July 13, 2009

Byrd Announces Funding Commitment To Our Nations Veterans

$109 BILLION SLATED FOR

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

            Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved the FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill.  The bill provides $109 billion to the Department of Veterans Affairs for programs under its jurisdiction.

            “Taking care of our veterans has always been one of my highest priorities,” Byrd said.  “America’s veterans deserve the best services available, without exception.  It is our moral obligation to ensure that they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, and providing the funding necessary to ensure that they receive first-rate health, housing, and long-term care services reaffirms our commitment to helping those who put and have put their lives on the line protecting our great Nation over the years.”

            Byrd, who is the senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, announced that the nationwide funding will be directed toward projects, programs, and offices that include the following:

-- Rural Health:The bill includes $250 million to continue the Rural Health Initiative and provides a total of $440 million in FY 2010 for medical care for veterans in rural and highly rural areas.

-- Rural Clinic Initiative: The bill provides an additional $50 million in medical services to establish Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in rural areas that are currently underserved by VA health care facilities.

-- Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraq Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans:$2.1 billion is being made available to meet the health care needs of veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, a $463 million increase over last year. The VA estimates that the number of OEF/OIF veterans in its health care system will reach 419,000 in 2010, a 61% increase since 2008. This funding includes research and treatment programs for mental health issues, including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

-- Medical and Prosthetic Research: $580 million for research in a number of areas, including but not limited to mental health, TBI, spinal cord injury, burn injury, polytrauma injuries, and sensory loss. This is an increase of $70 million over the 2009 funding level.

-- Women Veterans Programs:$183 million to meet the unique needs of women veterans.

-- Long Term Care:$5.9 billion for long term care for the Nation’s aging veterans as well as severely wounded combat veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funding includes both institutional and home-based care programs. The bill provides $115 million for grants for the construction of State extended care facilities.

-- Homeless Veterans Programs: $3.2 billion for health care and support services for homeless veterans. This includes $500 million in direct programs to assist homeless veterans, which includes: $26 million devoted to a new initiative to combat homelessness through a collaborative pilot program with non-profits and other Federal Agencies.

-- Newly Qualified Veterans: $533 million to expand eligibility for VA health care to non-service disabled veterans earning modest incomes (Priority 8 veterans). The VA estimates that an additional 266,000 veterans will enroll in the health care system due to the change in policy for Priority 8 veterans.

-- Medical Facilities Infrastructure: $1.3 billion for the VA to address critical non-recurring maintenance and the backlog of code violations at existing VA hospitals and clinics. Additionally, $1.9 billion is provided for the construction of VA hospitals and clinics. The bill also includes $685 million nationwide for minor construction projects for construction at existing VA medical facilities.

-- Information Technology (IT): $3.3 billion for IT projects to develop electronic health care records, paperless claims systems, and seamless integration of medical and service records with the Department of Defense.

-- Claims Processing: The bill provides the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) with the resources to hire 1,200 new claims processors in fiscal year 2010. This will bring the Compensation and Pensions workforce level to 14,549 in 2010 as compared to 7,550 in 2005.

-- Office of Inspector General (IG): The bill includes $109 million for the IG’s office. In response to recent reports involving patient safety and improper cleaning of medical equipment, the report includes language directing the IG to undertake a comprehensive review of the VA’s quality assurance programs. The additional funding will allow the IG’s office to provide increased oversight of VBA regional offices by evaluating disability compensation claims.  These audits and reviews are critical as the VA expects claims to rise to almost 1 million in fiscal year 2010.

            “Providing funding that will help us care for our veterans is a responsibility that I will never shirk,” Byrd said.  “These men and women risk their lives on the battlefield for us, and it is only right that they receive the best care possible when they return home.  This money will continue to improve services for veterans across the country, including in West Virginia.”

            The bill now goes before the full Senate for consideration.  Once passed by the Senate, any differences between the House and Senate passed bills must be reconciled before being sent to President Obama for his signature.

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