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Reinforces Democrats’ Pledge to Provide Veterans’ With Quality Health Care
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
American Legion 3 - Clarence Bacon (far left), Hoyer, Sandi Dutton, Ric Santos (far right), other Maryland American Legion Members
Washington, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD) met with members of the Maryland Department of the American Legion today at a luncheon on Capitol Hill. Members of the American Legion were on Capitol Hill for the testimony of National Commander Thomas Bock before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on the legislative issues of the American Legion.
“The current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, reinforce how much we owe to the current and former members of our armed forces. These men and women were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom and safety of their fellow Americans. Democrats will continue to work to ensure that veterans receive the highest quality services we can possibly provide and that they are treated with the dignity and honor they so rightly deserve,” Hoyer said.
Democrats have led the fight for full funding of health care benefits for veterans. This year, the full Democratic Caucus sent a letter on June 28th to President Bush requesting a $1.3 billion supplemental funding request for veterans’ health care in Fiscal Year 2005. The Bush Administration and Congressional Republicans ignored this request, yet had to admit in July that nearly $1.3 billion in emergency funds would be needed to provide veterans’ health care through the end of the fiscal year – and House and Senate Democrats took the lead in quickly providing that funding.
National Commander Bock attended the luncheon, as well as Maryland Department Commander Phil Surprenant, National Executive Committeeman Alfred Schmidt, Alternate National Executive Committeeman Gordon Browning, Department Adjutant Tom Davis, Legislative Council Member Mike Mooney, Immediate Past National Commander Tom Cadmus, Past National Commander Clarence Bacon, Past National Commander Ric Santos, National President of the Ladies Auxiliary Carol Van Kirk, and Immediate Past National President of the Ladies Auxiliary Sandi Dutton.
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