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WILL CONGRESS REINSTATE VA HEALTHCARE FOR

PRIORITY GROUP 8 VETERANS? -- Not if Senator

Larry Craig has his way. Craig plays "new" vets

against "old" vets in effort to undermine

Senate budget resolution.

 

 

On January 17, 2003, the VA stopped enrolling Priority Group 8 veterans.

That move was made to save money.

In 2005 alone, more than 260,000 veterans, who by law should be receiving VA healthcare, were turned away.  That story here...
 http://www.vawatchdog.org/housecvademsnews/
housecvademsnews01-24-06.htm

Now, in the Senate budget resolution passed on March 23, 2007, the VA could open the doors once again to Priority Group 8 vets.

But, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), Ranking Minority Member on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, doesn't want that to happen.

And, Craig is using the oldest and dirtiest political trick in the book...he's playing veteran against veteran.

Craig claims that if "old" vets are allowed back into the system, "new" vets will end up waiting in line.

This is an outright distortion.  We all know that the "new" vets get priority care at the VA and will continue to be first in line.

And, if Craig and other members of Congress had adequately funded the VA, Priority Group 8 vets never would have been cut off.

Craig, by playing vet against vet, has shown that he is morally and intellectually unfit to sit on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, or, for that matter, to even be a Member of Congress.

Note the revolting graphic Craig included in his latest press release...wheelchairs waiting in line for care.

If anyone waits in line at the VA, it is the fault of Craig and his fellow Members of Congress who have continually under-funded VA healthcare.

Craig press release here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/scva07/scva032207-1.htm

Craig press release below:

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REPUBLICAN PRESS RELEASE

March 23, 2007

CRAIG WARNS FUNDING PLAN COULD HURT RETURNING TROOPS

“We must not put our war wounded in longer lines for care,” Craig says

Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Larry Craig, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today thanked his colleagues for their efforts to help America’s warriors. But at the same time he issued a strong warning about the latest budget resolution passed today by the Senate.

"This is not about the quantity of money. This is about how they plan to spend the money that worries me," Craig said. "I am absolutely committed to providing the highest quality of care to our veterans. I've supported a 70 percent increase in VA medical care funding since President Bush took office. I've spoken frequently about not sparing any expense when it comes to getting the highest quality of care to our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and veterans with service-connected disabilities."

"But what I see in this resolution put forward by Democrats has me deeply concerned. It may harm the care provided to the very veterans who are our number one priority – our combat wounded."

Craig noted that under the budget resolution, VA’s health care system will be expected to be reopened to upper income veterans – those with no service connected disabilities – at a time when veterans in serious need are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"All I've been hearing from the Democrats for the last two years is how we must not make our veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan wait in lines for mental health care, traumatic brain injury treatment, or other specialty care. I agree. That is why their proposal puzzles me," said Craig, the top Republican on the veterans’ committee.

"Where is the sense of priority here? It's like we're trying to keep a ship afloat by pouring tons of water onto the deck. It doesn’t make sense. If everyone is a priority, then no one is a priority. We must not put our war wounded in longer lines for care."

Craig noted that four years ago, just as the nation was preparing to go to war, then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi suspended enrollment to those who were financially stable and who had no disabilities caused by their military service.

"At that time the Secretary warned us that we have a responsibility to ensure we have the capacity to treat men and women who may be disabled. This resolution assumes implementation of a policy that would break the trust that needs to be there for our men and women now returning from combat," Craig said.

There are 24 million veterans alive today and of those, 5.3 million currently use the VA health care system.

"There has been zero discussion about the long-term consequences of the Democrats proposal of opening up the system to every veteran. I’m afraid veterans with service connected injuries who need VA care, as well as taxpayers, will fall victim to the law of unintended consequences if, as I suspect, millions of veterans show up for care at VA hospitals which will soon be overwhelmed by the Democrats proposal," Craig said.

Senator Craig has proposed legislation – the Veterans Health Care Empowerment Act (S. 815) – which would allow veterans with service connected disabilities to receive treatment from the hospital or medical clinic of their choice.

"We need to ensure veterans get the top health care in a timely way. If some policies assumed in this resolution are adopted, there will be an even stronger reason for passing the Veterans Health Care Empowerment Act," Craig said.

"Frankly if the Democrats don’t have the courage to say who can’t come in, then I believe it is necessary to say who can get out."

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Larry Scott  --