[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 27 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  SHAMEFUL TREATMENT FOR OUR VETERANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of South Carolina). Under the 
Speaker's announced policy of January 7, 2003, the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Strickland) is recognized for 6 minutes, which is the balance of 
the leadership hour, as the further designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I come to this Chamber tonight, and I 
enjoyed listening to my colleagues talk about this important court 
nominee. But I wanted to talk about another issue that is important to 
the American people, and that is the way this government and especially 
this administration is treating our veterans. I bring this chart to 
this Chamber as I did last night to illustrate the fact that if a 
veteran goes to a veterans hospital today and looks upon a bulletin 
board, they are likely to see this notice. It says: Did you know the 
medication copayment has changed from $2 to $7. Just about a year ago, 
the VA decided that they were going to increase the copayment that a 
veteran must pay for their medicine from $2 a prescription to $7 a 
prescription.
  And at that time, I thought it was an outrageous act, that we would 
impose this additional financial burden upon our veterans.
  But looking at the President's budget which he just released for 
2004, he just released it a few days ago, they do not want to charge $7 
a prescription as a copay, but they are actually suggesting that this 
be increased to $15 a prescription.
  Now, think about that. At a time when we are preparing to send 
America's young men and women into a war, we are treating our veterans, 
those who have fought past wars, those who have served our country with 
honor, we are charging them more for the medicines they need to stay 
healthy or to simply maintain their lives. From $2 a prescription to $7 
a prescription, and now, in the President's budget, $15 a prescription. 
Many veterans take 10 or more prescriptions a month. That is a lot of 
money, and many of our veterans are on fixed incomes.
  Now, in the President's budget for 2004, he is also calling for an 
elimination of the taxation on dividends. About $674 billion, if that 
plan is enacted, about $674 billion will go to the richest people in 
this country, millionaires, multimillionaires. Why would we charge 
veterans more for their medicines while, at the same time, we are 
proposing to give $674 billion to the richest people in this country? 
Not only has the VA decided to raise the cost of medicine, but they 
have also decided in the President's budget to raise the cost of going 
to an outpatient clinic for care to see a doctor, from $15 to $20. Why 
would we raise the cost that a veteran must pay simply to go to see a 
doctor when, at the same time, we are giving $674 billion to the 
richest people in this country?
  About a year ago, the VA put out a memo, and this memo went out to 
all other health care providers across this Nation. And it basically 
said, too many veterans are coming to our facilities for services. It 
is costing us too much money, so you are no longer able to market the 
services that veterans are entitled to receive. It is a gag order. They 
are actually telling the health care providers across this country that 
you cannot tell veterans what they are entitled to receive under the 
law. They were quite specific in their memo. They told these health 
care providers that they could no longer participate in community 
health fairs. They could no longer send out newsletters describing 
their services. They could no longer go to an American Legion post and 
sign up veterans for the services that they, under the law, are 
entitled to receive. I call it the ``if they don't ask, we won't tell'' 
policy. If the veteran does not ask what they are entitled to receive, 
the VA will not tell them what they are entitled to receive.
  Then, a few weeks ago, the VA decided that they would do something 
else to save money. They decided to create a new priority group called 
Priority Group 8, and if you are a veteran and you make about $26,000 
or $27,000 a year, you are no longer going to be permitted to enroll in 
the VA health care system. And under the President's budget, they are 
really suggesting that there be an annual enrollment fee imposed upon 
veterans, a brand-new enrollment fee. If you make $24,000 a year and 
you are a veteran, they are asking that you pay $250 a year just to 
enroll in the VA health care system.
  Now, I do not think $24,000 is a lot, and people out there in the 
rest of the world need to know that those of us who serve here in this 
Chamber make about $150,000 or so a year. Mr. Speaker, $24,000 is not a 
lot. But in the President's budget, if a veteran makes $24,000 a year, 
they will be required to pay a $250 annual enrollment fee just to 
participate in the VA health care system.
  Why are we doing this? Why do we not take part of that $674 billion 
that we are giving to the richest people in this country and use it to 
provide health care for our veterans? It is simply the right thing to 
do.

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