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SEN. LARRY CRAIG GETS IT WRONG, AGAIN -- Blasts
Sen. Patty Murray
for criticizing VA budget process. But, as
usual, Craig is wrong and
uses misleading information in attempt to
justify deliberate VA
underfunding and haphazard planning.
Sen. Larry Craig
Sen. Patty Murray
If I were Larry Craig, I would run for
cover the second Patty Murray walked into the room.
Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) is Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Sen. Patty Murray is a
Member of that Committee.
And, every time Craig blows smoke, Murray
sets the record straight.
While Craig plays political games with VA
funding, Murray gets to the truth.
The latest tiff between these two centers
around a GAO report slamming the VA for budget failures.
GAO report here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%
20newsflashes%20SEP%2006/newsflash09-21-2006-1.htm
Murray's response here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/
senatecvademsnews/senatecvademsnews09-20-06.htm
Then, Murray takes the administration and
Congress to the woodshed with this statement to the Senate...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/senatecvademsnews/senatecvademsnews09-27-06.htm
Murray's facts are right on the mark.
But, this angered Craig, and he responded
with a scathing attack on Murray.
Craig uses statistics that have little
meaning to many veterans. He says: "The percentage of
patients who report being seen within 20 minutes of scheduled
appointments at VA health care facilities has improved from 65% in 2002,
to 73% through the end of last year."
This only applies to those who can get
appointments.
Craig says: "The percentage of
primary care appointments scheduled within 30 days of the desired date
has improved from 89% in 2002, to 96% through the end of last year."
Again, this only applies to those in the
system. If a veteran is on a waiting list outside or inside the
system, this has no meaning.
Craig says: "The percentage of
specialty care appointments scheduled within 30 days of the desired date
has improved from 86% in 2002, to 93% through last year."
Again, this is only for those veterans
who have been taken off waiting lists that can last 24-36 months.
And, most VA hospitals don't track waiting lists for specialty care.
So, the statistics are bogus.
Craig also claims that VA healthcare is
the best in the country. He's right about that. IF the
veteran can get the care!
Craig's full remarks are below.
But, for some really good reading...see
Murray's remarks below that.
Sen. Murray lays out the complete VA
funding debacle and how it hurts veterans.
This is MUST reading for every veteran.
Craig's remarks here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/
senatecvanews/senatecvanews09-29-06.htm
Remarks below:
---------------
CHAIRMAN CRAIG BLASTS COMMENTS BY A COLLEAGUE
Sets the record straight on VA’s budget and
Senate oversight of Veterans Affairs Department
September 29, 2006
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093
(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Chairman of the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, gave the opening speech of the day on
the floor of the U.S. Senate Friday morning. He used the opportunity to
set the record straight on the status of funding and oversight of
operations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Below is the text
of his prepared floor statement.
A satellite feed of Sen. Craig's comments is going out today at
4:00-4:15 EASTERN/ 2:00-2:15 MOUNTAIN/ 1:00-1:15 PACIFIC. To view it
online, click: WATCH CHAIRMAN LARRY CRAIG IN ACTION To see still
pictures, click on: 2006 - Sept 29 - Chairman Craig on Senate floor
FLOOR STATEMENT OF SEN. LARRY CRAIG
Mr. President, I have sought recognition to comment on a speech that was
delivered on the floor of the Senate Wednesday by the Senator from
Washington. I have the utmost respect for my friend from Washington. She
is a valuable member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and a passionate
advocate for America's veterans. That is not in dispute and I do not
question her sincerity on that front.
I do, however, take issue with her characterization of the record of the
Bush Administration and this Republican-led Congress when it comes to
caring for America's veterans. And in my capacity as Chairman of the
Veterans' Affairs Committee, I take issue with her suggestion that the
Congress has not done its job in demanding accountability out of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
It is not surprising that a month removed from the mid-term elections,
our Democratic colleagues are levying accusations against the
Republican-led Congress that it has failed to hold the Bush
Administration accountable on a host of issues.
I have no trouble with tough oversight and accountability and finding
answers to serious problems. But to constantly suggest that the "sky is
falling", while leaving out any whiff of praise for any good that has
been accomplished is purely political, and it is a disservice to
veterans and the thousands of dedicated VA employees who care for them.
