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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release November 9, 2005 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600 |
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| Sen. Salazar Stands With Veterans on Eve of Veterans Day/Highlights Need for Better Health Care and Increased Focus on Rural Areas Washington, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar stood with several of his colleagues, including Senate Veterans Committee Ranking Member Daniel Akaka (D-HI), today honoring our Nation’s veterans the day before Veterans Day and outlining work the Senate Veterans’ Committee is doing to improve their health care and benefits. “Not long ago my family buried my father in his World War II uniform. My father was a proud veteran and member of the greatest generation our Nation has seen. I am proud of him and I am proud of all of our veterans. Tomorrow, as we honor their past sacrifices we should also remember our fighting men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan and keep them in our prayers.” Senator Salazar also welcomed the news that the VA was canceling a controversial review of 72,000 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder cases. The VA had begun reopening individual cases to determine whether veterans with mental health problems were receiving too many benefits. The VA was not reviewing cases where veterans could receive more benefits. After beginning the review, the VA unexpectedly cancelled the review on the eve of Veterans Day. “I am extremely happy that the VA has reconsidered this unfair and one-sided PTSD review. Veterans across Colorado reached out to me, distraught that they would have to reopen old wounds and prove yet again their sacrifices for our country. One veteran in New Mexico committed suicide after receiving a letter from VA questioning his disability.” “I was proud to work with my colleagues in the Senate to end this review and am relieved for the Veterans in Colorado, that the VA saw the light.” The rest of Senator Salazar’s comments from today’s VA event are included below: “I want to thank my colleagues who are with me today. Together we have led the fight to keep the promise to American’s veterans. Just recently, we have successfully fought to improve benefits for military widows and widowers, to plug the $1.3 billion hole in the VA’s budget and to stop a planned review of PTSD cases that would be one-sided and unfair to our nation’s most vulnerable veterans. I am proud to stand with my colleagues, because together, we are standing for our nation’s veterans.” “In particular, I want to take a moment to discuss the care of our rural veterans.” “Veterans in rural areas are in poorer health than their urban counterparts. A 2004 study found that rural veterans scored worse than urban veterans both in overall health and mental health. Because of the distance and difficulties in obtaining care, many rural veterans put off preventive as well as necessary treatment, which results in poorer health and ultimately increased health costs.” “In many rural parts of Colorado, veterans are being forced to drive hundreds of miles to get basic health care at over-utilized facilities. This distance can lead to delayed care. And in the case of our aging veterans, the trip can be damaging to their health. That is just unacceptable.” “Across Colorado, many brave and dedicated state officials and veterans groups are providing transportation services to rural veterans. These are successful, but financial uncertainties put them in jeopardy.” “I am proud to have introduced the VetsRide Act to help programs like these survive. The bill provides small grants to groups that provide transportation or otherwise assist veterans in rural areas. This bill has earned the support of 17 Senate cosponsors including eight Republicans. I hope to get this legislation approved so that we can continue these transportation programs that are a lifeline to our rural veterans.” “In August, I hosted a field hearing on rural veterans’ issues in Grand Junction, Colorado. Based on that hearing, I introduced legislation to require the VA to reevaluate outdated policies that disadvantage rural areas in the placement of new VA clinics. In September, the Senate passed that legislation, which hopefully will help clear the way for rural veterans across the country to get service they deserve.” “Colorado has 433,000 veterans who have fought for our freedom and our state has more than 13,000 soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to show these heroes that we will support them when they come home.” # # # |
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