WASHINGTON, July 10 -- Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa. (10th CD), has issued the following news release:
U.S. Representative Christopher P. Carney voted today in support of the 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. Rep. Carney is a Commander (select) in the U.S. Navy Reserve and Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Management, Investigations and Oversight for the Homeland Security Committee. This bill builds on the historic investments for veterans passed into law by Congress since January 2007 and continues the Nation's commitment to support and honor our brave service men and women and their families.
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act will strengthen quality health care for more than six million patients - including 419,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill also provides advance funds for veterans' health services in 2011, so that funding for our veterans' health care is timely, reliable, and never held hostage by political maneuvering.
'As a man who still wears the uniform, and on behalf of America's service men and women, our veterans, and their families, it is a great privilege for me every time I am able to support our armed services in Congress. Democrats and Republicans alike can be very proud of the work we have done here to honor our commitment to those who risk everything to protect and defend our freedom,' said Rep. Carney. 'Providing for our military men and women is not a partisan issue, it is an American obligation. This is a strong bipartisan bill that honors in a meaningful way the service and sacrifice of our service men and women, our veterans and their families.'
The bill provides funding to construct key facilities for training and housing, addressing the unfunded backlog of barracks construction projects for the young men and women entering the service. It also includes funding for the guard and reserve initiative, to recognize the critical contribution made by reserve personnel and address urgent unfunded requirements. It takes additional steps to support the military families who give so much in service to this country - with military child care centers, military family housing, and additional Vets Centers to provide community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.
'We work hard every day to make sure that our military and its veterans have the services and support they deserve and we are particularly proud that this bill includes funds to design a new state-of-the-art PA National Guard Readiness Center in Northeast PA,' said Rep. Carney. 'The project will benefit the region and the Nation by increasing the readiness of the PA Army National Guard and by creating an energy-efficient, appropriately-sized, facility for modern mission readiness training. It also provides a modern operations center for homeland security missions for PEMA and FEMA,' Rep. Carney continued. 'The PA National Guard has a long and storied history which dates back to the Revolutionary War and they continue to deserve our full commitment and support. These critical improvements are the least we can do for the brave men and women of our PA National Guard.'
This facility will support Company D 1st Battalion, 109th. The unit is comprised of soldiers almost exclusively from NEPA, many of who have served overseas in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom). 'We greatly appreciate Congressman Carney's efforts on behalf of the Pennsylvania National Guard,' said Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, commander of the 19,000-member Pennsylvania National Guard. 'We have a critical need for a modern Army Guard readiness center in this region since we have outgrown the existing facility in West Pittston. A new readiness center would not only enhance our capabilities to accomplish our mission, but would be a great community asset as well.'
With passage of this bill, the Congress will have increased veterans health care and benefits funding by 58% in the past two and a half years. In addition, a new 21st Century GI Education bill that now also transfers this important benefit to the children of those service members who have died while serving our country. This is an unprecedented increase in Congress' commitment to veterans. That commitment:
* has provided an additional 115 Community Based Outpatient Clinics - and this bill adds 30 more
* has provided an additional 42 Vet Centers - and this bill adds 28 more
* has allowed the Veterans Health Administration to hire an additional 2,657 doctors, 11,509 nurses and 40,604 total new staff - and this bill provides for 6,992 more
* has resulted in a total increase of 7,100 claims processors - the total increase will be 8,300 when this bill has passed
* has increased the travel reimbursement rate - which had not been increased since 1979 - to 41.5 cents per mile
'This bill sends a clear message to America's servicemen and women, their families, and our veterans that we deeply respect their service and sacrifice. These resources provide veterans with better access to the healthcare they need and include improved access in rural areas, which is an issue of particular importance to me and all the veterans in northeast and central Pennsylvania,' said Rep. Carney. 'The bill also recognizes our deep respect for the sacrifices that military families make - each and every day - to keep this great Nation safe. The best support that we can give our military when they are deployed, is the knowledge that their families are cared for at home.'
With that in mind the bill provides:
* $2.8 billion for new military hospitals so that our servicemen and women know that their families will get the best possible healthcare in high quality facilities
* $1 billion for new child care centers to serve 20,000 military children
* $570 million in additional funding for barracks - because Congress needs to show our volunteer forces, from day one, that we appreciate their decision to serve.
* $440 million will be spent in fiscal year 2010 on innovative practices to improve access to care for veterans in rural areas. More than 3.2 million (41%) of enrolled veterans live in rural or highly rural areas.
For the first time ever, this bill provides an advance appropriation for VA Medical Care. This will allow the VA to invest taxpayers' dollars more effectively and efficiently and was a top priority of America's veterans' service organizations.
The legislation also includes improvements in electronic health records and paperless benefits processing to make veterans health care more efficient, provide additional oversight and auditing of our veterans health care system, and implement new practices to improve access to care for veterans in rural areas. The bill also invests in mental health services and critical medical and prosthetic research to serve our wounded warriors returning from battle.
And finally, to ensure that the historic increases in funding for the VA are spent wisely and to increase oversight of the taxpayers' dollars, the bill provides an additional $19.2 million for the VA's Office of Inspector General (IG). The IG is charged with the responsibility of making sure that all of the VA's funds are properly allocated and accounted for during the disbursement process. The office is critical to combating and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in government spending.
The bill is strongly supported by major veterans service organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, and many others.
Glen M. Gardner Jr., a Vietnam veteran from Round Rock, Texas, who is the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars said, 'This is a huge step forward for disabled veterans, and the historic funding increases the House provides will dramatically improve the healthcare programs our nation delivers to her defenders.'For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
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