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SENATE VETS' COMMITTEE VOTES TO RE-OPEN VA TO
PRIORITY GROUP 8 VETERANS -- Sen. Patty Murray:
"This bill restores the promise we make to all
veterans when they sign up to serve."
The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has
voted to allow Priority Group 8 veterans to, once again, enroll for VA
healthcare.
This has been a hot topic lately. Here is
a story on the House Vets' Committee hearing on this matter...
http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/
nfJUN07/nf062207-2.htm
In the hearing, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) tried
to block this move. From a story in the Marine Corps Times:
"By a 10-6 vote, the veterans’ committee rejected an attempt by Craig to
gut a committee proposal in S 1233, a health care bill that orders the
Department of Veterans Affairs to reopen enrollments in the VA for
so-called Priority 8 veterans, those with no service-connected
disabilities and incomes of at least $27,000 a year." Complete
story here...
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/
2007/06/military_vafunding_070627w/
The following is from a press release by Sen.
Patty Murray (D-WA), Member of the Senate Vets' Committee.
Press release here...
http://murray.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=277908
Press release below:
Also see press release from Senator Daniel
Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Senate Vets' Committee here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/
scva07/scva062707-2.htm
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Senator Murray Advances Legislation that Opens
the VA to All Veterans
Veterans' Affairs Committee passes bill that
would make 242,000 veterans, whose VA enrollment was cut off by the Bush
Administration, eligible for care again
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) helped pass
legislation that makes all veterans eligible for Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) healthcare through the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.
The legislation, S.1233 - The Veterans’ Traumatic Brain Injury and Other
Health Programs Improvement Act, includes a Murray-sponsored provision
that restores care to Priority 8 veterans - whose VA health care
eligibility was cut off four years ago by the Bush administration.
Priority 8 veterans are those veterans with non-service-connected
disabilities whose income is above a modest level that varies across the
country.
"This bill restores the promise we make to all veterans when they sign
up to serve," said Senator Murray. "It says that regardless of how much
money you make or when your health declined, you will be entitled to VA
medical care."
"This legislation will reverse the administration's flawed decision four
years ago to close the doors of the VA to Priority 8 veterans. I believe
that changing the rules on these veterans after their service is just
plain wrong. My bill will ensure that Priority 8 veterans are no longer
treated as second class citizens in the eyes of the VA."
On January 24th, 2003 the Bush administration announced that health care
enrollment for new Priority Group 8 veterans would be suspended in order
to reduce the backlog and alleviate a longstanding funding crisis within
the VA.
Since Democrats assumed control of the Congress in January, Senator
Murray has helped to lead the effort to make funding veterans care a top
priority. As the second ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee,
she helped to include a $3.5 billion increase over the President's
budget for veterans funding in the 2008 Budget Resolution. As a member
of the Senate leadership, Murray helped to add $1.78 billion for
veterans care in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill which
was signed into law last month. And just last week, Murray used her seat
on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MILCON-VA)
Appropriations Subcommittee to deliver a $3.6 billion increase in VA
spending for 2008.
In addition to allowing the VA to meet the needs of service members
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the recent increases in funding
will also help reopen the VA to Priority 8 veterans.
According to a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, the
VA estimates that if the enrollment freeze was lifted, approximately
273,000 Priority 8 veterans would have been eligible to receive medical
care from VA in FY2006, and 242,000 Priority 8 veterans would be
eligible in FY2007.
OTHER IMPORTANT MURRAY VETERANS PROVISIONS PASSED TODAY:
Today, Senator Murray also included the following provision in S. 1315,
The Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 which passed the Veterans
Affairs' Committee.
* A provision requiring an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study of the
connection between Gulf War service and Multiple Sclerosis, among other
things.
* A provision adding Osteoporosis as a presumptive disability for
former-POWs with PTSD
All legislation passed today in the Veterans' Affairs Committee will now
move to the full Senate for consideration.
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Larry Scott --
