The legislation provided a significant increase for veterans health
care, appropriating more than $17 billion for the Veterans Health Administration
-- an increase of $222 million over the White House's budget request and
$193 million over fiscal year 1998. The largest increases were in
medical care, medical and prosthetic research, state home construction,
and other construction. Appropriations for the Veterans Benefits
Administration total $23.5 billion.
Through this bill, I believe that the Congress has demonstrated a strong
commitment to high-quality health care services and other benefits for
veterans.
On top of the funding contained
in this legislation, I added language
to the report accompanying the bill urging the VA to accelerate efforts
to establish community-based outpatient clinics in Petersburg, Grant County,
and Franklin, Pendleton County. These clinics can ease the transportation
problems many veterans in these communities face when needing medical care.
I also added language that directs the VA to continue the specialized, local health services demonstration program operated by the Clarksburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. This will allow veterans to continue to stay in West Virginia for their health care instead of having to travel to hospitals in neighboring states.
Photo: Sen. Byrd meets with George Moore, Jr., the director
of the Martinsburg VA Medical Center, to discuss ways of improving medical
care for veterans.
Veterans Legislative Update Index
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