The Senator from Washington's speech regarding the VA provides a very
clear example of what I mean.
During her speech, the Senator from Washington highlighted a
recently-released GAO report that confirmed the problems VA encountered
in the formulation and execution of its budgets for fiscal years 2005
and 2006 that ultimately led to the Administration asking for
supplemental funding of $3 billion. From that report she drew her own
conclusions -- in my view, unsubstantiated conclusions -- that VA had
"misled" and even "lied" to Congress about the veracity of its budget
requests. Then she demanded accountability, as if it were non-existent.
I'm here to tell all of you that steps have and will continue to be
taken to ensure accountability.
As soon as we learned of last year's budget shortfall, I called a
hearing to get answers. The answers all of us received from VA at that
hearing, and then in subsequent oversight meetings, was what GAO
reported on. So, very little of what GAO found is new information.
More importantly, what the Senator from Washington left out of her
rendition of GAO's report was that VA had already implemented nearly all
of GAO's recommendations prior to submission of its fiscal year 2007
budget in February. Solutions to a problem were identified and
implemented long ago. Also, based on what we learned during our
oversight hearings, we required VA to submit quarterly reports on its
budget execution. We have received three such reports this year. VA
officials make themselves available to Members or staff, Republicans and
Democrats, for briefings on the report contents and any other questions
that might be asked. There is a degree of transparency in VA's budget
execution now that is unprecedented.
Furthermore, for anyone interested in learning the facts about how VA is
holding itself accountable for performance, you need not look far. Just
open up VA's budget documents and you'll see a host of performance
measures that show a degree of institutional accountability that is the
envy of other government agencies and roundly praised by independent
observers. Let me tick off a few of these performance measures and, as
I'm doing so, please be mindful of how the improvement in these areas
during the Bush years has impacted the lives of veterans:
1) The percentage of patients who report being seen within 20 minutes of
scheduled appointments at VA health care facilities has improved from
65% in 2002, to 73% through the end of last year.
2) The percentage of primary care appointments scheduled within 30 days
of the desired date has improved from 89% in 2002, to 96% through the
end of last year.
3) The percentage of specialty care appointments scheduled within 30
days of the desired date has improved from 86% in 2002, to 93% through
last year.
4) The number of veterans VA treats in non-institutional long-term care
settings has increased by 50% since 2002. And the list goes on, and on,
and on….
In 2004, the Rand Corporation examined why VA patients get better
chronic, preventive care than similar U.S. adults. The answer? Rand
concluded that VA's edge is "linked to improved information technology,
tracking of performance, and accountability."
In her speech my colleague from Washington also suggested that somehow
this administration has dropped the ball in the quality of care provided
to veterans, to include veterans of the War on
Terror. What are the facts?
Let's look at some of the recent media coverage of the Bush VA:
1) Washington Monthly, hardly a friendly critic of President Bush, had
this as its cover story in 2005: ""The Best Care Anywhere".
2) Time Magazine had this as a headline story one month ago: "How VA
Hospitals Became The Best."
3) And Business Week ran this story just three months ago: "The Best
Medical Care In The US."
What about other accomplishments on behalf of veterans that President
Bush signed into law? Let me list a few:
• With enactment of the FY07 budget, VA's health care budget will have
increased by 70 percent under President Bush.
• The GI Bill education benefit for veterans has been boosted by 65
percent, raising the lifetime benefit from $23,400 to $38,700.
• A new education program was created for members of the Guard and
Reserve activated after September 11, 2001, providing up to $30,960 in
lifetime benefits.
• The education benefit for survivors and dependents of veterans has
been increased by 46%.
• The maximum VA home loan guarantee has been increased by 107%.
• The largest expansion of the national cemetery system since the Civil
War is currently underway.
• Historic legislation was enacted to permit certain disabled veterans
to receive their disability and military retirement benefits
concurrently.
• Comprehensive legislation was enacted to update and strengthen civil
protections available to members of the Armed Forces.
• Comprehensive legislation was enacted to improve job training and
placement services for veterans.
