Martha Roby: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there is no greater duty that we have as a Nation than to care for our veterans.…”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there is no greater duty that we have as a Nation than to care for our veterans. I am so proud to stand in support of this bill funding critical VA needs like medical care, medical health services, suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury treatment, homeless services, and job training. One way I believe that we can greatly improve VA services is to further develop the Patient-Centered Community Care program. Some services veterans need aren't always offered at their local VA hospital, or, if they are, the waiting list may be really long. In these cases, it only makes sense for the VA to contract out services through local providers and get the veteran patients the care that they need. And offering better care to veterans while saving taxpayer money is a win-win situation. Our committee report for this bill asks the Department of Veterans Affairs to document the successes and efficiencies of Patient-Centered Community Care so we can make the case for allowing more veterans to take advantage of this innovative program. I strongly support this bill.”