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U.S.
Senator Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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For Immediate
Release May 11, 2006 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-455-7600 Andrew Nannis – Press Secretary 202-224-5852 |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – From his seat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, United States Senator Ken Salazar today joined his colleagues on the Committee to work to improve the VA health care system. Included in the hearing was a discussion of Senator Salazar’s Rural Veterans Health Care Act which he introduced earlier this year. At that hearing, Senator Salazar received a commitment from the VA that the Department would work with the Senator and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee to improve the way the VA serves rural veterans. In his opening statement Senator Salazar said, “I want to extend my gratitude to the Chairman and Ranking Member for including my Rural Veterans’ Care Act as part of today’s agenda. This legislation is based on many of the findings from last year’s field hearing in Grand Junction, Colorado, where I heard about the challenges many rural veterans in my state face in obtaining the care they have earned… “The bill would take a series of steps to enhance the VA’s ability to deliver care to rural veterans – by helping veterans get to and from existing facilities, exploring ways to bring VA health care services to their communities and homes, and improving the quality of care they receive. Most importantly, it will ensure VA’s policies are sufficiently focused on the needs of rural veterans by creating a new position within the department – an Assistant Secretary for Rural Veterans.” Senator Salazar’s complete opening statement can be found below; more information on Sen. Salazar’s Rural Veterans Health Care Act can be found by clicking here. Opening Statement of United States Senator Ken Salazar before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee May 11, 2006
Thank you, Chairman Craig and Senator Akaka for holding today’s hearing. The VA health care system is a critical component both of our government’s obligation to veterans and of our nation’s healthcare system as a whole. The legislation we will consider today is important in a number of respects. We will not only be discussing ideas for specific ways we can improve the way we deliver care to veterans. We will be talking about the fundamental shape and nature of the VA healthcare system, and whether and how to take it in exciting new directions. Given the very real fiscal constraints we know we will face in the coming years, we will need to make difficult decisions about how to weigh the health care needs of our veterans against a myriad of other important federal programs. Today’s hearing will lay the groundwork for many of those decisions, and I am honored by the opportunity to participate. I want to extend my gratitude to the Chairman and Ranking Member for including my Rural Veterans’ Care Act as part of today’s agenda. This legislation is based on many of the findings from last year’s field hearing in Grand Junction, Colorado, where I heard about the challenges many rural veterans in my state face in obtaining the care they have earned. A 2004 VA study of 750,000 found that veterans living in rural areas are in poorer health than their urban counterparts. Because of the distance and other difficulties associated with obtaining care, many rural veterans put off preventive as well as necessary treatment, which results in poorer health and increased health expenditures. Despite the fact that 23 percent of the nation’s veterans live in rural areas, the VA does not have a high-level office responsible for coordinating care to this vital constituency. The bill would take a series of steps to enhance the VA’s ability to deliver care to rural veterans – by helping veterans get to and from existing facilities, exploring ways to bring VA health care services to their communities and homes, and improving the quality of care they receive. Most importantly, it will ensure VA’s policies are sufficiently focused on the needs of rural veterans by creating a new position within the department – an Assistant Secretary for Rural Veterans. I want to especially thank my friend and colleague Senator Thune for his work on this legislation. Much like in my state of Colorado, many veterans in South Dakota live in rural communities, and I am proud to join John in working to address their needs. Thank you also to Senator Akaka, Senator Murray, and Senator Burr, all of whom are original cosponsors. I look forward to discussing the provisions of our bill in further detail at today’s hearing, and to hearing from the Chairman, the VA, and representatives of our nation’s veterans’ service organizations about their suggestions and ideas. I also look forward to discussing the other proposals on the agenda for today’s hearing. I know both Senator Akaka and Senator Craig have a number of ideas for ways to improve and streamline the VA healthcare system in fields ranging from prosthetics research to mental health services to Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. So, again, thank you Chairman Craig and Senator Akaka for holding this hearing, and thank you to the panelists for their willingness to be at the table for this important discussion. I look forward to a productive and provocative hearing. ###
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