[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 83 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ASSURING QUALITY CARE FOR VETERANS ACT

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                               speech of

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 24, 2010

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5145, 
which will increase the reimbursement amount for Veterans 
Administration, VA, health professionals who continue their 
professional education. It will also expand the VA's authority to offer 
education reimbursements by allowing all health professionals employed 
by the VA to qualify, including optometrists, nurses, chiropractors, 
and other vital health care providers who are currently ineligible. 
This important measure will ensure that the VA community has up-to-date 
training so that they can best treat our veterans who so selflessly 
serve our country.
  I thank Chairman Filner for his leadership in bringing this bill to 
the floor. I would also like to thank the sponsor of this legislation, 
Congressman McNerney, for his dedication to ensuring that we offer our 
veterans the highest quality health care.
  Madam Speaker, our brave men and women in uniform have assumed the 
responsibility of protecting us and the values that we cherish as 
American citizens. We, then, have a solemn obligation to provide them 
with the resources and services that they need. This includes the best 
available medical treatment for our veterans who return home wounded or 
with disabilities. With a new generation of veterans coming home from 
Iraq and Afghanistan, it is as important as ever that the VA medical 
staff is fully equipped to treat traumatic brain injuries, post 
traumatic stress syndrome, and other health complications that are 
increasingly prevalent due to the new threats of 21st century warfare.
  As the representative of a district that is home to over 24,000 
veterans and the VA Medical Center of Long Beach, I am sensitive to the 
health care needs of our servicemen and servicewomen returning home 
from overseas. These young men and women in uniform risk their lives on 
our behalf and ask little in return. The least we can do to repay their 
sacrifice is ensure that they have access to the most modern and 
effective treatments and a comprehensive array of services. This bill 
will do just that.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 
5145.

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