New York, NY — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton joined thirty-two of her Senate colleagues today in calling on President Bush to ask for full funding for the veterans' health care system when the Administration presents its Fiscal Year '06 budget request to Congress in the coming weeks.

"America's veterans have served our nation and the cause of freedom proudly and bravely. We owe it to them to make sure they have access to the health care and support they need and deserve," Senator Clinton said.

Throughout her time in the Senate, Senator Clinton has been working hard to protect the interests of New York veterans -- to provide full funding for veterans' health care, to make mandatory the funding of VA health care, and to keep New York VA hospitals open.

In addition to Senator Clinton, thirty-two other members signed the letter to President Bush including Senators Daniel Akaka, Max Baucus, Jeff Bingaman, Maria Cantwell, Kent Conrad, Mark Dayton, Christopher Dodd, Bryon Dorgan, Richard Durbin, Tom Harkin, James Jeffords, Tim Johnson, Edward Kennedy, John Kerry, Mary Landrieu, Frank Lautenberg, Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin, Blanche Lincoln, Barbara Mikulski, Patty Murray, Benjamin Nelson, Bill Nelson, Barack Obama, Mark Pryor, Jack Reed, Harry Reid, John Rockefeller, Ken Salazar, Paul Sarbanes, Charles Schumer and Debbie Stabenow.

[Please see the attached letter sent to President Bush]

January 14, 2005

The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States The White House Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to urge you to give appropriate attention and priority to the needs of our nation's veterans in the Fiscal Year 2006 budget proposal you will soon be submitting to Congress.

The ongoing conflicts abroad necessitate that our country maintain well-trained, healthy, and disciplined armed forces. However, we should be mindful at all times that we must remain committed to the care of these men and women upon their return and separation from military service. Fulfillment of this obligation requires constant vigilance on the part of Congress as well as the Executive Branch.

As in years past, we plan to move forward in a bipartisan manner to provide adequate funding for the VA health care system. Merely covering payroll increases for VA health care personnel and medical inflation is not sufficient. Last year, Congress added $1.2 billion in funding for VA medical care to the Omnibus Appropriations Bill for 2005. With tens of thousands of servicemembers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom will return home this year, each of us has a responsibility to ensure that the VA health care system receives full appropriated funding -- without reliance on increasing out-of-pocket fees to veterans.

It is imperative that VA is able to provide high-quality primary and specialty care in a timely manner, in addition to long-term and mental health care for those who require it. It is already apparent that both of these services will continue to be in high demand and we cannot ignore them as we shape the future of VA health care. We all have an obligation to the men and women who serve our nation to ensure that VA gets the funding it so desperately needs to meet these goals.

We sincerely hope that your budget will be a clear message to the heroes of our conflicts -- past and present -- that their sacrifices are not forgotten. Your support will go a long way in keeping the promises we have made to our nation's veterans.

Sincerely,

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