• A new insurance program was created to provide immediate payments of
between $25,000 and $100,000 to servicemembers who have been
traumatically injured since the beginning of the War on Terror. 2,700
injured veterans have benefitted so far.
Now that is a record of accomplishment that I think this Congress and
the American public can be proud of. Are there challenges ahead?
Absolutely. And we will continue to work through those challenges for
our veterans. I want to work with all of my colleagues, especially if we
can come together on solutions that go beyond the reflexive response
that many on the other side put forward as a cure all: "more money…more
money….more money." Money is not the only answer. Sure money is part of
the equation. But, you also need strong leadership, good policy, and
accountability. These have been the hallmark of VA’s success.
I am proud of what this Congress and this President have accomplished. I
am proud of the work the Veterans' Committee has done during the last
two years. You have my commitment that the Veterans' Committee will stay
active, both in its oversight and legislative capacities. Our veterans
expect and deserve that from us. But we need to conduct ourselves in
Congress as they conducted themselves on the battlefield: united in
purpose and mission. I yield the floor.
---------------
Sen. Patty Murray's remarks here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/
senatecvademsnews/senatecvademsnews09-29-06.htm
Remarks below:
---------------
Veterans: Senator Murray Warns Again that the
Bush Administration Has NO PLAN to Care for Iraq War Veterans; Calls for
Senate Oversight
For Immediate Release:
Friday, September 29, 2006
(Washington, D.C.) -- Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash) spoke on
the Senate floor about the Bush Administration's failure to plan for
Iraqi War veterans and the need for stronger Congressional oversight of
the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA).
Two days ago, on September 27th, Murray spoke in detail about a recent
Government Accountability (GAO) report that pointed to stunning failures
by the VA. (See Murray's 9/27 speech)
Earlier today, U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) spoke on the Senate floor
about Murray's earlier remarks. (See Senator Craig's statement)
In response, Murray delivered the following speech today.
The full text of Murray's remarks follow:
Mr. President, I rise to discuss how we're doing in caring for America's
veterans. With our country at war, with 1.5 million Americans who have
served in the Global War on Terror, and with many of them coming home in
need of care – it is a critical question.
Last week, we got a shocking report from the Government Accountability
Office, which found that the VA has misled Congress about its failure to
plan for our veterans.
My Speech on Tuesday
Based on that report and other research, I came here to the Senate floor
two days ago and shared my concerns with the full Senate. I said that
the Bush Administration has not been honest with us about its failures
to plan for the needs of our veterans, and that we still have a lot of
work to do to get back on track. And I warned that -- three and half
years into this war – the Bush Administration still does not have a plan
to meet the needs of all the veterans who will be coming home.
In my speech on Tuesday, I said that Congress needs to provide real
oversight of the Bush Administration so that we can ensure our veterans
get the care they have earned. For those who want to see my full remarks
and all the evidence I cited, you can watch or read my speech on my
website at http://murray.senate.gov
The Senator from Idaho
This morning, the Senator from Idaho came here to the Senate floor and
spoke with great passion about our veterans. The distinguished chairman
of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee took issue with some of the
things I said in my remarks here on Tuesday.
Mr. President, I respect the Senator from Idaho. I appreciate his
leadership of our committee, and I'm pleased to provide more information
before the full Senate. I want everyone to know that the Senator from
Idaho and I have worked together on veterans issues.
I want to point out that when the VA finally admitted that it was facing
a $3 billion shortfall – the Chairman was first to stand beside me and
find the funding to fix the problem. And I thank him for that.
Areas of Agreement
I'm proud to say that the Senator from Idaho and I agree on many points.
We both agree that the VA provides excellent healthcare. When I was in
college during the Vietnam War, I interned at the VA hospital in
Seattle. I saw first-hand how dedicated and talented VA employees are.
Today, that ethic of service and commitment to quality beats in the
heart of every VA employee. I'm proud of the progress we've made helping
the VA become a model for effective, high quality healthcare.
The Senator from Idaho and I also both agree that we have increased VA
funding. It's been an uphill battle – and the facts tell me that we're
not prepared for the many veterans coming home – but we both agree that
we have increased veterans funding. I might point out that we in
Congress provided those increases in spite of years of inadequate budget
requests from the White House.
