No eligible veteran should ever be denied or be forced to wait for benefits or medical treatment. The House of Representatives recently approved a totally inadequate budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs that does not provide the necessary money to fulfill these obligations. By contrast, earlier this year, I offered an alternative budget proposal based on recommendations from veterans organizations. Instead, they face 6 month waiting lists for basic health care appointments in VA clinics.
More funding is needed to ensure prompt, quality service for all veterans.
Breakthroughs in VA medical research will help veterans live longer, healthier lives. The original House VA budget actually cut medical research funding. This backlog is another example of missed opportunities and broken promises. Increased funding will ensure that veterans are not abandoned when they are most vulnerable. Every year, Congress uses this unfair accounting gimmick to balance the budget.