[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1340-E1341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE ``SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY VETERANS COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH 
                               CARE ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. FRANK A. LoBIONDO

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2005

  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Southern 
New Jersey Veterans Comprehensive Health Care Act''. I am proud to have 
Representatives Jim Saxton, Chris Smith, and Rob Andrews join me as 
original cosponsors of this legislation. My colleagues and I all share 
a serious concern that South Jersey veterans are not currently having 
their health care needs adequately served by the Veterans' 
Administration. In order to increase health care accessibility in our 
area, this bill directs the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' 
Affairs to expand the capability of the VA to provide for the medical 
care needs of vets in Southern New Jersey.
  The issue of improved access to health services from the Department 
of Veterans' Affairs, is especially important with the growing number 
of veterans in Southern New Jersey. Many of our older veterans from 
World War II and other conflicts are in need of more frequent health 
care services and inpatient care. As a result of the continued fight in 
the Global War on Terror, there will be many new veterans in our area 
who need care in the coming years, as over 62 percent of the New Jersey 
National Guard is currently deployed, deploying, or has been deployed 
in support of the Global War on Terror. This percentage of Reserve 
Component forces from our State who will be eligible for veterans' 
status is growing rapidly.
  As it relates to Southern New Jersey, I have serious reservations 
about the VA's access model for health care access, which currently 
says that adequate access is being provided if a veteran lives within 
60 to 90 mile radius of a VA Medical Center. Today, despite falling 
within the VA's access model, veterans residing in Southern New Jersey 
must often travel several hours away, either to the neighboring states 
of Pennsylvania or Delaware, or to Northern New Jersey, in order to 
receive inpatient medical care and some outpatient services.
  Although transportation is provided to the Wilmington, DE facility 
via a new handicapped-accessible van, these veterans often face a ten-
hour round trip. Veterans riding a van from Southern New Jersey must 
board the van early in the morning, making several stops before 
reaching the VA facility, stay all day until each veteran has completed 
their appointment and then return home. This means that a veteran with 
a 4 p.m. appointment boards the bus at 8 a.m. and waits at the facility 
until 4 or 5 p.m. And, the veteran whose appointment is at 9 a.m. must 
wait to return home until the last appointment is completed, resulting 
in a 10 hour day of travel.
  Of equal concern is that veterans have told me they simply do not use 
the services at these three facilities because of the transportation 
hardship. Southern New Jersey is a prime example of suppressed demand 
for VA health care.
  The Southern New Jersey Veterans Comprehensive Health Care Act gives 
an overview of the VA health care access situation veterans are facing 
Southern New Jersey and proposes a choice of two workable solutions to 
this growing problem. The bill cites that the current and future health 
care needs of South Jersey veterans are not being met by the VA, travel 
times to existing VA facilities in Philadelphia and Wilmington may fall 
within VA's access parameters, but that these parameters fail to take 
into account that the area is rural, and that routes to the two VAMCs 
are congested, leading to a ``suppressed demand'' for care. It also 
outlines that the number of vets in the area is increasing as more 
retire in the area and new vets come back from being deployed in 
support of the War on Terrorism. States that 62 percent of the NJ Guard 
will have been deployed on active duty by the end of 2004.
  This bill defines ``Southern New Jersey'' as the counties of: 
Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, 
and Ocean and requires the VA Secretary to determine and notify 
Congress no later than March 15, 2006 as to how he will provide for the 
full service health care needs of South Jersey vets.
  The Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is given two 
options for providing this improved access to health care for veterans 
in Southern New Jersey. The Secretary is given the choice of 
establishing a public-private partnership between the VA and an 
existing hospital (private-sector entity) in South Jersey--a ``VA 
Wing'', or construction of a full-service, 100 bed VA Medical Center 
(VAMC). If the VAMC option is chosen, the bill authorizes $120 M for 
the construction of the facility.
  I am proud to introduce the Southern New Jersey Comprehensive Health 
Care Act with my New Jersey colleagues Congressman

[[Page E1341]]

Saxton, Congressman Andrews, and Congressman Smith. Our nation's 
veterans answered the call without question when our country needed 
them, and it is our duty to provide quality, convenient health care for 
them when they need it. This issue is a top priority for me and I will 
continue to fight to ensure that all veterans have adequate access to 
the health care they have earned and deserve.

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