We agree that the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee works in a
bipartisan fashion under the lea dership of Senator Craig and Ranking
Member Akaka. As I've said many times on this floor – taking care of our
veterans is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It's an
American issue, and we all need to be part of the solution.
And finally, I couldn't agree more with the Senator from Idaho that we
should focus on the facts. Those facts should guide our budgets and our
policy decisions. If the facts say everything is fine, that's great. But
when the facts say there are problems, we need to hear those facts, and
we need to respond based on the facts.
GAO Report Found the VA Misled Us
That's why the GAO report is such a bombshell. Professional, independent
government investigators found that the Bush Administration has not told
us the facts about its budget and planning problems.
Think about that -- if the people we rely on for the facts are not
telling us the truth, we've got a real problem. If they're hiding the
truth, we won't be able to provide veterans with the services they need.
And one of the answers has to be more oversight and more accountability,
so we can get to the truth.
Let me turn to the three main points that are relevant here:
* First, the Bush Administration does not have a real plan to meet the
needs of our Iraqi War veterans – and that failure is impacting the care
we provide all veterans.
* Second, the Bush Administration misled this Congress and it is still
not providing us with up-to-date, timely information.
* And third, we in Congress need to provide real oversight and demand
real accountability -- or our veterans are gonna fall behind.
The Bush Administration has No Plan To Serve Iraq & Afghanistan War
Veterans
Mr. President, I'm very concerned that the Bush Administration still
does not have a plan to meet the needs of our returning service members.
And to prove that I want to point to three sets of figures hat come from
the VA itself.
No Plan Example #1 – VA Underestimated Demand by 68 Percent for FY 2006
The first piece of evidence concerns the number of veterans the VA
expected to treat this year.
For FY 2006, the VA planned to take care of about 110,000 veterans from
Iraq and Afghanistan. 110,000. How many are they actually treating?
185,000. So in this fiscal year – that is just about to end -- the VA
underestimated demand by 68 percent. And that's just for those veterans
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. If the VA had an accurate plan,
they wouldn’t have been so far off.
No Plan Example # 2 – VA Projects FEWER Iraq War Veterans Will Enroll in
FY 2007
Let's go to the second piece of evidence that shows the VA has no plan.
As I said, this year we're treating 185,000 veterans from Iraq and
Afghanistan. How many will we treat next year? The VA estimates that it
will only be 109,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. We're treating
185,000 today, but the VA thinks that number is going to down
dramatically next year.
Given what we know about our continued involvement in Iraq and
Afghanistan, that simply defies logic. And you have to wonder how the VA
ever came up with those figures in the first place. It's projection for
next year is even lower than it's projection for this year. Where are
they getting these numbers? Why are they so wrong?
Those are the questions we in Congress need to be asking. If the VA
really thinks that next year we'll have fewer veterans seeking care, it
clearly has no plan to deal with those who will be coming home.
No Plan Example #3 – We're Already Spending More than the VA Projected
Let me turn to the third piece of evidence that shows the VA has no plan
to deal with Iraq War veterans. In July, the VA told us it will need $1
billion each year for the next 10 years to care for veterans from Iraq.
But the fact is -- for this year alone – we've already spending MORE
than $1 billion. They've given us a ten-year estimate, and they're
already wrong in the very first year. And the lion's share of veterans
have not separated from the Pentagon yet, so it's a safe bet that demand
for VA services will go up and that will require more funding.
So the VA is already wrong in the figures it provided us just a few
months ago. That's because they don't have a plan.
* The fact that they predicted 110,000 enrolled Iraq War veterans this
year – and they're already serving 185,000 shows they don't have a plan.
* The fact that they think demand for care will drop next year shows
that they don’t have a plan.
* And the fact that we're already spending more than they said we would
need for Iraq war vets shows they don't have a plan.
Mr. President, this is unacceptable. If we tolerate it, then we are not
doing our jobs here in Congress. They don't have a plan, and we better
have some oversight and accountability before more veterans end up
getting hurt.
GAO Report Found that the Bush Administration Misled Us
Next Mr. President, I want to turn to the facts of the GAO report that I
requested. This report -- prepared by independent, credible government
investigators -- tells us what's really happening. All of us care about
the facts and we all care about getting this right, and that's why we
should all take this report to heart. Unless we learn from our mistakes,
we're never going to do any better for America's veterans.
