these (between 2,000-3,000) have been appropriately referred for care. Congress must move forward with legislation to ensure a system-wide approach to recognize, treat, manage and provide surveillance on care for the consequences of moderate and mild traumatic brain injuries. DAV has shared a proposal with the Veterans’ Affairs Committees to meet this need. There have also been several bills introduced in the 110th Congress that would make progress towards this goal, including H.R. 2179 (to establish TBI Centers within VA), S. 1349 (requiring VA to develop protocols for detection and screening for TBI), H.R. 1944 (requiring VA to develop screening and treatment programs, a TBI transition office and a TBI registry) and H.R. 2201 (to establish a Committee on Care for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury).

Assistance for Family Caregivers of Severely Disabled Veterans.

The President’s Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors recommended several ideas to assist those family members who are integral to the care of severely wounded veterans. H.R. 6439, approved by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, would authorize VA to provide counseling to family members of veterans receiving non-service connected care and S. 2921, approved by the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, would provide training, education and certification for family caregivers of veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries. It would also authorize a pilot program for respite care for these caregivers to disabled veterans or servicemembers with such injuries. We ask you to help ensure that agreement is reached to allow these and other appropriate provisions to be approved by Congress this year.

Sufficient, Timely and Predictable Funding for Veterans Health Care.

We want to acknowledge the historic increases in funding for veterans health care in the 110th Congress; however, the appropriations act last year was almost four months late and it appears that a similar delay in approval will likely occur again this year. DAV and the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform continue to strongly support legislation (H.R. 2514 and S. 2639) to convert VA health care funding to mandatory funding. Noting the lack of progress of this legislation, the Partnership has also developed an alternative means to achieve sufficient, timely and predictable funding through an advance appropriation process. We ask for your help to reform the system for current and future generations of veterans and support introduction this year of legislation to achieve our alternative approach using advance appropriations.

Throughout the 110th Congress, DAV has focused attention on the unmet needs of this and all generations of veterans, particularly disabled veterans. We have called on Congress to “Stand Up for Veterans” by taking concrete action on a number of issues, especially those related to mental health care, traumatic brain injury, family caregivers, and veterans health care funding reform. With time running out on the 110th Congress, we respectfully ask that you jointly work with your colleagues on the other side of the aisle and the other side of the Capitol to achieve final passage of the above-referenced bills currently pending before Congress. America’s veterans never hesitated to answer the call of duty to protect their country. We ask this Congress to show the same resolve in answering the call of our veterans.

Sincerely,

Raymond E. Dempsey
National Commander

c: Chairman Daniel Akaka, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Sen. Richard Burr, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Chairman Bob Filner, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Rep. Steve Buyer, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee