[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 51 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3989-S3990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. AKAKA:
  S. 2708. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide an 
enrollment priority for veterans, who are recipients of certain medals 
of valor, in health care services provided by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of our Nation's 
veterans and military heroes to introduce the ``Heroes Healthcare 
Eligibility Act of 2006.'' This legislation would recognize the 
sacrifices and contributions of our Nation's military heroes by 
ensuring that our military heroes have full access to VA health care.
  Since January 2003, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has used his 
authority under current law to prohibit Priority 8 veterans from 
enrolling in the VA health care system. Priority 8 veterans are those 
with no service-connected disability and have an income of over 
$26,902. To date, more than 260,000 of these supposed ``middle-income'' 
veterans have been turned away from the VA health care system.
  I was dismayed to learn that the group of Priority 8 veterans may 
include thousands of war heroes, who were awarded medals for valor in 
combat but are ineligible for health care because of income 
limitations. Lou Green, a Korean war veteran and veterans advocate, 
brought a case to my attention where a multiple Silver Star award 
winner was denied access to care. This particular veteran had income 
just slightly above the means test limit but was told that his award 
``meant nothing'' for getting VA health care.
  This bill would recognize those veterans who have been awarded the 
Silver Star Medal or higher for valor and give them access to VA health 
care on par with former POWs; service connected veterans rated 10 
percent or 20 percent disabled and all those who have received a Purple 
Heart. From World War II to present, more than 134,000 servicemembers 
have been awarded either the Silver Star, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, 
Distinguished Service Cross or the Medal of Honor.
  I would tell my colleagues that there is precedent for establishing 
priority eligibility for a veteran's benefit as a result of being 
awarded a military decoration. As I mentioned before, today combat 
veterans in receipt of a Purple Heart are eligible for VA health care, 
as they fall into the third priority group. Also, current policy at 
Arlington National Cemetery gives eligibility for full-body burial to 
those who have been awarded the Silver Star or higher for valor or are 
in receipt of the Purple Heart.
  As much as I would like to reopen the doors to VA health care for all 
Priority 8 veterans, this legislation to recognize our Nation's 
military heroes is a step in the right direction. It is time our 
decorated military heroes receive the recognition they so richly 
deserve. I urge my colleagues to join me in making this needed change 
to VA's health eligibility for our military heroes a reality.

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