GAO's 4 Findings
In that spirit, I want to focus on four findings. First, the GAO found
that the VA knew it had serious problems with its budget, but failed to
notify us in Congress. Even worse, it misled us.
The report suggests that the VA could still be sending us inaccurate
information in its quarterly reports.
Second, the GAO found that the VA was basing its budgets on "unrealistic
assumptions, errors in estimation, and insufficient data."
Third, the Pentagon failed to give the VA up-to-date information about
how many service members would be coming down the pipeline into the VA.
Finally, the GAO found that the VA did not adequately plan for the
impact of service members from Iraq and Afghanistan.
VA Misled Congress
For me, I think one of the most disturbing findings is that the VA kept
assuring us in Congress that everything was fine – while inside the VA
it was clear that shortfalls were growing.
The VA became aware it would have problems in October 2004 – but didn't
admit those problems until June of 2005. Veterans were telling me of
long lines and delays in care.
For months, I tried to give the VA more money, but the Administration
fought me every step of the way. And who paid the price for the VA's
deceptions? America's veterans, and that's just wrong.
Timeline of VA Deceptions
Let me walk through some of the deceptions found in the report. It shows
a very troubling gap between what the VA knew and what the VA told us.
According to the GAO report, starting back in October 2004, the VA knew
money was tight. It anticipated serious budget challenges, and created a
"Budget Challenges" working group.
Two months later, in December 2004, the budget group made internal
recommendations to deal with the shortfall. It suggested delaying new
initiatives and shifting around funding.
Two months later, in February 2005, the Bush Administration released its
budget proposal for 2006.
The GAO found that budget was based on "unrealistic assumptions, errors
in estimation and insufficient data."
A week later at a hearing – on February 15th, 2005, I asked the VA
Secretary if the President's budget was sufficient. He told me, "I have
many of the same concerns, and I end up being satisfied that we can get
the job done with this budget."
Mr. President, let's remember what was happening back at that time. I
was hearing from veterans that they were facing delays in care and that
the VA system was stretched to capacity. But the VA continued to say
everything was fine.
On March 8th, Secretary Nicholson told a House committee that the
president's FY 2006 budget, quote "gives VA what it needs."
I was hearing a much different story as I spoke with veterans around the
country. That's why on March 10th, I offered an amendment in the Senate
Budget Committee to increase veterans funding by 3% so we could hire
more doctors and provide faster care to veterans. Unfortunately,
Republicans said no.
That same month, the VA's internal monthly reports showed that demand
for healthcare was exceeding projections. That was another warning sign
that the VA should have shared with us, but it didn't.
On March 16th, Senator Akaka and I offered an amendment here on the
Senate floor to increase veterans funding by $2.85 billion. Once again,
Republicans said no.
The next month, on April 5th, Secretary Nicholson wrote to Senator
Hutchison saying – "I can assure you that the VA does not need emergency
supplemental funds in FY 2005."
A week later, on April 12th, I offered two amendments on the Senate
floor to boost veterans funding. First, I asked the Senate to agree that
the lack of veterans funding was an emergency and that we had to fix.
Republicans said no.
Then I asked the Senate to agree that supporting our veterans was a
priority. Again, Republican said no. As a result, veterans didn't get
the funding they needed, and the deception continued.
On June 9th, I asked Secretary Nicholson at a hearing if he had enough
funding to deal with the mental health challenges of veterans returning
from Iraq and Afghanistan. He assured me the VA was fine.
So for six months we had happy talk that everything was fine with the
VA. Then, in June – just two weeks after the Secretary's latest
assurance -- the truth finally came out. On June 23rd, the VA revealed a
massive shortfall of $3 billion.
I went to work my colleagues, and we came up with the funding. But we
could have solved that problem much earlier and saved veterans the
delays they experienced.
By misleading us, the Bush Administration hurt America's veterans. We
could have provided the money when it was needed. We could have been
hiring the doctors and nurses we needed. We could have been buying the
medical equipment that was needed. And we could have helped keep
thousands of veterans off waiting lists for care.
