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Veterans

The Second Congressional District is home to over 75,000 veterans including many veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of my most important responsibilities as a member of Congress is to ensure that the men and women who served our country get the resources and health care they need and deserve. Click here for information about help and resources available for veterans and military families.

Bringing Veterans Services Closer to Veterans

Northwest Washington's veterans have had to travel too far, for too long, to get the health care they need and deserve. In the past, many veterans in our district had to travel up to 100 miles each way to receive medical care at the Seattle VA Medical Center. That’s why I worked with local veterans to bring health care and services closer to veterans in our area.

We achieved a great victory last year when the Northwest Washington Community Based Outpatient Clinic opened in July of 2009. This veterans’ clinic, located near Skagit Valley Hospital at 307 South 13th Street in Mount Vernon, will bring health care closer to home for Skagit, North Snohomish, Whatcom, Island and San Juan county veterans.  I applaud the veterans of the Second Congressional District who have worked so hard to bring a new veterans’ clinic to Northwest Washington.

In addition to offering primary care services, the new, permanent clinic will provide mental health, pharmacy, eye, ear, x-ray and dental care. As of May 2010, the clinic was off to a great start, with over 4,500 veterans enrolled for primary care. The clinic could eventually serve more than 6,500 veterans.

A New GI Bill for the 21st Century

Congress has passed a new GI Bill to restore full college scholarships for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.  Veterans who served after September 11, 2001 can receive educational benefits up to the cost of the most expensive public school in their state.  Importantly, many veterans will be able to transfer these benefits to their spouses and children.

The new GI Bill is already having an impact in Northwest Washington – over 250 veterans are using these benefits to further their education at Everett Community College alone. 

The GI Bill for the 21st Century is a great step forward for our veterans. Helping more veterans go to college and vocational school makes sense for veterans, military families and our 21st century economy.

Delivering the Best Possible Care

I am committed to working to improve care for veterans and their families.  Congress has increased funding for the VA by 60% since 2007, allowing them to hire 17,000 new doctors and nurses and improve services for veterans suffering from the signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.   Importantly, for the first time this year, Congress provided the VA with funding a full year in advance to ensure that veterans care cannot be interrupted by politics.  

But we can always do more to support our veterans and their families. A law passed by Congress earlier this year will improve mental health services, support for veterans’ caregivers, and women veterans.

Caregivers: For the first time, the VA will be required to offer comprehensive support services to individuals who provide care to veterans severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.  These caregivers will receive specialized training and education, counseling and mental health services, respite care, and a monthly stipend to help cover the cost of caring for the injured veteran.

Women Veterans Health Care: I am working to provide the unprecedented number of women veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan with the healthcare they need.  The VA will now be required to take the following actions to improve care for our nation’s 1.8 million female veterans:

  • Conduct a study of barriers to women veterans seeking health services;
  • Provide up to seven days of care for newborn children of women veterans;
  • Enhance treatment for women with sexual trauma at the VA; and
  • Establish a child care pilot program for women receiving regular and intensive care.

Mental Health Care: Mental health services will be expanded at the Vet Centers in Everett, Bellingham, and around the country to anyone who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan, including service members who have chosen to stay in the military through the Reserve or National Guard.  In the past, Vet Centers were only open to veterans who had separated from the military entirely.

Preserving Access to Care for Military Retirees and Families

I have worked to keep doctors’ offices open for service members, retirees and military families who depend on TRICARE to get the care they need. I helped secure a federal rule change to increase TRICARE payments for Whidbey General Hospital and other critical access hospitals across the country. This rule change will help ensure that service members, military families and retirees continue to have access to needed medical care.