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News from Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
For Immediate Release
Contact: Russ Levsen, 202-226-4449
Chip Weiskotten, 202-226-8553

HOUSE PASSES RECORD FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE

Rep. Herseth Sandlin Applauds Largest Increase Ever for Veterans Administration

June 15, 2007, Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Military Construction and Veterans’ Appropriations bill, which contains the single largest funding increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration. The legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin supported the legislation, and said, “For the first time, our veterans are being funded at the amount they have earned and deserve. This funding increase will go toward meeting the health care and benefits needs of those brave men and women who have served their country. We owe it to them to deliver on our promises to them, and this bill is the right way to do that.”

In particular, the increased funding in the Military Construction and Veterans’ Appropriations bill will:

• Significantly reduce the 400,000 claims backlog for veterans waiting for disability and other benefits by adding more claims processors.
• Medical Services: $3.4 billion above 2007 to improve access to medical services for all veterans.
• Support critical maintenance of VA health care facilities.
• Make five polytrauma centers and three Centers of Excellence for Mental Health and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) fully- operational this year, to care for those returning Iraq vets.
• Support the development and operation of a toll-free phone and web-based hotline for veterans to report on deficiencies in VA medical facilities and care.
• Address the needs of veterans suffering from mental health and post-traumatic stress disorders.

Action on veterans' health care funding could not come at a more important time. Just yesterday, a new military report revealed significant problems in the military health care system and a significant rise in veterans suffering from mental disorders. More than one-third of the 230,000 new veterans who have applied for medical assistance from the Veterans' Affairs Department suffer with mental disorders.

The legislation has won widespread support and praise from America’s leading veterans’ organizations including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Officers Association of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AmVets, National Association for Uniformed Services and Disabled American Veterans.

# # #

Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin serves South Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats committed to fiscal discipline and strong national security, and is co-chair of the Rural Working Group, which is dedicated to raising the profile of issues important to rural America. She also serves on three committees vital to South Dakota’s interests: Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs and Natural Resources. In the 110th Congress, Rep. Herseth Sandlin was appointed to serve on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.