[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10097]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  DISAPPOINTED BY DECISION TO CLOSE INPATIENT CARE AT VA HOSPITAL IN 
                                SAGINAW

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 18, 2004

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disappointment in 
the Secretary of Veteran Affairs decision to eliminate the inpatient 
care services at the Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Medical Center in Saginaw, 
Michigan. This decision will have a devastating impact on the quality 
and accessibility of medical care for over 60,000 veterans in Mid-
Michigan.
  In Michigan, 130,000 veterans rely on the services and benefits of 
the Veteran Affairs' health care system. Every one of those veterans, 
regardless of location, deserves immediate and convenient access to the 
best medical care services available. Removing the inpatient beds at 
the Lutz Medical Center will hinder the delivery and accessibility of 
medical care to veterans in our area.
  We can not allow the Bush Administration to turn its back on our 
veterans and disrupt access to health services that they are entitled 
to receive. None of our nation's 26 million veterans should ever be 
denied or stripped of essential medical services. It is unconscionable 
and unacceptable that our local veterans will be forced to travel more 
than two hours to the nearest Veteran Medical Center for inpatient 
care.
  I urge my colleagues to fight against the Secretary of Veteran 
Affairs' decision to realign or eliminate medical care services from VA 
hospitals across this country. We owe it to our veterans to fight this 
decision to show our gratitude for their service and sacrifice to our 
country. We must continue to work together to make sure that America's 
heroes receive the best medical care available.

                          ____________________