JOHN CARTER

Our nation recently celebrated Memorial Day, a day on which we recognize the service of so many brave American men and women. As we honor our veterans and current service members, it’s important that we maintain the promises the government made them in exchange for their service. Just as they have given life and limb in defense of our nation, so the government must honor our commitment to provide health care to those injured in their service.

Recent events have called into question the dedication that the Department of Veterans Affairs has to providing treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a serious psychiatric injury which is often difficult to diagnose. A soldier may develop PTSD in response to the traumatic events he or she often faces in a combat zone. While there are no clear physical symptoms, those affected have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and may even make themselves emotionally detached from their loved ones. While these wounds don’t leave physical scars on our soldiers, airmen, and marines; they are just as devastating.

One of my assignments as your Congressman is to help craft the legislation that provides funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2007 alone the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee provided an increase of over $11.8 billion to the veterans’ healthcare system. My colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, and I also took specific action to address the increasing cases of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. We required that at least $2.9 billion be spent explicitly on mental health care. We also found it necessary to build a Level 1 Polytrauma Center in San Antonio, supply the necessary funds to provide Polytrauma support clinic teams and additional Polytrauma points of contact, and require that existing Level 1 Polytrauma centers and Mental Health Centers of Excellence be fully staffed and operational in 2008.

My commitment to our soldiers and veterans is strong. I am proud to have worked with both Democrats and Republicans to have supported these and other important issues for our service men and women, both past and present. It is important that we continue to honor our commitment to them and not hamper their recovery efforts in an effort to save a penny here or there. As I begin to work with other members of the Appropriations Committee on the bills to fund your government for the next year, I will continue to fight to make sure that our veterans receive the care they deserve.

The past few weeks, many of us in Congress have argued the necessity of fully supporting and funding our servicemen and women in harm’s way. But the recent reports of substandard conditions at an outpatient facility at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are a disturbing reminder of the need to also ensure for the health and well-being of those already returning from the front lines.

Our government has an obligation to provide the highest quality medical care for our brave servicemen and women when they are wounded in the course of defending freedom. Walter Reed is known throughout the world as a first-class medical facility and it is Congress’ responsibility to exercise the oversight necessary to ensure its continued vitality. I was encouraged to hear that President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have acted swiftly to put personnel and protocols in place to immediately address the situation.

As the federal representative for Fort Hood, the world’s largest military installation, I have many opportunities to visit Walter Reed and the men and women receiving treatment there. I am disturbed by what Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England called a “leadership problem”. Rightly so, additional federal funding cannot solve problems of oversight and accountability. After visiting Walter Reed and describing the conditions as “unacceptable”, Secretary Gates accepted the resignation of Army Secretary Francis Harvey. In addition, the Army relieved Major General George Weightman of his command at Walter Reed.

I appreciate the President firmly addressing this problem by designating a bipartisan commission to determine whether similar problems exist at other military and VA hospitals. The goals of this commission will be to 1) improve the transition from deployment to civilian service, 2) ensure high-quality services for returning wounded service members, and 3) increase access to benefits and services. In this process, the commission will consult with foundations, veterans’ service organizations, non-profit groups, and faith-based organizations as needed.

In addition to the President’s commission, Congress is taking this matter very seriously by making it a top priority. Hearings have begun, or are being scheduled, by Subcommittees of the House Oversight and Government Reform and Appropriations panels. The Armed Services Committee will also convene hearings to receive testimony on this matter. As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs, I look forward to ensuring that proper protocols are in place to avoid any recurrence.

I have also scheduled visits to the Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood and the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center to tour the facilities and ensure that similar circumstances do not present themselves in the 31st District.

It is important to remember that countless Army medical centers and veterans’ hospitals are doing a wonderful job providing the care that our servicemen and women deserve. I trust the situation at Walter Reed, although unfortunate and inexcusable, is not indicative of most Army medical units. With the President’s bipartisan commission, and the oversight of Congress, I believe that we will once again be able to get back to the important mission at hand – properly caring for our servicemen and women.