Access to full-service in-state medical care is essential to provide the health care benefits owed to New Hampshire veterans.  But when I took office, I found out that New Hampshire is the only state without a full-service VA Hospital or access to comparable care at a military facility. Since then, I have been advocating for a return to full service for the Manchester VA Hospital with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

I have sent letters to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, describing the hardships our veterans experience and asking for the restoration of full service, and had a meeting with him to discuss the problems veterans face in New Hampshire without access to a full-service hospital. Secretary Peake and I agreed that our highest priority should be to ensure that our veterans have the benefits they deserve.

Rep. Bob Filner, chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, accepted my invitation to come to Manchester to meet with New Hampshire veterans, and to talk to hospital staff and tour our VA Hospital to assess our needs first-hand.  At my invitation, Rep. Chet Edwards, Chair of the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, House Appropriations Committee, also toured our VA Hospital and met with staff and with veterans. It is important for my colleagues in Congress to know about the lack of access New Hampshire veterans have to medical care.

I have also introduced a bill, the Veterans Health Equity Act of 2008 (H.R. 6629), to address this unfair situation by restoring the Manchester VA Hospital to full service or at least ensuring that comparable services to a full-service hospital are offered in-state through a contract.  It is disgraceful that many of our oldest and sickest veterans are forced to travel out of state for medical care.  More than 130,000 veterans currently live in our state. 

On September 9, 2008, at the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, I testified about the urgent need for New Hampshire veterans to have access to full in-state health care.  The Committee was reviewing my legislation, the Veterans Health Equity Act.  I urged the Committee to support my legislation so we can ensure New Hampshire veterans have the care they need and deserve.