Here's the bottom line: The Bush Administration knew about a problem
back in October 2004.
They saw it getting worse, but they kept assuring us everything was
fine. They worked to defeat my amendments to provide funding, and they
didn't come clean until June 2005. That is unacceptable.
Veterans Deserve Answers
I think America’s veterans deserve real answers. This report shows that
the VA was not telling Congress the truth and was fighting those of us
who were trying to help. We need to bring Secretary Nicholson before the
Veterans' Affairs Committee so we can get some real answers. We need to
ensure the VA does not repeat the same mistakes of the past two years.
We owe that to our current and future veterans who sacrifice so much for
us.
Phony Savings for 4 Years
We need an explanation of why the VA misled us about so-called
"management efficiencies." The GAO found those alleged savings were
nothing but hot air. This report clearly shows the Bush Administration
misrepresented the truth to us for four fiscal years, through four
budgets, and four appropriations cycles about these bogus savings. And
when they could not make these efficiencies a reality, they took the
funds from veterans' healthcare. That is unacceptable.
The VA is Still Not Telling the Truth
The report also suggests that even in its latest quarterly reports to us
– the VA is slow to report and does not provide key information we
required – such as the time required for veterans to get their first
appointment.
Pentagon Failed to Provide Updated Information
Mr. President, the GAO report also says that the Department of Defense
failed to provide the VA up-to-date information on how many service
members would be separating from service and seeking care at the VA.
That is really frustrating to me because I've been asking every general
who comes up here if they're doing enough to ensure a smooth transition
from the Pentagon to the VA.
In fact, on February 16th of last year, I questioned Secretary Rumsfeld
directly. I got him to agree that caring for veterans is part of the
cost of war – but he had no real answer when I asked why his request for
the war did not include funding for veterans.
VA Failed to Plan
Finally, the GAO report verifies that the VA failed to plan for the
impact of the veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rebuttal of Comments Raised by the Senator From Idaho
Mr. President, I'd like to take a moment to respond in detail to some of
the points my colleague from Idaho raised. He is a very dedicated and
hard-working advocate for America's veterans.
At times, we may disagree on policy, but it is never personal. And it is
my highest hope that whatever policy disagreements we may have will
result in better service for America's veterans.
Best Care Yes, But It's Inaccessible
The Senator from Idaho said that VA healthcare is the best care in the
world. And I certainly agree as I said earlier. But too often, veterans
are barred from that receiving that care and are put on waiting lists.
For example in the VA Service Network that covers Alaska, Oregon, my
home state of Washington and Senator Craig’s home state of Idaho, the VA
states that there are over 10,000 veterans on waiting lists for their
initial appointments. There are thousands more waiting for specialty
care. Veterans in need are told to wait months before they can see a
doctor.
In fact -- of the 21 regional Service Networks -- the region that covers
both Washington and Idaho is the worst at getting veterans primary and
specialty care appointments within 30 days of the date requested. That
data comes straight out of the VA’s own quarterly budget reports. It is
not my interpretation.
So great care is important, but making sure veterans can actually get
timely access to that care is equally important. And that's an area
where the VA is falling short.
Quarterly Reports Are Late and Out-of-Date
The Senator from Idaho pointed out that we required the VA to submit
quarterly reports on budget execution. He says we've received three such
reports this year. That's accurate. But what the Chairman did not say is
what the GAO found. From page 5 – and I quote –
"However VA's reports have not included some of the measures that would
assist Congress in its oversight, such as measures of patient workload
that would capture the costlines of patient care, and the time required
for new patients to be scheduled for their first healthcare appointment.
Moreover, while VA has 12 months to execute its budget, it did not
submit its first two quarterly reports to Congress until nearly 2 months
after the end of each quarter, using patient workload data that were as
much as 3 months old at the time of submission."
That is the GAO telling us that the VA's information was late and
outdated. We need to demand better.
False Standard of Care
Let me comment on another statement by the Senator from Idaho. He said
that we've had great success in delivering service to veterans. Then he
said this –"it doesn't mean that every veteran got exactly what they
wanted the moment they asked for it."
Mr. President, that's never been the standard. The question is this -
Can veterans who need help get it when they need it?
