[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1335 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1335

 Celebrating the 120-year partnership between the Government and State 
                            veterans homes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 2008

  Mr. Hodes (for himself, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Ms. Shea-
   Porter, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
   Thompson of California, Mr. Rogers of Michigan, Mr. Fortuno, Mr. 
 Latham, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Olver, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. 
Porter, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Whitfield of Kentucky, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Kanjorski, 
     Mr. Michaud, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Cazayoux, Mr. LoBiondo, and Mr. 
 Etheridge) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Celebrating the 120-year partnership between the Government and State 
                            veterans homes.

Whereas the primary mission of the National Association of State Veterans Homes 
        is to ensure that each veteran receives the benefits, services, long-
        term health care, and respect each veteran deserves;
Whereas other goals of the National Association of State Veterans Homes are to 
        ensure that no veteran is in need or distress and that the level of care 
        and services provided by State homes is of the highest quality;
Whereas the year 2008 marks the 120th anniversary of the first time the Federal 
        Government granted aid to States that had established State veterans 
        homes;
Whereas following the Civil War, a large number of indigent and disabled 
        veterans were no longer able to earn their own livelihood and were in 
        need of assistance;
Whereas after the Civil War, because the Government was unable to completely 
        meet the needs of this class of veterans, a number of States established 
        State veterans homes;
Whereas the first State home was established in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, in 
        1864;
Whereas on August 7, 1888, Federal aid was authorized for the first time to 
        alleviate the burden of States in operating these homes;
Whereas the Veterans Administration was established in 1930, which led to an 
        expansion of State programs to include three levels of care and 
        increased per diem payments;
Whereas in 1952, the National Association of State Veterans Homes was founded 
        because of the collective need of all State homes to communicate with 
        one another about the problems they faced and their experiences as well 
        as to promote their interests in national legislation;
Whereas in 1964, the State Home Construction Grant Program was initiated, which 
        has greatly increased the ability of State homes to meet the increasing 
        needs of veterans;
Whereas on February 24, 1986, the Veterans Administration and the National 
        Association of State Veterans Homes signed a Memorandum of 
        Understanding, formalizing their mutual goal of providing quality care 
        to veterans;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized to participate in up to 
        65 percent of the cost of construction or acquisition of State nursing 
        homes or domiciliaries or for renovations to existing State homes;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs works to assure Congress that State 
        homes are both financially equipped and institutionally competent to 
        provide quality care to veterans through inspections, audits, and 
        comparing records conducted by the VA medical center of jurisdiction;
Whereas State veterans homes are currently one of the largest long-term care 
        providers in the United States;
Whereas in a typical year, State homes will provide veterans with nearly 7 
        million days of nursing home care and about 1.5 million days of 
        domiciliary care;
Whereas currently, there are 135 State homes throughout the United States with 
        more than 30,000 beds, which will only increase in the coming years; and
Whereas a total of $165,000,000 has been appropriated for State homes capital 
        projects in 2008: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the extraordinary contributions of those who 
        have served in the Armed Forces of the Nation;
            (2) recognizes that the Nation has an affirmative duty to 
        care for the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served 
        their country faithfully;
            (3) recognizes the efforts made by the National Association 
        of State Veterans Homes to aid the States in providing veterans 
        with high-quality care; and
            (4) commends the efforts made by State veterans homes for 
        the past 120 years in ensuring that the honorable veterans of 
        the Armed Forces of this Nation receive the highest quality of 
        care worthy of the great sacrifices they have made.
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