Honoring the Legacy of Illinois Congressman Lane Evans
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Printable FormatFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor (202) 228-5511
Illinois Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-0480
Date: October 10, 2006
Obama Introduces Bill to Honor the Legacy of Illinois Congressman Lane Evans
Legislation Would Help Prepare VA to Care for Returning Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today announced that he has introduced legislation to help prepare for the looming veterans care crisis as millions of troops deployed as part of the Global War on Terror return home from battle. Obama named the legislation the Lane Evans Health Care Benefits Improvement Act in recognition of Congressman Evans's decades of service on behalf of our nation's veterans and the people of Illinois.
"Today, nearly 1.5 million American troops have been deployed overseas as part of the Global War on Terror, and already nearly 200,000 have received treatment at the VA," Obama said. "That number is increasing every day, and many of these brave men and women are returning home with major injuries and mental health illnesses like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that we're only beginning to learn how to treat. The VA needs to start preparing today to make sure we keep our promise to care for these brave young and women who have sacrificed so much for us."
Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the VA has faced $3 billion in budget shortfalls since 2005 because it underestimated the costs of caring for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The report indicated that the budget estimates were well off the mark because the VA wasn't getting the information it needed from the Pentagon and was relying on outdated data and incorrect forecasting models.
The Lane Evans Veterans Health Care and Benefits Act would require the VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) to work together and share data so that we know precisely how many troops will be returning home and entering the VA system. The VA established a similar data system following the Persian Gulf War that has been invaluable in budget planning as well as in monitoring emerging health trends and diseases linked to the Gulf War.
Obama's legislation would also make significant improvements in the way the VA provides mental health care services to returning veterans. Specifically, the legislation would require the VA to extend the window during which veterans can apply for mental health care benefits from 2 to 5 years. The bill would also require face-to-face physical and mental health exams with every service member 30 to 90 days after deployment to a war zone, and would require the VA to provide each service member full electronic copies of their medical records to help them get the health care and benefits they need.
Finally, the legislation would require that the VA treat returning guardsman and reservists the same as active duty troops. A 2005 GAO report found that because demobilization for guardsmen and reservists is accelerated, they get limited and inadequate benefits.
"On behalf of Veterans for America, I want to thank Senator Obama for this important legislation," said Jonathan Powers, associate director of Veterans for America, and a former Army Captain. "I served in Iraq and what is happening to our nation's veterans is appalling. The system is broken and this legislation is needed to help prevent the situation from becoming even worse."
"Lane Evans is a hero to the people who live in his district and to millions of soldiers and veterans," Obama said. "I hope that Congress will pass this legislation quickly to help ensure that we are prepared to care for the men and women coming home from battle and to help honor the life and career of Lane Evans."