America’s Veterans Deserve Quality Medical Care

March 9, 2007, Recent news stories have raised serious concerns about the quality of care received by wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Investigations show that wounded soldiers returning from overseas have been housed in appalling surroundings and become tangled in red tape when seeking the medical care due to them.

The disgraceful situation has given rise to larger questions about military health care facilities across the nation and has led to a call for inspections at 11 other military hospitals, including Fort Campbell’s Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.

The officials in charge of Walter Reed have promised that necessary steps will be taken to ensure that this situation does not occur again. We must also make sure that similar problems are eliminated at active duty and VA facilities around the country. It is wrong for us to ask members of our military to put themselves in harm’s way overseas and then ignore them when they return.

Supporting our troops also means supporting them when they come home. Part of attracting the best young men and women to enlist in the military is fulfilling the promises made to others who have served. If a young person hears about the shoddy treatment veterans are getting at Walter Reed and other active duty or VA facilities, it is less likely that person will volunteer to serve.

But as the Walter Reed investigation shows, proper care for our veterans doesn’t always come as promised, and the situation won’t change if VA programs continue to be underfunded. Just last month, the administration shamefully submitted a budget proposal that underfunds VA health care needs in 2008 by $1.3 billion and actually calls for a reduction in VA funding in 2009.

We have to put our money where our mouths are when it comes to supporting troops by supporting the veterans as well. Already, more than 3,200 active duty service members and veterans from the war on terrorism have sought care from VA facilities in Tennessee. In total, more than 532,000 veterans call Tennessee home.

That’s why I have supported bills that would end chronic underfunding of health care for veterans and would ensure that military retirees can draw the retirement and disability that is due to them. And I will continue to support those efforts.

We ask the men and women of the military to leave everything behind to fight for our country. For that sacrifice and service, we owe our veterans the absolute best health care and facilities.

For too long, veterans have received inadequate mental health care and little or no long-term care. For too long, our veterans have endured excessive waits to see doctors. And for far too long, the VA budget has been underfunded.

As long as men and women are wearing the uniform of this nation, this government has an obligation to honor its promises to them. I will continue to work to ensure our veterans and military retirees receive the health care and benefits they were promised. They have fought bravely for us, and I will keep fighting for them.