[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1187-E1188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO OUR VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and 
women who have fallen in service to our country. This weekend, as we 
return home to celebrate Memorial Day with our friends and families, 
let us take time to reflect on the countless sacrifices that have been 
made by our men and women in uniform.
  Since the founding of our nation, the men and women in our armed 
forces have served this country with honor. They have fought to defend 
and preserve our nation from forces that have threatened to divide our 
country and destroy our way of life. America is a better place for 
their courage and their service.
  As a grateful nation, we cannot ignore our responsibility to repay 
those who have served in defense of our country. This means doing 
everything we can to provide our veterans with comprehensive health 
care that is affordable, accessible, and available for life.
  Instead of honoring our promises to our veterans, this Administration 
has tried to turn a blind eye to their problems. This Administration 
has attempted to push the increasing costs of veterans' health care 
onto veterans by charging higher premium and deductibles and reducing 
the number of veterans eligible

[[Page E1188]]

for healthcare. It's absolutely unacceptable to propose forcing a 
greater financial burden on our nation's veterans. That's why I'm a 
proud cosponsor of H.R. 579, the Military Retirees Health Care 
Protection Act, which would protect our veterans from these unnecessary 
TRICARE fee increases. Our promise of affordable health care for our 
veterans is one that we must keep.
  Additionally, the generation of veterans returning home from combat 
areas in Iraq and Afghanistan requires new resources to treat their 
medical needs. However, rather than reinvesting in treatments for 
traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the Administration has barely scratched 
the surface of addressing the mental health needs of our veterans. 
That's why I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 1944, the Veterans Traumatic Brain 
Injury Treatment Act, which would require the Department of Veterans' 
Affairs (VA) to actively screen and develop long-term care programs for 
veterans suffering from TBI.
  Furthermore, we must not allow the substandard care, bureaucratic 
inefficiencies, and dilapidated conditions at Walter Reed to symbolize 
our dedication to our veterans. I was I pleased that the House 
unanimously passed H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, which 
will reduce much of the bureaucracy that prevents veterans from 
receiving quality healthcare, require more caseworkers to be hired, 
improve the system enabling wounded soldiers to transition from active 
duty to the VA system, and create a system of patients advocates to 
hold the VA accountable for problems.
  We cannot allow this Administration's record of broken promises to 
our veterans become an accepted standard of treatment. We can do 
better. I have introduced H.R. 508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq 
Sovereignty Restoration Act, which would require sufficient funding for 
veterans' health care every year and would guarantee broad physical and 
mental healthcare for our veterans.
  Memorial Day reminds us that meeting the needs of our service men and 
women requires sustained commitment and determination. We have a moral 
obligation to ensure that our veterans have the benefits they need. 
Their profound dedication and patriotism deserve no less.

                          ____________________