The evidence I've seen suggests we've got a long way to go. On Tuesday,
I shared with the Senate the story of a soldier in Virginia who is back
from serving our country in Iraq. He can't sleep at night so he called
the VA for an appointment. They told him he'd have to wait 75 days to
see a doctor. That is unacceptable. Ensuring that veterans get timely
care – especially for mental health services – is a dire need.
Again, don't take my word for it. Remember what a VA undersecretary said
in medical journal recently – that mental health care services are
"virtually inaccessible" because of long waiting lines. So when we use a
reasonable standard, it's clear we are falling far short of what our
veterans deserve.
VA Funding – The Full Story
Mr. President, Senator Craig said that during the last 6 years, the
Administration and Congress has increased VA funding by 70% percent. But
let me remind him that every step of way Congress had to fight the
Administration for those increases.
I know that we are putting more funding into the VA than we have
historically. I have worked with my colleagues to fight for that
funding. But let me remind my colleague from Idaho that we still have
thousands of veterans waiting for primary and secondary care – or not
being allowed to access care at all.
The funding that this Congress has provided for the VA still does not
provide enough to ensure that every veteran who is eligible can access
care. The VA takes what Congress appropriates and then limits which
veterans can access care to make the care the VA provides fit within the
budget box Congress provides.
Time and again, proposals for increased fees and copays are presented to
discourage veterans from accessing VA care. I am happy to say we have
fought off this Administration's efforts to put those increased fees and
copays in place. But - at the same time -- the Administration has
limited access to the VA for Priority 7 and 8 veterans.
The VA admitted that fees and copays within its fiscal year 2007 budget
would discourage 200,000 enrolled veterans from accessing care, and
another 1.1 million from enrolling at all. This is wrong. We need a real
budget based on the real needs. Not one based on limited access and
discouraging veterans from seeking the care they were promised.
Oversight – Some, but Not Enough
The Senator from Idaho wanted to be very clear that he had called
hearings and exercised oversight. I agree. He did. I was one of the
people who pushed for those hearings. I was at those hearing. I demanded
answers at those hearings.
And one thing is clear – those efforts were not enough. We are still not
getting straight answers from the VA. We are still getting out-of-date
information. We still do not have a plan from the VA to care for the
veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
So yes, there were hearings – I think we'd all agree that after a $3
billion error that hurt our veterans there better be hearings – but they
were not enough. And we need more oversight and more accountability if
we're going to make sure veterans don ot get hurt again.
I Spoke Out When the Facts Emerged
The Senator from Idaho asked - why now? Why am I calling for more
oversight now? Because the GAO just released its report. I didn't tell
the GAO how long to take in its investigation. When it had the facts, it
released them, and I spoke up immediately. In fact, I think the Senator
from Idaho will remember the morning the GAO released its report I
shared the results with our Veterans Affairs Committee at a public
hearing.
I thought everyone on the committee needed to know immediately that
government investigators found the VA had not told us about the problems
it knew about and that the VA is providing quarterly reports that are
late and based on old information. Simply put, I spoke out when we got
the facts.
I would add that if anyone believes that my remarks on Tuesday are the
first time I've stood up and spoke out for our veterans -- they just
haven't had their eyes open over the past few years. And I would remind
my colleagues that there is no moratorium on speaking out for our
veterans. Whenever we learn facts that affect America's veterans, I'm
going to share them, and I'm not going to stop speaking out until we in
Congress do the right thing.
We'll Be Back
Furthermore, unless we change the path we're on, we'll be talking about
this issue next September, the September after that, and every month in
between. This is not going away.
Conclusion
So Mr. President, we in the Senate debate a lot of issues – none more
significant than the issue of going to war. Mr. President, we are at
war, and this body has a responsibility to meet our obligations in
prosecuting that war – that includes taking care of our veterans. Today,
we are not meeting that obligation. That's not just my opinion. It's the
only conclusion a reasonable person could draw from the GAO report. And
however inconvenient that may be – that is a fact.
Mr. President, I repeat my conclusion from my remarks here on Tuesday.
Veterans deserve better, and this Senate and America can do better.
---------------
Larry Scott
