Political Quotes

“I rise today to recognize a significant legislative victory the Senate delivered for women veterans that will eliminate barriers to care and services that many women face when accessing the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA estimates that women make up approximately 10 percent of our Nation's veteran population. That number is expected to increase to more than 16 percent within the next 25 years. As a result, the number of women veterans receiving healthcare from the VA has more than tripled since 2000. The changing face of our military requires us to reexamine how we can best serve these veterans. The VA has been slow to modernize its delivery of healthcare and benefits to support their needs. Women veterans are more likely to face homelessness, unemployment, and go without needed medical healthcare. They are reluctant to turn to the VA for help. More than 50 percent of women veterans believe they are not entitled to or eligible for VA care. We must do more to fulfill our promise. We need to create a culture at the VA that welcomes women veterans and makes them feel like they belong. It is long overdue, and we need to update the belief that when a women seeks care at the VA, it is because her husband is the veteran. So often, it is not uncommon for a veteran employee to pass a woman in line and ask, you know, is her husband around.…”