Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

Merced, CA - Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced) convened the first meeting of his Veterans' Advisory Committee, a group formed throughout the 18^th Congressional District designed to advise the Congressman regularly on issues affecting veterans throughout the Valley.  Veterans’ leaders throughout the district have been invited to join the committee.

"The Veterans' Advisory Committee will be critical to ensuring constant communication with the veteran community," said Cardoza.  "All too often, the sacrifices of these brave men and women are forgotten by our elected leaders.  By working closely together, we can better ensure that services critical to our veterans are accessible and available throughout the Valley."

The agenda for today's meeting included issues such as the proposed consolidation of the Stockton and Modesto Clinics, current VA funding status and various bills before Congress that Representative Cardoza may co-sponsor, if the advisory committee makes such a recommendation.

The veterans community has faced substantial cuts in this year's budget process.  The President's budget, submitted to Congress on February 3, underfunds key veterans' programs. For example, it cuts veterans' health care programs by $5.4 billion over 10 years below the level necessary to maintain current services. Furthermore, the House budget adopted on March 21 is even worse. It cuts veterans' health care programs by $14.2 billion and veterans' benefit programs by $14.6 billion over the next 10 years.

On April 11, Congress adopted a budget conference report, which claims its "only" cut in veterans' programs is a $6.2 billion cut in veterans' health care over 10 years - but which also contains $128 billion in unidentified domestic spending cuts over 10 years, so that the veterans' cuts would inevitably grow to be much greater.

Congressman Cardoza opposed the Budget Conference report, largely due to these cuts, and is committed to fighting for funding for veterans' programs that provide the care and benefits they deserve. 

"I find it absolutely abhorrent that during a time of war, significant cuts to services these veterans were promised are on the chopping block," said Cardoza.

On Saturday April 12, Congress approved a $79 billion emergency wartime appropriations bill that is about $5 billion higher than the President's request.  The measure also increases Department of Veterans Affairs spending by $100 million through the end of the current year to ensure health care for service members who will return from the current Iraq conflict. These funds will see that VA is prepared for the evaluation of and care for those injured in overseas combat.

The Veterans Advisory Committee will meet regularly with Congressman Cardoza and his staff member, Ric Elias, a veteran who served in the Gulf War.  The Congressman plans to develop several other advisory groups throughout the district over the coming months.